against members of the
family of Buckingham."

"Silence," said the queen, kissing the duke upon the forehead with an
affection she could not restrain. "Go, go; spare me and forget yourself
no longer. I am the queen; you are the subject of the king of England;
King Charles awaits your return. Adieu, Villiers,--farewell."

"Forever!" replied the young man, and he fled, endeavoring to master his
emotions.

Anne leaned her head upon her hands, and then looking at herself in the
glass, murmured, "It has been truly said, that a woman who has truly
loved is always young, and that the bloom of the girl of twenty years
ever lies concealed in some secret cloister of the heart." [1]

Chapter XVIII. King Louis XIV. does not think Mademoiselle de la
Valliere either rich enough or pretty enough for a Gentleman of the Rank
of the Vicomte de Bragelonne.

Raoul and the Comte de la Fere reached Paris the evening of the same day
on which Buckingham had held the conversation with the queen-mother.
The count had scarcely arrived, when, through Raoul, he solicited an
audience of the king. His majesty had passed a portion of the morning in
looking over, with madame and the ladies of the court, various goods of
Lyons manufacture, of which he had made his sister-in-law a present. A
court dinner had succeeded, then cards, and afterwards, according to his
usual custom, the king, leaving the card-tables at eight o'clock, passed
into his cabinet in order to work with M. Colbert and M. Fouquet. Raoul
entered the ante-chamber at the very moment the two ministers quitted
it, and the king, perceiving him through the half-closed door, said,
"What do you want, M. de Bragelonne?"

The young man approached: "An audience, sire," he replied, "for the
Comte de la Fere, who has just arrived from Blois, and is most anxious
to have an interview with your majesty."

"I have an hour to spare between cards and supper," said the king. "Is
the Comte de la Fere at hand?"

"He is below, and awaits your majesty's permission."

"Let him come up at once," said the king, and five minutes afterwards
Athos entered the presence of Louis XIV. He was received by the king
with that gracious kindness of manner which Louis, with a tact beyond
his years, reserved for the purpose of gaining those who were not to be
conquered by ordinary favors. "Let me hope, comte," said the king, "that
you have come to ask me for something."

"I will not conceal from your majesty,