come the flatterer of the queen mother
and the friend of Maurevel."

"My dear De Mouy," said Henry, "the King is coming out of the council
chamber, and I must go and find out from him the reasons for our having
had to give up so important a thing as a hunt. Adieu; imitate me, my
friend, give up politics, return to the King and attend mass."

Henry led or rather pushed into the antechamber the young man, whose
amazement was beginning to change into fury.

Scarcely was the door closed before, unable any longer to resist the
longing to avenge himself on something in defence of some one, De Mouy
twisted his hat between his hands, threw it upon the floor, and stamping
on it as a bull would stamp on the cloak of the matador:

"By Heaven!" he cried, "he is a wretched prince, and I have half a mind
to kill myself here in order to stain him forever with my blood."

"Hush, Monsieur de Mouy!" said a voice through a half-open door; "hush!
some one besides myself might hear you."

De Mouy turned quickly and perceived the Duc d'Alencon enveloped in a
cloak, advancing into the corridor with pale face, to make sure that he
and De Mouy were entirely alone.

"Monsieur le Duc d'Alencon," cried De Mouy, "I am lost!"

"On the contrary," murmured the prince, "perhaps you have found what you
are looking for, and the proof of this is that I do not want you to kill
yourself here as you had an idea of doing just now. Believe me, your
blood can in all probability be put to better use than to redden the
threshold of the King of Navarre."

At these words the duke threw back the door which he had been holding
half open.

"This chamber belongs to two of my gentlemen," said the duke. "No one
will interrupt us here. We can, therefore, talk freely. Come in,
monsieur."

"I, here, monseigneur!" cried the conspirator in amazement. He entered
the room, the door of which the Duc d'Alencon closed behind him no less
quickly than the King of Navarre had done.

De Mouy entered, furious, exasperated, cursing. But by degrees the cold
and steady glance of the young Duc Francois had the same effect on the
Huguenot captain as does the enchanted lake which dissipates
drunkenness.

"Monseigneur," said he, "if I understand correctly, your highness wishes
to speak to me."

"Yes, Monsieur de Mouy," replied Francois. "In spite of your disguise I
thought I recognized you, and when you presented arms to my brother
Henry, I recognized you perfectly. Well, De