orrow'?"

"And by the intercession of what saint would this miracle be wrought?"

"Sire, to-day is the 24th of August, and therefore it would be by the
interposition of Saint Bartholomew."

"A worthy saint," replied the King, "who allowed himself to be skinned
alive!"

"So much the better; the more he suffered, the more he ought to have
felt a desire for vengeance on his executioners."

"And will you, my cousin," said the King, "will you, with your pretty
little gold-hilted sword, slay ten thousand Huguenots between now and
to-morrow? Ha! ha! ha! _mort de ma vie!_ you are very amusing, Monsieur
de Guise!"

And the King burst into a loud laugh, but a laugh so forced that the
room echoed with its sinister sound.

"Sire, one word--and one only," continued the duke, shuddering in spite
of himself at the sound of that laugh, which had nothing human in
it,--"one signal, and all is ready. I have the Swiss and eleven hundred
gentlemen; I have the light horse and the citizens; your Majesty has
your guards, your friends, the Catholic nobility. We are twenty to one."

"Well, then, cousin, since you are so strong, why the devil do you come
to fill my ears with all this? Act without me--act"--

And the King turned again to his dogs.

Then the portiere was raised, and Catharine reappeared.

"All goes well," she said to the duke; "urge him, and he will yield."

And the portiere fell on Catharine, without Charles IX. seeing, or at
least appearing to see her.

"But yet," continued De Guise, "I must know if, in acting as I desire, I
shall act agreeably to your Majesty's views."

"Really, cousin Henry, you put the knife to my throat! But I shall live.
By Heaven! am I not the king?"

"No, not yet, sire; but, if you will, you shall be so to-morrow."

"Ah--what!" continued Charles, "you would kill the King of Navarre, the
Prince de Conde--in my Louvre--ah!"

Then he added, in a voice scarcely audible,--"Without the walls, I do
not say"--

"Sire," cried the duke, "they are going out this evening to join in a
revel with your brother, the Duc d'Alencon."

"Tavannes," said the King, with well-affected impatience, "do not you
see that you are teasing the dog? Here, Acteon,--come!"

And Charles IX. went out without waiting to hear more, and Tavannes and
the Duc de Guise were left almost as uncertain as before.

* * * * *

Meantime another scene was passing in Catharine's apartment. After sh