f Navarre will be dead."

Marguerite uttered a cry, for the idea that she was the instrument of
assassination caused in her a terror she could not subdue.

"And you will not prevent his death?" she said; "you will not save your
best and most faithful ally?"

"Since yesterday the King of Navarre is no longer my ally."

"Who is, pray?"

"Monsieur de Guise. By destroying the Huguenots, Monsieur de Guise has
become the king of the Catholics."

"And does a son of Henry II. recognize a duke of Lorraine as his king?"

"You are in a bad frame of mind, Marguerite, and you do not understand
anything."

"I confess that I try in vain to read your thoughts."

"Sister, you are of as good a house as the Princesse de Porcian; De
Guise is no more immortal than the King of Navarre. Now, then,
Marguerite, suppose three things, three possibilities: first, suppose
monsieur is chosen King of Poland; the second, that you loved me as I
love you; well, I am King of France, and you are--queen of the
Catholics."

Marguerite hid her face in her hands, overwhelmed at the depth of the
views of this youth, whom no one at court thought possessed of even
common understanding.

"But," she asked after a moment's silence, "I hope you are not jealous
of Monsieur le Duc de Guise as you were of the King of Navarre!"

"What is done is done," said the Duc d'Alencon, in a muffled voice, "and
if I had to be jealous of the Duc de Guise, well, then, I was!"

"There is only one thing that can prevent this capital plan from
succeeding, brother."

"And what is that?"

"That I no longer love the Duc de Guise."

"And whom, pray, do you love?"

"No one."

The Duc d'Alencon looked at Marguerite with the astonishment of a man
who takes his turn in failing to understand, and left the room, pressing
his icy hand on his forehead, which ached to bursting.

Marguerite remained alone and thoughtful; the situation was beginning to
take a clear and definite shape before her eyes; the King had permitted
Saint Bartholomew's, Queen Catharine and the Duc de Guise had put it
into execution. The Duc de Guise and the Duc d'Alencon were about to
join partnership so as to get the greatest possible advantage. The death
of the King of Navarre would be a natural result of this great
catastrophe. With the King of Navarre out of the way, his kingdom would
be seized upon, Marguerite would be left a throneless, impotent widow
with no other prospect before her than a nunn