the brilliant existence from which
she had been so suddenly shut out, the widowed bride would gladly have
followed her husband to the gayer city of Milan, even wounded as she was
by his indifference and coldness, rather than remain at the austere
Court of the pious Infanta, where she was aware that her words and
actions were subjected to the closest scrutiny; but the will of her
father compelled her to remain at Brussels, the Connetable being
apprehensive, from the marked neglect and suspicion evinced towards her
by the Prince, that this latter might endeavour to remove her beyond the
reach of her friends in order to hold her more completely in his power.
Under this impression her father had consequently insisted upon her
residence at the Archducal Court, and had instructed her to solicit the
influence of the Infanta, and to employ every means in her own power, to
prevent M. de Conde from effecting her removal in the event of his
finding it himself expedient to leave Flanders.

Not satisfied with this precaution, moreover, M. de Montmorency also
demanded an audience of the King, in which he laid before him the
apprehensions that he entertained; and finally he entreated his
Majesty's permission to compel his daughter to return to France, and to
take up her residence with the Duchesse d'Angouleme, her aunt.

Henry made a ready and gracious reply to this request, and before he
finally retired from the royal closet, the Connetable asked and obtained
the royal sanction to authorize the Marquis de Coeuvres to concert with
him some scheme for carrying off the Princess.

M. de Coeuvres had no sooner received these instructions than he
admitted to his confidence Madame de Berny, the wife of the French
Ambassador at the Flemish Court (who from political reasons was himself
kept in ignorance of the plot), and M. de Chateauneuf,[413] who was at
that period residing in Brussels on a special mission from his
Government; and the quasi-conspirators were not long ere they flattered
themselves that their success was certain.

Near the palace of the Prince of Orange, in which Madame de Conde had
taken up her residence, was a breach in the city wall by which it was
easy to descend into the moat; and it was decided that the Princess
should effect her escape from this point during the night. Saddled
horses were to be prepared for herself and her retinue near the outer
bank of the ditch, and nothing remained undecided save the moment of he