I know that a man escaped by a back door after having stretched two of
my men on the floor."

"And you recognized this gentleman, no doubt?"

"No, I did not, but my guards did."

"Who was he?" asked Charles IX.

"Monsieur le Comte Annibal de Coconnas."

"Annibal de Coconnas!" exclaimed the King, gloomy and thoughtful; "the
one who made such a terrible slaughter of the Huguenots during the
massacre of Saint Bartholomew?"

"Monsieur de Coconnas, a gentleman in the suite of Monsieur d'Alencon,"
said Monsieur de Nancey.

"Very good," said Charles IX. "You may go, Monsieur de Nancey, and
another time, remember one thing."

"What is it, sire?"

"That you are in my service, and that you are to obey no one but me."

Monsieur de Nancey withdrew backwards, bowing respectfully.

De Mouy smiled ironically at Catharine.

There was an instant's silence. The queen twisted the tassels of her
girdle; Charles caressed his dog.

"But what was your intention, monsieur?" continued Charles; "were you
acting violently?"

"Against whom, sire?"

"Why, against Henry, or Francois, or myself."

"Sire, we have the renunciation of your brother-in-law, the consent of
your brother; and, as I have had the honor of telling you, we were on
the point of soliciting your Majesty's sanction when that unfortunate
affair occurred at the Louvre."

"Well, mother," said Charles, "I see nothing wrong in all this. You were
right, Monsieur de Mouy, in asking for a king. Yes, Navarre may and
ought to be a separate kingdom. Moreover, it seems made expressly to
give to my brother D'Alencon, who has always had so great a desire for a
crown that when we wear ours he cannot keep his eyes off of it. The only
thing which stood in the way of this coronation was Henriot's rights;
but since Henriot voluntarily abdicates"--

"Voluntarily, sire."

"It seems that it is the will of God! Monsieur de Mouy, you are free to
return to your brethren, whom I have chastised somewhat roughly,
perhaps, but that is between God and myself. Tell them that since they
desire to have my brother d'Alencon for King of Navarre the King of
France accedes to their wishes. From this moment Navarre is a kingdom,
and its sovereign is called Francois. I ask only eight days for my
brother to leave Paris with the brilliancy and pomp befitting a king.
Now go, Monsieur de Mouy, go! Monsieur de Nancey, allow Monsieur de Mouy
to pass; he is free."

"Sire," said De Mouy, advancing a