the carcass of the boar, and
plunged it thrice into the ground, to cleanse it from the blood.

Before leaving the Louvre, on the morning of the boar-hunt, Charles has
been prevailed upon by Catharine of Medicis, who, in consequence of the
prediction already referred to, has vowed Henry's destruction, to sign a
warrant for the King of Navarre's arrest and imprisonment in the Bastile.
In this warrant she inserts the words, "dead or alive," and entrusts its
execution to the assassin Maurevel, intimating to him that Henry's death
will be more agreeable to her than his capture. Charles, however, learns
that his mother has had an interview with Maurevel, guesses the fate
reserved for Henry, and, as the least troublesome way of rescuing the man
who had that day saved his life, he makes his brother-in-law accompany him
to sup and pass the night out of the Louvre. Henry does not dare to
refuse, although he is expecting a nocturnal visit from De Mouy in his
apartment, and the two kings leave the palace together. Here is what
passes after their departure.

It wanted two hours of midnight, and the most profound silence reigned in
the Louvre. Margaret and the Duchess of Nevers had betaken themselves to
their rendezvous in the Rue Tizon; Coconnas and La Mole had followed them;
the Duke of Alencon remained in his apartment in vague and anxious
expectation of the events which the queen-mother had predicted to him;
finally, Catharine herself had retired to rest, and Madame de Sauve,
seated at her bedside, was reading to her certain Italian tales, at which
the good queen laughed heartily. For a long time, Catharine had not been
in so complacent a humour. After making an excellent supper with her
ladies, after holding a consultation with her physician, and making up the
account of her day's expenditure, she had ordered prayers for the success
of an enterprise, highly important, she said, to the happiness of her
children. It was one of Catharine's Florentine habits to have prayers and
masses said for the success of projects, the nature of which was known but
to God and to herself.

Whilst Madame de Sauve is reading, a terrible cry and a pistol-shot are
heard, followed by the noise of a struggle from the direction of the King
of Navarre's apartment. All are greatly alarmed, except Catharine, who
affects not to have heard the sounds, and forbids enquiry as to their
cause, attributing them to some brawling guardsmen. At last the
disturbanc