e time no levee had
taken place. The doors were accordingly thrown open, and it was easy to
see, from his pale cheeks, yellow forehead, and the feverish light in
his deep-sunken eyes, which were surrounded by dark circles, what
frightful ravages the unknown disease had made on the young monarch.

The royal chamber was soon filled with curious and interested courtiers.
Catharine, D'Alencon, and Marguerite had been informed that the King was
to hold an audience. Therefore all three entered, at short intervals,
one by one; Catharine calm, D'Alencon smiling, Marguerite dejected.
Catharine seated herself by the side of the bed without noticing the
look that Charles gave her as he saw her approach.

Monsieur d'Alencon stood at the foot.

Marguerite leaned against a table, and seeing the pale brow, the worn
features, and deep-sunken eyes of her brother, could not repress a sigh
and a tear.

Charles, whom nothing escaped, saw the tear and heard the sigh, and with
his head made a slight motion to Marguerite.

This sign, slight as it was, lighted the face of the poor Queen of
Navarre, to whom Henry had not had time or perhaps had not wished to say
anything.

She feared for her husband, she trembled for her lover. For herself she
had no fear; she knew La Mole well, and felt she could rely on him.

"Well, my dear son," said Catharine, "how do you feel?"

"Better, mother, better."

"What do your physicians say?"

"My physicians? They are clever doctors, mother," said Charles, bursting
into a laugh. "I take great pleasure, I admit, in hearing them discuss
my malady. Nurse, give me something to drink."

The nurse brought Charles a cup of his usual beverage.

"What do they order you to take, my son?"

"Oh! madame, who knows anything about their preparations?" said the
King, hastily swallowing the drink.

"What my brother needs," said Francois, "is to rise and get out into the
open air; hunting, of which he is so fond, would do him a great deal of
good."

"Yes," said Charles, with a smile, the meaning of which it was
impossible for the duke to understand, "and yet the last hunt did me
great harm."

Charles uttered these words in such a strange way that the conversation,
in which the others present had not taken part, stopped. Then the King
gave a slight nod of his head. The courtiers understood that the
audience was over, and withdrew one after another.

D'Alencon started to approach his brother, but some secret fe