Madame, on her side, did not open her lips about it; so that the king took leave of her without having reposed the slightest confidence in her.

Hardly had she watched the king move away, than she set out in search of Saint-Aignan.

Saint-Aignan was never very difficult to find; he was like the smaller vessels that always follow in the wake of, and as tenders to, the larger ships.

Saint-Aignan was the very man whom Madame needed in her then state of mind.

And as for him, he only looked for worthier ears than others he had found to have an opportunity of recounting the event in all its details.