"I knew but too well that you had not ceased to love me." La Valliere with a gesture, partly of extreme terror, and partly as if invoking a blessing, attempted to speak, but could not articulate one word.

"No, no!" she said, as she fell into Montalais's arms, murmuring, "Do not touch me, do not come near me." Montalais made a sign to Raoul, who stood almost petrified at the door, and did not even attempt to advance another step into the room.
Then, looking towards the side of the room where the screen was, she exclaimed: "Imprudent girl, she has not even closed the trap-door." And she advanced towards the corner of the room to close the screen, and also, behind the screen, the trap-door.

But suddenly the king, who had heard Louise's exclamation, darted through the opening, and hurried forward to her assistance.

He threw himself on his knees before her, as he overwhelmed Montalais with questions, who hardly knew where she was.
At the moment, however, when the king threw himself on his knees, a cry of utter despair rang through the corridor, accompanied by the sound of retreating footsteps.

The king wished to see who had uttered the cry and whose were the footsteps he had heard; and it was in vain that Montalais sought to retain him, for Louis, quitting his hold of La Valliere, hurried towards the door, too late, however, for Raoul was already at a distance, and the king only beheld a shadow that quickly vanished in the silent corridor.