ke myself;
and then my wife, too, loves you with an affection which is
unequalled"--

Francois flushed with pleasure.

"Believe me, brother," continued Henry; "take this thing in hand, reign
in Navarre; and provided you keep a place at your table for me, and a
fine forest in which to hunt, I shall consider myself fortunate."

"Reign in Navarre!" said the duke; "but if"--

"If the Duc d'Anjou is chosen King of Poland; is that it? I will finish
your thought for you."

Francois looked at Henry with something like terror.

"Well, listen, Francois," continued Henry, "since nothing escapes you.
This is how I reason: If the Duc d'Anjou is chosen King of Poland, and
our brother Charles, God keep him! should happen to die, it is but two
hundred leagues from Pau to Paris, while it is four hundred from Paris
to Cracovie. So you would be here to receive the inheritance by the time
the King of Poland learned it was vacant. Then, if you are satisfied
with me, you could give me the kingdom of Navarre, which would
thenceforth be merely one of the jewels in your crown. In that way I
would accept it. The worst that could happen to you would be that you
would remain king there and bring up a race of kings by living with me
and my family, while here, what are you? a poor persecuted prince, a
poor third son of a king, the slave of two elder brothers, and one whom
a whim may send to the Bastille."

"Yes, yes," said Francois; "I know that very well, so well that I do not
see why you should give up this plan you propose to me. Is there no
throb there?"

And the Duc d'Alencon put his hand on his brother's heart.

"There are," said Henry, smiling, "burdens too heavy for some hands;
therefore I shall not try to raise this one; fear of fatigue is greater
than the desire of possession."

"So, Henry, you really renounce it?"

"I said so to De Mouy and I repeat it to you."

"But in such cases, my dear brother," said D'Alencon, "one does not say,
one proves."

Henry breathed like a pugilist who feels his enemy's back bending.

"I will prove it this evening," said he. "At nine o'clock we shall have
the names of the leaders and the plan of the undertaking. I have already
sent my renunciation to De Mouy."

Francois took Henry's hand and pressed it effusively between his own.

At that moment Catharine entered the Duc d'Alencon's rooms, unannounced,
as was her habit.

"Together!" said she, smiling; "two good brothers, truly!"

"I tr