eoni spoke again, and Denis, who was near, saw the King make a
deprecating gesture with his hands, and then hurry off to enter the
_salon_ where the dancing was going on.

Denis stood watching Leoni, who stood looking thoughtfully after his
master.

"I thought so," said the boy to himself, for as he watched Leoni he saw
the doctor turn slowly and with his peculiar fixed look sweep the
well-filled room till his eye rested upon the young esquire.

The next moment he had raised his finger to his lips, gazing at him
fixedly for some moments, before turning and moving towards the door,
when Denis heaved a deep sigh and looked round in vain in search of
Saint Simon; but he was nowhere near, and the boy slowly followed Leoni,
whom he found waiting for him just outside the door.

Meanwhile Hurst, upon seeing the Comte's departure, drew near to where
Henry sat moody and alone, the various gentlemen in attendance, knowing
their master's ways, having drawn back a little, to enter into a forced
conversation, waiting for the King's next move.

They had not long to wait, for he suddenly looked round till his eyes
rested upon the chamberlain, when he rose, to lay his hand upon his
counsellor's shoulder and walk out with him towards the now deserted
corridor, into which the strains of music from the ballroom floated
again and again.

"There, Hurst," he cried, as soon as they were alone, and they paced
together slowly towards the end, "what am I to say to you?"

"Sire?"

"If I were not in a good humour I should be disposed to punish you by
the loss of my favour for spoiling what ought to have been a joyous
day."

"Sire, I am deeply grieved. You must credit me with anxiety in my duty
towards your Majesty."

"Yes, yes, I do," cried the King impatiently. "But your suspicions have
been absurd, and have made me behave almost rudely to my brother's
ambassador, as noble a gentleman as I ever met. Zounds, man! Is a
king's life always to be made bitter by his people's dreams of plots?
Your suspicions are all folly. He a prince of France! Absurd!"

The chamberlain walked on in silence, and stopped short where the
corridor opened out into a well-lit chamber whose walls were hung with
portraits.

"Well," said the King, "what now?"

"Would your Majesty step here into this alcove?" said the chamberlain,
after a quick glance around to see that they were alone.

"What now?" cried the King angrily.

The chamberlain made no repl