ions when she was at home. I have thus heard it
related by my grandmother, who always went with her in her litter as her
lady of honour, and held the escritoire with which she wrote, and she
set them (the stories) down in writing as speedily and skilfully as if
they had been dictated to her, if not more so." (2)

1 Lalanne's _OEuvres de Brantome_, 1875, vol. ii. p. 214.

2 _Ibid_., vol. viii. p. 226.

In 1545 and 1546 we find Margaret in Beam, whence she addresses New Year
epistles to her brother expressing her sorrow at being separated
from him. In the spring of the latter year she visits him at
Plessis-les-Tours. The King of France--contrary to all tradition--enjoys
at this period as good health as the most robust man in his kingdom.(1)
In 1547 Margaret repairs to a convent at Tusson in the Angoumois to
spend Lent there, and soon afterwards is despatching courier after
courier to the Court at Rambouillet for news of Francis, who is dying.
Such is her anguish of suspense that she exclaims, "Whoever comes to
my door to announce to me the cure of the King my brother, were such a
messenger weary, tired, muddy, and dirty, I would embrace and kiss him
like the cleanest prince and gentleman in France; and if he lacked a bed
and could not find one to repose upon, I would give him mine, and would
sleep on the floor for the sake of the good news he brought me." (2)

1 _Lettres de Marguerite, &c._, p. 473.

2 _OEuvres de Brantome_, 8vo, vol. v. p. 233.

No one, however, had the courage to tell her the truth. It was a poor
maniac who by her tears gave her to understand that the King was no
longer alive. Sainte-Marthe records the incident as follows: "Now the
day that Francis was taken away from us (Margaret herself has since told
me so), she thought whilst sleeping that she saw him looking pale, and
calling for her in a sad voice, which she took for a very evil sign; and
feeling doubtful about it, she sent several messengers to the Court to
ascertain the condition of the King her brother, but not a single one of
them returned to her. One day, her brother having again appeared to her
while she was asleep (he had already been dead fifteen days), (1) she
asked the members of her household if they had heard any news of the
King.

1 Francis I. died March 31, 1547.

"They replied to her that he was very well, and she then went to the
church. On her way there she summoned Thomas le Coustellier, a young