"I!" said Charles; "on a head which is dear to me!—mort drable! of what head, then, do you speak, sir? I do not understand you."

"Of the head of the duke d'Alençon."

Catherine became as pale as death, and her eyes glared hercely on de Mouy.

"And did my brother d'Alençon know this?" Yes, sire."

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"And accepted the crown?"

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us."

Subject to your majesty's consent, to which he referred

"Ah! ah!" said Charles, "it is, indeed, a crown which would suit our brother of Alençon wonderfully well! And that I should never have thought of it! Thanks, de Mouy-thanks! when you have such ideas you will always be welcome at the palace."

"Sire, you would long since have been informed of all this, but for the unfortunate affair of the Louvre, which made me fear that I had fallen into disgrace with your majesty."

"Yes; but," asked Catherine, "what said the king of Navarre to this proposal?"

"The king, madame, yielded to the desire of his brethren, and his renunciation was ready."

"In this case,” cried Catherine, "you must have that renunciation."

"I have, madame," said de Mouy, "and by chance I have it about me, signed by him and dated."

"Of a date anterior to the affair in the Louvre?” inquired Catherine.

"Yes, of the previous evening, I think."

And de Mouy drew from his pocket a renunciation in favour of the duke d'Alençon, written and signed in Henry's hand, and bearing the date assigned to it.

"Ma foi! yes," said Charles, "and all is in due form." "And what did Henry demand in return for this renunciation?"

"Nothing, madame; the friendship of the king Charles, he said to us, would amply repay him for the loss of a crown.' Catherine bit her lips in anger, and wrung her beautiful hands.

"This is all as complete as possible, de Mouy," added the king.

"Then," asked the queen-mother, "if all was settled between you and the king of Navarre, for what purpose did you seek an interview with him this evening?”

"I, madame!—with the king of Navarre?" said de Mouy. "He who arrested me will bear testimony that I was alone. Will your Majesty call him?”

"M. de Nancey?" said the king, and the captain of the guards entered.

"M. de Nancey," said Catherine, quickly, "was M. de Mouy quite alone at the hostelry of the Belle Etoile ?" "In the chamber, yes, madame: in the hostelry, no." "Ah!" said Catherine, "who was his companion?"

"I know not if he were the companion of M. de Mouy, madame; but I know he escaped by a back door, after having prostrated two of my guards.'

"And you recognised this gentleman, no doubt?"

"I did not, but the guards did."

"And who was he?" inquired Charles IX.

"M. the count Hannibal de Coconnas."

"Hannibal de Coconnas!" repeated the king, gloomy and reflective. "He who made so terrible a slaughter of the huguenots during the St. Bartholomew ?"

"M. de Coconnas, gentleman of the duke d'Alençon," replied de Nancey.

"Good! good!" said Charles. "You may withdraw, M. de Nancey; and another time, remember one thing." “What is that, sire?"

"That you are in my service, and will take your orders from no one but myself."

M. de Nancey retired backwards, bowing most respectfully.

De Mouy smiled ironically at Catherine.

There was a brief silence. The queen pulled the tassels of her cordeliere; Charles caressed his dog.

"But what was your intention, sir?" continued Charles. "Were you acting violently?"

Against whom, sire?"

"Why, against Henry, or François, or myself?"

"Sire, we had the renunciation of your brother-in-law, the consent of your brother, and, as I had the honour to tell you, we were on the point of soliciting your majesty's au

thority, when there happened this unfortunate affair of M. de Maurevel's."

"Well, mother, I see no objection to all this. You were perfectly right, M. de Mouy, in requiring a king. Yes, Navarre may be, and ought to be a separate kingdom. Moreover, this kingdom seems made expressly to endow my brother d'Alençon, who has always had so great a desire for a crown, that when we wear our own, he cannot withdraw his gaze therefrom. The only thing which opposed this coronation, was Harry's rights; but, since Harry voluntarily abdi

cates

"Voluntarily, sire?"

"It appears to be the will of God! M. de Mouy, you are free to return to your brethren, whom I have chastisedsomewhat rudely, perchance; but that is between God and myself; and tell them, that since they desire to have my brother, the duke d'Alençon, for king of Navarre, the king of France accedes to their desires. From this moment, Navarre is a kingdom, and its sovereign's name is François. but eight days for my brother to be ready to leave Paris with the eclat and pomp which appertain to a king. Go, M. de Mouy-go. M. de Nancey, allow M. de Mouy to retire. IIe is free."

