La reine Margot. English

  CHAPTER XXIX.

  THE DEPARTURE.

  When on the following day a beautiful sun, red but rayless, as is apt tobe the case on privileged days of winter, rose behind the hills ofParis, everything had already been awake for two hours in the court ofthe Louvre. A magnificent Barbary horse, nervous and spirited, withlimbs like those of a stag, on which the veins crossed one another likenetwork, pawed the ground, pricked up his ears and snorted, whilewaiting for Charles IX. He was less impatient, however, than his masterwho, detained by Catharine, had been stopped by her in the hall. She hadsaid she wished to speak to him on a matter of importance. Both were inthe corridor with the glass windows. Catharine was cold, pale, and quietas usual. Charles IX. fretted, bit his nails, and whipped his twofavorite dogs. The latter were covered with cuirasses of mail, so thatthe snout of the wild boar should not harm them, and that they might beable to encounter the terrible animal with impunity. A small scutcheonwith the arms of France had been stitched on their breasts similar tothose on the breasts of the pages, who, more than once, had envied theprivileges of these happy favorites.

  "Pay attention, Charles," said Catharine, "no one but you and I knows asyet of the expected arrival of these Polonais. But, God forgive me, theKing of Navarre acts as if he knew. In spite of his abjuration, which Ialways mistrust, he is in communication with the Huguenots. Have younoticed how often he has gone out the past few days? He has money, too,he who has never had any. He buys horses, arms, and on rainy days hepractises fencing from morning until night."

  "Well, my God, mother!" exclaimed Charles IX., impatiently, "do youthink he intends to kill me, or my brother D'Anjou? In that case he willneed a few more lessons, for yesterday I counted eleven buttonholes withmy foil on his doublet, which, however, had only six. And as to mybrother D'Anjou, you know that he fences as well if not better than Ido; at least so people say."

  "Listen, Charles," continued Catharine, "and do not treat lightly whatyour mother tells you. The ambassadors will arrive; well, you will see!As soon as they are in Paris, Henry will do all he can to gain theirattention. He is insinuating, he is crafty; without mentioning his wifewho seconds him, I know not why, and will chat with them, and talkLatin, Greek, Hungarian, and I know not what, to them! Oh, I tell you,Charles,--and you know that I am not mistaken,--I tell you that there issomething on foot."

  Just then the clock struck and Charles IX. stopped listening to hismother to count the strokes.

  "Good heavens! seven o'clock!" he exclaimed, "one hour before we getoff, that will make it eight; one hour to reach the meeting-place, andto start again--we shall not be able to begin hunting before nineo'clock. Really, mother, you make me lose a great deal of time! Down,Risquetout! great Heavens! down, I say, you brigand!"

  And a vigorous blow of the bloody whip on the mastiff's back brought ahowl of real pain from the poor beast, thoroughly astonished atreceiving punishment in exchange for a caress.

  "Charles!" said Catharine, "listen to me, in God's name, and do notleave to chance your fortune and that of France! The hunt, the hunt, thehunt, you cry; why, you will have time enough to hunt when your work ofking is settled."

  "Come now, mother!" exclaimed Charles, pale with impatience, "explainquickly, for you bother me to death. Really, there are days when Icannot comprehend you."

  He stopped beating his whip against his boot.

  Catharine thought that the time had come and that it should not bepassed by.

  "My son," said she, "we have proof that De Mouy has returned to Paris.Monsieur de Maurevel, whom you are well acquainted with, has seen him.This can be only for the King of Navarre. That is enough, I trust, forus to suspect him more than ever."

  "Come, there you go again after my poor Henriot! You want me to have himkilled; do you not?"

  "Oh, no."

  "Exiled? But why can you not see that if he were exiled he would be muchmore dangerous than he will ever be here, in the Louvre, under our eyes,where he can do nothing without our knowing it at once?"

  "Therefore I do not wish him exiled."

  "What do you want, then? Tell me quickly!"

  "I want him to be held in safe keeping while these Polonais are here;in the Bastille, for instance."

  "Ah! my faith, no!" cried Charles IX. "We are going to hunt the boarthis morning and Henry is one of my best men. Without him the fun wouldbe spoiled. By Heaven, mother! really, you do nothing but vex me."

  "Why, my dear son, I did not say this morning. The ambassadors do notarrive until to-morrow or the day after. Arrest him after your hunt,this evening--to-night"--

  "That is a different matter. Well, we will talk about it later and see.After the hunt I will not refuse. Adieu! Come here, Risquetout! Is ityour turn to sulk now?"

  "Charles," said Catharine, laying a detaining hand on his arm at therisk of a fresh explosion which might result from this new delay, "Ithink that the best thing to do is to sign the order for arrest at once,even though it is not to be carried out until this evening or to-night."

  "Sign, write an order, look up a seal for the parchment when they arewaiting for me to go hunting, I, who never keep anyone waiting! Thedevil take the thought!"

  "Why, no, I love you too dearly to delay you. I arranged everythingbeforehand; step in here and see!"

  And Catharine, as agile as if she were only twenty years old, pushedopen a door of her cabinet, and pointed to an ink-stand, pen, parchment,the seal, and a lighted candle.

  The king took the parchment and read it through hastily.

