"The consequence of your ordinances, sire. If a man has fought well and fairly, and has already escaped one chance of death, he naturally wishes to escape a second. M. de Botteville cannot be forgotten very easily." "And so, men turn cowards." "No, they become prudent." "And he has fled, then, you say?" "Yes; and as fast as his horse could possibly carry him." "In what direction?" "In the direction of the chateau." "Well; and after--?" "Afterward, as I have had the honor of telling your majesty, two men on foot arrived, who carried M. de Guiche back with them." "What proof have you that these men arrived after the combat?" "A very evident proof, sire; at the moment the encounter took place, the rain had just ceased, the ground had not had time to imbibe the moisture, and had, consequently, become damp; the footsteps sunk in the ground; but, while M. de Guiche was lying there in a fainting condition the ground became firm again, and the footsteps made a less sensible impression." Louis clapped his hands together in sign of admiration. "Monsieur d'Artagnan," he said, "you are positively the cleverest man in my kingdom." "The very thing that M. de Richelieu thought, and M. de Mazarin said, sire." "And, now, it remains for us to see if your sagacity is in fault." "Oh! sire, a man may be mistaken; _errare humanum est_," said the musketeer, philosophically. "In that case, you are not human, Monsieur d'Artagnan, for I believe you never are mistaken." "Your majesty said, that we were going to see whether such was the case or not." "Yes." "In what way, may I venture to ask?" "I have sent for M. de Manicamp, and M. de Manicamp is coming." "And M. de Manicamp knows the secret?" "Guiche has no secrets for M. de Manicamp." D'Artagnan shook his head. "No one was present at the combat, I repeat; and, unless M. de Manicamp was one of the two men who brought him back--" "Hush!" said the king, "he is coming; remain there, and listen attentively." "Very good, sire." And, at the same moment, Manicamp and Saint-Aignan appeared at the thresh-hold of the door. CHAPTER XXIV. THE ENCOUNTER. The king with his hand made, first to the musketeer, and then to Saint-Aignan, an imperious and significant gesture, as much as to say, "On your lives, not a word." D'Artagnan withdrew, like a soldier, into a corner of the room; Saint-Aignan, in his character of favorite, leaned over the back of the king's chair. Manicamp, with his right foot properly advanced, a smile upon his lips, and his white and well-formed hands gracefully disposed, advanced to make his reverence to the king, who returned the salutation by a bow. "Good evening, M. de Manicamp," he said. "Your majesty did me the honor to send for me," said Manicamp. "Yes, in order to learn from you all the details of the unfortunate accident which has befallen the Comte de Guiche." "Oh! sire, it is very grievous indeed." "You were there?" "Not precisely so, sire."