第93章 THE LAST VALOIS.(4)

He did not complete the sentence,but strode to and fro a time or two,his mind,which had a natural inclination towards crooked courses,bent on some scheme by which he might play off the one party against the other.Apparently he was not very successful in finding one,however;or else the ill-luck with which he had supported the League against the Huguenots recurred to his mind.

For he presently stopped,with a sigh,and came back to the point.

'If I knew that Turenne were lying,'be muttered,'then indeed--.

But Rosny promised evidence,and he has sent me none.'

'It is at hand,sire,'I answered,my heart beginning to beat,'Your Majesty will remember that M.de Rosny honoured me with the task of introducing it to you.'

'To be sure,'he replied,awaking as from a dream,and looking and speaking eagerly.Matters to-day have driven everything out of my head.Where is your witness,man?Convince me,and we will act promptly.We will give them Jarnac and Moncontour over again.Is he outside?'

'It is a woman,sire,'I made answer,dashed somewhat by his sudden and feverish alacrity.

'A woman,eh?You have her here?'

'No,sire,'I replied,wondering what he would say to my next piece of information.'She is in Blois,she has arrived,but the truth is--I humbly crave your Majesty's indulgence--she refuses to come or speak.I cannot well bring her here by force,and Ihave sought you,sire,for the purpose of taking your commands in the matter.'

He stared at me in the utmost astonishment.

'Is she young?'he asked after a long pause.

'Yes,sire,'I answered.'She is maid of honour to the Princess of Navarre,and a ward also of the Vicomte de Turenne.'

'Gad!then she is worth hearing,the little rebel!'he replied.

'A ward Of Turenne's is she?Ho!ho!And now she will not speak?My cousin of Navarre now would know how to bring her to her senses,but I have eschewed these vanities.I might send and have her brought,it is true;but a very little thing would cause a barricade to-night.'

'And besides,sire,'I ventured to add,'she is known to Turenne's people here,who have once stolen her away.Were she brought to your Majesty with any degree of openness,they would learn it,and know that the game was lost.'

'Which would not suit me,'he answered,nodding and looking at me gloomily.'They might anticipate our Jarnac;and until we have settled matters with one or the other our person is not too secure.You must go and fetch her.She is at your lodging.She must be brought,man.'

'I will do what you command,sire,'I answered.'But I am greatly afraid that she will not come.'

He lost his temper at that.'Then why,in the devil's name,have you troubled me with the matter?'he cried savagely.'God knows--I don't--why Rosny employed such a man and such a woman.

He might have seen from the cut of your cloak,sir,which is full six months behind the fashion,that you could not manage a woman!

Was ever such damnable folly heard of in this world?But it is Navarre's loss,not mine.It is his loss.And I hope to Heaven it may be yours too!'he added fiercely.

There was so much in what he said that I bent before the storm,and accepted with humility blame which was as natural on his part as it was undeserved on mine.Indeed I could not wonder at his Majesty's anger;nor should I have wondered at it in a greater man.I knew that but for reasons,on which I did not wish to dwell,I should have shared it to the full,and spoken quite as strongly of the caprice which ruined hopes and lives for a whim.

The king continued for some time to say to me all the hard things he could think of.Wearied at last by my patience,he paused,and cried angrily.'Well,have you nothing;to say for yourself?

Can you suggest nothing?'

'I dare not mention to your Majesty,'I said humbly,'what seems to me to be the only alternative.'

'You mean that I should go to the wench!'he answered--for he did not lack quickness.'"SE NON VA EL OTERO A MAHOMA,VAYAMAHOMA AL OTERO,"as Mendoza says.But the saucy quean,to force me to go to her!Did my wife guess--but there,I will go.By God I will go!'he added abruptly and fiercely.'I will live to ruin Retz yet!Where is your lodging?'

I told him,wondering much at this flash of the old spirit,which twenty years before had won him a reputation his later life did nothing to sustain.

'Do you know,'he asked,speaking with sustained energy and clearness,'the door by which M.de Rosny entered to talk with me?Can you find it in the dark?'

'Yes,sire,'I answered,my heart beating high.

'Then be in waiting there two hours before midnight,'he replied.

'Be well armed,but alone.I shall know how to make the girl speak.I can trust you,I suppose?'he added suddenly,stepping nearer to me and looking fixedly into my eyes.

'I will answer for your Majesty's life with my own,'I replied,sinking on one knee.

'I believe you,sir,'he answered gravely,giving me his hand to kiss,and then turning away.'So be it.Now leave me.You have been here too long already.Not a word to any one as you value your life.'

I made fitting answer and was leaving him;but when I had my head already on the curtain,he called me back.'In Heaven's name get a new cloak!'he said peevishly,eyeing me all over with his face puckered up.'Get a new cloak,man,the first thing in the morning.It is worse seen from the side than the front.It would ruin the cleverest courtier of them all!'