persons belonging to his household. While he was at table he
received a note, written in French and unsigned, in which he was
entreated not to enter the playhouse, where he was about to be stricken
to death. The author of the note urgently recommended the King not to
make his appearance at the ball, and, if he persisted in going, to
suspect the crowd which would press around him, because this gathering
was to be the prelude and signal of the blow aimed at him. The really
bizarre thing about this was that the man who wrote these lines was
himself one of the conspirators, Count de Lilienhorn.

"It is impossible to tell," says the Marquis de Bouille in his Memoirs,
"whether his conscience wished to acquit itself in this manner towards
the King, to whom he owed everything, without forfeiting his word to
his party, or whether, knowing the fearless character of this prince,
he did not offer his anonymous advice as a bait to his courage. It
certainly produced the latter effect." Gustavus made no {40}
reflections on reading this note, and went fearlessly to the ball.

The orchestra is playing wildly. The dances are animated. The hall,
adorned with flowers, sparkles under the glow of the chandeliers.
Gustavus appears for a moment in his box. It is only then that he
shows to Baron d'Essen, his first equerry, the anonymous note he had
received while at supper. That faithful servant begs him not to go
down into the hall. Gustavus disregards the prudent counsel. He says
that hereafter he will wear a coat of mail, but that, for this time, he
is perfectly determined to be reckless about danger. The King and his
equerry go into the saloon in front of the royal box, where each puts
on a domino. Then they enter the hall by way of the stage. There are
men essentially courageous, who love danger for its own sake. Gustavus
is one of them. Hence he takes pleasure in braving all his assassins.
As he is crossing the greenroom with Baron d'Essen on his arm, "Let us
see," says he, "whether they will really dare to kill me." Yes, they
will dare it. The moment that the King enters he is recognized in
spite of his mask and his domino. He walks slowly around the hall, and
then goes into the pit, where he strolls about during several minutes.
He is about to retrace his steps, when he finds himself surrounded, as
had been predicted, by a group of maskers who get between him and the
officers of his suite. Several black dominos appro