Saint-Aignan, of whom he would not lose sight, waited on the king.

He then disposed of several military audiences, during which he dispatched Saint-Aignan to see what he could find out.

Then, still occupied, full of anxiety, still watching Saint-Aignan's return, who had sent out the servants in every direction, to make inquires, and who had also gone himself, the hour of nine struck, and the king forthwith passed into his large cabinet.
As the clock was striking nine the ambassadors entered, and as it finished, the two queens and Madame made their appearance.

There were three ambassadors from Holland, and two from Spain.

The king glanced at them, and then bowed; and, at the same moment, Saint-Aignan entered,--an entrance which the king regarded as far more important, in a different sense, however, than that of ambassadors, however numerous they might be, and from whatever country they came; and so, setting everything aside, the king made a sign of interrogation to Saint-Aignan, which the latter answered by a most decisive negative.