at this news
and her confusion was almost as great as that of the Comte. At first
she was full of joy at the thought of seeing the man she loved so
tenderly, but when she considered how much this was against her
principles, and that she could not see her lover without introducing
him into her home during the night and without her husband's knowledge,
she found herself in the utmost difficulty. The Comte awaited her reply
as if it were a matter of life or death. Realising that her silence
indicated her uncertainty, he took the liberty of presenting to her all
the perils to which she would be exposed by such a meeting, and wishing
to make it clear that he was not doing this in his own interest, he
said that if, in spite of all that he had said she was determined to
see the Duc, rather than see her seek for aid from helpers less
faithful than himself, he would bring the Duc to her. "Yes Madame," he
said, "I shall go and find the Duc and bring him to your apartment, for
it is too dangerous to leave him for long where he is."

"But how can this be done?" interrupted the Princess.

"Ha! Madame," cried the Comte, "It is then decided, since you speak
only of the method. I shall lead him through the park; only order one
of your maids whom you can trust to lower, exactly at midnight, the
little drawbridge which leads from your antechamber to the flower
garden and leave the rest to me." Having said this he rose and without
waiting for any further comment from the Princess, he left, remounted
his horse and went to look for the Duc de Guise, who was waiting for
him with the greatest impatience.

The Princess remained in such a state of confusion that it was some
time before she came to her senses. Her first thought was to send
someone after the Comte to tell him not to bring the Duc, but she could
not bring herself to do so. She then thought that failing this she had
only not to have the drawbridge lowered, and she believed that she
would continue with this resolve, but when the hour of the assignation
drew near she was no longer able to resist the desire to see the lover
whom she longed for, and she gave instructions to one of her women on
the method by which the Duc was to be introduced into her apartment.

Meanwhile the Duc and the Comte were approaching Champigny, but in very
differing frames of mind. The Duc was full of joy and all the happiness
of expectation. The Comte was in a mood of despair and anger, which
tempted him