o see if your sagacity is in fault."

"Oh! sire, a man may be mistaken; _errare humanum est_," said the
musketeer, philosophically.

"In that case, you are not human, Monsieur d'Artagnan, for I believe you
never are mistaken."

"Your majesty said, that we were going to see whether such was the case
or not."

"Yes."

"In what way, may I venture to ask?"

"I have sent for M. de Manicamp, and M. de Manicamp is coming."

"And M. de Manicamp knows the secret?"

"Guiche has no secrets for M. de Manicamp."

D'Artagnan shook his head. "No one was present at the combat, I repeat;
and, unless M. de Manicamp was one of the two men who brought him
back--"

"Hush!" said the king, "he is coming; remain there, and listen
attentively."

"Very good, sire."

And, at the same moment, Manicamp and Saint-Aignan appeared at the
thresh-hold of the door.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE ENCOUNTER.

The king with his hand made, first to the musketeer, and then to
Saint-Aignan, an imperious and significant gesture, as much as to say,
"On your lives, not a word." D'Artagnan withdrew, like a soldier, into a
corner of the room; Saint-Aignan, in his character of favorite, leaned
over the back of the king's chair. Manicamp, with his right foot
properly advanced, a smile upon his lips, and his white and well-formed
hands gracefully disposed, advanced to make his reverence to the king,
who returned the salutation by a bow. "Good evening, M. de Manicamp," he
said.

"Your majesty did me the honor to send for me," said Manicamp.

"Yes, in order to learn from you all the details of the unfortunate
accident which has befallen the Comte de Guiche."

"Oh! sire, it is very grievous indeed."

"You were there?"

"Not precisely so, sire."

"But you arrived on the scene where the accident occurred a few minutes
after it took place?"

"I did so, sire, about half an hour afterward."

"And where did the accident happen?"

"I believe, sire, the place is called the Rond-point du Bois-Rochin."

"Oh! the rendezvous of the hunt."

"The very spot, sire."

"Very good; tell me what details you are acquainted with, respecting
this unhappy affair, Monsieur de Manicamp."

"Perhaps your majesty has already been informed of them, and I fear to
fatigue you by useless repetitions."

"No, do not be afraid of that."

Manicamp looked all around him; he only saw D'Artagnan leaning with his
back against the wainscot--D'Artagnan, calm, kind, and good