t from the
princess.

"You know the contents of this letter, no doubt?" said Gaston to Raoul.

"Yes, monseigneur; M. le Prince at first gave me the message verbally,
but upon reflection his highness took up his pen."

"It is beautiful writing," said Madame, "but I cannot read it."

"Will you read it to Madame, M. de Bragelonne?" said the duke.

"Yes; read it, if you please, monsieur."

Raoul began to read, Monsieur giving again all his attention. The letter
was conceived in these terms:

"MONSEIGNEUR--The king is about to set out for the frontiers. You are
aware the marriage of his majesty is concluded upon. The king has done
me the honor to appoint me his _marechal-des-logis_ for this journey,
and as I knew with what joy his majesty would pass a day at Blois, I
venture to ask your royal highness's permission to mark the house you
inhabit as our quarters. If, however, the suddenness of this request
should create to your royal highness any embarrassment, I entreat you to
say so by the messenger I send, a gentleman of my suite, M. le Vicomte
de Bragelonne. My itinerary will depend on your royal highness's
determination, and instead of passing through Blois, we shall come
through Vendome or Romorantin. I venture to hope that your royal
highness will be pleased with my arrangement, it being the expression of
my boundless desire to make myself agreeable to you."

"Nothing can be more gracious toward us," said Madame, who had more
than once consulted the looks of her husband during the reading of the
letter. "The king here!" exclaimed she, in a rather louder tone than
would have been necessary to preserve secrecy.

"Monsieur," said his royal highness in his turn, "you will offer my
thanks to M. de Conde, and express to him my gratitude for the honor he
has done me." Raoul bowed.

"On what day will his majesty arrive?" continued the prince.

"The king, monseigneur, will in all probability arrive this evening."

"But how, then, could he have known my reply if it had been in the
negative?"

"I was desired, monseigneur, to return in all haste to Beaugency,
to give counter-orders to the courier, who was himself to go back
immediately with counter-orders to M. le Prince."

"His majesty is at Orleans, then?"

"Much nearer, monseigneur; his majesty must by this time have arrived at
Meung."

"Does the court accompany him?"

"Yes, monseigneur."

"_A propos_, I forgot to ask you after M. le Cardinal."

"His emin