!"

He made a despairing gesture, to which De Mouy returned a sign which
meant, "I will wait."

Just then Henry heard steps on the stone stairs. He hastily withdrew.
The Huguenots understood the cause of his sudden disappearance, and
their swords were returned to their sheaths and their handkerchiefs
disappeared.

Henry saw on the stairs a woman whose quick breathing showed that she
had come in haste.

He recognized, not without the secret dread he always felt on seeing
her, Catharine de Medicis.

Behind her were two guards who stopped at the head of the stairs.

"Oh!" thought Henry, "it must be something new and important that makes
the queen mother come to seek me on the balcony of the prison of
Vincennes."

Catharine seated herself on a stone bench against the battlement to
recover her breath.

Henry approached her, and with his most gracious smile:

"Are you seeking me, my good mother?"

"Yes, monsieur," replied Catharine, "I wish to give you a final proof of
my attachment. The King is dying and wishes to see you."

"Me!" said Henry, with a start of joy.

"Yes. He has been told, I am sure, that not only do you covet the throne
of Navarre but that of France as well."

"Oh!" exclaimed Henry.

"It is not true, I know, but he believes it, and no doubt the object of
the interview he wishes with you is to lay a snare for you."

"For me?"

"Yes. Before dying Charles wants to know what there is to hope or fear
from you. And on your answer to his offer, mark you, will depend his
final commands, that is, your life or death."

"But what will he offer me?"

"How do I know? Impossibilities, probably."

"But have you no idea?"

"No; but suppose for instance"--

Catharine paused.

"What."

"Suppose he credited you with these ambitious aims of yours he has heard
about; suppose he should wish to hear these aims from your own lips;
suppose he should tempt you as once they used to tempt the guilty in
order to provoke a confession without torture; suppose," continued
Catharine, looking fixedly at Henry, "he were to offer you a kingdom,
the regency!"

A thrill of indescribable joy pervaded Henry's weary heart, but he
guessed the snare and his strong and supple soul rebounded.

"Me?" said he; "the snare would be too palpable; offer me the regency
when there is you yourself and my brother D'Alencon?"

Catharine compressed her lips to conceal her satisfaction.

"Then," said she, quickly, "you would ref