"Sweet!" the King said, governing his temper in a way that surprised me, "hear reason, and you shall have it in a word. How near was Bassompierre to the lady he saw?" "I was not within fifty paces of her!" the favourite cried eagerly. "But others saw her!" the Queen rejoined sharply. "Madame Paleotti, who was with the gentleman, saw her also, and knew her." "At a distance of fifty paces?" the King said drily. "I don't attach much weight to that." And then, rising, with a slight yawn. "Madame," he continued, with the air of command which he knew so well how to assume, "for the present, I am tired! If Madame de Conde is here, it will not be difficult to get further evidence of her presence. If she is at Brussels, that fact, too, you can ascertain. Do the one or the other, as you please; but, for to-day, I beg that you will excuse me." "And that," the Queen cried shrilly--"that is to be--" "All, madame!" the King said sternly. "Moreover, let me have no prating outside this room. Grand-Master, I will trouble you." And with these words, uttered in a voice and with an air that silenced even the angry woman before us, he signed to me to follow him, and went from the room; the first glance of his eye stilling the crowded ante-chamber, as if the shadow of death passed with him. I followed him to his closet; but, until he reached it, had no inkling of what was in his thoughts. Then he turned to me. "Where is she?" he said sharply. I stared at him a moment. "Pardon, sire?" I said. "Do you think that it was Madame de Conde?" "Why not?" "She is in Brussels." "I tell you I saw her this morning!" he answered. "Go, learn all you can! Find her! Find her! If she has returned, I will--God knows what I will do!" he cried, in a voice shamefully broken. "Go; and send Varennes to me. I shall sup alone: let no one wait."