CHAPTER LXV.
THE KING IS DEAD! LONG LIVE THE KING!
A few moments later Catharine and the Duc d'Alencon, pale with frightand trembling with rage, entered Charles's room. As Henry hadconjectured, Catharine had overheard everything and in a few words hadtold all to Francois.
Henry was standing at the head of Charles's bed.
The King spoke his wishes:
"Madame," said he to his mother, "had I a son, you would be regent, orin default of you it would be the King of Poland; or in default of himit would be my brother Francois; but I have no son, and after me thethrone belongs to my brother the Duc d'Anjou, who is absent. As some dayhe will claim this throne I do not wish him to find in his place a manwho by almost equal rights might dispute it with him, and whoconsequently might expose the kingdom to civil war. This is why I do notappoint you regent, madame, for you would have to choose between yourtwo sons, which would be painful for a mother. This is why I do notchoose my brother Francois, for he might say to his elder brother, 'Youhad a throne, why did you leave it?' No, I have chosen as regent one whocan take the crown on trust, and who will keep it in his hand and noton his head. Salute this regent, madame; salute him, brother; it is theKing of Navarre!"
And with a gesture of supreme authority the King himself saluted Henry.
Catharine and D'Alencon made a gesture between a nervous shudder and asalute.
"Here, my Lord Regent," said Charles to the King of Navarre, "here isthe parchment which, until the return of the King of Poland, gives youthe command of the armies, the keys of the treasury, and the royal powerand authority."
Catharine devoured Henry with her eyes; Francois swayed so that he couldscarcely stand; but this weakness of the one and strength of the other,instead of encouraging Henry, showed him the danger which threatenedhim.
Nevertheless he made a violent effort and overcoming his fears took theparchment from the hands of the king, raised himself to his full height,and gave Catharine and Francois a look which meant:
"Take care! I am your master."
"No," said she, "never; never shall my race bow to a foreign one; nevershall a Bourbon reign in France while a Valois remains!"
"Mother," cried Charles IX., sitting up among the crimson sheets of hisbed, more frightful looking than ever, "take care, I am still King. Notfor long, I well know; but it does not take long to give an order; itdoes not take long to punish murderers and poisoners."
"Well! give the order, if you dare, and I will give mine! Come,Francois, come!"
And the queen left the room rapidly, followed by the Duc d'Alencon.
"Nancey!" cried Charles; "Nancey! come here! I order you, Nancey, toarrest my mother, and my brother, arrest"--
A stream of blood choked his utterance, just as the captain of theguards opened the door, and, almost suffocated, the King fell back onhis bed. Nancey had heard only his name; the orders which followed, andwhich had been uttered in a less audible tone, were lost in space.
"Guard the door," said Henry, "and let no one enter."
Nancey bowed and withdrew.
Henry looked at the almost lifeless body, which already would haveseemed like that of a corpse had not a light breath stirred the fringeof foam on the lips.
Henry looked for several moments, then, speaking to himself:
"The final moment has come!" said he; "shall I reign? shall I live?"
Just then the tapestry of the alcove was raised, a pale face appearedbehind it, and a voice vibrated through the silence of death whichreigned throughout the royal chamber.
"Live!" said this voice.
"Rene!" cried Henry.
"Yes, sire."
"Your prediction was false, then; I shall not be king?"
"You shall be, sire; but the time has not yet come."
"How do you know? Speak, that I may know if I may believe you."
"Listen."
"Well?"
"Stoop down."
Henry leaned over Charles. Rene did the same. They were separated by thewidth of the bed alone, and even this distance was lessened by theirpositions. Between them, silent and motionless, lay the dying King.
"Listen," said Rene; "placed here by the queen mother to ruin you, Iprefer to serve you, for I have faith in your horoscope. By serving youI shall profit both in body and soul."
"Did the queen mother command you to say this also?" asked Henry, fullof doubt and pain.
"No," said Rene; "but I will tell you a secret."
He leaned still further over.
Henry did likewise, so that their heads almost touched.
This interview between two men bending over the body of a dying king wasso sombre that the hair of the superstitious Florentine rose on end, andHenry's face became covered with perspiration.
"Listen," continued Rene, "I will tell you a secret known only to me. Iwill reveal it to you if you will swear over this dying man to forgiveme for the death of your mother."
