made when I came upon the throne, and which
my grandfather made before me. They wish me to recall the Edict of
Nantes, and drive the Huguenots from the kingdom."

"Oh, but your Majesty must not trouble your mind about such matters."

"You would not have me do it, madame?"

"Not if it is to be a grief to your Majesty."

"You have, perchance, some soft feeling for the religion of your youth?"

"Nay, sire; I have nothing but hatred for heresy."

"And yet you would not have them thrust out?"

"Bethink you, sire, that the Almighty can Himself incline their hearts
to better things if He is so minded, even as mine was inclined. May you
not leave it in His hands?"

"On my word," said Louis, brightening, "it is well put. I shall see if
Father la Chaise can find an answer to that. It is hard to be
threatened with eternal flames because one will not ruin one's kingdom.
Eternal torment! I have seen the face of a man who had been in the
Bastille, for fifteen years. It was like a dreadful book, with a scar
or a wrinkle to mark every hour of that death in life. But Eternity!"
He shuddered, and his eyes were filled with the horror of his thought.
The higher motives had but little power over his soul, as those about
him had long discovered, but he was ever ready to wince at the image of
the terrors to come.

"Why should you think of such things, sire?" said the lady, in her rich,
soothing voice. "What have you to fear, you who have been the first son
of the Church?"

"You think that I am safe, then?"

"Surely, sire."

"But I have erred, and erred deeply. You have yourself said as much."

"But that is all over, sire. Who is there who is without stain?
You have turned away from temptation. Surely, then, you have earned
your forgiveness."

"I would that the queen were living once more. She would find me a
better man."

"I would that she were, sire."

"And she should know that it was to you that she owed the change.
Oh, Francoise, you are surely my guardian angel, who has taken bodily
form! How can I thank you for what you have done for me?" He leaned
forward and took her hand, but at the touch a sudden fire sprang into
his eyes, and he would have passed his other arm round her had she not
risen hurriedly to avoid the embrace.

"Sire!" said she, with a rigid face and one finger upraised.

"You are right, you are right, Francoise. Sit down, and I will control
myself. Still at the same tapestry, then!