ke fire,
made me a stiff bow, and was about to step back, when our chief
tormentor called out:

"Oh, how poor a thanksgiving! Surely this is a fit case for a Court of
Love!--how and in what way a fair lady should greet her knight after a
parlous quest?"

"Madame"--and Mary of Scotland knelt before the Queen--"you will hold a
Court now, will you not?"

"_O gai_! _O gai_!" And there was a chorus of laughter and cheers.

Where all this foolery might have ended Heaven knows. The Queen
herself seemed to be enjoying it, and was about to make some reply to
Mary, when there was a bustle at the door, and an usher called out:

"The King! His Majesty the King!"

Holding the Dauphin by the hand the Queen rose and advanced to meet the
King, who entered, followed by half a dozen of his gentlemen. Henri
was tall, strongly built, and carried himself royally; but there was a
strange mixture of courage and weakness in his countenance. He was
brave--no man could be found to deny that; but there was never a
sparkle of intelligence in his dull eyes, though at times they shone
with cunning, and his mouth was weak and sensual. That night he had
supped in the apartments of Diane de Poitiers, and had evidently primed
himself for this visit to the Queen, for his face was flushed and his
voice thick.

"Your Majesty is unexpected, but all the more welcome for that," said
the Queen as Henri touched her fingers with his lips. The King made
some answer I did not hear, and led the Queen to a seat; then, patting
the Dauphin's head much in the manner of one patting a spaniel's back,
he looked around.

"_Birge_!" he said. "You are gay here. It was dull this evening at
supper; she had the megrims."

A slight flush came into Catherine de Medicis' cheeks at this mention
of the mistress, and her voice trembled a little.

"I trust madame will soon be better; but you, sire, will always find us
gay here."

"It seems so. What was the particular jest? It might bring a smile to
Diane's face when I tell her of it."

I moved back, so that I did not hear the Queen's answer, but Henri
laughed loudly.

"A Court of Love! _Bigre_! 'Tis a new idea, and a good one. But
where is our little ward? Present her."

Mademoiselle had to come forward, and when she had kissed hands the
King said:

"I hear sad tales of you, mademoiselle; but there, never mind! You
must not, however, break all our hearts. Faith!" and his feeble
intellect wander