mor and sedition.

The king, half dressed, the queen and Laporte remained each in the
same state and almost in the same place, where they were listening and
waiting. Comminges, who was on guard that night at the Palais Royal, ran
in. He had about two hundred men in the courtyards and stables, and he
placed them at the queen's disposal.

"Well," asked Anne of Austria, when D'Artagnan reappeared, "what does it
mean?"

"It means, madame, that the report has spread that the queen has left
the Palais Royal, carrying off the king, and the people ask to have
proof to the contrary, or threaten to demolish the Palais Royal."

"Oh, this time it is too much!" exclaimed the queen, "and I will prove
to them I have not left."

D'Artagnan saw from the expression of the queen's face that she was
about to issue some violent command. He approached her and said in a low
voice:

"Has your majesty still confidence in me?"

This voice startled her. "Yes, sir," she replied, "every confidence;
speak."

"Will the queen deign to follow my advice?"

"Speak."

"Let your majesty dismiss M. de Comminges and desire him to shut himself
up with his men in the guardhouse and in the stables."

Comminges glanced at D'Artagnan with the envious look with which every
courtier sees a new favorite spring up.

"You hear, Comminges?" said the queen.

D'Artagnan went up to him; with his usual quickness he caught the
anxious glance.

"Monsieur de Comminges," he said, "pardon me; we both are servants of
the queen, are we not? It is my turn to be of use to her; do not envy me
this happiness."

Comminges bowed and left.

"Come," said D'Artagnan to himself, "I have got one more enemy."

"And now," said the queen, addressing D'Artagnan, "what is to be done?
for you hear that, instead of becoming calmer, the noise increases."

"Madame," said D'Artagnan, "the people want to see the king and they
must see him."

"What! must see him! Where--on the balcony?"

"Not at all, madame, but here, sleeping in his bed."

"Oh, your majesty," exclaimed Laporte, "Monsieur d'Artagnan is right."

The queen became thoughtful and smiled, like a woman to whom duplicity
is no stranger.

"Without doubt," she murmured.

"Monsieur Laporte," said D'Artagnan, "go and announce to the people
through the grating that they are going to be satisfied and that in five
minutes they shall not only see the king, but they shall see him in bed;
add that the king sleeps and th