  "_Order, etc., etc., to arrest and conduct to the Bastille our brotherHenry of Navarre._"

  "Good, that is done!" he exclaimed, signing hurriedly. "Adieu, mother."

  He hastened from the room, followed by his dogs, greatly pleased to havegotten rid of Catharine so easily.

  Charles IX. had been waited for with impatience, and as his promptnessin hunting matters was well known, every one wondered at the delay. Sowhen he finally appeared, the hunters welcomed him by shouts of "Longlive the King!" the outriders by a flourish of trumpets, the horses byneighing, the dogs by barking. All this noise and hubbub brought a flushto his pale cheeks, his heart swelled, and for a moment Charles wasyoung and happy.

  The King scarcely took the time to salute the brilliant company gatheredin the court-yard. He nodded to the Duc d'Alencon, waved his hand to hissister Marguerite, passed Henry without apparently seeing him, andsprang upon the fiery Barbary horse, which started off at once. Butafter curvetting around three or four times, he realized what sort of arider he had to deal with and quieted down. The trumpets again sounded,and the King left the Louvre followed by the Duc d'Alencon, the King ofNavarre, Marguerite, Madame de Nevers, Madame de Sauve, Tavannes, andthe principal courtiers.

  It goes without saying that La Mole and Coconnas were of the number.

  As to the Duc d'Anjou, he had been at the siege of La Rochelle for threemonths.

  While waiting for the King, Henry had spoken to his wife, who inreturning his greeting had whispered,

  "The courier from Rome was admitted by Monsieur de Coconnas himself tothe chamber of the Duc d'Alencon a quarter of an hour before themessenger from the Duc de Nevers saw the King."

  "Then he knows all," said Henry.

  "He must know all," replied Marguerite; "but keep your eyes on him andsee how, in spite of his usual dissimulation, his eyes shine."

  "_Ventre saint gris!_" murmured the Bearnais. "I should think theywould; he hunts triple game to-day: France, Poland, and Navarre, withoutcounting the wild boar."

  He bowed to his wife, returned to his place, and calling one of hisservants whose ancestors had been in the service of his father for morethan a century, and whom he employed as ordinary messenger in his loveaffairs:

  "Orthon," said he, "take this key to the cousin of Madame de Sauve, whoyou know lives with his mistress at the corner of the Rue des QuatreFils. Say to him that his cousin desires to speak to him this evening;that he is to enter my room, and, in case I am no
t there, to wait forme. If I am late, he is to lie down on my bed."

  "Is there an answer, sire?"

  "No, except to tell me if you find him. The key is for him alone, youunderstand?"

  "Yes, sire."

  "Wait; do not start now, plague you! Before leaving Paris I will callyou to tighten my saddle-girths; in that way you will naturally have tolag behind, and you can carry out your commission and join us atBondy."

  The servant made a sign of obedience and rode away.

  They set out by the Rue Saint Honore, through the Rue Saint Denis, andthe Faubourg. At the Rue Saint Laurent the saddle-girths of the King ofNavarre became loose. Orthon rode up to him, and everything happened ashad been agreed on between him and his master, who followed the royalprocession along the Rue des Recollets, where his faithful servantsought the Rue du Temple.

  When Henry overtook the King, Charles was engaged in such an interestingconversation with the Duc d'Alencon, on the subject of the weather, theage of the wild boar which was a recluse, and as to where he had madehis lair, that he did not notice, or pretended he did not notice, thatHenry had lagged behind a moment.

  In the meantime Marguerite had watched each countenance from afar andthought she perceived a certain embarrassment in the eyes of her brotherevery time she looked at him. Madame de Nevers was abandoning herself tomad gayety, for Coconnas, supremely happy that day, was makingnumberless jokes near her to make the ladies laugh.

  As to La Mole he had already twice found an opportunity to kissMarguerite's white scarf with gold fringe, without the act, which wascarried out with the skill usual to lovers, having been seen by morethan three or four.

  About a quarter-past eight they reached Bondy. The first thought ofCharles IX. was to find out if the wild boar had held out.

  The boar was in his lair, and the outrider who had turned him asideanswered for him. A breakfast was ready. The King drank a glass ofHungarian wine. Charles IX. invited the ladies to take seats at table,and in his impatience to pass away the time set out to visit the kennelsand the roosts, giving orders not to unsaddle his horse, as he said hehad never had a better or a stronger mount.

  While the King was taking this stroll, the Duc de Guise arrived. He wasarmed for war rather than for hunting, and was accompanied by twenty orthirty gentlemen equipped in like manner. He asked at once for the King,joined him, and returned talking with him.

  At exactly nine o'clock the King himself gave the signal to start, andeach one mounted and set out to the meet. During the ride Henry foundanother opportunity to be near his wife.

  "Well," said he, "do you know anything new?"

  "No," replied Marguerite, "unless it is that my brother Charles looksat you strangely."

  "I have noticed it," said Henry.

  "Have you taken precautions?"

  "I have on a coat of mail, and at my side a good Spanish hunting knife,as sharp as a razor, and as pointed as a needle. I could pierce pistolswith it."

  "In that case," said Marguerite, "God protect you!"

  The outrider in charge of the hunt made a sign. They had reached thelair.