g coat showed vividly; but now he was
alone, and riding in a direction which each moment carried him farther
from the line of the chase, and entangled him more deeply in the forest.

Supposing that he had made a bad cast and was in error, I dashed the
spurs into my horse, and galloped after him; then, finding that he
still held his own, and that I did not overtake him, but that, on the
contrary, he was riding at the top of his speed, I called to him. "You
are in error, sire, I think!" I cried. "The hounds are the other way!"

He heard, for he raised his hand, and, without turning his head, made
me a sign; but whether of assent or denial, I could not tell. And he
still held on his course. Then, for a moment, I fancied that his horse
had got the better of him, and was running away; but no sooner had the
thought occurred to me than I saw that he was spurring it, and exciting
it to its utmost speed, so that we reached the end of that ride, and
rushed through another and still another, always making, I did not fail
to note, for the most retired part of the forest.

We had proceeded in this way about a mile, and the sound of the hunt
had quite died away behind us, and I was beginning to chafe, as well as
marvel, at conduct so singular, when at last I saw that he was
slackening his pace. My horse, which was on the point of failing,
began, in turn, to overhaul his, while I looked out with sharpened
curiosity for the object of pursuit. I could see nothing, however, and
no one; and had just satisfied myself that this was one of the droll
freaks in which he would sometimes indulge, and that in a second or two
he would turn and laugh at my discomfiture, when, on a sudden, with a
final pull at the reins, he did turn, and showed me a face flushed with
passion and chagrin.

I was so taken aback that I cried out. "MON DIEU! sire," I said.
"What is it? What is the matter?"

"Matter enough!" he cried, with an oath. And on that, halting his
horse, he looked at me as if he would read my heart. "VENTRE DE SAINT
GRIS!" he said, in a voice that made me tremble, "if I were sure that
there was no mistake, I would--I would never see your face again!"

I uttered an exclamation.

"Have you not deceived me?" quoth he.

"Oh, sire, I am weary of these suspicions!" I answered, affecting an
indifference I did not feel. "If your Majesty does not--"

But he cut me short. "Answer me!" he said harshly, his mouth working
in his b