ch of the storm
could be felt, but as the king did not perceive it, no one thought it
was right to do so. The promenade was therefore continued; some of the
company, with minds ill at ease on the subject, raised their eyes from
time to time toward the sky; others, even more timid still, walked about
without wandering too far from the carriages, where they relied upon
taking shelter in case the storm burst. The greater number of these,
however, observing that the king fearlessly entered the wood with La
Valliere, followed his majesty. The king, noticing this, took La
Valliere's hand, and led her away by a side-path, where no one this time
ventured to follow him.

CHAPTER IV.

THE SHOWER OF RAIN.

At this moment, and in the same direction, too, that the king and La
Valliere were proceeding, except that they were walking in the wood
itself instead of following the path, two men were walking together,
utterly indifferent to the appearance of the heavens. Their heads were
bent down in the manner of people occupied with matters of great
moment. They had not observed either De Guiche or Madame, or the king
or La Valliere. Suddenly something passed through the air like a stream
of fire, followed by a loud but distant rumbling noise.

"Ah!" said one of them, raising his head, "here is the storm. Let us
reach our carriages, my dear D'Herblay."

Aramis looked inquiringly at the heavens. "There is no occasion to hurry
yet," he said; and then, resuming the conversation where it had
doubtlessly been interrupted, he said, "You were observing that the
letter we wrote last evening must by this time have reached its
destination?"

"I was saying that she certainly has it."

"Whom did you send it by?"

"By my own servant, as I have already told you."

"Did he bring back an answer?"

"I have not seen him since; the young girl was probably in attendance on
Madame, or was in her own room dressing, and he may have had to wait.
Our time for leaving arrived, and we set off, of course: I cannot,
therefore, know what is going on yonder."

"Did you see the king before leaving?"

"Yes."

"How did he seem?"

"Nothing could be better, or worse; according as he be sincere or
hypocritical."

"And the _fete_?"

"Will take place in a month."

"He invited himself, you say?"

"With a pertinacity in which I detected Colbert's influence. But has not
last night removed your illusions?"

"What illusions?"

"With respect to