s, in which he offered him the throne in the name of the Polish
nation.

The duke replied in the same language, and in a voice he strove in vain
to render firm, that he accepted with gratitude the honor which was
offered to him. While he spoke, Charles remained standing, with lips
compressed, and fixed on him eyes as calm and threatening as those of an
eagle.

When the duke had finished, Lasco took the crown of the Jagellos from
the red velvet cushion on which it rested, and while two Polish nobles
placed the royal mantle on the duke, he laid the crown in Charles's
hands.

Charles signed to his brother, the Duc d'Anjou knelt down before him,
and with his own hand the King placed the crown on his brother's head.
Then the two kings exchanged one of the most bitter kisses ever
exchanged between two brothers.

At once a herald cried:

"Alexander Edward Henry of France, Duc d'Anjou, is crowned King of
Poland. Long live the King of Poland!"

The entire assembly repeated the cry: "Long live the King of Poland!"
Then Lasco turned to Marguerite. The discourse of the beautiful queen
had been reserved for the last. Now, as it was a compliment accorded her
in order to display her brilliant talents, as they were called, every
one paid great attention to the reply, which was in Latin, and which, as
we have said, Marguerite had composed herself. Lascos's address was more
of a eulogy than an address. He had yielded, Sarmatian that he was, to
the admiration which the beautiful queen of Navarre inspired in every
one. He had borrowed his language from Ovid; his style was that of
Ronsard. He said that having left Varsovia in the middle of a very dark
night, neither he nor his companions would have been able to find their
way, had they not, like the Magi, been guided by two stars which became
more and more brilliant as they drew nearer to France, and which now
they recognized as the two beautiful eyes of the Queen of Navarre.
Finally, passing from the Gospel to the Koran, from Syria to Arabia,
from Nazareth to Mecca, he concluded by saying that he was quite
prepared to do what the ardent votaries of the prophet did. When they
were fortunate enough to see his tomb, they put out their eyes, feeling
that after they had looked at such a sight, nothing in the world was
worth being admired.

This address was loudly applauded by those who understood Latin because
they were of the same opinion as the orator, and by those who did not
under