Chicot the Jester

  CHAPTER XXXIX.

  IN WHICH IT IS PROVED THAT LISTENING IS THE BEST WAY TO HEAR.

  The Duc d'Anjou was well aware that there were few rooms in theLouvre which were not built so that what was said in them could beheard from the outside; but, completely seduced by his brother'smanner, he forgot to take any precautions.

  "Why, monseigneur," said the Duc de Guise, "how pale you are!"

  "Visibly?"

  "Yes, to me."

  "The king saw nothing?"

  "I think not; but he retained you?"

  "Yes."

  "And what did he say, monseigneur?"

  "He approves the idea, but the more gigantic it appears, the morehe hesitates to place a man like you at the head."

  "Then we are likely to fail."

  "I fear so, my dear duke; the League seems likely to fail."

  "Before it begins."

  At this moment Henri, hearing a noise, turned and saw Chicotby his side, listening also. "You followed me, Knave!" said he.

  "Hush, my son," said Chicot; "you prevent me from hearing."

  "Monseigneur," said the Duc de Guise, "it seems to me that inthis case the king would have refused at once. Does he wish todispossess me?"

  "I believe so."

  "Then he would ruin the enterprise?"

  "Yes; but I aided you with all my power."

  "How, monseigneur?"

  "In this--the king has left me almost master, to kill or reanimatethe League."

  "How so?" cried the duke, with sparkling eyes.

  "Why, if, instead of dissolving the League, he named me chief----"

  "Ah!" cried the duke, while the blood mounted to his face.

  "Ah! the dogs are going to fight over their bones," said Chicot;but to his surprise, and the king's, the Duc de Guise suddenlybecame calm, and exclaimed, in an almost joyful tone:

  "You are an adroit politician, monseigneur, if you did this."

  "Yes, I did; but I would not conclude anything without speakingto you."

  "Why so, monseigneur?"

  "Because I did not know what it would lead us to."

  "Well, I will tell you, monseigneur, not to what it will leadus--that God alone knows--but how it will serve us. The Leagueis a second army, and as I hold the first, and my brother theChurch, nothing can resist us as long as we are united."

  "Without counting," said the Duc d'Anjou, "that I am heir presumptiveto the throne."

  "True, but still calculate your bad chances."

  "I have done so a hundred times."

  "There is, first, the King of Navarre."

  "Oh! I do not mind him; he is entirely occupied by his amourswith La Fosseuse."

  "He, monseigneur, will dispute every inch with you; he watchesyou and your brother; he hungers for the throne. If any accidentshould happen to your brother, see if he will not be here witha bound from Pau to Paris."

  "An accident to my brother," repeated Francois.

  "Listen, Henri," said Chicot.

  "Yes, monseigneur," said the Duc de Guise, "an accident. Accidentsare not rare in your family; you know that, as well as I do.One prince is in good health, and all at once he falls ill ofa lingering malady; another is counting on long years, when,perhaps, he has but a few hours to live."

  "Do you hear, Henri?" said Chicot, taking the hand of the king,who shuddered at what he heard.

  "Yes, it is true," said the Duc d'Anjou, "the princes of my houseare born under fatal influences; but my brother Henri is, thankGod, strong and well; he supported formerly the fatigues of war,and now that his life is nothing but recreation--"

  "Yes; but, monseigneur, remember one thing; these recreationsare not always without danger. How did your father, Henri II.,die, for example? He, who also had happily escaped the dangersof war. The wound by M. de Montgomery's lance was an accident.Then your poor brother, Francois, one would hardly call a painin the ears an accident, and yet it was one; at least, I haveoften heard it said that this mortal malady was poured into hisear by some one well known."

  "Duke!" murmured Francois, reddening.

  "Yes, monseigneur; the name of king has long brought misfortunewith it. Look at Antoine de Bourbon, who died from a spot inthe shoulder. Then there was Jeanne d'Albret, the mother of theBearnais, who died from smelling a pair of perfumed gloves, anaccident very unexpected although there were people who had greatinterest in this death. Then Charles IX., who died neither bythe eye, the ear, nor the shoulder, but by the mouth----"

  "What do you say?" cried Francois, starting back.

  "Yes, monseigneur, by the mouth. Those hunting books are verydangerous, of which the pages stick together, and can only beopened by wetting the finger constantly."

  "Duke! duke! I believe you invent crimes."

  "Crimes! who speaks of crimes? I speak of accidents. Was it notalso an accident that happened to Charles IX. at the chase? Youknow what chase I mean; that of the boar, where, intending tokill the wild boar, which had turned on your brother, you, whonever before had missed your aim, did so then, and the king wouldhave been killed, as he had fallen from his horse, had not Henriof Navarre slain the animal which you had missed."

  "But," said the Duc d'Anjou, trying to recover himself, "whatinterest could I have had in the death of Charles IX., when thenext king would be Henri III.?"

  "Oh! monseigneur, there was already one throne vacant, that ofPoland. The death of Charles IX. would have left another, thatof France; and even the kingdom of Poland might not have beendespised. Besides, the death of Charles would have brought youa degree nearer the throne, and the next accident would havebenefited you."

  "What do you conclude from all this, duke?" said the Duc d'Anjou.

  "Monseigneur, I conclude that each king has his accident, andthat you are the inevitable accident of Henri III., particularlyif you are chief of the League."

  "Then I am to accept?"

  "Oh! I beg you to do so."

  "And you?"

  "Oh! be easy; my men are ready, and to-night Paris will be curious."

  "What are they going to do in Paris to-night?" asked Henri.

  "Oh! how foolish you are, my friend; to-night they sign the Leaguepublicly."

  "It is well," said the Duc d'Anjou, "till this evening then."

  "Yes, till this evening," said Henri.

  "How!" said Chicot, "you will not risk going into the streetsto-night?"

  "Yes, I shall."

  "You are wrong, Henri; remember the accidents."

  "Oh! I shall be well accompanied; will you come with me?"

  "What! do you take me for a Huguenot? I shall go and sign theLeague ten times. However, Henri, you have a great advantage overyour predecessors, in being warned, for you know your brother,do you not?"

  "Yes, and, mordieu! before long he shall find it out."