, and La Mole saw her a second time.

"Oh," said he, as he followed the page, "she is not a mortal--she is a
goddess, and as Vergilius Maro says: '_Et vera incessu patuit dea._'"

"Well?" asked the page.

"Here I am," replied La Mole, "excuse me, here I am."

The page, preceding La Mole, descended a story lower, opened one door,
then another, and stopping,

"You are to wait here," said he.

La Mole entered the gallery, the door of which closed after him.

The gallery was vacant except for one gentleman, who was sauntering up
and down, and seemed also waiting for some one.

The evening was by this time beginning to scatter monstrous shadows from
the depths of the vaulted ceiling, and though the two gentlemen were not
twenty paces apart, it was impossible for either to recognize the
other's face.

La Mole drew nearer.

"By Heaven!" muttered he as soon as he was within a few feet of the
other, "here is Monsieur le Comte de Coconnas again!"

At the sound of footsteps Coconnas had already turned, and was staring
at La Mole with no less astonishment than the other showed.

"By Heaven!" cried he. "The devil take me but here is Monsieur de la
Mole! What am I doing? Swearing in the King's palace? Well, never mind;
it seems the King swears in a different way from mine, and even in
churches. Here we are at last, then, in the Louvre!"

"Yes; I suppose Monsieur de Besme introduced you?"

"Oh, he is a charming German. Who brought you in?"

"M. de Mouy--I told you the Huguenots had some interest at court. Have
you seen Monsieur de Guise?"

"No, not yet. Have you obtained your audience with the King of Navarre?"

"No, but I soon shall. I was brought here and told to wait."

"Ah, you will see there is some great supper under way and we shall be
placed side by side. What a strange chance! For two hours fortune has
joined us! But what is the matter? You seem ill at ease."

"I?" exclaimed La Mole, shivering, for in truth he was still dazzled by
the vision which had been vouchsafed him. "Oh, no, but the place in
which we are brings into my mind a throng of reflections."

"Philosophical ones, I suppose. Just the same as it is with me. When you
came in I was just going over in my mind all my tutor's recommendations.
Monsieur le Comte, are you acquainted with Plutarch?"

"Certainly I am!" exclaimed La Mole, smiling, "he is one of my favorite
authors."

"Very well," Coconnas went on gravely, "this great man does not se