al looked at each other, without venturing
to further communicate their thoughts; but Robertet expressed them, for
he thought it necessary to show more devotion to the Guises than these
great personages, inasmuch as he was smaller than they.

"It is a great misfortune that the house of Navarre, instead of abjuring
the religion of its fathers, does not abjure the spirit of vengeance
and rebellion which the Connetable de Bourbon breathed into it," he said
aloud. "We shall see the quarrels of the Armagnacs and the Bourguignons
revive in our day."

"No," said Groslot, "there's another Louis XI. in the Cardinal de
Lorraine."

"And also in Queen Catherine," replied Robertet.

At this moment Madame Dayelle, the favorite bedchamber woman of Queen
Mary Stuart, crossed the hall, and went toward the royal chamber. Her
passage caused a general commotion.

"We shall soon enter," said Madame de Fisque.

"I don't think so," replied the Duchesse de Guise. "Their Majesties will
come out; a grand council is to be held."

VI. THE LITTLE LEVER OF FRANCOIS II.

Madame Dayelle glided into the royal chamber after scratching on the
door,--a respectful custom, invented by Catherine de' Medici and adopted
by the court of France.

"How is the weather, my dear Dayelle?" said Queen Mary, showing her
fresh young face out of the bed, and shaking the curtains.

"Ah! madame--"

"What's the matter, my Dayelle? You look as if the archers of the guard
were after you."

"Oh! madame, is the king still asleep?"

"Yes."

"We are to leave the chateau; Monsieur le cardinal requests me to tell
you so, and to ask you to make the king agree to it.

"Do you know why, my good Dayelle?"

"The Reformers want to seize you and carry you off."

"Ah! that new religion does not leave me a minute's peace! I dreamed
last night that I was in prison,--I, who will some day unite the crowns
of the three noblest kingdoms in the world!"

"Therefore it could only be a dream, madame."

"Carry me off! well, 'twould be rather pleasant; but on account of
religion, and by heretics--oh, that would be horrid."

The queen sprang from the bed and placed herself in a large arm-chair
of red velvet before the fireplace, after Dayelle had given her a
dressing-gown of black velvet, which she fastened loosely round her
waist by a silken cord. Dayelle lit the fire, for the mornings are cool
on the banks of the Loire in the month of May.

"My uncles must have recei