"I? Why should it?" asked Henry. "You know that I dote on a hunt, and that nothing could make me miss one."
"But you will miss this one, Henry," said the duke, after he had turned and spoken for an instant with some one unnoticed by Henry, who addressed François from the rear of the room, "for his Majesty tells me that the hunt cannot take place."
"Bah!" said Henry, in the most disappointed tone imaginable. "Why not?"
"Very important letters from Monsieur de Nevers, it seems. There is a council among the King, the queen mother, and my brother the Duc d'Anjou."
"Ah! ah!" said Henry to himself, "could any news have come from Poland?"
Then aloud:
"In that case," he continued, "it is useless for me to run any further risk on this frost. Good-by, brother!"
Pulling up his horse in front of De Mouy:
"My friend," said he, "call one of your comrades to finish your sentinel duty for you. Help the groom ungirth my horse. Put the saddle over your head and carry it to the saddler's; there is some embroidery to be done on it, which there was not time to finish for to-day. You will bring an answer to my apartments."
De Mouy hastened to obey, for the Duc d'Alençon had disappeared from his window, and it was evident that he suspected something.