Les Quarante-cinq. English

  CHAPTER XLVII.

  THE EXPLANATION.

  To get rid of a witness whom Marguerite believed to know more of Latinthan he allowed was already a triumph, or at least a pledge of securityfor her; for alone with her husband she could give whatever translationof the Latin that she pleased.

  Henri and his wife were then left tete-a-tete. He had on his face noappearance of disquietude or menace; decidedly he could not understandLatin.

  "Monsieur," said Marguerite, "I wait for you to interrogate me."

  "This letter preoccupies you much, ma mie; do not alarm yourself thus."

  "Sire, because a king does not send a special messenger to anotherwithout some reason that he believes important."

  "Well ma mie, let us leave it for the present; have you not somethinglike a ball this evening?"

  "Yes, sire," said Marguerite, astonished, "but that is notextraordinary; you know we dance nearly every evening."

  "I have a great chase for to-morrow."

  "Each our pleasure, sire; you love the chase, I the dance."

  "Yes, ma mie, and there is no harm in that," said Henri, sighing.

  "Certainly not; but your majesty sighed as you said it."

  "Listen to me, madame; I am uneasy."

  "About what, sire?"

  "About a current report."

  "A report; your majesty uneasy about a report?"

  "What more simple; when this report may annoy you."

  "Me?"--"Yes, you."

  "Sire, I do not understand you."

  "Have you heard nothing?"

  Marguerite began to tremble. "I am the least curious woman in theworld," said she, "I hear nothing but what is cried in my very ears.Besides, I think so little of reports, that I should not listen to themif I heard them."

  "It is then your opinion, madame, that one should despise reports?"

  "Absolutely, sire; particularly kings and queens."

  "Why so, madame?"

  "Because, as every one talks of us, we should have enough to do tolisten to them all."

  "Well, I believe you are right, ma mie, and I am about to furnish youwith an excellent opportunity of exercising your philosophy."

  Marguerite believed that the decisive moment had come, and rallied allher courage.

  "So be it, sire," said she.

  Henri began in the tone of a penitent who has some great sin toacknowledge.

  "You know the great interest I take in Fosseuse?"

  "Ah!" cried Marguerite, triumphantly, seeing he was not about to accuseher; "yes, yes; the little Fosseuse, your friend."

  "Yes, madame."

  "My lady in waiting."--"Yes."

  "Your passion--your love."

  "Ah! you speak now just like one of the reports you were abusing justnow."

  "It is true, sire, and I ask your pardon," said Marguerite, smiling.

  "Ma mie, you are right, public report often lies, and we sovereigns havegreat reason to establish this theory;" and he laughed ironically.

  "Well; and Fosseuse?" said Marguerite.

  "She is ill, ma mie, and the doctors do not understand her malady."

  "That is strange, sire. Fosseuse, who you say is a pearl of purity,ought to allow the doctors to penetrate into the secret of her illness."

  "Alas! it is not so."

  "What!" cried the queen; "is she not a pearl of purity?"

  "I mean that she persists in hiding the cause of her illness from thedoctors."

  "But to you, sire, her confidant, her father."

  "I know nothing, or at least wish to know nothing."

  "Then, sire," said Marguerite, who now believed that she had to conferinstead of asking a pardon; "then, sire, I do not know what you want;and wait for you to explain."

  "Well, then, ma mie, I will tell you. I wish you--but it is asking agreat deal."

  "Speak on, sire."

  "To have the goodness to go to Fosseuse."

  "I go to visit this girl whom every one says has the honor of being yourmistress; a thing which you do not deny."

  "Gently, gently, ma mie. On my word you will make a scandal with yourexclamations; and really I believe that will rejoice the court ofFrance, for in the letter from my brother-in-law that Chicot repeated tome, there was these words, 'Quotidie scandalurn,' which must mean 'dailyscandal.' It is not necessary to know Latin to understand that: it isalmost French."

  "But, sire, to whom did these words apply?"

  "Ah! that is what I want to know, but you, who know Latin, can help meto find out."

  Marguerite colored up to her ears.

  "Well, monsieur," said she, "you wish me to take a humiliating step forthe sake of peace, and therefore I will comply."

  "Thanks, ma mie, thanks."