"I have already promised you this," said Henry, with darkening brow.
"You promised, but you did not swear," said Rene, drawing back.
"I swear it," said Henry, raising his right hand over the head of theKing.
"Well, sire," said the Florentine, hastily, "the King of Poland willsoon arrive!"
"No," said Henry, "the messenger was stopped by King Charles."
"King Charles intercepted only the one on the road to Chateau Thierry.But the queen mother wisely sent couriers by three different routes."
"Oh! I am lost!" exclaimed Henry.
"A messenger arrived this morning from Varsovia. The king left after himwithout any one's thinking of opposing him, for at Varsovia the illnessof the King of France was not yet known. This courier only precededHenry of Anjou by a few hours."
"Oh! had I but eight days!" cried Henry.
"Yes, but you have not eight hours. Did you hear the noise of arms?"
"Yes."
"They are making ready to kill you. They will seek you even here in theapartment of the King."
"The King is not yet dead."
Rene looked closely at Charles.
"He will be in ten minutes; you have ten minutes to live, therefore;perhaps less."
"What shall I do?"
"Flee instantly, without delaying a minute, a second."
"But how? If they are waiting in the antechamber they will kill me as Igo out."
"Listen! I will risk everything for you. Never forget this."
"Fear not."
"Follow me by the secret corridor. I will lead you to the postern. Then,to gain time, I will tell the queen mother that you are coming down; youwill be seen to have discovered this secret passage, and to haveprofited by it to escape. Flee! Flee!"
"Nurse!" murmured Charles, "nurse!"
Henry took from the bed Charles's sword, of no further use to the dyingKing, put the parchment which made him regent in his breast, kissedCharles's brow for the last time, and turning away hurried through thedoor, which closed behind him.
"Nurse!" cried the King, in a stronger voice, "nurse!"
The woman ran to him.
"What is it, Charlot?" she asked.
"Nurse," said the King, his eye dilated by the terrible fixity of death,"something must have happened while I slept. I see a great light. I seeGod, our Master, I see Jesus, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. They arepraying and interceding for me. The all-powerful Lord pardons me--callsto me--My God! my God! In thy mercy, receive me! My God! forget that Ihave been King, for I come to you without sceptre or crown. My God!forget the crimes of the King, and remember only the suffering of theman. My God, I come!"
And Charles, who as he spoke had risen more and more as if to go to theOne who was calling him, after uttering these words heaved a sigh andfell back still and cold in the arms of his nurse.
Meantime, while the soldiers, commanded by Catharine, were beginning tofill the main corridor in which they expected Henry to appear, thelatter, guided by Rene, passed along the secret pass
age and reached thepostern, sprang on the horse which was waiting for him, and galloped tothe place where he knew he would find De Mouy.
Hearing the sound of the horse's hoofs, the galloping of which fell onthe hard pavement, some sentinels turned and cried:
"He flees! He flees!"
"Who?" cried the queen mother, stepping to a window.
"The King of Navarre!" cried the sentinels.
"Fire on him! Fire!" cried Catharine.
The sentinels levelled their muskets, but Henry was already too faraway.
"He flees!" cried the queen mother; "then he is vanquished!"
"He flees!" murmured the Duc d'Alencon; "then I am king!"
At that instant, while Francois and his mother were still before thewindow, the drawbridge thundered under horses' hoofs and preceded by aclanking of arms and great noise a young man galloped up, his hat in hishand, shouting as he entered the court: "France!" He was followed byfour gentlemen, covered like himself with perspiration, dust, and foam.
"My son!" exclaimed Catharine, extending both arms out of the window.
"Mother!" replied the young man, springing from his steed.
"My brother D'Anjou!" cried Francois, stepping back in amazement.
"Am I too late?" asked Henry d'Anjou.
"No, just in time, and God must have guided you, for you could not havearrived at a better moment. Look and listen!"
Monsieur de Nancey, captain of the guards, had come out upon the balconyfrom the chamber of the King.
All eyes were turned towards him.
Breaking a wand in two, with arms extended, he took a piece in eitherhand and cried three times:
"King Charles IX. is dead! King Charles IX. is dead! King Charles IX. isdead!"
Then he dropped the pieces of the wand.
"Long live King Henry III.!" shouted Catharine, making the sign of thecross. "Long live King Henry III.!"
