ffairs:

"Orthon," said he, "take this key to the cousin of Madame de Sauve, who
you know lives with his mistress at the corner of the Rue des Quatre
Fils. Say to him that his cousin desires to speak to him this evening;
that he is to enter my room, and, in case I am not there, to wait for
me. If I am late, he is to lie down on my bed."

"Is there an answer, sire?"

"No, except to tell me if you find him. The key is for him alone, you
understand?"

"Yes, sire."

"Wait; do not start now, plague you! Before leaving Paris I will call
you to tighten my saddle-girths; in that way you will naturally have to
lag behind, and you can carry out your commission and join us at
Bondy."

The servant made a sign of obedience and rode away.

They set out by the Rue Saint Honore, through the Rue Saint Denis, and
the Faubourg. At the Rue Saint Laurent the saddle-girths of the King of
Navarre became loose. Orthon rode up to him, and everything happened as
had been agreed on between him and his master, who followed the royal
procession along the Rue des Recollets, where his faithful servant
sought the Rue du Temple.

When Henry overtook the King, Charles was engaged in such an interesting
conversation with the Duc d'Alencon, on the subject of the weather, the
age of the wild boar which was a recluse, and as to where he had made
his lair, that he did not notice, or pretended he did not notice, that
Henry had lagged behind a moment.

In the meantime Marguerite had watched each countenance from afar and
thought she perceived a certain embarrassment in the eyes of her brother
every time she looked at him. Madame de Nevers was abandoning herself to
mad gayety, for Coconnas, supremely happy that day, was making
numberless jokes near her to make the ladies laugh.

As to La Mole he had already twice found an opportunity to kiss
Marguerite's white scarf with gold fringe, without the act, which was
carried out with the skill usual to lovers, having been seen by more
than three or four.

About a quarter-past eight they reached Bondy. The first thought of
Charles IX. was to find out if the wild boar had held out.

The boar was in his lair, and the outrider who had turned him aside
answered for him. A breakfast was ready. The King drank a glass of
Hungarian wine. Charles IX. invited the ladies to take seats at table,
and in his impatience to pass away the time set out to visit the kennels
and the roosts, giving orders not to unsaddle hi