CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE LETTER FROM ROME.
Several days elapsed after the events we have just described, when onemorning a litter escorted by several gentlemen wearing the colors ofMonsieur de Guise entered the Louvre, and word was brought to the Queenof Navarre that Madame la Duchesse de Nevers begged the honor of anaudience. Marguerite was receiving a call from Madame de Sauve. It wasthe first time the beautiful baroness had been out since her pretendedillness. She knew that the queen had expressed to her husband greatanxiety on account of her indisposition, which for almost a week hadbeen court gossip, and she had come to thank her.
Marguerite congratulated her on her convalescence and on her goodfortune at having recovered so quickly from the strange malady, theseriousness of which as a daughter of France she could not fail toappreciate.
"I trust you will attend the hunt, already once postponed," saidMarguerite. "It is planned positively for to-morrow. For winter, theweather is very mild. The sun has softened the earth, and the huntersall say that the day will be fine."
"But, madame," said the baroness, "I do not know if I shall be strongenough."
"Bah!" exclaimed Marguerite, "make an effort; moreover, since I am oneof the hunters, I have told the King to reserve a small Bearnese horsewhich I was to ride, but which will carry you perfectly. Have you notalready heard of it?"
"Yes, madame, but I did not know that it was meant for your majesty. HadI known that I should not have accepted it."
"From a feeling of pride, baroness?"
"No, madame, from a feeling of humility, on the contrary."
"Then you will come?"
"Your majesty overwhelms me with honor. I will come, since you commandme."
At that moment Madame la Duchesse de Nevers was announced. At this nameMarguerite gave a cry of such delight that the baroness understood thatthe two women wanted to talk together. She rose to leave.
"Until to-morrow, then," said Marguerite.
"Until to-morrow, madame."
"By the way," continued Marguerite holding the baroness by the hand,"you know that in public I hate you, for I am horribly jealous of you."
"But in private?" asked Madame de Sauve.
"Oh! in private, not only do I forgive you, but more than that, I thankyou."
"Then your majesty will permit me"--
Marguerite held out her hand, the baroness kissed it respectfully, madea low courtesy and went out.
While Madame de Sauve ascended her stairway, bounding like a deer whosetether has been broken, Madame de Nevers was exchanging a few formalwords with the queen, which gave time to the gentlemen who hadaccompanied her to retire.
"Gillonne," cried Marguerite when the door was closed behind the last,"Gillonne, see that no one interrupts us."
"Yes," said the duchess, "for we have matters of grave importance todiscuss."
Taking a chair she seated herself without ceremony in the best placenear the fire and in the sunlight, sure that no one would interrupt thepleasant intimacy between herself and the Queen of Navarre.
"Well," said Marguerite, with a smile, "what about our famousslaughterer?"
"My dear queen," said the duchess, "he is a mythological creature, uponmy word. He is incomparable, so far as his mind is concerned, and neverdries up. He makes witty remarks that would make a saint in her shrinedie of laughing. In other respects he is the maddest heathen who everwalked in the skin of a Catholic! I dote on him! And you, what are youdoing with your Apollo?"
"Alas!" said Marguerite with a sigh.
"Oh, how that 'alas!' frightens me, dear queen! Is the gentle La Moletoo respectful or too sentimental? In that, I am forced to admit hewould be exactly the opposite of his friend Coconnas."
"Oh, no, he has his moments," said Marguerite, "but this 'alas!'concerned only myself."
"What does it mean, then?"
"It means, dear duchess, that I am terribly afraid I am actually inlove."
"Really?"
"On my honor!"
"Oh! so much the better! What a merry life we can lead!" criedHenriette. "To love a little is my dream; to love much, is yours. It isso sweet, dear and learned queen, to rest the mind by the heart, is itnot? and to have the smile after the delirium. Ah, Marguerite, I have afeeling that we are going to have a glorious year!"
"Do you think so?" said the queen. "I, on the contrary, do not know howthat may be; I see things through a veil. All these politics occupy meso much. By the way, do you know if your Annibal is as devoted to mybrother as he seems to be? Find out for me. I must know."
"He, devoted to anybody or anything! It is easy to see that you do notknow him as I do. If he ever is devoted to anything it will be hisambition, and that is all. If your brother is a man to make greatpromises to him, well, he will be devoted to your brother; but let yourbrother, son of France that he is, be careful not to break the promiseshe makes him. If he does, my faith, look out for your brother!"
"Really?"
"It is just as I say. Truly, Marguerite, there are times when this tigerwhom I have tamed frightens me. The other day I said to him, 'Annibal,be careful, do not deceive me, for if you do!'--I said it, however, withmy emerald eyes which prompted Ronsard's lines:
"'_La Duchesse de Nevers,_[11] _Aux yeux verts,_ _Qui, sous leur paupiere blonde_ _Lancent sur nous plus d'eclairs_ _Que ne font vingt Jupiters_ _Dans les airs_ _Lorsque la tempete gronde._'"
"Well?"
"Well, I supposed he would answer me: 'I deceive you! I! never! etc.,etc.' But do you know what he did answer?"
"No."
"Well, judge of the man! 'And you,' he replied, 'if you deceive me, youtake care too, for, princess that you are'--and as he said this hethreatened me not only with his eyes, but with his slender pointedfinger, with its nail cut like a steel lance, which he held before mynose. At that moment, my poor queen, I confess he looked so fierce thatI trembled, and yet you know I am no coward."
