consideration.

The king took his place upon the kind of little throne which had been set
apart for him. The rest of the company arranged themselves with
instinctive sense of precedence upon the chairs that were ranged behind
it. To Chavernay the whole thing looked like a pompous parody of a trial
where there was nobody to be tried, and he made unceasing jokes to his
neighbors, which compelled them to laugh. This earned for him a
disapproving glance from the dark eyes of Gonzague, which had no effect
whatever in depressing his spirits.

When all the guests were duly seated, Gonzague gravely rose, and, turning
towards the king, saluted him respectfully. "I thank your majesty," he
said, "for honoring us on this occasion, when matters of great moment to
me and to the lady whom I am proud to call my wife, and to the great
family with which I am associated at once by ties of blood and alliance,
are in question. Your majesty will readily understand that nothing but
the gravest sense of duty could have urged me to bring together so
learned, so just, so brilliant an assembly of men to deal with delicate
matters which have perhaps been too long left undealt with. Such
differences of opinion as may perhaps be admitted to exist between madame
the Princess de Gonzague and myself, however trivial in the beginning,
have in a sense grown with the passing of time into an importance which
calls imperatively for some manner or form of adjustment."

He paused in his speech, as if to control his emotions and to collect his
thoughts. The king leaned forward and addressed him. "Does any one," he
asked, "appear here for madame the Princess de Gonzague?"

Gonzague looked about him with a melancholy glance. "I had hoped, sire,"
he said, "that madame the princess would have chosen some one to
represent her." But even as he spoke he paused, for the door that led to
the princess's apartment was thrown open, and the Princess de Gonzague
appeared, clad in black as usual, and as usual leaning upon the arm of
her faithful Brigitte.

As the princess entered the room, every one rose, and all eyes were fixed
upon the stately figure and melancholy features of the still beautiful,
if prematurely aged, widow of Nevers. The princess made a deep
inclination to the king, and then spoke: "Your majesty, I need no one to
represent me. I am here."

Gonzague allowed his features to betray the satisfaction he felt at the
presence of his consort. He hastened to