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more formidable at a distance than here, in the Louvre, where we know everything he does?"

"No, I don't want to banish him."

"What then? Come, quick!"

"I would have him confined while the Poles are here; in the Bastille, for instance."

"Oh, ma foi! no," cried Charles IX. "We are going to hunt the boar this morning; Henry is one of my best assistants. The chase would be nothing without him. Mordieu ! you do nothing but annoy me."

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"My son, I do not say to-day; to-morrow will be time enough."

"Ah, that is different; we will speak again of this, after the hunt, say. Adieu! Come Risque-tout, don't be sulky!"

"Charles," said Catherine, taking hold of his arm, spite of the explosion she knew might follow, "I think it would be best to sign the warrant at once, although we do not execute it to-night."

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Sign! write an order! go and look for the seal, when I am going to hunt? Devil take me if I do!"

"Nay, I love you too much to delay you: I have everything prepared."

And Catherine, agile as a girl, opened the door of her private cabinet, and showed the king an inkstand, a pen, a parchment, and a lighted taper.

The king rapidly run his eye over the parchment:

"Order, etc., etc., to arrest and conduct to the Bastille our brother Henry of Navarre."

"There!" said he, hastily affixing his name to it.

And he sprang out of the cabinet, glad to escape so easily.

Charles was waited for impatiently; and as his punctuality in hunting arrangements was well known, his non-appearance occasioned no small surprise. The instant he appeared, the hunters saluted him with cheers, the whippers-in with their horns, the horses with neighings, and the hounds with their most sweet voices. Charles, for a moment, was young and happy amidst all this noise, and the colour mounted up into his pallid cheeks.

He scarcely gave himself time to return the salutations of the brilliant assembly. He nodded to d'Alençon, waved his

hand to Marguerite, passed Henry without seeming to observe him, and sprang upon the horse that awaited him. The noble animal bounded impatiently, but soon comprehending with how perfect an equestrian it had to deal, became quiet.

The horns once more sounded, and the king left the Louvre, followed by the duke d'Alençon, the king of Navarre, Marguerite, madame de Nevers, madame de Sauve, Tavannes, and the chief nobles of the court.

As for the duke d'Anjou, he had been at the siege of Rochelle for the last three months.

Whilst waiting for the king, Henry had approached his wife, who whispered :

"The courier from Rome was conducted by M. de Coconnas to the duke d'Alençon a quarter of an hour before the duke de Nevers' messenger saw the king."

"Then he knows all."

"He needs must. Look at him; despite his accomplished dissimulation, he cannot conceal his joy."

"Ventre-saint-gris!" said the Béarnais, "he is hunting three thrones to-day: France, Poland, and Navarre, without reckoning the boar."

Then saluting his wife, Henry returned to his place, and called one of his servants, a Bearnese, whom he was in the habit of employing in his love affairs.

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Orthon," said he, "take this key to madame de Sauve's cousin, at his house, the corner of the Rue des Quatre-fils. Tell him his cousin wishes to see him this evening; that he is to go to my chamber; if I am not there, he is to wait for me; and if I am late, he can lay down in my bed." "There is no answer, sire?"

"None, except to tell me if you have seen him. The key .is for him only, you understand?"

"Yes, sire."

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Stop, blockhead, you must not go off now: it would create observation. Before we leave Paris, I will call you, as if my girth was slackened; then you can wait behind, discharge your commission, and join us at Bondy."

Orthon bowed and drew back.

The cavalcade passed down the Rue St.-Honoré, the Rue St.-Denis, then the Fauxbourg. At the Rue St.-Laurent, the king's saddle became ungirthed; Orthon galloped up, and

everything passed as the king had arranged. The royal cortège passed down the Rue des Récollets, and the faithful valet dashed into the Rue du Temple.

When Henry rejoined the king, he was so busy talking to d'Alençon about the expected boar, that he either did not perceive or affected not to perceive that Henry had stayed behind.

