stacle beyond
the crowds in the street.

They reached the Rue d'Avernon; but in passing by the Rue Poulies they
saw De Mouy and his escort cross the Place Saint Germain l'Auxerrois,
led by the captain of the guards, Monsieur de Nancey.

"Ah!" said Henry, "they are taking him to the Louvre, apparently. The
devil! the gates will be closed. They will take the names of all those
who enter, and if I am seen returning after him they will think I have
been with him."

"Well! but, sire," said La Mole, "enter some other way than by the
gate."

"How the devil do you mean?"

"Well, sire, there is the Queen of Navarre's window."

"_Ventre saint gris_, Monsieur de la Mole," said Henry, "you are right.
I never thought of that! But how can I attract the attention of the
queen?"

"Oh," said La Mole, bowing with an air of respectful gratitude, "your
majesty throws stones so well!"

CHAPTER XLVII.

DE MOUY DE SAINT PHALE.

This time Catharine had taken such precautions that she felt sure of her
object.

Consequently, about ten o'clock she sent away Marguerite, thoroughly
convinced, as was the case, that the Queen of Navarre was ignorant of
the plot against her husband, and went to the King, begging him not to
retire so early.

Mystified by the air of triumph which, in spite of her usual
dissimulation, appeared on his mother's face, Charles questioned
Catharine, who merely answered:

"I can say only one thing to your Majesty: that this evening you will be
freed from two of your bitterest enemies."

Charles raised his eyebrows like a man who says to himself:

"That is well; we shall see;" and whistling to his great boar-hound, who
came to him dragging his belly along the ground like a serpent to lay
his fine and intelligent head on his master's knee, he waited. At the
end of a few minutes, during which Catharine sat with eyes and ears
alert, a pistol-shot was heard in the courtyard of the Louvre.

"What is that noise?" asked Charles, frowning, while the hound sprang up
and pricked his ears.

"Nothing except a signal," said Catharine; "that is all."

"And what is the meaning of the signal?"

"It means that from this moment, sire, your one real enemy can no longer
injure you."

"Have they killed a man?" asked Charles, looking at his mother with that
look of command which signifies that assassination and mercy are two
inherent attributes of royal power.

"No, sire, they have only arrested two."

"Oh!" m