"He threatened you, Henriette, he dared?"
"Well, I had threatened him! For that matter he was right. So you see heis devoted up to a certain point, or rather to a very uncertain point."
"In that case we shall see," said Marguerite thoughtfully; "I will speakto La Mole. Have you nothing else to tell me?"
"Yes; something most interesting for which I came. But, the idea, youhave told me more interesting things still. I have received news."
"From Rome?"
"Yes, through a courier from my husband."
"Ah! the Poland affair?"
"It is progressing beautifully, and probably in a day or two you will berid of your brother of Anjou."
"So the pope has ratified his election?"
"Yes, my dear."
"And you never told me!" cried Marguerite. "Well, quick, quick, thedetails."
"Oh, mercy, I have none except those I have given you. But wait, I willgive you the letter from Monsieur de Nevers. Here it is. Oh, no, thoseare some verses from Annibal, atrocious ones too, my poor Marguerite. Hecan not write any other kind. But wait, here it is. No, it isn't, thatis a note of my own which I brought for you to have La Mole give him.Ah! at last, here it is." And Madame de Nevers handed the letter to thequeen.
Marguerite opened it hastily and read it; but it told nothing more thanshe had already learned from her friend.
"How did you receive this?" continued the queen.
"From a courier of my husband, who had orders to stop at the Hotel deGuise before going to the Louvre, and to deliver this letter to mebefore delivering that of the King. I knew the importance my queen wouldattach to this news, and I had written to Monsieur de Nevers to actthus. He obeyed, you see; he is not like that monster of a Coconnas. Nowthere is no one in the whole of Paris, except the King, you, and I, whoknows this news; except the man who followed our courier"--
"What man?"
"Oh! the horrid business! Imagine how tired, worn out, and dusty thewretched messenger was when he arrived! He rode seven days, day
andnight, without stopping an instant."
"But the man you spoke of just now?"
"Wait a minute. Constantly followed by a wild-looking fellow who hadrelays like himself and who rode as far as he did for the four hundredleagues, the poor courier constantly expected to be shot in his back.Both reached the Saint Marcel gate at the same time, both galloped downthe Rue Mouffetard, both crossed the city. But at the end of the bridgeof Notre-Dame our courier turned to the right, while the other took theroad to the left by the Place du Chatelet, and sped along the quays bythe side of the Louvre, like an arrow from a bow."
"Thanks, my good Henriette, thanks!" cried Marguerite. "You are right;that is very interesting news. By whom was the other courier sent? Imust know. So leave me until this evening. Rue Tizon, is it not? and thehunt to-morrow. Do take a frisky horse, so that he will run away, and wecan be by ourselves. I will tell you this evening what is necessary foryou to try and find out from your Coconnas."
"You will not forget my letter?" said the duchess of Nevers smiling.
"No, no, do not worry; he shall have it, and at once."
Madame de Nevers left, and Marguerite immediately sent for Henry, whocame to her quickly. She gave him the letter from the Duc de Nevers.
"Oh! oh!" he exclaimed.
Then Marguerite told him about the second courier.
"Yes," said Henry; "I saw him enter the Louvre."
"Perhaps he was for the queen mother."
"No, I am sure of that, for I ventured to take my stand in the corridor,and I saw no one pass."
"Then," said Marguerite, looking at her husband, "he must be"--
"For your brother D'Alencon, must he not?" said Henry.
"Yes; but how can we be sure?"
"Could not one of his two gentlemen be sent for?" said Henry,carelessly, "and through him"--
"You are right," said Marguerite, put at her ease at her husband'ssuggestion. "I will send for Monsieur de la Mole. Gillonne! Gillonne!"
The young girl appeared.
"I must speak at once with Monsieur de la Mole," said the queen. "Try tofind him and bring him here."
Gillonne disappeared. Henry seated himself before a table on which was aGerman book containing engravings by Albert Durer, which he began toexamine with such close attention that when La Mole entered he did notseem to hear him, and did not even raise his head.
On his side, the young man, seeing the king with Marguerite, stopped onthe threshold, silent from surprise and pale from anxiety.
Marguerite went to him.
"Monsieur de la Mole," said she, "can you tell me who is on guard to-dayat Monsieur d'Alencon's?"
"Coconnas, madame," said La Mole.
"Try to find out for me from him if he admitted to his master's room aman covered with mud, who apparently had a long or hasty ride."
"Ah, madame, I fear he will not tell me; for several days he has beenvery taciturn."
"Indeed! But by giving him this note, it seems to me that he will oweyou something in exchange."
"From the duchess! Oh, with this note I will try."
"Add," said Marguerite, lowering her voice, "that this note will servehim as a means of gaining entrance this evening to the house you knowabout."
"And I, madame," said La Mole, in a low tone, "what shall be mine?"
"Give your name. That will be enough."
"Give me the note, madame," said La Mole, with throbbing heart, "I willbring back the answer."
He withdrew.
"We shall know to-morrow if the duke has been informed of the Polandaffair," said Marguerite calmly, turning to her husband.
"That Monsieur de la Mole is really a fine servant," said the Bearnais,with his peculiar smile, "and, by Heaven! I will make his fortune!"
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