d
rage joining to the dislike which he already had for the Duc roused him
to a violent fury; and he would have given there and then some bloody
mark of his temper had not that dissimulation which came naturally to
him prevented him from attacking the Duc de Guise in the present
circumstances. He did not, however, refrain from the pleasure of
disclosing his knowledge of this secret affair. He approached the Duc
de Guise as they left the salon where they had been dancing and said to
him "To presume to raise your eyes towards my sister, as well as
stealing the affection of the woman I love is altogether too much. The
presence of the King prevents me from taking any action just now, but
remember that the loss of your life may be, one day, the least thing
with which I shall punish your impertinence."

The pride of the Duc de Guise was not accustomed to submit tamely to
such threats, but he was unable to reply because at that moment the
King called both of them to his side. He did not forget, however, and
tried all his life to exact revenge.

From that evening the Duc d'Anjou endeavoured in all sorts of ways to
turn the King against the Duc de Guise. He persuaded the King that
Madame would never agree to her proposed marriage to the King of
Navarre as long as the Duc de Guise was allowed to have any contact
with her; and that it was unacceptable that a subject, for his own vain
purposes, should place an obstacle in the way of what could bring peace
to France. The King already disliked the Duc de Guise and this speech
inflamed his dislike so much that the next day when the Duc presented
himself to join the ball at the Queen's apartments, he stood in the
doorway and asked him brusquely where he was going. The Duc, without
showing any surprise answered that he had come to offer his most humble
services, to which the King replied that he had no need of any services
which the Duc might provide, and turned away without any other
acknowledgement. The Duc was not deterred from entering the room, his
feelings incensed both against the King and the Duc d'Anjou. His
natural pride led him, as an act of defiance, to pay more attention to
Madame than usual, and what the Duc d'Anjou had told him prevented him
from looking in the direction of the Princess de Montpensier.

The Duc d'Anjou watched both of them with close attention. The
Princess's expression, in spite of herself, showed some chagrin when
the Duc de Guise spoke with Madame. T