Henrietta was the only one who knew
of Bragelonne's return, and thinking over the advantages which might be
drawn from this return, she had feigned indisposition in order to remain
behind. Madame was therefore confident of finding La Valliere's room and
Saint-Aignan's apartment perfectly empty. She took a pass-key from
her pocket and opened the door of her maid of honor's apartment.
Bragelonne's gaze was immediately fixed upon the interior of the room,
which he recognized at once; and the impression which the sight of
it produced upon him was torture. The princess looked at him, and her
practiced eye at once detected what was passing in the young man's
heart.

"You asked for proofs," she said; "do not be astonished, then, if I give
you them. But if you do not think you have courage enough to confront
them, there is still time to withdraw."

"I thank you, Madame," said Bragelonne; "but I came here to be
convinced. You promised to convince me,--do so."

"Enter, then," said Madame, "and shut the door behind you."

Bragelonne obeyed, and then turned towards the princess, whom he
interrogated by a look.

"You know where you are, I suppose?" inquired Madame Henrietta.

"Everything leads me to believe I am in Mademoiselle de la Valliere's
room."

"You are."

"But I would observe to your highness, that this room is a room, and is
not a proof."

"Wait," said the princess, as she walked to the foot of the bed, folded
up the screen into its several compartments, and stooped down towards
the floor. "Look here," she continued; "stoop down and lift up this
trap-door yourself."

"A trap-door!" said Raoul, astonished; for D'Artagnan's words began
to return to his memory, and he had an indistinct recollection that
D'Artagnan had made use of the same word. He looked, but uselessly,
for some cleft or crevice which might indicate an opening or a ring to
assist in lifting up the planking.

"Ah, I forgot," said Madame Henrietta, "I forgot the secret spring; the
fourth plank of the flooring,--press on the spot where you will observe
a knot in the wood. Those are the instructions; press, vicomte! press, I
say, yourself."

Raoul, pale as death, pressed his finger on the spot which had been
indicated to him; at the same moment the spring began to work, and the
trap rose of its own accord.

"It is ingenious enough, certainly," said the princess; "and one can see
that the architect foresaw that a woman's hand only would have to m