All took up the cry except Duc Francois.
"Ah, she has betrayed me!" murmured he, digging his nails into hisbreast.
"I have won," cried Catharine, "and that hateful Bearnais will notreign!"
CHAPTER LXVI.
EPILOGUE.
One year had elapsed since the death of Charles IX. and the accession ofhis successor to the throne.
King Henry III., happily reigning by the grace of God and his motherCatharine, was attending a fine procession given in honor of Notre Damede Clery.
He had gone on foot with the queen, his wife, and all the court.
King Henry III. could well afford this little pastime, for no seriousbusiness occupied him for the moment. The King of Navarre was inNavarre, where he had so long desired to be, and where he was said to bevery much taken up with a beautiful girl of the blood of theMontmorencies whom he called La Fosseuse. Marguerite was with him, sadand gloomy, finding in the beautiful mountains not distraction but asoftening of the two greatest griefs of life,--absence and death.
Paris was very quiet and the queen mother, really regent since her dearson Henry had been King, resided sometimes at the Louvre, sometimes atthe Hotel de Soissons, which occupied the site to-day covered by theHalle au Ble, of which nothing remains beyond the beautiful column whichis still standing.
One evening when she was deeply engaged in studying the stars with Rene,of whose little act of treason she was still ignorant, and who had beenreinstated in her favor after the false testimony he had so opportunelygiven at the trial of Coconnas and La Mole, she was informed that a manwaited for her in her oratory with something to tell her of the greatestimportance.
Hastily descending, the queen found the Sire de Maurevel.
"_He_ is here!" cried the ancient captain of the guards, not givingCatharine time to address him, according to royal etiquette.
"What _he_?" demanded Catharine.
"Who but the King of Navarre, madame!"
"Here!" said Catharine, "here! He--Henry--And what has he come for, themadman?"
"If appearances are to be believed, he comes to see Madame de Sauve.That is all. If probabilities are to be considered, he comes to conspireagainst the King."
"How do you know he is here?"
"Yesterday I saw him enter a house, and an instant later Madame de Sauvejoined him there."
"Are you sure it was he?"
"I waited until he came out, that is, part of the night. At threeo'clock the two lovers appeared. The king led Madame de Sauve as far asthe gate of the Louvre, where, thanks to the porter, who no doubt is inher pay, she was admitted without opposition, and the king returned,humming a tune, and with a step as free as if he were among his ownmountains."
"Where did he go then?"
"To the Rue de l'Arbre Sec, Hotel de la Belle Etoile, the same inn inwhich the two sorcerers used to lodge whom your majesty had executed ayear ago."
"Why did you not come and tell me this at once?"
"Because I was not yet sure of my man."
"And now?"
"Now I am certain."
"Did you see him?"
"Yes. I hid in a wine merchant's opposite. I saw him enter the samebuilding as on the previous night. Then as Madame de Sauve was late heimprudently put his face against the window pane on the first floor, andI had no further doubt. Besides, a few minutes later Madame de Sauvecame and again joined him."
"Do you think that like last night they will remain until three o'clockin the morning?"
"It is probable."
"Where is the house?"
"Near the Croix des Petits Champs, close to Saint Honore."
"Very good," said Catharine. "Does Monsieur de Sauve know yourhandwriting?"
"No."
"Sit down, then, and write."
Maurevel took a pen and obeyed.
"I am ready, madame," said he.
Catharine dictated:
"_While the Baron de Sauve is on service at the Louvre the baroness iswith one of her friends, in a house near the Croix des Petits Champs,close to Saint Honore. The Baron de Sauve will know the house by a redcross on the wall._"
"Well?" said Maurevel.
"Make a copy of the letter," said Catharine.
Maurevel obeyed in silence.
"Now," said the queen, "have one of these letters taken by a clever manto the Baron de Sauve, and drop the other in the corridors of theLouvre."
"I do not understand," said Maurevel.
Catharine shrugged her shoulders.
"You do not understand that a husband who receives such a note will beangry?"
"But the King of Navarre never used to be angry, madame."
"It is not always with a king as with a simple courtier. Besides, if DeSauve is not angry you can be so for him."
"I!"
