"Between you and me, Monsieur de Blenau, there is no need of fine words. I have always found you strictly honourable, and therefore I rely on what you tell me, as if it were within the scope of my own knowledge. In the first place, then, you have been witness to an extraordinary scene to-day.--Are you at all aware from what cause the King has acted as he has done, so at variance with his conduct for fifteen years?" "Particularly, I am aware of no cause, and can only conjecture that his Majesty is tired of being dictated to by his servant?" "Umph!" said Chavigni, in a tone of dissatisfaction; "there is no need to triumph, Monsieur de Blenau. Am I to believe that you know of no one who has instigated the King to take such singular steps in your favour?" "Of none whatever!" answered the Count; "unless it were her Majesty the Queen,--the effect of any application from whom, would be quite different, I should conceive." "No, no, no!" said Chavigni. "It was not on her that my suspicions rested. I must have been mistaken. One word more.--Have you had any late communication with Monsieur de Cinq Mars?" "About three weeks ago I wrote to him from St. Germain, sending some young hounds for the King's service; but that was long before I dreamed of finding my way hither." "I must have been mistaken," repeated Chavigni. "I thank you, Monsieur de Blenau. This must be a whim of the King's own--God grant it! for then the humour will soon pass." "And now, Sir," said De Blenau, "that I have answered your questions, there are one or two subjects on which you might give me satisfaction. Are you inclined to do so?" "If I can, without injuring myself or others, or disclosing any plan that I am desirous to conceal," replied the Statesman. "My questions shall regard the past, and not the future," said De Blenau; "and are intended merely to gratify my own curiosity. In the first place then, I once saw you at St. Germain, in conversation with a demoiselle attached to Mademoiselle de Beaumont--to what did your business with her refer?" "I did not think you had seen us," replied Chavigni. "I might answer that I was making love, and probably you thought so as well as she did herself; but my conversation referred to you. I found that she had been present when Seguin, the surgeon, brought the news of your having been wounded to the Queen: and from her also I learned the words he made use of to let her know that you had not lost the packet which you had upon you in the wood of Mantes." "Monsieur de Chavigni," said De Blenau, with more cordiality in his manner than he usually evinced towards the Statesman; "the world is too well aware of your domestic happiness for any one to suspect you of degrading yourself to a soubrette; I thank you for your candour. Now tell me, is a poor man, called Philip, the woodman, detained here on my account? and why is he so?"