Seven hours' sleep, a warm bath, and the services of the barber, who curled the hair of the two young nobles and sprinkled them all with perfume, did much to restore them, though they were all somewhat stiff, and every bone seemed to ache.

They were kept waiting for half an hour, at the end of which time the door of the antechamber was opened and their names were called.

The queen, who was still a beautiful woman, was standing talking to a gentleman, in whose attire there were but few symbols that would betray to a stranger that he was an ecclesiastic of high rank.
"You are the bearers of despatches from the army, messieurs ?" "We have that honour, your majesty," de Penthiere, who was the senior of the party, said.

"We arrived from Paris at two o'clock this morning, but did not venture to disturb your majesty at that hour." "You did rightly," the queen said graciously.

"We already knew that a great victory had been gained, and could afford to wait for the particulars.