“This minute, monseigneur.”

“How is the king?”

“His majesty is in perfect health, monseigneur.”

“And my sister-in-law?”

“Her majesty the queen-mother still suffers from the complaint in her chest, but for the last month she has been rather better.”

“Somebody told me you came on the part of M. le Prince. They must have been mistaken, surely?”

“No, monseigneur; M. le Prince has charged me to convey this letter to your royal highness, and I am to wait for an answer to it.”

Raoul had been a little annoyed by this cold and cautious