s horse, as he said he
had never had a better or a stronger mount.

While the King was taking this stroll, the Duc de Guise arrived. He was
armed for war rather than for hunting, and was accompanied by twenty or
thirty gentlemen equipped in like manner. He asked at once for the King,
joined him, and returned talking with him.

At exactly nine o'clock the King himself gave the signal to start, and
each one mounted and set out to the meet. During the ride Henry found
another opportunity to be near his wife.

"Well," said he, "do you know anything new?"

"No," replied Marguerite, "unless it is that my brother Charles looks
at you strangely."

"I have noticed it," said Henry.

"Have you taken precautions?"

"I have on a coat of mail, and at my side a good Spanish hunting knife,
as sharp as a razor, and as pointed as a needle. I could pierce pistols
with it."

"In that case," said Marguerite, "God protect you!"

The outrider in charge of the hunt made a sign. They had reached the
lair.

CHAPTER XXX.

MAUREVEL.

While all this careless, light-hearted youth, apparently so at least,
was scattering like a gilded whirlwind along the road to Bondy,
Catharine, still rolling up the precious parchment to which King Charles
had just affixed his signature, admitted into her room a man to whom, a
few days before, her captain of the guards had carried a letter,
addressed to Rue de la Cerisaie, near the Arsenal.

A broad silk band like a badge of mourning hid one of the man's eyes,
showing only the other eye, two prominent cheek-bones, and the curve of
a vulture's nose, while a grayish beard covered the lower part of his
face. He wore a long thick cloak, beneath which one might have imagined
a whole arsenal. Besides this, although it was not the custom of those
called to court, he wore at his side a long campaign sword, broad, and
with a double blade. One of his hands was hidden beneath his cloak, and
never left the handle of a long dagger.

"Ah! you here, monsieur?" said the queen seating herself; "you know that
I promised you after Saint Bartholomew, when you rendered us such signal
service, not to let you be idle. The opportunity has arisen, or rather I
have made it. Thank me, therefore."

"Madame, I humbly thank your majesty," replied the man with the black
bandage, in a reserved voice at once low and insolent.

"A fine opportunity; you will not find another such in your whole life.
Make the most of it, t