"Yes. You can take four men or six, if necessary, put on a mask, breakdown the door, as if you had been sent by the baron, surprise the loversin the midst of their tete a tete, and strike your blow in the name ofthe King. The next day the note dropped in the corridor of the Louvre,and picked up by some kind friend who already will have circulated thenews, will prove that it was the husband who had avenged himself. Onlyby chance, the gallant happened to be King of Navarre; but who wouldhave imagined that, when every one thought him at Pau."
Maurevel looked at Catharine in admiration, bowed, and withdrew.
As Maurevel left the Hotel de Soissons Madame de Sauve entered the smallhouse near the Croix des Petits Champs.
Henry was waiting for her at the half-open door.
As soon as he saw her on the stairs, he said:
"You have not been followed, have you?"
"_Why, no,_" said Charlotte, "at least, not so far as I know."
"I think I have been," said Henry, "not only to-night but last eveningas well."
"Oh! my God!" said Charlotte, "you frighten me, sire! If this meetingbetween you and one of your old friends should bring any harm to you Ishould be inconsolable."
"Do not worry, my love," said the Bearnais, "we have three swordsmenwatching in the dark
ness."
"Three are very few, sire."
"Three are enough when they are De Mouy, Saucourt, and Barthelemy."
"Is De Mouy in Paris with you?"
"Certainly."
"He dared to return to the capital? Has he, then, like you, some poorwoman who is in love with him?"
"No, but he has an enemy whose death he has sworn to have. Nothing buthate, my dear, commits as many follies as love."
"Thank you, sire."
"Oh," said Henry, "I do not refer to our present follies. I mean thoseof the past and the future. But do not let us discuss this; we have notime to lose."
"You still plan to leave Paris?"
"To-night."
"Are your affairs which brought you back to Paris finished?"
"I came back only to see you."
"Gascon!"
"_Ventre saint gris!_ My love, that is true; but let us put aside suchthoughts. I have still two or three hours in which to be happy; thenfarewell forever."
"Ah! sire," said Madame de Sauve, "nothing is forever except my love."
Henry had just said that he had no time for discussion; therefore he didnot discuss this point. He believed, or sceptic that he was, hepretended to believe.
As the King of Navarre had said, De Mouy and his two companions werehidden near by.
It was arranged that Henry should leave the small house at midnightinstead of at three o'clock; that, as on the previous night, they wouldescort Madame de Sauve back to the Louvre, and from there they would goto the Rue de la Cerisaie, where Maurevel lived.
It was only during that day that De Mouy had been sure of his enemy'swhereabouts. The men had been on guard about an hour when they perceiveda man, followed at a few feet by five others, who drew near to the doorof the small house and tried several keys successively. De Mouy,concealed within the shelter of a neighboring door, made one bound fromhis hiding-place, and seized the man by the arm.
"One moment," said he; "you cannot enter there."
The man sprang back, and in doing so his hat fell off.
"De Mouy de Saint Phale!" he cried.
"Maurevel!" thundered the Huguenot, raising his sword. "I sought you,and you have come to me. Thanks!"
But his anger did not make him forget Henry, and turning to the windowhe whistled in the manner of the Bearnais shepherds.
"That will be enough," said he to Saucourt. "Now, then, murderer!"
And he sprang towards Maurevel.
The latter had had time to draw a pistol from his belt.
"Ah! now," said the King's Slayer, aiming at the young man, "I think youare a dead man!"
He fired. De Mouy jumped to one side and the ball passed by withouttouching him.
"It is my turn now!" cried the young man.
And he dealt Maurevel such a violent thrust with his sword that,although the blade had to encounter his buff belt, the sharp pointpierced this obstacle and sank into the flesh.
The assassin gave a terrible cry of pain; whereupon the soldiers withhim, thinking he was killed, fled in alarm down the Rue Saint Honore.
Maurevel was not brave. Seeing himself abandoned by his followers, andhaving to face an adversary like De Mouy, he strove to escape, and ranafter the guard, shouting, "help! help!"
De Mouy, Saucourt, and Barthelemy, carried away by their ardor, pursuedhim. As they entered the Rue de Grenelle, which they had taken as ashort cut, a window opened and a man sprang out from the first floor,landing on the ground lately wet by the rain.
It was Henry.
De Mouy's whistle had warned him of some danger and the pistol-shot hadshowed him that the danger was great, and had drawn him to the aid ofhis friends.
