"Well, I rely upon you." La Mole bowed, and went on. "It is very strange," thought he," the duke is pale sometimes as a corpse." And he knocked at the door. Gillonne, who seemed to be watching his arrival, opened it, and conducted him to the queen. Marguerite was occupied with something that seemed to fatigue her greatly; a paper covered with notes, and a volume of Isocrates lay before her. She signed to la Mole to let her finish the sentence; and then, casting aside her pen, invited him to sit by her. La Mole had never seemed so handsome and so gay. "Greek!" cried he, glancing at the volume-"Isocrates! what are you doing? Ah, and on this paper, Latin—“ Ad Sarmatia legatos reginæ Margarita concio,'-you are going to harangue these barbarians in Latin, then?" "I must, since they do not understand French. They arrived this morning; and you will find," added Marguerite, with a slight air of pedantry, "that what I have written is Ciceronian enough; but let us talk of what has happened to you." "To me?" "Yes!" "What has happened to me?" "Ay, what has happened to you?-you look pale." "I confess it, but it is from too much sleep." "Come, come, do not boast, I know all." "Tell me what you mean, for I know not." "Listen; de Mouy, surprised last night in the apartments of the king of Navarre, whom they wished to arrest, killed three men, and escaped without being recognised, except by the red mantle he wore." "Well!" "This red mantle, which deceived me, has deceived others also. You are suspected of this triple murder. This morning you would have been tried and condemned, for I knew that you would not, even to save yourself, say where you' really were." 66 Say where I was?" cried la Mole-" oh, never, never! I would have died joyfully to spare your glorious eyes but one tear." U "Alas, my poor friend!" replied the queen-" my glorious eyes would have wept many, many tears!" "But how was this storm appeased?" "Guess." "I cannot." "There was but one way of proving you were not in the king's chamber." "And that was "To say where you were." "Well!" "And I said it." "To whom?" "To my mother." "And queen Catherine- "Oh, madame, after having done so much for me, my life belongs to you!" "I have snatched it from those who wished to take it; but now you are saved." "Saved by you!" cried the young man-"by you, whom I adore دو At this moment, a sharp noise made them both start. La Mole recoiled, and Marguerite, uttering a cry, fixed her eyes on a broken pane in the window. By this pane a large stone had entered, and lay on the floor. La Mole saw the broken window, and, comprehending the cause of the noise: "Who has dared do this?" cried he. "Stay," said Marguerite; "it seems to me something is fastened to the stone." "It looks like a billet," replied la Mole. Marguerite eagerly caught up the stone, round which was wound a slip of paper. The paper was fastened to a thread which passed out of the window. Marguerite opened and read it. "Oh, heavens!" cried she, holding out the paper—“ la Mole!" He looked and read "M. de la Mole is waited for by long swords in the corridor leading to M. d'Alençon's apartments; perhaps he would prefer leaving the Louvre by this window, and joining M. de Mouy at Mantes." "But," said la Mole," are these swords longer than mine?" "No, but there are perhaps ten against one." "From whom comes this billet?" asked la Mole. Marguerite looked attentively at it. "The writing of the king of Navarre," said she. warns us, the danger is real-fly, then, fly!" "How!" "Does it not mention the window?" 66 "If he Command, and I will leap from the window were it twenty times as high!" "Stay," said Marguerite, "this string supports a weight." "Let us see." And both drawing towards them the string, saw the extremity of a ladder of silk. "Ah, you are saved," said Marguerite. "It is a miracle of Heaven!" "No, it is a gift of the king of Navarre." "What if it were a snare laid for me," said la Mole. “What if this ladder were to break beneath me: have you not to-day avowed your love for me, Marguerite?" Marguerite, to whose cheeks joy had restored the colour, became deadly pale. "You are right," said she; "it is possible." And she darted towards the door. "Where are you going?" cried la Mole. "To assure myself you are really waited for on the corridor.” "Never, lest their vengeance fall on you!" "What can they do to me? A queen and a woman, I am doubly inviolable." The queen said this with so much dignity that la Mole felt she ran no risk, and that it was best to let her do as she wished. Marguerite entrusted la Mole to Gillonne, leaving it to her sagacity to decide, according to eircumstances, whether he should fly, or await her return. She advanced into the corridor that led to the library and a suite of reception rooms, which opened into the king's and queen-mother's apartments, and to the private staircase leading to d'Alençon's apartments. Although scarcely nine, all the lights were extinguished, and, except a slight glimmer at the end, the corridor was quite dark. The queen advanced with a firm step, but arrived half-way, she heard a sound of voices whispering, and the pains they took not to be heard, gave them a mysterious and hollow sound, but all noise soon ceased, and the light, feeble as it was, seemed to diminish. Marguerite advanced; she seemed calm, but in reality the clenching of her hands showed violent nervous agitation. As she approached the lights, the silence seemed to grow more intense, and a shadow like a hand obscured the flickering ray. Suddenly, a man sprang forward, uncovered a taper, and exclaimed: "Here he is!" Marguerite found herself opposite Charles, behind him stood d'Alençon, a cord of silk in his hand. At the back two shadows were visible, with swords in their hands. Marguerite saw all this at a glance, and replied, smilingly, "You mean here she is." Charles recoiled: the rest stood motionless. "You here, Margot, at this hour?" said he. "Is it, then, so late?" "I ask you where are you going?" "To fetch one of the volumes of Cicero, left in our mother's apartments." "Without a light?" "I thought the corridor was lighted." "And you come from your own apartments?” "Yes." "What are you doing?" 66 Preparing my speech for the Polish ambassadors." "Is any one helping you?" Marguerite made a violent effort. "M. de la Mole," replied she. "He is very learned." "So much so," said d'Alençon, "that I requested him to help me, as I am not so clever as you are." "You are waiting for him?" "Yes," returned d'Alençon, impatiently. "Then," said Marguerite, "I will send him to you." 66 And your book?" said Charles. "Gillonne can fetch it." The two brothers interchanged a sign. "Go, then," said Charles. "We will continue our round." "Your round?" asked Marguerite-" whom are you looking for, then?" know "The little red man," returned Charles; "do not you he is said to haunt the Louvre? D'Alençon says he has seen him, and we are in search of him." "Success to your chase," said Marguerite. In a second she was at her door. 66 Open, Gillonne!” cried she. Gillonne obeyed. Marguerite sprang into the apartment, and found la Mole resolute and calm-his sword drawn. "Fly!" said the queen-"fly instantly!-there is no time to be lost!" During her absence, la Mole had attached the ladder, and he now stepped on it, after having tenderly embraced the queen. "Should I perish, remember your promise!" said he. "It is not a promise, but an oath. Adieu!" Encouraged by these words, la Mole glided down the ladder. Marguerite did not quit the window until she had seen la Mole reach the ground in safety. "Madame!" said Gillonne-" madame!" The four princes, doubtless impatient, stood at the threshold; Charles entered. Marguerite advanced to meet him. The king cast a rapid glance around. "Whom are you seeking?" asked the queen. seeking M. de la Mole.' "M. de la Mole?" "Yes! where is he?" 66 "Corbærf! I am Marguerite took her brother's hand, and led him to the window. At this moment, two men from beneath the window started off on horseback, at full speed; one of them detached his |