my good and faithful Parisians," continued Anne,
with a smile, the expression of which did not deceive D'Artagnan, "that
you have seen the king in bed, asleep, and the queen also ready to
retire."

"I shall tell them, madame, and those who accompany me will say the same
thing; but----"

"But what?" asked Anne of Austria.

"Will your majesty pardon me," said Planchet, "but is it really the king
who is lying there?"

Anne of Austria started. "If," she said, "there is one among you who
knows the king, let him approach and say whether it is really his
majesty lying there."

A man wrapped in a cloak, in the folds of which his face was hidden,
approached and leaned over the bed and looked.

For one second, D'Artagnan thought the man had some evil design and
he put his hand to his sword; but in the movement made by the man in
stooping a portion of his face was uncovered and D'Artagnan recognized
the coadjutor.

"It is certainly the king," said the man, rising again. "God bless his
majesty!"

"Yes," repeated the leader in a whisper, "God bless his majesty!" and
all these men, who had entered enraged, passed from anger to pity and
blessed the royal infant in their turn.

"Now," said Planchet, "let us thank the queen. My friends, retire."

They all bowed, and retired by degrees as noiselessly as they had
entered. Planchet, who had been the first to enter, was the last to
leave. The queen stopped him.

"What is your name, my friend?" she said.

Planchet, much surprised at the inquiry, turned back.

"Yes," continued the queen, "I think myself as much honored to have
received you this evening as if you had been a prince, and I wish to
know your name."

"Yes," thought Planchet, "to treat me as a prince. No, thank you."

D'Artagnan trembled lest Planchet, seduced, like the crow in the fable,
should tell his name, and that the queen, knowing his name, would
discover that Planchet had belonged to him.

"Madame," replied Planchet, respectfully, "I am called Dulaurier, at
your service."

"Thank you, Monsieur Dulaurier," said the queen; "and what is your
business?"

"Madame, I am a clothier in the Rue Bourdonnais."

"That is all I wished to know," said the queen. "Much obliged to you,
Monsieur Dulaurier. You will hear again from me."

"Come, come," thought D'Artagnan, emerging from behind the curtain,
"decidedly Monsieur Planchet is no fool; it is evident he has been
brought up in a good school."

The differen