immediately transmitted it to me, filling up the blank with my name." Mazarin arose, and leaning on the arm of Bernouin, he returned to his _ruelle_ at the moment the name of M.le Prince was being announced.

The Prince de Conde, the first prince of the blood, the conqueror of Rocroi, Lens, and Nordlingen, was, in fact, entering the apartment of Monseigneur de Mazarin, followed by his gentlemen, and had already saluted the king, when the prime minister raised his curtain.

Athos had time to see Raoul pressing the hand of the Comte de Guiche, and send him a smile in return for his respectful bow.

He had time, likewise, to see the radiant countenance of the cardinal, when he perceived before him, upon the table, an enormous heap of gold, which the Comte de Guiche had won in a run of luck, after his eminence had confided his cards to him.
So forgetting ambassador, embassy and prince, his first thought was of the gold.

"What!" cried the old man--"all that--won ?" "Some fifty thousand crowns; yes, monseigneur," replied the Comte de Guiche, rising.