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trembling at every blow aimed at him, and at every thrust he dealt, until, all of a sudden, my hero disappeared."

"How?"

"Struck down by a stone an old woman threw at him. Then, like the son of Croesus, I found my voice, and screamed, 'Help! help!' My guards went out, lifted him up, and bore him to my apartment."

"Alas! I can the better understand this history, that it is so nearly my own."

"With this difference, that as I have served the king and the catholic religion in succouring him, I have no reason to send M. Hannibal de Coconnas away."

"His name is Hannibal de Coconnas!" said Margaret, laughing.

"A terrible name, is it not? Well, he who bears it is worthy of it. Put on your mask, for we are now at the hotel."

"Why put on my mask?”

"Because I wish to show you my hero."

Is he handsome?"

"He seemed so to me during the conflict.

In the morning, I must confess he did not look quite so well as at night, by the light of the flames. But I do not think you will find great fault with him."

"Then my protégé is rejected at the Hotel de Guise; I am sorry for it, for that is the last place that they would look for a huguenot in."

"Oh, no; your huguenot shall come; he shall have one corner of the cabinet, and Hannibal the other."

"But when they recognise each other, they will fight." "Oh, there is no danger. M. de Coconnas has had a cut down the face that prevents him from seeing very well; your huguenot is wounded in the chest; and, besides, you have only to tell him to be silent on the subject of religion, and all will go well."

"So be it."

"It's a bargain: and now let us go in."

"Thanks," said Marguerite, pressing her friend's hand. "Here, madame," said the duchess, "you are again Your majesty' suffer me, then, to do the honours of the Hotel de Guise, fittingly for the queen of Navarre."

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And the duchess, descending from the litter, almost bent her knee as she aided Marguerite to alight; then pointing to the gate guarded by two soldiers, arquebuse in hand, she followed the queen respectfully into the hotel.

Arrived at her chamber, the duchess closed the door, and, calling to her waiting-woman, a thorough Sicilian, said to her, in Italian

"How is M. le comte?"

"Better and better," replied she.

"What is he doing?"

"At this moment, madame, he is taking some refreshment."

"It is always a good sign," said Marguerite, "when the appetite returns."

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Ah, I forgot you were a pupil of Ambroise Paré. Leave us, Mica."

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Why do

you send her away?"

"That she may be on the watch."

"Now," said the duchess, "will you go in to see him, or shall I send for him here?"

"Neither the one nor the other. I wish to see him without his seeing me."

"What matters it? You have your mask."

"He may recognise me by my hands, my hair, my ring." "How cautious we are, since we've been married!"

Marguerite smiled.

"Well," said the duchess, "I see only one way." "What is that?"

"To look through the keyhole."

"Take me to the door, then."

The duchess led Marguerite to a door covered with tapestry; raising this, she applied her eye to the keyhole.

""Tis as you could wish; he is sitting at table, with his face turned towards us."

The queen took her friend's place; Coconnas was, as the duchess had said, sitting at a table well covered, and, despite his wounds, was doing ample justice to the good things before him.

"Ah, mon Dieu!" cried Marguerite.

"What is the matter?" asked the duchess. "Impossible!-no!-yes!-'tis he himself!"

"Who?"

"Chut," said Marguerite; "'tis he who pursued my huguenot into my apartment, and would have killed him in my arms! Oh, Henriette, how fortunate he did not see me.” "Well, then, you have seen him in battle; is he not hand

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"I do not know," said Marguerite, "for I was looking at him he pursued."

"What is his name?"

"You will not mention it before the count?"

"No."

"Lerac de la Mole."

"And now what do you think of my Hannibal?” "Of la Mole?"

"Of Coconnas?"

"Ma foi!" said Marguerite, "I confess I think" She stopped.

"Come, come," said the duchess, "I see you cannot forgive his wounding your huguenot."

