Malicorne also was forgotten among the number of men; and the grimace he made plainly said to Montalais, who was also forgotten, "Cannot we contrive to arrange matters with fortune in such a manner that she shall not forget us ?" to which a smile full of intelligence from Mademoiselle Aure, replied, "Certainly we can." The tickets were distributed to each person according to the number held.

The king received his first, next the queen-mother, then Monsieur, then the queen and Madame, and so on.

After this, Anne of Austria opened a small Spanish leather bag, containing two hundred numbers engraved upon small balls of mother-of-pearl, and presented the open sack to the youngest of her maids of honor, for the purpose of taking one of the balls out of it.

The eager expectation, amid all these tediously slow preparations, was rather that of avidity than of curiosity.

Saint-Aignan bent toward Mademoiselle de Tonnay-Charente to whisper to her, "Since we have each a number, let us unite our two chances.