appeared, and behind him, in the half-dark staircase, the pleasant face
of Madame Cropole‚ rendered trivial by curiosity. She only gave one
furtive glance at the handsome gentleman, and disappeared.

Cropole advanced, cap in hand, rather bent than bowing.

A gesture of the unknown interrogated him, without a word being
pronounced.

"Monsieur," said Cropole‚ "I come to ask how - what ought I to say: your
lordship, monsieur le comte, or monsieur le marquis?"

"Say _monsieur_, and speak quickly," replied the unknown, with that
haughty accent which admits of neither discussion nor reply.

"I came, then, to inquire how monsieur had passed the night, and if
monsieur intended to keep this apartment?"

"Yes."

"Monsieur, something has happened upon which we could not reckon."

"What?"

"His majesty Louis XIV. will enter our city to-day, and will remain here
one day, perhaps two."

Great astonishment was painted on the countenance of the unknown.

"The King of France is coming to Blois?"