"Yes, at five and twenty. The soil of a court makes a tree old before its time, and--hark! Did I not hear his Majesty ring?" "Yes," cried Denis quickly, and hurriedly smoothing his hair, which hung loose from his late exertions, and then, readjusting his doublet and seeing to the hang of his sword, he hurried through the arras, those who waited hearing the click of the door latch as he passed into the King's chamber. "You don't like me, doctor," said Saint Simon, as soon as they were alone. "I don't dislike you," said the other, smiling. "Have I ever treated you as an enemy?" "No; but--" "Hist!" whispered the doctor, as voices were heard beyond the hangings; the door fastening clicked again, and the lad appeared, carrying himself in stiff and formal fashion. "Gentlemen," he said, "enter. His Majesty will give you audience." "Both? Together?" said the doctor. "Yes. His Majesty asked who waited. I told him, and he bade me show both in." "There, doctor," said Saint Simon; "it is not my doing, so don't visit this upon my head. I daresay he will soon send me away." Then, following their young escort, the two men stepped into the darkened chamber where his Majesty, heavy-eyed, as if he was hardly yet awakened from sleep, lolled back in a short fur-trimmed robe in the corner of a couch, his left hand behind his neck, his right resting upon the shaggy head of a huge boar-hound which glanced suspiciously at the new-comers and uttered a deep muttering growl. The King's fingers closed tightly upon the animal's ear, and he gave it a jerk. "Quiet, Tonnerre!" he said. "Can't you see they are friends?" _Ugh_! grunted the dog. "Brute!" cried the King. "You see, gentlemen, he seeks the company of the wild boar so much that he has acquired his uncouth expressions. Well, Saint Simon, you want to see me?" "Always, your Majesty," said the young man lightly. "You told me to wait upon you this afternoon." "Did I? Well, I don't know that I want you. But to return your compliment, the place seems dull when you are not here." The young man smiled and darted a triumphant glance at the saturnine-looking doctor, before turning to give Denis a look, his eyes sparkling with pleasure the while. "And you, Leoni," said the King, yawning. "Tut, tut!" he added impatiently. "I am hardly awake. I was tired, gentlemen. Tonnerre and his brother here led us such a race yesterday that I feel it yet. Well, Leoni, what do you want?" "Your Majesty told me that I might come and continue our little debate of yesterday--" "To be sure, yes," said the King, yawning again. "Let me see; it was a sort of historical, half prophetic discourse, very learned and hard for a hunting man to understand, about the past and the future, and the safety of my throne, and its depending upon the recovery of a certain mystic stone carried off--carried off--let me see, Leoni, who did you say carried it off?"