I ask

"Sire," said de Mouy, advancing a step, "will your majesty allow me

"Yes," replied Charles.

And he extended his hand to the young huguenot.

De Mouy went on one knee, and respectfully kissed the king's hand.

"Apropos," said Charles, as de Mouy was about to rise, "have you not demanded from me justice on that ruffian, de Maurevel?"

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I have, sire."

"I know not where he is, that I might render it to you, for he is in hiding; but if you meet him, take justice into your own hands. I authorize you to do so, and with all my heart."

Oh, sire!" exclaimed de Mouy, "this is all I could desire. I know not where he is; but your majesty may rest assured I will find him."

De Mouy respectfully saluted the king and Catherine, and

then retired uninterrupted. He made all haste to the hostelry of the Belle Etoile, where he found his horse, by whose aid, three hours after he had quitted Paris, the young man breathed in safety behind the walls of Mantes.

Catherine, bursting with rage, regained her apartment, whence she passed into that of Marguerite, where she found Henry in his dressing gown, as if just going to bed.

"Satan!" she muttered, "aid a poor queen, for whom God will do nothing more!"

CHAPTER XLVIII.

TWO HEADS FOR ONE CROWN.

"REQUEST M. d'Alençon to come to me," said Charles, as his mother left him.

M. de Nancey hastened to M. d'Alençon's apartments, and delivered the king's message. The duke started when he heard it. He always trembled in Charles's presence, and the more so when he had reason to be afraid. Still, he went to his brother with all speed.

Charles was standing up, and whistling a hunting air.

As he entered, the duke d'Alençon caught from the glassy eye of Charles one of those looks full of hatred, which he so well understood.

"Your majesty has asked for me," he said. "I am here, sire. What is your majesty's desire?"

"I desire to tell you, brother, that, in order to recompense you for the great friendship you bear me, I have resolved to do for you to-day the thing you most desire in all the world." "For me?"

"Yes, for you. Ask yourself what that thing is of which you most frequently dream, without daring to ask for, and that thing I will give you."

Sire," said François, "I swear to you, that there is nothing I more desire than the continuance of the king's good health."

"Then you will be deeply gratified to know, d'Alençon,

that the indisposition I experienced at the time when the Poles arrived, has quite passed by. I have escaped, thanks to Harry, a furious wild boar, who would have ripped me up, and I am so well as not to envy the healthiest man in my dominions: so that, without being an unkind brother, you may wish for something else besides the continuation of my health, which is perfectly restored."

"I desire nothing else, sire."

"Yes, yes, François," continued Charles, impatiently, "you desire the crown of Navarre, and have had an understanding to that effect with Harry and de Mouy: the first, that he would abdicate, and the second, that he might offer it to you. Well, Harry has renounced, de Mouy has mentioned your wishes to me, and the crown you are ambitious to——”

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Stop!" said d'Alençon, in a trembling voice.

“Well, mort diable! it is yours."

D'Alençon turned ghastly pale, and then his face was suffused. The favour which the king granted him at this moment threw him into utter despair.

"But, sire," he replied, palpitating with emotion, and in vain trying to recover his self-possession, "I have never desired, and certainly never sought for such a thing."

"That is possible," said the king, "for you are very discreet, brother; but it has been desired-sought for you." Sire, I swear to you that I never

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"Do not swear."

"But, sire, do you, then, exile me?" "Do you call this exile, François? Peste! you are hard to please. What better thing could you hope for?" D'Alencon bit his lips in despair.

"Ma foi!" continued Charles, affecting a kind demeanour, "I did not think you were so popular, François, and paricularly with the huguenots. Why, they really petition for you; and what better could I desire them to have than a person devoted to me; a brother whom I love, and who is incapable of betraying me, at the head of a party who for thirty years has been in arms against us. This must calm everything, as if by enchantment, to say nothing of the fact that we shall be all kings in the family. There will only be poor Harry, who will remain my friend, and nothing more. But he is not ambitious, and this title, which no one else covets, he claims."

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