When he had seen it pass the bridge, he threw himself down on the couch.
"There is nothing more for me to do," he said.

"The matter is in Pierre's hands, now." He listened for a time to the tramp of a sentry, backwards and forwards outside his door; and then fell off to sleep, from which he did not awake until he heard the bars withdrawn, and the key turned in the lock.

Then a man accompanied by two soldiers entered, and placed a chicken, a bottle of wine, and a loaf of bread on the table.
"Monsieur D'Estanges sends this, with his compliments," he said; and then Philip was again left alone.
Two hours after it became dark he thought he heard a confused sound, as of the trampling of a number of horsemen in the courtyard of the castle.

He went to the door and, placing his ear against it, was convinced that he was not mistaken.
"That looks as if an expedition were about to start somewhere," he said.

"If they are bound for Nerac, they will arrive there too late; for the queen will, by this time, be setting out.