And he read.

“Madame,—I must speak to the king of Navarre. It is on a most urgent matter. I am waiting."

"Ah, do you see?" said Henry; "he says he is waiting!" Yes, I see he says so; but what then!"

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“Why, ventre-saint-gris! I wish him to come here."

"Come here!" exclaimed Marguerite, fixing on her husband her beautiful eyes, full of amazement—“how can you say such a thing, sire? A man whom the king has sought to kill-who is marked down, menaced. Let him come, do you say! Is that possible? Were doors made for those who have been- -?"

Obliged to escape by the window, you would say." "Precisely so."

"Well, but if they know the way by the window, they may take that road again, since it is impossible for them to enter by the door. That is simple enough, surely."

"Do you think so?" said Marguerite, blushing with pleasure at the thoughts of again having la Mole near her. "I am sure of it."

"But how can he ascend?" inquired the queen.

"Did you not preserve the rope-ladder I sent you?" "Yes, sire," said Marguerite.

"Then the whole thing will be capitally managed. Fasten it to your balcony, and let it hang. If it be de Mouy who awaits and I am induced to believe so-he will mount the

ladder."

And without losing his gravity, Henry took the taper to light Marguerite in her search for the ladder. The search was by no means tedious: it was discovered in a cupboard in the celebrated closet.

"Here it is," said Henry. "And now, madame, if it is not too much to ask of your complaisance, tie it, I beg, to the balcony."

"Why me and not you, sire?" asked Marguerite.

"Because the best conspirators are the most prudent: the sight of a man might alarm your correspondent—you understand?"

Marguerite smiled, and fastened the ladder.

"There," said Henry, ensconcing himself in the angle of

the apartment; "now show yourself-and now let the ladder be dropped. Capital! I am sure de Mouy will come up."

And in a few minutes afterwards, a man joyously placed his leg over the balcony; but seeing that the queen did not approach him, remained for some minutes in hesitation, and then Henry advanced.

"Ah!" said he, urbanely-"it is not de Mouy, it is M. de la Mole. Good evening, M. de la Mole. Enter, I entreat you."

La Mole was for a moment amazed.

Perchance, had he still been on the ladder, instead of having his feet firmly in the balcony, he would have fallen backwards.

"You desired to speak to the king of Navarre on an urgent affair," said Marguerite: "I have informed him so, and here he is."

Henry went to the window, and closed it.

"I love thee!" whispered Marguerite, pressing the young man's hand ardently.

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Well, sir," said Henry, handing a chair to la Mole, "what have we to say?"

"We have to say, sire," he replied, "that I have left M. de Mouy at the barrier. He desires to know if Maurevel has spoken, and if his presence in your majesty's chamber is known."

"Not yet; but it must be before long. We must therefore make haste."

"His opinion coincides with your majesty's, sire; and if to-morrow, during the evening, M. d'Alençon is ready to depart, de Mouy will be at the Porte Saint-Marcel with a hundred and fifty men: five hundred will await you at Fontainebleau, and then you will gain Blois, Angoulême, and Bourdeaux."

"Madame," said Henry, turning to his wife, "to-morrow, I shall be ready: shall you?"

La Mole's eyes were fixed on Marguerite's with intense anxiety.

"You have my word," replied the queen. "Whithersoever you go, I follow you: but you know M. d'Alençon must go at the same time. There is no middle path for him; he is with us, or he betrays us: if he hesitates, we will not stir."

"Does he know anything of this proposed plan, M. de la Mole?" inquired Henry.

"He had a letter from de Mouy several days since."

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Ah, ah!" said Henry, "and never told me a word of it."

"Be on your guard, sir-be on your guard," said Marguerite.

"Be easy; I am on my guard. But how to return an answer to de Mouy?"

“Do not be under any anxiety, sire. To-morrow, on the right hand or left hand of your majesty, visible or invisible, during the reception of the ambassadors, he will be there: one word in the queen's address will make him understand whether you consent or not; whether he should flee, or await you. If the duke d'Alençon refuses, he only requires a delay of a fortnight to re-organize everything in your name."

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Really," replied Henry, "de Mouy is an invaluable man. Can you introduce a phrase or two in your discourse, madame ?"

