hunting party yesterday?"

"No, your Excellency," replied the valet de chambre, "the Master
of the Hounds came this morning to inform him that he had marked
down a stag. At first the king answered that he would not go;
but he could not resist his love of sport, and set out after
dinner."

"And the king has seen the cardinal?" asked M. de Treville.

"In all probability he has," replied the valet, "for I saw the
horses harnessed to his Eminence's carriage this morning, and
when I asked where he was going, they told me, 'To St. Germain.'"

"He is beforehand with us," said M. de Treville. "Gentlemen, I
will see the king this evening; but as to you, I do not advise
you to risk doing so."

This advice was too reasonable, and moreover came from a man who
knew the king too well, to allow the four young men to dispute
it. M. de Treville recommended everyone to return home and wait
for news.

On entering his hotel, M. de Treville thought it best to be first
in making the complaint. He sent one of his servants to M. de la
Tremouille with a letter in which he begged of him to eject the
cardinal's Guardsmen from his house, and to reprimand his people
for their audacity in making SORTIE against the king's
Musketeers. But M. de la Tremouille--already prejudiced by his
esquire, whose relative, as we already know, Bernajoux was--