ll France!" and D'Artagnan struck
his sword.

"You are right," said Aramis, turning very pale; and then he rose and
pressed D'Artagnan's hand.

"That is the last summons for supper," said the captain of the
musketeers; "will you excuse me?"

Aramis threw his arm round the musketeer's neck, and said, "A friend
like you is the brightest jewel in the royal crown." And they
immediately separated.

"I was right," thought D'Artagnan, "there is something on foot."

"We must make haste with the explosion," said Aramis, "for D'Artagnan
has discovered the plot."

CHAPTER XVII.

MADAME AND GUICHE.

It will not be forgotten that the Comte de Guiche had left the
queen-mother's apartment on the day when Louis XIV. presented La
Valliere with the beautiful bracelets he had won at the lottery. The
comte walked to and fro for some time outside the palace in the greatest
distress, from a thousand suspicions and anxieties with which his mind
was beset. Presently he stopped and waited on the terrace opposite the
grove of trees, watching for Madame's departure. More than half an hour
passed away; and as he was at that moment quite alone, the comte could
hardly have had any very diverting ideas at his command. He drew his
tablets from his pocket, and, after hesitating over and over again,
determined to write these words--"Madame, I implore you to grant me one
moment's conversation. Do not be alarmed at this request, which contains
nothing in any way opposed to the profound respect with which I
subscribe myself, etc., etc." He then signed and folded this singular
supplication, when he suddenly observed several ladies leaving the
chateau, and afterward several men also, in fact almost every person who
had formed the queen's circle. He saw La Valliere herself, then
Montalais talking with Malicorne; he saw the departure of the very last
of the numerous guests who had a short time before thronged the
queen-mother's cabinet.

Madame herself had not passed; she would be obliged, however, to cross
the courtyard in order to enter her own apartments; and from the terrace
where he was standing, De Guiche could see all that was passing in the
courtyard. At last, he saw Madame leave, attended by a couple of pages,
who were carrying torches before her. She was walking very quickly; as
soon as she reached the door she said:

"Let some one go and see after De Guiche, he has to render me an account
of a mission he had to discharge for me