"Nothing easier," replied Marguerite.

"Well, then," said Henry, "I shall see M. d'Alençon, tomorrow; let de Mouy be at his post, and understand from half a word."

"He will be there, sire."

“Well, then, M. de la Mole, go and bear him my reply. You have, doubtless, a horse and servant somewhere near at hand."

"Orthon awaits me on the quay."

"Go to him, comte. Oh, not by the window: that is very well on extreme occasions; but you might be seen, and as it would not be known that it was for me that you exposed yourself, it would compromise the queen."

"But how then, sire?"

"If you could not enter the Louvre alone, you can at least go out of it with me who have the pass-word. You have your cloak, I have mine; we will wrap ourselves up well, and shall pass the wicket without difficulty. Wait here whilst I see if the corridors are free."

Henry with the most natural air in the world went out to examine if the way was clear. La Mole remained alone with the queen.

"Oh, when shall we meet again?" said la Mole. "To-morrow evening, if we flee; in the Rue Cloche Percée, if we do not flee.'

"M. de la Mole," said Henry, returning, "you may come . there is no one there."

La Mole bowed respectfully before the queen. "Give him your hand to kiss, madame," said Henry, "M. de la Mole is no common servitor."

Marguerite obeyed.

"Apropos," added Henry. "Put away the rope-ladder carefully it is a very precious instrument for conspirators, and at the moment we least think of, it may stand in stead. Come, de la Mole-come!

CHAPTER XLIII.

THE AMBASSADORS.

NEXT morning, the whole population of Paris poured towards the Faubourg St.-Antoine, by which it was decided that the Polish ambassadors should enter; a line of soldiers restrained the crowd, and a regiment of horse escorted the nobles and ladies of the court.

Soon appeared, close by the Abbey St. - Antoine, a troop of cavaliers dressed in red and yellow, with furred mantles and caps, and bearing large sabres curved like Turkish scimetars.

Behind this troop came a second, clothed with oriental magnificence. They preceded the ambassadors, who, four in number, gorgeously sustained the reputation of their chivalrous country.

One of the ambassadors was the bishop of Cracow ; his costume was half ecclesiastical, half military, resplendent with gold and jewels. Next the bishop rode the palatine Lasco, a powerful noble, nearly related to the royal family, rich as a king, and as proud.

Behind these two principal ambassadors, who were accom

panied by two other palatines of high rank, came a number of gentlemen, whose steeds, all glittering with gold and precious stones, excited the clamorous admiration of the populace.

Up to the last moment Catherine had hoped the recep tion would be deferred in consequence of the king's illness. But when the day arrived—when she saw Charles, pale as a spectre, assume the royal robes, she saw she must, in appearance at least, yield to his iron will, and began to believe that the safest plan for Henry d'Anjou was to depart into the splendid exile to which he was condemned.

The large reception chamber had been prepared, and as such ceremonies were usually public, the guards and sentinels had received orders to admit as many persons into the apartments and courts as they could possibly contain.

As for Paris, it presented the same aspect that every great city presents on similar occasions-that is, confusion and curiosity; only, had any one attentively examined the population, he would have remarked a considerable number of men in cloaks, who exchanged glances and signs when at a distance, and, when they met, a few rapid words in a low tone. They seemed much occupied with the procession, and received their orders from an old man, whose keen black eyes, spite of his long white beard and eyebrows, bespoke a vigorous activity. This old man, by his own and his followers' assistance, gained an entrance to the Louvre, and, thanks to the officer of the Swiss guard, obtained a place behind the ambassadors, and opposite Henry and Marguerite.

Henry, informed by la Mole that de Mouy in some disguise would be present, looked round on every side. At last his eyes encountered those of the old man, and a sign from de Mouy dissipated all doubt as to his identity; for de Mouy was so perfectly disguised, that the king of Navarre was doubtful as to whether this old man with a white beard could be the intrepid huguenot chief, who a few days before had made so desperate a defence.

A word from Henry fixed Marguerite's attention on de Mouy. Then her eyes wandered round the chamber in search of la Mole. La Mole was not there.

The orations commenced. The first was to the king: Lasco, in the name of the diet of Poland, demanded his consent to the duke d'Anjou becoming their king