e Tonnay-Charente pronounced these words in such a tone as
to leave no doubt, in her companion's minds, upon the official character
with which she was invested.

"Madame's desire!" exclaimed Montalais and La Valliere together.

"Her _ultimatum_," replied Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente,
diplomatically.

"But," murmured La Valliere, "does Madame know, then--"

"Madame knows more about the matter than we said, even," said Athenais,
in a formal, precise manner. "Therefore let us come to a proper
understanding."

"Yes, indeed," said Montalais, "and I am listening in breathless
attention."

"Gracious heavens!" murmured Louise, trembling, "shall I ever survive
this cruel evening?"

"Oh! do not frighten yourself in that manner," said Athenais; "we have
found a remedy." So, seating herself between her two companions, and
taking each of them by the hand, which she held in her own, she began.
The first words were hardly spoke, when they heard a horse galloping
away over the stones of the public high-road, outside the gates of the
chateau.

Chapter LV. Happy as a Prince.

At the very moment he was about entering the chateau, Bragelonne met De
Guiche. But before having been met by Raoul, De Guiche had met Manicamp,
who had met Malicorne. How was it that Malicorne had met Manicamp?
Nothing more simple, for he had awaited his return from mass, where he
had accompanied M. de Saint-Aignan. When they met, they congratulated
each other upon their good fortune, and Manicamp availed himself of
the circumstance to ask his friend if he had not a few crowns still
remaining at the bottom of his pocket. The latter, without expressing
any surprise at the question, which he perhaps expected, answered that
every pocket which is always being drawn upon without anything ever
being put in it, resembles those wells which supply water during the
winter, but which gardeners render useless by exhausting during the
summer; that his, Malicorne's, pocket certainly was deep, and that
there would be a pleasure in drawing on it in times of plenty, but that,
unhappily, abuse had produced barrenness. To this remark, Manicamp, deep
in thought, had replied, "Quite true!"

"The question, then, is how to fill it?" Malicorne added.

"Of course; but in what way?"

"Nothing easier, my dear Monsieur Manicamp."

"So much the better. How?"

"A post in Monsieur's household, and the pocket is full again."

"You have the post?"

"That is, I have the