I know that Monsieur has threatened, I know that Madame has been in tears." "Madame in tears!" exclaimed De Guiche, imprudently clasping his hands.
"Ah!" said the chevalier, laughing, "this is indeed a circumstance I was not acquainted with.

You are decidedly better informed than I am, Monsieur de Bragelonne." "And it is because I am better informed than yourself, chevalier, that I insist upon De Guiche leaving." "No, no; I regret to differ from you, vicomte; but his departure is unnecessary.

Why, indeed, should he leave?
tell us why." "The king!" "The king!" exclaimed De Guiche.
"Yes; I tell you the king has taken up the affair." "Bah!" said the chevalier, "the king likes De Guiche, and particularly his father; reflect, that, if the count were to leave, it would be an admission that he had done something which merited rebuke." "Why so ?" "No doubt of it; when one runs away, it is either from guilt or fear." "Sometimes, because a man is offended; often because he is wrongfully accused," said Bragelonne.

"We will assign as a reason for his departure, that he feels hurt and injured--nothing will be easier; we will say that we both did our utmost to keep him, and you, at least, will not be speaking otherwise than the truth.

Come, De Guiche, you are innocent, and, being so, the scene of to-day must have wounded you.