dly, remembering Crillon and his
ways. 'And if he will do me the honour of stepping aside with me, I will
convince him of it!'

'VENTRE SAINT GRIS!' Henry replied, frowning, and dwelling on each
syllable of his favourite oath. 'Will you be silent, sir, and let me
think? Or must I order your instant arrest?'

'Surely that at least, sire,' a suave voice interjected. And with that
a gentleman pressed forward from the rest, and gaining a place, of
'vantage by the King's side, shot at me a look of extreme malevolence.
'My lord of Turenne will expect no less at your Highness's hands,' he
continued warmly. 'I beg you will give the order on the spot, and hold
this person to answer for his misdeeds. M. de Turenne returns to-day.
He should be here now. I say again, sire, he will expect no less than
this.'

The king, gazing at me with gloomy eyes, tugged at his moustaches.
Someone had motioned the common herd to stand back out of hearing;
at the same time the suite had moved up out of curiosity and formed a
half-circle; in the midst of which I stood fronting the king, who had
La Noue and the last speaker on either hand. Perplexity and annoyance
struggled for the mastery in his face as he looked darkly down at
me, his teeth showing through his beard. Profoundly angered by my
appearance, which he had taken at first to be the prelude to disclosures
which must detach Turenne at a time when union was all-important, he
had now ceased to fear for himself; and perhaps saw something in the
attitude I adopted which appealed to his nature and sympathies.

'If the girl is really back,' he said at last, 'M. d'Aremburg, I do-not
see any reason why I should interfere. At present, at any rate.'

'I think, sire, M. de Turenne will see reason,' the gentleman answered
drily.

The king coloured. 'M. de Turenne,' he began--

'Has made many sacrifices at your request, sire,' the other said with
meaning. 'And buried some wrongs, or fancied wrongs, in connection with
this very matter. This person has outraged him in the grossest manner,
and in M. le Vicomte's name I ask, nay I press upon you, that he be
instantly arrested, and held to answer for it.'

'I am ready to answer for it now!' I retorted, looking from face to face
for sympathy, and finding none save in M. de la Noue's, who appeared
to regard me with grave approbation. 'To the Vicomte de Turenne, or the
person he may appoint to represent him.'

'Enough!' Henry said, raising his hand an