CAST OF CHARACTERS. BARTHÉLEMY, DE, Huguenot. BEAULIEU, DE, Governor of Vincennes. CATHERINE DE MÉDICIS, Queen Mother. CHARLES IX., King of France. COCONNAS, MARCUS ANNIBAL, COMTE DE, Catholic. COLIGNY, ADMIRAL DE, Huguenot. CONDÉ, PRINCE DE, Huguenot. CRACOW, BISHOP OF, Polish ambassador. D'ALENÇON, FRANÇOIS, DUC, brother of Charles IX.; afterwards Duc d'Anjou. D'ANJOU, HENRI, Duc, brother of Charles IX.; successively King of Poland and Henri III. of France. DARIOLE, MLLE., in service of Mme. de Sauve. ELIZABETH, Queen of France. GAST, DU, Catholic. GRÉGOIRE, servant at "Belle Étoile" inn. GUISE, HENRI DE LORRAINE, DUC DE, Catholic. HENRI DE BOURBON, King of Navarre. LAGUESLE, procureur. LA HURIÈRE, MAÎTRE, host of the "Belle Étoile " inn. LA HURIÈRE, MME., wife of foregoing. LA MOLE, JOSEPH HYACINTHE BONIFACE DE SERAC, COMTE DE, Huguenot. LASCO, the Palatine, Polish ambassador. LORRAINE, CLAUDE, DUCHESSE DE, sister of Marguerite de Valois. MADELON, nurse of Charles, IX. MARGUERITE DE VALOIS, Queen of Navarre. Matignon, MLLE. GILLONNE DE, confidante of Marguerite de Valois. MAUREVEL, FRANÇOIS DE LOUVIERS, the "King's slayer." MERCANDON, MME., wife of foregoing. MOZILLE, physician. NANCEY, DE, captain of the Guard. NEVERS, HENRIETTE, DUCHESSE DE, Catholic. ORTHON, page to Henri de Navarre. PARÉ, AMBROISE, physician. PRESIDENT of the Tribunal. RENÉ, MAÎTRE, Florentine, perfumer to Queen Mother. SAUCOURT, DE, Huguenot. SAUVE, BARON DE, Catholic. SAUVE, MME. CHARLOTTE DE, wife of foregoing. Téligny, De, Huguenot. TOUCHET, MARIE, mistress of Charles IX. TOUCHET, CHARLES, son of foregoing; afterwards Duc d'An goulême. Marg. MARGUERITE DE VALOIS. CHAPTER I. MONSIEUR DE GUISE'S LATIN. ON Monday, the 18th of August, 1572, there was a splendid festival at the Louvre. The ordinarily gloomy windows of the ancient royal residence were brilliantly lighted, and the squares and streets adjacent, usually so solitary after Saint Germain l'Auxerrois had struck the hour of nine, were crowded with people, although it was past midnight. The vast, threatening, eager, turbulent throng resembled, in the darkness, a black and tumbling sea, each billow of which makes a roaring breaker; this sea, flowing through the Rue des Fossés Saint Germain and the Rue de l'Astruce and covering the quay, surged against the base of the walls of the Louvre, and, in its refluent tide, against the Hôtel de Bourbon, which faced it on the other side. In spite of the royal festival, and perhaps even because of the royal festival, there was something threatening in the appearance of the people, for no doubt was felt that this imposing ceremony which called them there as spectators, was only the prelude to another in which they would participate a week later as invited guests and amuse themselves with all their hearts. The court was celebrating the marriage of Madame Marguerite de Valois, daughter of Henry II. and sister of King Charles IX., with Henry de Bourbon, King of Navarre. In truth, that very morning, on a stage erected at the entrance to NotreDame, the Cardinal de Bourbon had united the young couple with the usual ceremonial observed at the marriages of the royal daughters of France. |