had the honor of speaking to you, has just
torn a certain portion of my dress."

"It is quite dark," replied Montalais, laughing; "so, pray continue, M.
Manicamp."

"De Guiche set off on horseback as hard as he could, I following him,
at a slower pace. You quite understand that to throw one's self into
the water, for instance, with a friend, at the same headlong rate as he
himself would do it, would be the act either of a fool or a madman. I
therefore allowed De Guiche to get in advance, and I proceeded on my
way with a commendable slowness of pace, feeling quite sure that my
unfortunate friend would not be received, or, if he had been, that he
would ride off again at the very first cross, disagreeable answer;
and that I should see him returning much faster than he went, without
having, myself, gone much farther than Ris or Melun--and that even was a
good distance you will admit, for it is eleven leagues to get there and
as many to return."

Montalais shrugged her shoulders.

"Laugh as much as you like; but if, instead of being comfortably seated
on the top of the wall as you are, you were sitting on this branch as if
you were on horseback, you would, like Augustus, aspire to descend."

"Be patient, my dear M. Manicamp; a few minutes will soon pass away; you
were saying, I think, that you had gone beyond Ris and Melun."

"Yes, I went through Ris and Melun, and I continued to go on, more
and more surprised that I did not see him returning; and here I am at
Fontainebleau; I look for and inquire after De Guiche everywhere, but
no one has seen him, no one in the town has spoken to him; he arrived
riding at full gallop, he entered the chateau; and there he has
disappeared. I have been here at Fontainebleau since eight o'clock this
evening inquiring for De Guiche in every direction, but no De Guiche
can be found. I am dying with uneasiness. You understand that I have not
been running my head into the lion's den, in entering the chateau, as my
imprudent friend has done; I came at once to the servants' offices, and
I succeeded in getting a letter conveyed to you; and now, for Heaven's
sake, my dear young lady, relieve me from my anxiety."

"There will be no difficulty in that, my dear M. Manicamp; your friend
De Guiche has been admirably received."

"Bah!"

"The king made quite a fuss over him."

"The king, who exiled him!"

"Madame smiled upon him, and Monsieur appears to like him better than
ever."

"Ah! ah!"