Energetic and vigorous, he dashed after them, sword in hand.
A cry guided him; it came from the Barrier des Sergents. It wasMaurevel, who being hard pressed by De Mouy was calling a second timefor help from his men who had run away.
Maurevel had to turn or be run through the back; he turned, therefore,and, meeting his enemy's steel, gave him back so skilful a thrust thatthe scarf of the latter was cut through. But De Mouy at once lunged. Thesword again sank into the flesh it had already broken, and a second jetof blood spurted from a second wound.
"At him!" cried Henry, coming up. "Quick, quick, De Mouy!"
De Mouy needed no encouragement.
Again he charged at Maurevel; but the latter had not waited.
Pressing his left hand over his wound, he again took to flight.
"Kill him! Quick! Kill him!" cried the king, "here are the soldiers, andthe despair of cowards is of no moment to the brave."
Maurevel, who was well nigh exhausted, whose every breath caused abloody perspiration, fell down; but almost immediately he rose again,and turning on one knee presented the point of his sword to De Mouy.
"Friends! Friends!" cried Maurevel. "There are only two. Fire at them!Fire!"
Saucourt and Barthelemy had gone in pursuit of the other soldiers, downthe Rue des Poulies, and the king and De Mouy were alone with the fourmen.
"Fire!" cried Maurevel again, while one of the soldiers levelled hisgun.
"Yes, but first," said De Mouy, "die, traitor, murderer, assassin!" andseizing Maurevel's sword with one hand, with the other he plunged hisown up to its hilt into the breast of his enemy, with such force that henailed him to the earth.
"Take care! Take care!" cried Henry.
De Mouy sprang back, leaving his sword in Maurevel's body, just as asoldier was in the act of firing at him.
Henry at once passed his sword through the body of the soldier, who gavea cry and fell by the side of Maurevel.
The two others took to flight.
"Come, De Mouy, come!" cried Henry, "let us not lose an instant; if weare recognized it will be all over with us."
"Wait, sire. Do you suppose I want to leave my sword in the body of thiswretch?" and De Mouy approached Maurevel, who lay apparently withoutsign of life.
But just as he took hold of his sword, which was run through Maurevel'sbody, the latter raised himself, and with the gun the soldier haddropped fired directly at De Mouy's breast.
The young man fell without a cry. He was killed outright.
Henry rushed at Maurevel, but the latter had fallen again, and theking's sword pierced only a dead body.
It was necessary to flee. The noise had attracted a large number ofpersons; the night watch might arrive at any moment. Henry looked aroundto see if there was any face he knew, and gave a cry of delight onrecognizing La Huriere.
As the scene had occurred at the foot of the Croix du Trahoir, that is,opposite the Rue de l'Arbre Sec, our old friend, whose naturally gloomydisposition had been still further saddened since the death of La Moleand Coconnas, his two favorite lodgers, had left his furnaces and hispans in the midst of his preparations for the King of Navarre's supper,and had run to the fight.
"My dear La Huriere, I commend De Mouy to your care, although I greatlyfear nothing can be done for him. Take him to your inn, and if he stilllive, spare nothing. Here is my purse. As to the other, leave him in thegutter, that he may die like a dog."
"And yourself?" said La Huriere.
"I have a farewell to make. I must hasten, but in ten minutes I shall bewith you. Have my horses ready."
Henry immediately set out towards the Croix des Petits Champs; but as heturned from the Rue de Grenelle he stopped in terror.
A large crowd was before the door.
"What is the matter?" asked Henry. "What is going on in the house?"
"Oh!" answered the man addressed, "a terrible affair, monsieur. Abeautiful young woman has just been stabbed by her husband, to whom anote had been given informing him that his wife was here with herlover."
"And the husband?" cried Henry.
"Has escaped."
"And the wife?"
"She is in the house."
"Dead?"
"Not yet, but, thank God, there is scarcely any hope."
"Oh!" exclaimed
Henry, "I am accursed indeed!" and he rushed into thehouse.
The room was full of people standing around a bed on which lay poorCharlotte, who had been stabbed twice.
Her husband, who had hidden his jealousy for two years, had seized thisopportunity to avenge himself on her.
"Charlotte! Charlotte!" cried Henry, pushing through the crowd andfalling on his knees before the bed.
