fugitive, who now arrived at the apartments of the queen of Navarre suddenly, a female appeared, and took Cherry Mantle by the hand. "Oh," said Coconnas, "that's queen Marguerite; now I know why he would not wait." After a few whispered words, Cherry Mantle followed the queen into her apartments. "Good!" said Coconnas. "There are times when your best friend is in the way: this is one, and I'll not interrupt the old fellow." So Coconnas sat down on a bench covered with velvet. "I'll stop here for him-or stay, he's with the queen, and I may stop long enough. It's confounded cold here, and I may just as well wait for him in his room; he must come there at last." At this moment he heard a quick step on the stairs above, and a voice singing a little air so usual in la Mole's mouth, that Coconnas looked up. It was la Mole himself, who perceiving the Piedmontese, ran down the stairs four at a time, and threw himself into his arms. "Mordi! here you are!" said Coconnas. did you come out?" 66 Why, by the Rue Cloche-Percée.” "No. I don't mean there." "Whence then?" "From the queen." "From the queen!" Ay, from the queen.' "I have not been with her." "Come! come!" "Which way "My dear Hannibal," said la Mole, "I've this instant left my room, where I've been awaiting for you these two hours." "You've just left your room?" "Yes." "It was not you I ran after from the Place du Louvre?" "When?" "Just now." "No." "It wasn't you that disappeared under the gateway ten minutes ago?" "No." "It wasn't you that dashed up the stairs as if the devil was after you?" "No." "Mordi!" replied Coconnas. "The wine of la Belle Etoile has not turned my head to that extent. I tell you, I saw your mantle and white plume enter the Louvre; that I followed the one and the other to the bottom of this staircase, and then saw the said mantle and plume led by a lady into that room, which I believe is madame Marguerite's." "Mordieu!" exclaimed la Mole, turning very pale. "Can there be treachery already!" 66 Ah, swear as much as you like," returned Coconnas, "but don't tell me I was mistaken." La Mole hesitated an instant, and then, carried away by his jealousy, rushed to the queen's door, and knocked furiously. "You'll get us both arrested," said Coconnas. "Mordi! you think there are ghosts at the Louvre, la Mole?" do "I do not know," said the young man; "but I've always wanted to see one, and would fain find myself face to face with this ghost, if ghost he be." 66 Very good," said Coconnas; "but don't knock so loud, or you'll alarm the lady." Enraged as la Mole was, he yet saw the justice of this observation; and though he continued to knock, knocked less violently. CHAPTER XXV. CHERRY MANTLE. COCONNAS was not deceived. The lady who had stopped the cavalier in the cherry mantle, was indeed the queen of Navarre; the cavalier in the cherry mantle was, as our readers have doubtlessly guessed, no other than de Mouy. On recognising the queen of Navarre, the young man saw there was some mistake, but he feared to say anything, lest a cry from the queen should betray him. He therefore suffered himself to be led into the apartment, resolved, once there, to say to his fair guide, "Silence for silence, madame." Marguerite had gently pressed the arm of him whom, in the darkness, she mistook for la Mole, and whispered in his ear, in Latin, "I am alone; come in, dearest." De Mouy entered in silence; but scarcely was he in the antechamber, and the door closed, than Marguerite perceived that it was not la Mole, and she then uttered that very cry which the prudent huguenot had dreaded. "M. de Mouy!" cried she. "Myself, madame," returned the young man; " and I intreat your majesty to suffer me to proceed, without informing any one of my presence at the Louvre." "Oh, M. de Mouy," said the queen, "I was mistaken, then." "Yes, so I comprehend," returned de Mouy; "your majesty mistook me for the king of Navarre. My dress is the same as his, and my height and figure, I have been told, are not unlike his." Marguerite looked fixedly at him. "Do you know Latin?" asked she. "I did once, but I have forgotten it," replied the young man. Marguerite smiled. "You may rely upon my discretion, M. de Mouy; and as I think I know the person you seek, I will, if you so please, conduct you to him." "Madame,” replied de Mouy, "I see that you are mistaken, and that you are completely ignorant who the person is that I wish to see." "What!" cried Marguerite, "is it not the king of Navarre you seek?" 66 Alas, madame, it is with regret I have to beseech you to conceal my presence in the Louvre from the king your husband." "M. de Mouy," said Marguerite, "I have always considered you one of the steadiest partisans of my husband, one of the most zealous huguenot leaders. Am I, then, mistaken?" “No, madame, for I was, up to this morning, all that you say." "And why have you changed?" "Madame," returned de Mouy, "I intreat you to excuse my replying, and to receive my adieu." And de Mouy firmly, but respectfully, proceeded towards the door. Marguerite stopped him. 66 "Yet, sir," said she, "I would fain request an explanation." Madame," returned de Mouy, "my duty bids me be silent; I need hardly say, that duty is an imperious one which prevents my obeying your majesty." "Yet, sir, "Your majesty can ruin me, but you cannot require me to betray my new friends." "Have your old friends no claims on you?" "Those who have remained faithful, yes; those who not only have abandoned us, but have abandoned themselves, no.” Marguerite, greatly uneasy, was about to pursue her interrogatories, when Gillonne rushed in. "The king of Navarre, madame!" "Which way is he coming?" "By the secret passage." "Then let this gentleman out by the other door." "I do not know." "Go and see." "Madame," said de Mouy, "permit me to observe, that I am lost if the king of Navarre sees me in the Louvre at this hour and in this costume." Marguerite seized his hand, and leading him to the famous cabinet "Enter there," said she; "you are as safe as in your own house, for you are under my protection." De Mouy sprang in, and hardly had he done so, when Henry appeared. He entered with that cautious observation that made him, even when in the least danger, remark the most trifling circumstances. He instantly perceived the cloud on Marguerite's brow. "You were musing, madame," said he. "Yes, sire, I was.' "You are right, madame, thoughtfulness becomes you. I, too, was musing, and came to communicate my thoughts to you." Marguerite inclined her head in token of welcome, and pointing to a seat, placed herself in an ebony chair beautifully carved. There was an instant's pause: Henry first broke the silence. "I remembered, madame," said he, "that my dreams as to the future had this in common with yours, that, though separated as husband and wife, we yet wished to unite our fortunes." "It is true, sire." 66 I also conjectured, that in all my plans for our common elevation, I should find in you not only a faithful but an active ally." "Yes, sire, and I only ask to have an early opportunity of proving it to you." "I am delighted to find you so well disposed; and I believe you have not for an instant doubted that I have lost sight of those plans I resolved upon the day that, thanks to your courage, my life was saved." "Sire, I see that your indifference is merely a mask, and I have confidence not only in the predictions of astrologers, but also in your genius.” "What should you say, then, were some one to come in and thwart our plans, and threaten to destroy our hopes?" "I would reply, that I am ready to strive with you, openly or in secret, against him, be who he may." "Madame," returned Henry, "you have the right of entering the duke d'Alençon's apartments at all times. Might I request of you to go and see if he be not in conference with some one. "With whom?" asked Marguerite. "With de Mouy." "Why?" replied Marguerite. "Because if it be so, adieu all our plans." 66 Speak lower, sire," said Marguerite, pointing to the cabinet. "Some one there again," said Henry. "By my faith, that cabinet is so often occupied, that it renders your apartments quite uninhabitable." |