hus attacked Madame's character, mentally asked her
forgiveness from the bottom of his heart. The chevalier, while admiring
De Guiche's penetration, was leading him, blindfolded, to the brink
of the precipice. De Guiche then questioned him more directly upon the
effect produced by the scene of the morning, and upon the still more
serious effect produced by the scene at dinner.

"But I have already told you they are all laughing at it," replied the
Chevalier de Lorraine, "and Monsieur himself at the head of them."

"Yet," hazarded De Guiche, "I have heard that the king paid Madame a
visit."

"Yes, precisely so. Madame was the only one who did not laugh, and the
king went to her in order to make her laugh, too."

"So that--"

"So that nothing is altered in the arrangements of the day," said the
chevalier.

"And is there a repetition of the ballet this evening?"

"Certainly."

"Are you sure?"

"Quite," returned the chevalier.

At this moment of the conversation between the two young men, Raoul
entered, looking full of anxiety. As soon as the chevalier, who had a
secret dislike for him, as for every other noble character, perceived
him enter, he rose from his seat.

"What do you advise me to do, then?" inquired De Guiche of the
chevalier.

"I advise you to go to sleep in perfect tranquillity, my dear count."

"And my advice, De Guiche," said Raoul, "is the very opposite."

"What is that?"

"To mount your horse and set off at once for one of your estates; on
your arrival, follow the chevalier's advice, if you like; and, what is
more, you can sleep there as long and as tranquilly as you please."

"What! set off!" exclaimed the chevalier, feigning surprise; "why should
De Guiche set off?"

"Because, and you cannot be ignorant of it--you particularly so--
because every one is talking about the scene which has passed between
Monsieur and De Guiche."

De Guiche turned pale.

"Not at all," replied the chevalier, "not at all; and you have been
wrongly informed, M. de Bragelonne."

"I have been perfectly well informed, on the contrary, monsieur,"
replied Raoul, "and the advice I give De Guiche is that of a friend."

During this discussion, De Guiche, somewhat shaken, looked alternately
first at one and then at the other of his advisers. He inwardly felt
that a game, important in all its consequences for the rest of his life,
was being played at that moment.

"Is it not fact," said the chevalier, putting