eing safe."

"Monsieur, I think that your carelessness is nothing but a mask, and I
have faith not only in the predictions by the astrologers, but in your
good genius as well."

"What should you say, madame, if someone were to upset our plans and
threaten to reduce us to an ordinary position?"

"I should say that I was ready to fight with you, either openly or in
secret, against this someone, whoever he might be."

"Madame," continued Henry, "it is possible for you, is it not, to gain
immediate admission into the room of your brother, Monsieur d'Alencon?
You are in his confidence and he is very friendly to you; might I
venture to beg you to find out if he is at present holding a secret
conference with someone?"

Marguerite gave a start.

"With whom, monsieur?" she asked.

"With De Mouy."

"Why?" asked Marguerite, repressing her emotion.

"Because if such is the case, madame, farewell to all our projects, or
to all mine, at least."

"Sire, speak softly," said Marguerite, making a sign with her eyes and
lips, and pointing to the cabinet.

"Oh! oh!" said Henry, "still someone? Indeed, that cabinet is so often
occupied that it makes your room uninhabitable."

Marguerite smiled.

"Is it still Monsieur de la Mole?" asked Henry.

"No, sire, it is Monsieur de Mouy."

"He?" cried Henry with surprise mingled with joy. "He is not with the
Duc d'Alencon, then? Oh! have him come in, that I may talk to him."

Marguerite stepped to the cabinet, opened it, and taking De Mouy by the
hand led him without preamble to the King of Navarre.

"Ah! madame," said the young Huguenot, in a tone of reproach more sad
than bitter, "you have betrayed me in spite of your promise; that is
wrong. What should you do if I were to avenge myself by saying"--

"You will not avenge yourself, De Mouy," interrupted Henry, pressing the
young man's hand, "or at least you will listen to me first. Madame,"
continued Henry, turning to the queen, "be kind enough, I beg you, to
see that no one overhears us."

Scarcely had Henry uttered these words when Gillonne entered,
frightened, and whispered a few words to Marguerite, which caused the
latter to spring from her seat. While she hastened to the antechamber
with Gillonne, Henry, without troubling himself as to why she had left
the room, examined the bed, the side of it, as well as the draperies,
and sounded the wall with his fingers. As to Monsieur de Mouy,
frightened at all these preparations