eep."

"Laporte," said Anne of Austria, in an undertone, "find some very dull
book to read to his majesty, but do not undress yourself."

The king went out, accompanied by the Chevalier de Coislin, bearing
the candlestick, and then the queen returned to her own apartment. Her
ladies--that is to say Madame de Bregy, Mademoiselle de Beaumont, Madame
de Motteville, and Socratine, her sister, so called on account of
her sense--had just brought into her dressing-room the remains of the
dinner, on which, according to her usual custom, she supped. The queen
then gave her orders, spoke of a banquet which the Marquis de Villequier
was to give to her on the day after the morrow, indicated the persons
she would admit to the honor of partaking of it, announced another visit
on the following day to Val-de-Grace, where she intended to pay her
devotions, and gave her commands to her senior valet to accompany her.
When the ladies had finished their supper the queen feigned extreme
fatigue and passed into her bedroom. Madame de Motteville, who was on
especial duty that evening, followed to aid and undress her. The queen
then began to read, and after conversing with her affectionately for a
few minutes, dismissed her.

It was at this moment D'Artagnan entered the courtyard of the palace, in
the coadjutor's carriage, and a few seconds later the carriages of the
ladies-in-waiting drove out and the gates were shut after them.

A few minutes after twelve o'clock Bernouin knocked at the queen's
bedroom door, having come by the cardinal's secret corridor. Anne of
Austria opened the door to him herself. She was dressed, that is to say,
in dishabille, wrapped in a long, warm dressing-gown.

"It is you, Bernouin," she said. "Is Monsieur d'Artagnan there?"

"Yes, madame, in your oratory. He is waiting till your majesty is
ready."

"I am. Go and tell Laporte to wake and dress the king, and then pass on
to the Marechal de Villeroy and summon him to me."

Bernouin bowed and retired.

The queen entered her oratory, which was lighted by a single lamp of
Venetian crystal, She saw D'Artagnan, who stood expecting her.

"Is it you?" she said.

"Yes, madame."

"Are you ready?"

"I am."

"And his eminence, the cardinal?"

"Has got off without any accident. He is awaiting your majesty at Cours
la Reine."

"But in what carriage do we start?"

"I have provided for everything; a carriage below is waiting for your
majesty."

"Let us go to