o his side the two guards at the nearest door, who were men of
his command. These, crossing their pikes before the prisoner, secured
him from immediate attack. By this time all in the room had risen save
the king, who appeared less moved than any by the incident. At this
point he raised his hand to procure silence.

"Is he mad?" he asked calmly. "What is it, Crillon?"

"I will satisfy your Grace," the courtier answered. But the next moment,
with a sudden change of tone, he cried loudly and rapidly, "Stop that
man, I beg you, d'Ornano! Stop him!"

The warning came too late. The Corsican sprang indeed to the door, but
the crowd impeded him; and the man to whom Crillon referred--the same
who had struck at Bazan, and who was no other than Berthaud--got to it
first, slipped out and was gone from sight, before those near the
entrance had recovered from their surprise.

"Follow him," Crillon cried loudly. "Seize him at all hazards! _Mort de
Dieu!_ He has outwitted us at last."

"His Majesty has asked, M. de Crillon," said one at the table, speaking
in the haughty, imperious tone of a man who never spoke unheeded, "what
is the meaning of all this? Perhaps you will kindly satisfy him."

"I will satisfy him," Crillon answered, grimly fixing his eyes on the
other's handsome face. "And you, too, M. de Guise. An attempt has been
made to poison my master. This young man, observing that a strange hand
poured the king's wine, has saved his Majesty's life by taking the
poison himself!"

Henry of Guise laughed scornfully. "A likely story!" he said.

"And in my house!" Madame de Sauves cried in the same tone. "His Majesty
will not believe that I----"

"I said nothing against Madame de Sauves," Crillon answered, with
firmness. "For the rest, let the king be judge. The issue is simple. If
the lad go scatheless, there was no poison in that cup and I am a liar.
If he suffer, then let the king say who lies!"

A close observer might have seen an uneasy expression flit across more
than one face, darken more than one pair of eyes. Crillon remained on
his guard facing the table, his eyes keenly vigilant. The Count of
Soissons, one of the younger Bourbons, had already stepped to the king's
side and taken place by his chair, his hand on his hilt. D'Ornano, who
had despatched two guards after Berthaud, openly drew his long sword and
placed himself on the other side of the dais. Nor was suspicion confined
to their party. Half a dozen gentle