"and before answering I
should like to know what you mean. Has your Majesty any idea of the way
in which your dog was poisoned?"

"Yes," said Charles; "he chewed the leaf of a book."

"The leaf of a book?"

"Yes."

"Has your Majesty this book?"

"Here it is," said Charles, and, taking the volume from the shelf where
he had placed it, he handed it to Rene.

The latter gave a start of surprise which did not escape the King.

"He ate a leaf of this book?" stammered Rene.

"Yes, this one," and Charles pointed to the torn page.

"Will you allow me to tear out another, sire?"

"Do so."

Rene tore out a leaf and held it over the candle. The paper caught fire,
filling the room with a strong smell of garlic.

"He has been poisoned with a preparation of arsenic," said he.

"You are sure?"

"As sure as if I had prepared it myself."

"And the antidote?"

Rene shook his head.

"What!" said Charles in a hoarse voice, "you know no remedy?"

"The best and most efficacious is the white of eggs beaten in milk;
but"--

"But what?"

"It must be administered at once; otherwise"--

"Otherwise?"

"Sire, it is a terrible poison," said Rene, again.

"Yet it does not kill immediately," said Charles.

"No, but it kills surely, no matter how long the time, though even this
may sometimes be calculated."

Charles leaned against the marble table.

"Now," said he, putting his hand on Rene's shoulder, "you know this
book?"

"I, sire?" said Rene, turning pale.

"Yes, you; on seeing it you betrayed yourself."

"Sire, I swear to you"--

"Rene," said Charles, "listen to me. You poisoned the Queen of Navarre
with gloves; you poisoned the Prince of Porcion with the smoke from a
lamp; you tried to poison Monsieur de Conde with a scented apple. Rene,
I will have your skin removed with red-hot pincers, bit by bit, if you
do not tell me to whom this book belongs."

The Florentine saw that he could not dally with the anger of Charles
IX., and resolved to be bold.

"If I tell the truth, sire, who will guarantee that I shall not be more
cruelly punished than if I keep silent?"

"I will."

"Will you give me your royal word?"

"On my honor as a gentleman your life shall be spared," said the King.

"The book belongs to me, then," said Rene.

"To you!" cried Charles, starting back and looking at the poisoner with
haggard eyes.

"Yes, to me."

"How did it leave your possession?"

"Her majesty the queen mother too