CHAPTER XLII.

MUTUAL CONFIDENCES.

THE first thing the duke d'Anjou learned on reaching the Louvre was, that the solemn entry of the ambassadors was fixed for the fifth day. The tailors and jewellers waited on the prince with magnificent dresses and superb ornaments which the king had ordered for him.

Whilst he fitted them on in a state of anger that brought tears to his eyes, Henry of Navarre was amusing himself greatly with a splendid collar of emeralds, a gold-hilted sword, and a very valuable ring, which Charles had sent him that morning.

D'Alençon had just received a letter, and had retired to his chamber, in order to read it at his leisure.

As to Coconnas, he was asking for his friend from every echo in the Louvre.

At length, the rumour of the affair in the corridor began to be bruited about. Coconnas was in the utmost grief: for a moment he believed that all these kings and princes had killed his friend and thrown his body into some dungeon.

He learned that d'Alençon had been of the party, and overlooking the dignity that encompassed a prince of the blood, he went to him to demand an explanation with as little ceremony as if he had been a private gentleman.

D'Alençon, at first, was inclined to show the door to an impertinent who came to ask an account of his actions; but Coconnas spoke so sternly, his eyes glared with so much rage, and an adventure of three duels in less than twenty hours which he had had, placed the Piedmontese so high, that he paused, and instead of giving way to his first impulse, replied with a charming smile :

"My dear Coconnas, it is true that the king, furious at having received on his shoulder a silver ewer, the duke d'Anjou, angry at having orange jam poured on his head, and the duke de Guise, humiliated by having been assailed with

a haunch of venison, combined to kill M. de la Mole; but a friend of your friend's averted the blow, and I assure you the enterprise failed."

"Ah," said Coconnas, breathing as loudly at this information as a smith's bellows-" ah, mordi! monseigneur, that is well; and I should like to know this friend, to prove my gratitude."

D'Alençon made no reply, but smiled more agreeably still, which made Coconnas believe that this friend was none other than the prince himself.

"Well, monseigneur," he continued, "since you have done so much as to tell me the commencement of this story, will you complete the obligation by relating to me the conclusion?" D'Alençon shook his head.

"The worst of all," he said, "my brave Coconnas, is, that your friend disappeared without any one knowing whither." "Mordi!" cried the Piedmontese, again turning pale with indignation-" but I will know where he is!"

"Go to the queen Marguerite," said d'Alençon, who was as anxious as Coconnas to learn where de la Mole was: "she will know what has become of the friend you lament." "I had already thought of doing so," replied Coconnas. "Do so," added the prince: "only do not say it was by my advice; for if you are so imprudent, you may not obtain any information."

"Monseigneur," said Coconnas, "as your royal highness recommends me to secrecy on this point, I will be as mute as a tench, or the queen-mother.-Good prince! excellent prince! magnanimous prince!" murmured Coconnas, as he went to the queen of Navarre.

Marguerite was awaiting Coconnas; for the noise of his despair had reached her, and she almost forgave him his somewhat coarse behaviour to madame de Nevers, whom the Piedmontese had not visited, in consequence of a dispute between them two or three days previously. He was therefore introduced to the queen as soon as announced.

Coconnas entered, not altogether able to surmount the embarrassment which he always felt to a certain extent in the presence of the queen, and which was the greater from her superiority of wit than of rank; but Marguerite greeted him with a smile which instantly re-assured him.

ર

Ah, madame!" he exclaimed, "restore my friend to me, I entreat you; or, at least, tell me what has become of him; for without him I cannot live. Suppose Euryalus without Nisus, Damon without Pythias, or Orestes without Pylades, and have pity on my misfortune at the loss of my dear friend."

Marguerite smiled, and after having bound Coconnas to secrecy, told him all about the escape by the window. As to the place of his concealment, although Coconnas urged her to reveal it with all earnestness, she decidedly refused, but added:

66

Well, if you wish to learn something decisive as to your friend, ask the king of Navarre, who is the only person that has a right to speak. As for me, all I can tell you is, that he you are seeking lives; have faith in my word!" "I have faith in something still more those lovely eyes have not been weeping."

sure, madame:

Then, thinking he could not add anything to this compliment, he retired, fully resolved to seek a reconciliation with madame de Nevers, just to find if she knew more than Marguerite would tell him.

