r the queen mother is responsible for all this
deviltry. Truly, she does nothing but invent plots to make trouble
between my wife and myself. Such a pleasant household!"

And Henry began to laugh as he was in the habit of laughing when no one
could see or hear him.

About seven o'clock that evening a handsome young man, who had just
taken a bath, was finishing his toilet as he calmly moved about his
room, humming a little air, before a mirror in one of the rooms of the
Louvre. Near him another young man was sleeping, or rather lying on a
bed.

The one was our friend La Mole who, unconsciously, had been the object
of so much discussion all day; the other was his companion Coconnas.

The great storm had passed over him without his having heard the rumble
of the thunder or seen the lightning. He had returned at three o'clock
in the morning, had stayed in bed until three in the afternoon, half
asleep, half awake, building castles on that uncertain sand called the
future. Then he had risen, had spent an hour at a fashionable bath, had
dined at Maitre La Huriere's, and returning to the Louvre had set
himself to finish his toilet before making his usual call on the queen.

"And you say you have dined?" asked Coconnas, yawning.

"Faith, yes, and I was hungry too."

"Why did you not take me with you, selfish man?"

"Faith, you were sleeping so soundly that I did not like to waken you.
But you shall sup with me instead. Be sure not to forget to ask Maitre
La Huriere for some of that light wine from Anjou, which arrived a few
days ago."

"Is it good?"

"I merely tell you to ask for it."

"Where are you going?"

"Where am I going?" said La Mole, surprised that his friend should ask
him such a question; "I am going to pay my respects to the queen."

"Well," said Coconnas, "if I were going to dine in our little house in
the Rue Cloche Percee, I should have what was left over from yesterday.
There is a certain wine of Alicante which is most refreshing."

"It would be imprudent to go there, Annibal, my friend, after what
occurred last night. Besides, did we not promise that we would not go
back there alone? Hand me my cloak."

"That is so," said Coconnas, "I had forgotten. But where the devil is
your cloak? Ah! here it is."

"No, you have given me the black one, and it is the red one I want. The
queen likes me better in that."

"Ah, faith," said Coconnas, searching everywhere, "look for yourself, I
cannot find it.