to-day, except the pleasure of
remaining with you. The prince kindly appointed me no other: which was
so much in accord with my wish."

"Is the king well?"

"Perfectly."

"And monsieur le prince also?"

"As usual, monsieur."

The comte forgot to inquire after Mazarin; that was an old habit.

"Well, Raoul, since you are entirely mine, I will give up my whole day
to you. Embrace me--again, again! You are at home, vicomte! Ah, there
is our old Grimaud! Come in, Grimaud: monsieur le vicomte is desirous of
embracing you likewise."

The good old man did not require to be twice told; he rushed in with
open arms, Raoul meeting him half-way.

"Now, if you please, we will go into the garden, Raoul. I will show
you the new lodging I have had prepared for you during your leave of
absence; and whilst examining the last winter's plantations, and two
saddle-horses I have just acquired, you will give me all the news of our
friends in Paris."

The comte closed his manuscript, took the young man's arm, and went out
into the gardens with him.

Grimaud looked at Raoul with a melancholy air as the young man passed
out; observing that his head nearly touched the _traverse_ of the
doorway, stroking his white _royale_, he slowly murmured:--"How he has
grown!"

Chapter V. In which Something will be said of Cropoli--of Cropoli and of
a Great Unknown Painter.

Whilst the Comte de la Fere with Raoul visits the new buildings he has
erected, and the new horses he has bought, with the reader's permission
we will lead him back to the city of Blois, and make him a witness of
the unaccustomed activity which pervades that city.

It was in the hotels that the surprise of the news brought by Raoul was
most sensibly felt.

In fact, the king and the court at Blois, that is to say, a hundred
horsemen, ten carriages, two hundred horses, as many lackeys as
masters--where was this crowd to be housed? Where were to be lodged all
the gentry of the neighborhood, who would gather in two or three
hours after the news had enlarged the circle of its report, like the
increasing circumferences produced by a stone thrown into a placid lake?

Blois, as peaceful in the morning, as we have seen, as the calmest lake
in the world, at the announcement of the royal arrival, was suddenly
filled with the tumult and buzzing of a swarm of bees.

All the servants of the castle, under the inspection of the officers,
were sent into the city in quest of provis