Charlotte opened her beautiful eyes, already veiled by death, anduttered a cry which caused the blood to flow afresh from her two wounds.Making an effort to rise, she said:
"Oh! I well knew I could not die without seeing you again!"
And as if she had waited only for that moment to return to Henry thesoul he had so loved, she pressed her lips to the King's forehead, againwhispered for a last time, "I love you!" and fell back dead.
Henry could not remain longer without risking his own life. He drew hisdagger, cut a lock of the beautiful blonde hair which he had so oftenloosened that he might admire its length, and went out sobbing, in themidst of the tears of all present, who did not doubt but that they wereweeping for persons of high degree.
"Friend! mistress!" cried Henry in despair--"all forsake me, all leaveme, all fail me at once!"
"Yes, sire," said a man in a low tone, who had left the group in frontof the house, and who had followed Henry; "but you still have thethrone!"
"Rene!" exclaimed Henry.
"Yes, sire, Rene, who is watching over you. That scoundrel Maureveluttered your name as he died. It is known you are in Paris; the archersare hunting for you. Flee! Flee!"
"And you say that I shall be King, Rene? I, a fugitive?"
"Look, sire," said the Florentine, pointing to a brilliant star, whichappeared from behind the folds of a black cloud, "it is not I who sayso, but the star!"
Henry heaved a sigh, and disappeared in the darkness.
END.
FOOTNOTES:
[1]
"To uphold the faith I am beautiful and trusty. To the king's enemies I am beautiful and cruel."
[2] Bons chiens chassent de race.
[3]
From up above to down below Gaspard was flung, And then from down below to high above was hung.
[4]
Here lies--the term the question begs, For him you need a word that's stronger: Here hangs the admiral by the legs-- Because he has a head no longer!
[5]
Hawthorn brightly blossoming, Thou dost fling Verdant shadows down the river; Thou art clad from top to roots With long shoots On which graceful leaflets quiver.
Here the poetic nightingale Ne'er doth fail-- Having sung his love to capture-- To repair to consecrate, 'Neath thy verdure, hours of rapture.
Therefore live, O Hawthorn fair, Live fore'er! May no thunder bolt dare smite thee! May no axe or cruel blast Overcast! May the tooth of time....
[6] _Raffines_ or _raffine d'honneur_ was a term applied in the 16thcentury to men sensitively punctilious and ready to draw their swords atthe slightest provocation.--N.H.D.
[7] The original has _a l'aide d'une promenade_.
[8] "Who are standing by my litter?"
"Two pages and an outrider."
"Good! They are barbarians! Tell me, La Mole, whom did you find in yourroom?"
"Duke Francois."
"Doing what?"
"I do not know."
"With whom?"
"With a stranger."
[9] "I am alone; enter, my dear."
[10] She was in the habit of carrying a large farthingale, containingpockets, in each of which she put a gold box in which was the heart ofone of her dead lovers; for she was careful as they died to have theirhearts embalmed. This farthingale hung every night from a hook which wassecured by a padlock behind the headboard of her bed. (Tallemant DesReaux, _History of Marguerite of Valois_.)
[11]
Fair duchess, your dear eyes Are emerald skies, Half hid 'neath cloud-lids white, Whence fiercer lightning flies, Launched forth for our surprise, Than could arise From twenty Joves in furious might.
[12] Charles IX. had married Elizabeth of Austria, daughter ofMaximilian.
[13] Had this natural child, no other than the famous Duc d'Angouleme,who died in 1650, been legitimate, he would have supplanted Henry III.,Henry IV., Louis XIII., and Louis XIV. What would he have given in placeof them? The imagination gropes hopelessly about among the shadows ofsuch a question.
[14]
"Thus had perished one who was feared, Sooner, too soon, would he have died, had it not been for prudence."
[15] Your unlooked-for presence in this court would overwhelm my husbandand myself with joy, did it not bring with it a great misfortune, thatis, the loss not only of a brother, but also that of a friend.
[16] We are heartbroken at being separated from you, when we should havepreferred going with you, but the same fate which decrees that you mustleave Paris without delay, retains us in this city. Go, therefore, dearbrother; go, dear friend; go without us. Our hopes and our good wishesfollow you.
[17] He who beats on the wall will never get into the castle.
[18] Textual.
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