ng
to take any amusement after receiving the last sigh of Anne of Austria;
but everything has an end in this world. Well! then he is no longer sad?
So much the better."

"And everything commences as well as ends," said the captain of the
dogs, with a coarse laugh.

"Ah!" said D'Artagnan, a second time--he burned to know, but dignity
would not allow him to interrogate people below him--"there is something
beginning, then, it appears?"

The captain gave him a significant wink; but D'Artagnan was unwilling to
learn anything from this man.

"Shall we see the king early?" asked he of the falconer.

"At seven o'clock, monsieur, I shall fly the birds."

"Who comes with the king? How is Madame? How is the queen?"

"Better, monsieur."

"Has she been ill, then?"

"Monsieur, since the last chagrin she had, her majesty has been unwell."

"What chagrin? You need not fancy your news is old. I am but just
returned."

"It appears that the queen, a little neglected since the death of her
mother-in-law, complained to the king, who replied to her--'Do I not
sleep with you every night, madame? What more do you want?'"

"Ah!" said D'Artagnan--"poor woman! She must heartily hate Mademoiselle
de la Valliere."

"Oh, no! not Mademoiselle de la Valliere," replied the falconer.

"Who then?--" The horn interrupted this conversation. It summoned the
dogs and the hawks. The falconer and his companion set off immediately,
leaving D'Artagnan alone in the midst of the suspended sentence. The
king appeared at a distance, surrounded by ladies and horsemen. All the
troop advanced in beautiful order, at a foot's pace, the horns of
various sorts animating the dogs and the horses. It was a movement, a
noise, a mirage of light, of which nothing now can give an idea, unless
it be the fictitious splendor or false majesty of a theatrical
spectacle. D'Artagnan, with an eye a little weakened, distinguished
behind the group three carriages. The first was intended for the queen:
it was empty. D'Artagnan, who did not see Mademoiselle de la Valliere by
the king's side, on looking about for her, saw her in the second
carriage. She was alone with two of her women, who seemed as dull as
their mistress. On the left hand of the king, upon a high-spirited
horse, restrained by a bold and skillful hand, shone a lady of the most
dazzling beauty. The king smiled upon her, and she smiled upon the king.
Loud laughter followed every word she spoke.

"I must kno