At this moment the lean form and yellow face of Monsieur de Peyrolles
intruded itself into the group of Gonzague's friends.
"Monsieur de Chavernay," he said, "my illustrious master is looking for
you. He is with his majesty."
"I will join him," Chavernay answered, readily. He was, like his kinsman,
a privileged person with the sovereign, and he, too, was permitted to
enter the tent unchallenged. He entered it with a graver demeanor than he
had worn that evening, for he was strangely perplexed by the presence at
the king's ball this night of the girl whom he had seen at the country
Inn. As soon as Chavernay had disappeared, Peyrolles, hurriedly
beckoning, gathered about him Navailles, Nocé, and the others, and
addressed them in an eager whisper:
"Gentlemen, you are all devoted to the interests of the Prince de
Gonzague?"