  "But what is the object of this visit?"

  "It is very simple, madame."

  "Still, you must tell me, for I am not clever enough to guess it."

  "Well! you will find Fosseuse among the ladies of honor, sleeping intheir room; and they, you know, are so curious and indiscreet that onecannot tell to what extremity Fosseuse may be reduced."

  "But then she fears something," cried Marguerite, with a burst of angerand hatred; "she wishes to hide herself."

  "I do not know; all I do know is, that she wishes to quit the room ofthe maids of honor."

  "If she wishes to hide, let her not count on me. I may shut my eyes tocertain things, but I will never be an accomplice," said Marguerite.

  Henri seemed not to have heard, but he stood for a minute in athoughtful attitude, and then said, "Margota cum Turennio. Ah! thosewere the names, madame--'Margota cum Turennio.'"

  Marguerite grew crimson.

  "Calumnies, sire!" cried she.

  "What calumnies?" replied he, with the most natural air possible. "Doyou find any calumny in it? It is a passage from my brother'sletter--'Margota cum Turennio conveniunt in castello nomineLoignac!'--Decidedly I must get this letter translated."

  "Leave this comedy, sire," said Marguerite, tremblingly, "and tell me atonce what you want from me."

  "Well, I wish, ma mie, that you should separate Fosseuse from the othergirls, and send her a discreet doctor; your own, for example."

  "Ah! I see what it is," cried the queen, "Fosseuse, the paragon, is nearher accouchement."

  "I do not say so, ma mie; it is you who affirm it."

  "It is so, monsieur; your insinuating tone, your false humility, proveit to me. But there are sacrifices that no man should ask of his wife.Take care of Fosseuse yourself, sire; it is your business, and let thetrouble fall on the guilty, not on the innocent."

  "The guilty! Ah! that makes me think of the letter again."

  "How so?"

  "Guilty is 'nocens,' is it not?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, there was that word in the letter--'Margota cum Turennio, ambonocentes, conveniunt in castello nomine Loignac.' Mon Dieu! how I regretthat my knowledge is not as great as my memory is good."

  "Ambo nocentes," repeated Marguerite, in a low voice, and turning verypale, "he understood it all."

  "Margota cum Turennio, ambo nocentes," repeated Henri. "What the devilcould my brother mean by 'ambo!' Ventre St. Gris, ma mie, it isastonishing that you who know Latin so well have not yet explained it tome. Ah! pardieu! there is 'Turennius' walking under your windows, andlooking up as if he expected you. I will call to him to come up; he isvery learned, and he will explain it to me."

  "Sire, sire, be superior to all the calumniators of France."

  "Oh! ma mie, it seems to me that people are not more indulgent inNavarre than in France; you, yourself, were very severe about poorFosseuse just now."

  "I severe?"

  "Yes; and yet we ought to be indulgent here, we lead such a happy life,you with your balls, and I with my chase."

  "Yes, yes, sire; you are right; let us be indulgent."

  "Oh! I was sure of your heart, ma mie."

  "You know me well, sire."

  "Yes. Then you will go and s
ee Fosseuse?"

  "Yes, sire."

  "And separate her from the others?"

  "Yes, sire."

  "And send her your doctor?"

  "Yes, sire."

  "And if, unluckily, what you say were true, and she had been weak, forwomen are frail--"

  "Well, sire, I am a woman, and know the indulgence due to my sex."

  "All! you know all things, ma mie; you are in truth a model ofperfection, and I kiss your hands."

  "But believe, sire, that it is for the love of you alone that I makethis sacrifice."

  "Oh! yes, ma mie, I know you well, madame, and my brother of Francealso, he who speaks so well of you in this letter, and adds, 'Fiat sanumexemplum statim, atque res certior eveniet.' Doubtless, ma mie, it isyou who give this good example."

  And Henri kissed the cold hand of Marguerite. Then, turning on thethreshold of the door, he said:

  "Say everything kind from me to Fosseuse, and do for her as you havepromised me. I set off for the chase; perhaps I shall not see you tillmy return, perhaps never--these wolves are wicked beasts. Come, and letme embrace you, ma mie."

  Then he embraced Marguerite, almost affectionately, and went out,leaving her stupefied with all she had heard.