er pleading. I knew well what was in his
mind, and how he wondered whether he dared do as she asked him. God knew
what complications might follow!

"Monsieur--"

He nodded suddenly and sharply.

"Madame," said he, "I will go. Mr. Mallock--"

He bowed to me.

"Ah! God bless you, sir--"

He stooped suddenly to her hand, lifted it and kissed it. I think in
that moment something of the compassion of the Saviour Himself fell on
him for this poor woman who yet might be forgiven much, for indeed,
under all her foolishness and sin, she loved very ardently. Then he
wheeled and went out of the room again; and I followed. No sound came
from the Duchess as we left her there in the half lit twilight. She was
standing with her hands clasped, staring after us as we went out.

* * * * *

He said nothing as we passed again through the anterooms and down the
stairs. Then, as we went on through the next gallery he spoke to me. His
men were a good way behind us, and another in front.

"Mr. Mallock," said he--(for he had known me well enough in
France)--"His Majesty told you this himself?"

"Yes, sir," said I, "not a quarter of an hour ago."

"Then the Duke is our only chance," he said.

He said no more till we came to the great antechamber by the King's
bedroom. It was half full of people; but the Duke was nowhere to be
seen. I waited by the door as M. Barillon went forward and spoke to
someone. Then he came back to me.

"The Duke is with the Queen," he said. "We must go to him there."

It was enough to send a man mad so to seek person after person in such a
simple matter as this. Why in God's name, I wondered, might not even a
King die in what religion he liked, without all this plotting and
conspiring? Was I never to be free from these things?

At the door to the Queen's apartments M. Barillon turned to me.

"You had best wait here, sir," he said. "I will speak with the Duke
privately first."

He was admitted instantly so soon as he knocked; and went through
leaving me in a little gallery.

* * * * *

Of all that went through my mind as I walked up and down, with a page
watching me from the door, I can give no account at all. Again one half
of my attention was fixed, though with out any coherency, on the
business I was at; the other half observed the carpet under my feet,
the cabinets along the wall, and the pictures. It was not near as
splendid as wer