The idea of leaving Marguerite had almost broken la Mole's heart, and it was rather to save the reputation of the queen than to preserve his own life that he had consented to fly.

Thus the next evening he returned to Paris, to try and see 'Marguerite at her balcony. Marguerite, on her side, as if a secret voice had informed her that he would be there, had passed the evening at her window, and thus they had seen each other with happiness, a sentiment that may be readily imagined.

La Mole, anxious to be always near Marguerite, occupied himself in organizing, with all possible dispatch, the event which would restore her to him-namely, the flight of the king of Navarre.

Marguerite having thus scen la Mole, and being aware of his safety, was at case with respect to him, but fearing he might be watched and followed, she pertinaciously refused to give him any other meeting than these à l'Espagnole, which took place every evening until the night before the reception of the ambassadors. On this evening, about nine o'clock, when

all the persons in the Louvre were preoccupied with the preparations for next day, Marguerite opened her window and went into the balcony; but scarcely was she there, than the note she expected, according to la Mole's usual custom, was thrown with his usual skill, and fell at the feet of his royal mistress. As he had generally awaited her missive, Marguerite understood, that by anticipating her he had some important intelligence to communicate, and read it with all haste. The billet in the first page contained these words:

"Madame,-I must speak to the king of Navarre: it is on a most urgent matter. I am waiting."

And in the second page, which could be detached from the other, was written:

"My lady and queen,—Manage that I may speak with you. I am waiting."

Marguerite had scarcely finished the second side of this letter than she heard the voice of Henry of Navarre, who, with his usual reserve, tapped at the door, and asked Gillonne if he might be allowed to enter.

The queen instantly divided the sheet of paper, put one of the pages in her pocket, ran to the window, which she shut, and going quickly to the door, said:

"Come in, sire."

Gently, quickly, and cleverly as Marguerite had closed the window, the sound had reached the ears of Henry, whose senses were always on the alert, and who had in the society he so greatly mistrusted acquired that exquisite delicacy of bearing and sight which man acquires in a savage state. But the king of Navarre was not one of those tyrants who wish to prevent their wives from taking the air and gazing on the stars. Henry was smiling and urbane as usual.

66

Madame," he said, "whilst our people of the court are trying on their fine apparel, I have come to have a few words with you as to my affairs, which you still regard as your own, do you not?

66

"Most assuredly, sir," replied Marguerite; are not our interests always identical?"

"Yes, madame; and therefore I wished to ask your opinion as to the pains which d'Alençon has taken for several days to avoid me, so much so, that since the day before yesterday he has betaken himself to Saint-Germains. Do you not

think from this, that it is his intention either to go away alone, or not to go at all? Let me, if you please, have your ideas on this point; for it would have great weight with me if your opinion should coincide with mine."

"Your majesty is quite right to feel uneasy as to my brother's silence. I have thought of it all day; and it is my opinion, that circumstances having changed he has changed with them."

"That is to say, that seeing king Charles ill, and the duke d'Anjou, king of Poland, he would not be sorry to remain in Paris, to watch for the crown of France."

"Precisely so."

'I agree with you. This is all as I wish it," continued Henry. "Let him remain; that will not alter our plan; for I should require, to go alone, thrice the guarantees I should have asked had your brother accompanied me, whose name and presence in the enterprise would have been my safeguards. The only thing that astonishes me is, not having any tidings of de Mouy. Have you any intelligence of him, madame?” 'I, sire!" said Marguerite, astonished. "How could I possibly

"Eh, pardieu ma mie! nothing can be more natural. You were so kind as to oblige me, by saving young la Mole's life; he was sure to go to Mantes, and when there, it was no great distance to return hither."

"Ah! that gives me the solution to a riddle I have sought for in vain," replied Marguerite. "I had left my window open, and found on my return a kind of note on the carpet." "There, now!" said Henry.

"A note which at first I could not comprehend, and to which I attached no importance," continued Marguerite. Perhaps I was wrong, and it comes from that quarter."

66

"Very possibly," said Henry; "nay, most probably. Might I see this note?"

"Certainly, sire," replied Marguerite, handing to the king the half sheet of paper which she had put in her pocket. The king looked at it.

"Is not this," he inquired, "the writing of M. de la Mole?" "I do not know," was Marguerite's reply; "the letters appear to me counterfeited.”

"Never mind; let us read."