en to De Guiche a letter which had
made the deepest impression upon him, and which he had read over and
over again. "Strange, strange!" he murmured. "How irresponsible are the
means by which destiny hurries men onward to their fate!" Leaving the
window in order to approach nearer to the light, he once more read the
letter he had just received:--

"CALAIS.

"MY DEAR COUNT,--I found M. de Wardes at Calais; he has been
seriously wounded in an affair with the Duke of Buckingham. De Wardes
is, as you know, unquestionably brave, but full of malevolent and wicked
feelings. He conversed with me about yourself, for whom, he says, he
has a warm regard, also about Madame, whom he considers a beautiful and
amiable woman. He has guessed your affection for a certain person. He
also talked to me about the lady for whom I have so ardent a regard, and
showed the greatest interest on my behalf in expressing a deep pity for
me, accompanied, however, by dark hints which alarmed me at first, but
which I at last looked upon as the result of his usual love of mystery.
These are the facts: he had received news of the court; you will
understand, however, that it was only through M. de Lorraine. The report
goes, so says the news, that a change has taken place in the king's
affections. You know whom that concerns. Afterwards, the news continues,
people are talking about one of the maids of honor, respecting whom
various slanderous reports are being circulated. These vague phrases
have not allowed me to sleep. I have been deploring, ever
since yesterday, that my diffidence and vacillation of purpose,
notwithstanding a certain obstinacy of character I may possess, have
left me unable to reply to these insinuations. In a word, M. de Wardes
was setting off for Paris, and I did not delay his departure with
explanations; for it seemed rather hard, I confess, to cross-examine a
man whose wounds are hardly yet closed. In short, he travelled by short
stages, as he was anxious to leave, he said, in order to be present at a
curious spectacle the court cannot fail to offer within a short time.
He added a few congratulatory words accompanied by vague sympathizing
expressions. I could not understand the one any more than the other. I
was bewildered by my own thoughts, and tormented by a mistrust of this
man,--a mistrust which, you know better than any one else, I have never
been able to overcome. As soon as he left, my perceptions seemed
to become clearer.