But
here comes Mornay. He may know more.'

In a moment I was abandoned, even by M. de Turenne, so great was the
anxiety which possessed all to learn the truth. Maignan alone, under
pretence of adjusting a stirrup, remained beside me, and entreated me in
a low voice to begone. 'Take this horse, M. de Marsac, if you will,' he
urged, 'and ride back the way you came. You have done what you came to
do. Go back, and be thankful.'

'Chut!' I said, 'there is no danger.'

'You will see,' he replied darkly, 'if you stay here. Come, come, take
my advice and the horse,' he persisted, 'and begone! Believe me, it will
be for the best.'

I laughed outright at his earnestness and his face of perplexity. 'I see
you have M. de Rosny's orders to get rid of me,' I said. 'But I am not
going, my friend. He must find some other way out of his embarrassment,
for here I stay.'

'Well, your blood be on your own head,' Maignan retorted, swinging
himself into the saddle with a gloomy face. 'I have done my best to save
you!'

'And your master!' I answered, laughing.

For flight was the last thing I had in my mind. I had ridden this ride
with a clear perception that the one thing I needed was a footing at
Court. By the special kindness of Providence I had now gained this;
and I was not the man to resign it because it proved to be scanty and
perilous. It was something that I had spoken to the great Vicomte face
to face and not been consumed, that I had given him look for look and
still survived, that I had put in practice Crillon's lessons and come to
no harm.

Nor was this all. I had never in the worst times blamed the King of
Navarre for his denial of me, I had been foolish, indeed, seeing that it
was in the bargain, had I done so; nor had I ever doubted his good-will
or his readiness to reward me should occasion arise. Now, I flattered
myself, I had given him that which he needed, and had hitherto
lacked--an excuse, I mean, for interference in my behalf.

Whether I was right or wrong in this notion I was soon to learn, for at
this moment Henry's cavalcade, which had left me a hundred paces behind,
came to a stop, and while some of the number waved to me to come on, one
spurred back to summon me to the king. I hastened to obey the order
as fast as I could, but I saw on approaching that though all was at a
standstill till I came up, neither the King of Navarre nor M. de Turenne
was thinking principally of me. Every face, from Henry's to