er relating to the conspiracy, or tending further to incriminate
any of its presumed members.[301]

The jealousy which existed between the two houses of Bourbon and
Lorraine, and which Henry was anxious if possible to terminate, coupled
perhaps with no small feeling of wounded vanity, determined him to
bestow the hand of Louise Marguerite de Lorraine, Demoiselle de Guise
(who, since she had been in the household of the Queen, had lent a less
willing ear than formerly to his renewed gallantries), upon Francois,
Prince de Conti; and accordingly the marriage was celebrated with great
pomp in the month of July, in the presence of their Majesties and the
whole Court. Madame de Conti herself asserts that the Queen first
suggested this union, and did everything in her power to effect it;[302]
for which it is highly probable that Marie had a double motive, as the
antecedents of Mademoiselle de Guise might well excuse her jealousy.

While besieging Paris, and before his public _liaison_ with Gabrielle
d'Estrees, Henry had sent to demand the portrait of Mademoiselle de
Guise, giving her reason to believe that so soon as the war should be
terminated he was desirous of making her his wife; a prospect which, as
she very naively acknowledges, led her to despise the addresses of the
Comte de Giury,[303] who was her declared suitor, as well as those of
the other nobles who sought her favour. One day, however, during a brief
truce of six hours, the Duchesse de Guise and herself, accompanied by
several other ladies, having ascended the rampart to converse with such
of their friends as were in the besieging army, all the young gallants
crowded to the foot of the walls to pay their respects to the fair being
whose presence offered so graceful a contrast to the objects by which
they were more immediately surrounded; and among the rest came Roger,
Duc de Bellegarde, at that period the handsomest man in France.

It was the first occasion upon which Mademoiselle de Guise and the Duke
had met; and we have the authority of the lady for stating that the
attraction was mutual. M. de Bellegarde had long been the avowed lover
of _la belle Gabrielle_; but, inconstant as the fair D'Estrees herself,
he at once surrendered his previously-occupied heart to this new
goddess. His prior attachment was not, however, the only reason which
should have deterred Mademoiselle de Guise from thus suffering her fancy
to overcome her better feelings, as M. de Belleg