jected to the
emotions which agitated her. She was waiting with the most restless
impatience, and Montalais and Manicamp found her standing near the door.
At the sound of their approaching footsteps, Madame came forward to meet
them. "Ah!" she said, "at last!"

"Here is M. Manicamp," replied Montalais.

Manicamp bowed with the greatest respect; Madame signed to Montalais to
withdraw, and she immediately obeyed. Madame followed her with her eyes
in silence until the door closed behind her, and then turning toward
Manicamp, said, "What is the matter?--and is it true, as I am told,
Monsieur de Manicamp, that some one is lying wounded in the chateau?"

"Yes, madame, unfortunately so--Monsieur de Guiche."

"Yes! Monsieur de Guiche," repeated the princess. "I had, in fact, heard
it rumored, but not confirmed. And so, in perfect truth, it is Monsieur
de Guiche who has been so unfortunate."

"M. de Guiche himself, madame."

"Are you aware, M. de Manicamp," said the princess, hastily, "that the
king has the strongest antipathy to duels?"

"Perfectly so, madame; but a duel with a wild beast is not amenable to
his majesty."

"Oh, you will not insult me by supposing that I should credit the absurd
fable which has been reported, with what object I cannot tell,
respecting M. de Guiche having been wounded by a wild boar. No, no,
monsieur; the real truth is known, and, in addition to the inconvenience
of his wound, M. de Guiche runs the risk of losing his liberty."

"Alas! madame, I am well aware of that, but what is to be done?"

"You have seen the king?"

"Yes, madame."

"What did you say to him?"

"I told him how M. de Guiche had been to the chase, and how a wild boar
had rushed forth out of the Bois-Rochin; how M. de Guiche fired at it,
and how, in fact, the furious brute dashed at De Guiche, killed his
horse, and grievously wounded himself."

"And the king believed that?"

"Perfectly."

"Oh, you surprise me, Monsieur de Manicamp; you surprise me very much."
And Madame walked up and down the room, casting a searching look from
time to time at Manicamp, who remained motionless and impassible in the
same place. At last she stopped. "And yet," she said, "every one here
seems united in giving another cause for his wound."

"What cause, madame," said Manicamp, "may I be permitted, without
indiscretion, to ask your highness?"

"You ask such a question? You, M. de Guiche's intimate friend, his
confidant, indeed!"