lders, a movement which
did not escape the count, who dreaded, if he quitted the court, to seem
to yield to a feeling of fear.

"No, no; I have decided, Bragelonne; I stay."

"I prophesy, then," said Raoul, sadly, "that misfortune will befall you,
De Guiche."

"I, too, am a prophet, but not a prophet of evil; on the contrary,
count, I say to you, 'remain.'"

"Are you sure," inquired De Guiche, "that the repetition of the ballet
still takes place?"

"Quite sure."

"Well, you see, Raoul," continued De Guiche, endeavoring to smile, "you
see, the court is not so very sorrowful, or so readily disposed for
internal dissensions, when dancing is carried on with such assiduity.
Come, acknowledge that," said the count to Raoul, who shook his head,
saying, "I have nothing to add."

"But," inquired the chevalier, curious to learn whence Raoul had
obtained his information, the exactitude of which he was inwardly forced
to admit, "since you say you are well informed, vicomte, how can you be
better informed than myself, who am one of the prince's most intimate
companions?"

"To such a declaration I submit. You certainly ought to be perfectly
well informed, I admit; and, as a man of honor is incapable of saying
anything but what he knows to be true, or of speaking otherwise than
what he thinks, I will say no more, but confess myself defeated, and
leave you in possession of the field of battle."

Whereupon Raoul, who now seemed only to care to be left quiet, threw
himself upon a couch, whilst the count summoned his servants to aid him
in dressing. The chevalier, finding that time was passing away, wished
to leave; but he feared, too, that Raoul, left alone with De Guiche,
might yet influence him to change his mind. He therefore made use of his
last resource.

"Madame," he said, "will be brilliant; she appears to-day in her costume
of Pomona."

"Yes, that is so," exclaimed the count.

"And she has just given directions in consequence," continued the
chevalier. "You know, Monsieur de Bragelonne, that the king is to appear
as Spring."

"It will be admirable," said De Guiche; "and that is a better reason
for me to remain than any you have yet given, because I am to appear
as Autumn, and shall have to dance with Madame. I cannot absent myself
without the king's orders, since my departure would interrupt the
ballet."

"I," said the chevalier, "am to be only a simple _egypan_; true, it is,
I am a bad dancer, and my legs ar