"Your majesty commanded me to speak, and I spoke accordingly." "Tell me, then, in what way the Comte de Guiche has been wounded ?" "Sire, it is said to have been at a boar-hunt." "This evening ?" "Yes, sire." "One of his hands shattered, and a hole in his breast.

Who was at the hunt with M.de Guiche ?" "I do not know, sire; but M.de Manicamp knows, or ought to know." "You are concealing something from me, Saint-Aignan." "Nothing, sire, I assure you." "Then, explain to me how the accident happened; was it a musket that burst ?" "Very likely, sire.

But yet, on reflection, it could hardly have been that, for De Guiche's pistol was found close by him still loaded." "His pistol?
But a man does not go to a boar-hunt with a pistol, I should think." "Sire, it is also said that De Guiche's horse was killed and that the horse is still to be found in the wide open glade in the forest." "His horse ?--Guiche go on horseback to a boar-hunt ?--Saint-Aignan, I do not understand a syllable of what you have been telling me.

Where did this affair happen ?" "At the Rond-point, in that part of the forest called the Bois-Rochin." "That will do.

Call M.d'Artagnan." Saint-Aignan obeyed, and the musketeer entered.
"Monsieur d'Artagnan," said the king, "you will leave this place by the little door of the private staircase." "Yes, sire." "You will mount your horse." "Yes, sire." "And you will proceed to the Rond-point du Bois-Rochin.