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"Poor gentlemen! And where are they?"

"High up; on the fourth floor."

Henry gave a sigh. It was there he wished to be.

"Now then, M. de Beaulieu," said Henry, "have the kindness to show me my chamber. I am desirous of reaching it, as I am very much fatigued with my day's toil."

"Here, monseigneur," said Beaulieu, showing Henry an open door.

"No. 2!" said Henry-" and why not No. 1?" "Because it is reserved, monseigneur.”

"Ah, that is another thing," said Henry, and he became even more pensive. He wondered who was to occupy No. 1. The governor, with a thousand apologies, installed Henry in his apartment, made many excuses for its deficiencies, and placing two soldiers at the door, retired.

"Now," said the governor, addressing the turnkey, “let us visit the others."

The turnkey preceded him, and traversing the Salle de Question, they again passed the corridor, and reaching the staircase, M. de Beaulieu followed his guide up three pair of stairs.

On reaching the fourth story, the turnkey opened successively three doors, each ornamented with two locks and three enormous bolts.

He had scarcely touched the third door than they heard a joyous voice, which exclaimed:

"Eh, mordi! open, if it be only to give us a little air! Your stove is so warm, that it stifles me here."

"One moment, my gentleman," said the turnkey; "I have not come to let you out, but to come in to you with the governor."

"M. the governor does me great honour," replied Coconnas, "and is most welcome."

M. de Beaulieu then entered, and answered Coconnas cordial smile by one of those icy politenesses which belong to governors of fortresses, jailers, and executioners.

"Have you any money, sir?" he inquired of his prisoner. "I?" replied Coconnas. "Not a crown."

"Jewels?"

"I have a ring."

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"Allow me to search you."

"Mordi!" cried Coconnas, reddening with anger.

"We must suffer everything for the service of the king!" "Humph!" replied the Piedmontese, "they who rob on the Pont-Neuf are, then, like you, in the service of the king. Mordi! I have been very unjust, sir; for until now I had taken them for thieves."

"Sir, good day!" said Beaulieu. "Jailer, lock the door!" The governor went away, taking with him the ring, a beautiful sapphire which madame de Nevers had given to Coconnas to remind him of the colour of her eyes.

"Now for the other," he said, as he went out.

They crossed an empty apartment, and the game of three doors, six locks, and nine bolts, was played all over again.

The last door being opened, a sigh was the first sound that saluted the visitors.

The chamber was even more gloomy than the one which M. de Beaulieu had just quitted.

La Mole was seated in a corner, his head resting on his hand, and in spite of the visit and the visitors, was as motionless as if he did not observe them.

"Good evening, M. de la Mole," said Beaulieu.

The young man raised his head slowly.

"Good evening, sir," he replied.

"Sir," continued Beaulieu, "I have come to search you." "It is useless,” replied la Mole; "I will give you all I have."

"What have you?"

"About three hundred crowns, these jewels, these rings." La Mole turned out his pockets, stripped his fingers, and took the clasp out of his hat.

"Have you nothing more?" "Not that I know of."

"And that silk cord round your neck, what may that be?" asked the governor.

"Sir, it is not a jewel; it is a relic."

"You must give it to me."

"Really, do you require it?-Well then, sir, here it is."

Then turning away, as if to approach the light, he un

fastened the pretended relic, which was in fact a medallion containing a portrait. The latter he took out of its case, pressed it to his lips, and having kissed it many times pretended to drop it accidentally, and placing the heel of his boot upon it, crushed it to atoms.

"Sir," said Beaulieu, when he saw the miniature literally ground to dust, "I shall complain of this to the king."

And without taking leave of his prisoner in a single word, he withdrew so angry that he left the turnkey to fasten the doors.

The jailer advanced a few paces, and observing that M. de Beaulieu had already descended several stairs, he said, turning to la Mole:

"Ma foi! sir, it was very well you gave me the hundred crowns at once, for which I am to give you leave to see and talk with your companion; for if you had not, the governor would have taken them with the other three hundred, and my conscience would then not have allowed me to do anything for you; but I have been paid in advance, and have promised you shall see your comrade, and an honest man always keeps his word: only, if you can avoid it, for your own sake as well as mine, do not talk politics."

