In fact, the king dismissed him with a gracious wave of the hand.

The officer left the chamber of the king, and returned to place himself philosophically in his _fauteuil_, where, far from sleeping, as might have been expected, considering how late it was, he began to reflect more deeply than he had ever reflected before.

The result of these reflections was not so melancholy as the preceding ones had been.
"Come, he has begun," said he.

"Love urges him on, and he goes forward--he goes forward! The king is nobody in his own palace; but the man perhaps may prove to be worth something.

Well, we shall see to-morrow morning.