Etienne on that returned to his room, where all the forces of his heart were spent in the dreadful suspense of waiting.
At three o'clock on the afternoon of that day the equipages of the duke and suite entered the courtyard of the castle.

Madame la Comtesse de Grandlieu, leaning on the arm of her daughter, the duke and Marquise de Noirmoutier mounted the grand staircase in silence, for the stern brow of the master had awed the servants.

Though Baron d'Artagnon now knew that Gabrielle had evaded his guards, he assured the duke she was a prisoner, for he trembled lest his own private scheme should fail if the duke were angered by this flight.

Those two terrible faces--his and the duke's--wore a fierce expression that was ill-disguised by an air of gallantry imposed by the occasion.

The duke had already sent to his son, ordering him to be present in the salon.