La Mole came forth from his apartment, and found himself face to face with Coconnas, who was walking up and down the flags of the intermediate chamber.

The two friends threw themselves into each other's arms. The jailer pretended to wipe the corner of his eye, and then withdrew, to watch that the prisoners were not surprised, or rather, himself not suspected.

"Ah, 'tis you, then!" said Coconnas.

a governor visited you?"

"Yes, and you too, I presume?"

"And taken everything from you?"

"And from you too, eh?"

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"Has that brute of

Oh, I had not much-only a ring Henriette gave me." "Have you any idea what has happened?"

"Perfectly: we have been betrayed."

"By whom?"

"By that scoundrelly duc d'Alençon. I should have been right to twist his neck, you see."

"And do you think our position is serious?" "I am afraid so."

"Then we may have to anticipate the torture?" "I have already thought so."

"And what shall you do in that case?"

"And you?"

"I shall

be silent," replied la Mole, with a fevered blush, "if I can."

"And I," said Coconnas, "will tell them a few things they do not expect."

"What things?" asked la Mole, eagerly.

"Oh, be easy-things that will prevent M. d'Alençon from sleeping quietly for some time."

La Mole was about to reply, when the jailer, who no doubt heard some noise, came suddenly into the chamber, and pushing each into his respective dungeon, locked them in again.

CHAPTER LV.

THE FIGURE OF WAX.

FOR a week Charles was confined to his bed by a slow fever, interrupted by fits like epilepsy. During these attacks his cries were terrible; then, when they were over, he sunk back exhausted into the arms of his nurse.

Henry was shut up in his chamber at the prison, and, at his own request to Charles, no one was allowed to see him, not even Marguerite. Catherine and d'Alençon thought him lost Henry himself ate and drank more at his ease, hoping he was forgotten.

At court no one suspected the real cause of the king's illness. Maître Ambroise Paré and Mazille, his colleague, believed it to be inflammation of the coats of the stomach, and had prescribed a regimen which aided the operation of the drink prescribed by René, and which Charles received thrice a day from the hands of his nurse: it was the only nourishment he took.

La Mole and Coconnas were at Vincennes in close con

finement. Marguerite and madame de Nevers had made several attempts to see them or to send them a letter, but in vain.

One morning Charles felt rather better, and ordered the court should be admitted. The doors were accordingly opened, and it was easy to see, by his pale cheeks and the feverish glare of his eyes, what great ravages disease had made on the young king.

Catherine, d'Alençon, and Marguerite were informed that the king gave audience.

They all three entered at a short interval one after the other Catherine calm, d'Alencon smiling, Marguerite dejected: Catherine sat down by the side of the bed without remarking the look Charles gave her; d'Alençon stood at the foot; Marguerite leaned against a table. On seeing her brother thus worn by illness, she could not repress a sigh and

a tear.

Charles, whom nothing escaped, saw the tear and heard the sigh, and made a motion of his head to Marguerite, unseen by all but her.

This sign, slight as it was, gave courage to the poor queen, to whom Henry had not had time, or perhaps had not chosen, to say anything. She feared for her husband, she trembled

for her lover.

For herself she had no fear; she knew la Mole too well not to feel that she might fully rely upon him.

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'Well, my dear son," said Catherine, "how are you

now?"

"Better, madame, better."

"And what say the physicians?"

"Oh, my physicians, they are very clever fellows," cried Charles, bursting into a discordant laugh; "I have great amusement in listening to their discussions about my malady."

"What my brother wants," observed François, "is to take the fresh air. The chase, which he is so fond of, would do him good."

"And yet," replied Charles, with a singular smile, "the last did me a great deal of harm."

Then, with an inclination of his head, he signified to the courtiers that the audience was at an end.

D'Alencon bowed and withdrew.

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