ss
his forehead.

"Ah, sire," she replied, "the young man you have had arrested for
robbing your silversmith Cornelius, and who is now in the hands of the
grand provost, is innocent of the robbery."

"How do you know that?" asked the king. Marie lowered her head and
blushed.

"I need not ask if there is love in this business," said the king,
raising his daughter's head gently and stroking her chin. "If you don't
confess every morning, my daughter, you will go to hell."

"Cannot you oblige me without forcing me to tell my secret thoughts?"

"Where would be the pleasure?" cried the king, seeing only an amusement
in this affair.

"Ah! do you want your pleasure to cost me grief?"

"Oh! you sly little girl, haven't you any confidence in me?"

"Then, sire, set the young nobleman at liberty."

"So! he is a nobleman, is he?" cried the king. "Then he is not an
apprentice?"

"He is certainly innocent," she said.

"I don't see it so," said the king, coldly. "I am the law and justice of
my kingdom, and I must punish evil-doers."

"Come, don't put on that solemn face of yours! Give me the life of that
young man."

"Is it yours already?"

"Sire," she said, "I am pure and virtuous. You are jesting at--"

"Then," said Louis XI., interrupting her, "as I am not to know the
truth, I think Tristan had better clear it up."

Marie turned pale, but she made a violent effort and cried out:--

"Sire, I assure you, you will regret all this. The so-called thief stole
nothing. If you will grant me his pardon, I will tell you everything,
even though you may punish me."

"Ho, ho! this is getting serious," cried the king, shoving up his cap.
"Speak out, my daughter."

"Well," she said, in a low voice, putting her lips to her father's ear,
"he was in my room all night."

"He could be there, and yet rob Cornelius. Two robberies!"

"I have your blood in my veins, and I was not born to love a scoundrel.
That young seigneur is the nephew of the captain-general of your
archers."

"Well, well!" cried the king; "you are hard to confess."

With the words the king pushed his daughter from his knee, and hurried
to the door of the room, but softly on tiptoe, making no noise. For
the last moment or two, the light from a window in the adjoining hall,
shining through a space below the door, had shown him the shadow of a
listener's foot projected on the floor of his chamber. He opened the
door abruptly, and surprised the Comte de Saint