Madame Marguerite remarked that her brother seemed embarrassed whenever he glanced at Henry. Madame de Nevers was in high glee, for Coconnas was in capital vein with his jests.

At a quarter past eight, the cortège arrived at Bondy. Charles's first care was to inquire whether the boar had broken cover. The boar, however, the huntsman assured him, was still in his lair.

A collation was prepared; the king drank a glass of Hungarian wine; then, inviting the ladies to seat themselves, he went to inspect the kennels and the mews, having first given strict orders that his horse should not be unsaddled meanwhile.

During his absence, the duke de Guise arrived; he was armed as if for war rather than for the chase, and was attended by twenty or thirty gentlemen in similar array. went to seek the king, and returned conversing with him.

He

At nine o'clock, the king himself sounded the signal for departure, and every one mounting, hastened to the place of meeting.

During the journey, Henry again approached his wife.
Well," said he, " anything new?”

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"Nothing, except that my brother looks very strangely at you."

"I have remarked it myself."

"Have you taken your precautions?"

"I have my shirt of mail on, and an excellent Spanish couteau-de-chasse, sharp as a razor, pointed as a needle, with which I can pierce a crown-piece."

"Well," said Marguerite," may God guard us!"

The huntsman gave a signal. they were at the boar's lair.

CHAPTER XXX.

MAUREVEL.

WHILST the glittering cortège proceeded towards Bondy, the queen-mother, rolling up the parchment the king had signed, gave orders to have introduced to her presence the man to whom the captain of her guards had remitted a letter some days previously-"Rue de la Cerisaie, Quartier de l'Arsenal."

A large band of sarsenet covered one of his eyes and only just left the other visible. His cheek-bones were high, and his nose curved like the beak of a vulture; a grizzled beard covered his chin; he wore a large thick cloak, beneath which were evident the hilts of a whole arsenal of weapons. had at his side a heavy broadsword, with a basket hilt, and one of his hands grasped underneath his cloak a long poniard.

He

"Ah, you are here!" said the queen, seating herself. "I promised to reward you for the services you rendered us the night of the St. Bartholomew, and I have found an opportunity of so doing."

"I humbly thank your majesty," replied the man.

"An opportunity, such as may never again present itself, of distinguishing yourself."

"I am ready, madame; but I fear, from the preamble, that

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"That the commission is a rough one. It is, indeed; 'tis one which might be coveted by a Guise or a Tavannes." "Madame, whatever it be, I am at your orders."

"Read that," said Catherine; and she gave him the parch

ment.

He read it, and turned pale.

"What!" cried he-" an order to arrest the king of Navarre?"

"Well, what is there so very astonishing in that!".

"But a king, madame! I doubt if I am gentleman enough to arrest a king."

"The confidence I

repose in

makes you

you

the first gen

tleman in my court."

"I thank your majesty," returned the assassin-with some hesitation, however.

"You will obey me, then?"

"If your majesty commands me, it is my duty to obey.” "I do command you."

"Then I obey."

"How will you proceed?"

"I scarcely know-I would fain be guided by your ma

jesty."

"You would do it quietly?"

"I confess it."

"Take twelve men, or even more, if necessary."

"I understand; your majesty permits me to make use of every advantage. But where shall I seize the king of Navarre?"

"Where would you prefer?"

"I should prefer some place where my responsibility——" "Ah, I understand—a royal palace: the Louvre, for instance."

"Oh, if your majesty would permit this, it would be a great favour."

"Arrest him in the Louvre, then."

"In what part?"

"In his own apartments."

Maurevel bowed.

“And when, madame?”

"To-night."

"It shall be done, madame. But deign to tell me what regard I am to have for his rank?”

"Regard!-rank!" said Catherine.

"Know you not that

the king of France acknowledges no one of a rank equal to

his own, in France?"

"Yet one other question, madame.

Should the king con

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test the authenticity of this order—it is not likely—but

"On the contrary, it is certain——”

"That he will contest it?"

"Without doubt."

"And that, consequently, he will refuse to obey it."
"I fear so."

"And will resist it?"

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