"It seems to me, my dear Monsieur Pierre," she said in a wheedling tone, to conceal her vexation, and wrap in a coating of sugar the bitter remark she was about to make, "it seems to me that a skilful necromancer like yourself ought not to stop short after such a fine start, and that, having announced the arrival of the couriers, you should tell us the contents of their despatches." "My knowledge, madame, doesn't extend as far as you think," said he, modestly, "it confines itself to being a faithful servitor. I announce, but I do not guess." At the same moment, as if Lenet were in reality served by a familiar spirit, they spied two horsemen, who came riding through the great gate of the château, and galloped up the avenue. Immediately a swarm of idlers, deserting the lawns and flower-gardens, swooped down to the avenue railings to have their share of the news. The horsemen dismounted, and one of them, tossing to the other, who seemed to be his servant, the bridle-rein of his foam-covered steed, ran rather than walked toward the princesses who came forward to meet him, and stepped upon the balcony at one end as he stepped upon it at the other. "Claire!" cried Madame la Princesse. "Yes, your Highness. Accept my most humble respects, madame." Kneeling upon one knee, the young man tried to take the princess's hand to imprint a respectful kiss upon it. "Come to my arms, dear viscountess, to my arms!" cried Madame de Condé, raising her. Having submitted to Madame la Princesse's embrace with all possible respect, the cavalier turned to the princess dowager, to whom he made a low bow. "Speak quickly, dear Claire!" said she. "Yes, speak," added Madame de Condé. "Have you seen Richon?" "Yes, madame, and he entrusted me with a message for you." "Good news or bad?" "I do not know myself; the message consists of two words." "What are they? Quick! I am dying with impatience." The keenest anxiety was depicted on the features of both princesses. "'_Bordeaux--Yes_,'" said Claire, herself anxious as to the effect the two words would produce. But she was soon reassured, for the princesses received them with a triumphant exclamation, which brought Lenet from the other end of the balcony. "Lenet! Lenet! come! come!" cried Madame la Princesse, "you do not know the news our good Claire brings us." "Yes, madame," said Lenet, smiling; "I do know it; that is why I did not hurry to meet her." "What! you know it?" "'_Bordeaux--Yes_,'--isn't that it?" "In truth, my dear Pierre, you must be a sorcerer!" said the dowager. "If you knew it, Lenet," said Madame la Princesse, reproachfully, "why, seeing our anxiety, did you not relieve it with those two words!" "Because I wished to allow Madame de Cambes to receive the reward of her fatiguing journey," replied Lenet, with a motion of his head toward Claire, who was deeply moved, "and also because I feared an explosion of joy on the part of your Highnesses, out on the terrace in everybody's sight."