"Why, so far," said Marguerite, smiling-" my huguenot owes him nothing; the cut he gave him on his face

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They are quits, then, and we can reconcile them. Send me your wounded man.'

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"Not now-by and by."

"When?"

"When you have found yours a fresh chamber.” "Which!"

Marguerite looked meaningly at her friend, who, after a moment's silence, laughed.

"So be it," said the duchess; "alliance firmer than ever." Friendship ever sincere!"

"And the word, in case we need each other."

"The triple name of your triple god, Eros, Cupido, Amor."

And the two princesses separated after one more embrace, and pressing each other's hand for the twentieth time.

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CHAPTER XIII.

HOW THERE ARE KEYS THAT OPEN DOORS THEY ARE NOT MEANT FOR.

THE queen of Navarre, on her return to the Louvre, found Gillonne in great excitement. Madame de Sauve had come in her absence. She had brought a key sent her by the queenmother. It was the key of the chamber in which Henry was confined. It was evident that the queen-mother wished the Béarnais to pass the night in madame de Sauve's apartment.

Marguerite took the key, and turned it and turned it; she made Gillonne repeat madame de Sauve's every word, weighed them, letter by letter, and at length thought she detected Catherine's plan.

She took pen and ink, and wrote—

"Instead of going to madame de Sauve to-night, come to the queen of Navarre.-MARGUERITE."

She rolled up the paper, put it in the pipe of the key, and ordered Gillonne, as soon as it was dark, to slip the key under the king's door.

This done, Marguerite thought of the wounded man, closed all the doors, entered the cabinet, and, to her great surprise, found la Mole dressed in all his clothes, torn and bloodstained as they were.

On seeing her he strove to rise, but could not stand, and fell back upon the sofa which had served for his bed.

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"What is the matter, sir?" asked Marguerite; "and why you thus disobey the orders of your physician? I recommended you repose, and instead of following my advice you do just the contrary."

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Oh, madame," said Gillonne, "it is not my fault; I have entreated M. le Comte not to commit this folly, but he declares that nothing shall keep him any longer at the Louvre." Quit the Louvre!" said Marguerite, astonished. 'Why, it is impossible-you can scarcely stand; you are pale and

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weak; your knees tremble. Only a few hours ago, the wound in your shoulder still bled."

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"Madame," said the young man, as earnestly as I thanked your majesty for having saved my life, as earnestly do I pray you to suffer me to depart."

"I scarcely know what to call such a resolution," said Marguerite; "it is worse than ingratitude."

“Oh,” cried la Mole, clasping his hands, "think me not ungrateful; my gratitude will cease only with my life.”

"It will not last long, then," said Marguerite, moved at these words, the sincerity of which it was impossible to doubt; "for your wounds will open, and you will die from loss of blood, or you will be recognised for a huguenot, and killed, ere you advance fifty yards in the street."

"I must, nevertheless, quit the Louvre," murmured la Mole.

"Must," returned Marguerite, fixing her full speaking gaze upon him-" ah, yes: forgive me, I understand; doubtless, there is one who anxiously awaits you. I appreciate the feeling, and reproach myself for not having before thought of it; I should have attended to your mind as well as to your body."

"Madame," said la Mole, " you are mistaken-I am well nigh alone in the world, and altogether so in Paris. My pursuer is the first man I have spoken to in this city; your majesty the first lady who has addressed me."

"Then," said Marguerite, "why would you go?'

"Because," replied la Mole, "last night you had no rest, and that to-night

Margaret blushed.

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"Gillonne," said she, "it is time to take that key to the king of Navarre.”

Gillonne smiled and left the room.

"But," continued Marguerite, "if you are alone, without friends, what will you do?”

"Madame, I soon shall have friends, for whilst I was pursued, I saw the form of my mother guiding me to the Louvre, and I vowed, if I were spared, to abjure. Heaven has done more than save my life-it has sent me one of its angels to make life dear to me."

"But you cannot walk; you will faint before you have gone a hundred yards."

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