No one can enter that without regularly besieging it, and our good men have the right to use their swords there. But what are you looking for under the furniture and in the closets, Monsieur de Coconnas?”
“I am trying to find my friend La Mole,” said the Piedmontese.
“Look in my room, monsieur,” said Marguerite, “there is a certain closet”—
“Very well,” said Coconnas, “I will go there.”
He entered the room.
“Well!” said a voice from the darkness; “where are we?”
“Oh! by Heaven! we have reached the dessert.”
“And the King of Navarre?”
“He has seen nothing. He is a perfect husband, and I wish my wife had one like him. But I fear she never will, even if she marries again.”
“And King Charles?”
“Ah! the King. That is another thing. He has taken off the husband.”
“Really?”
“It is as I tell you. Furthermore, he honored me by looking askance at me when he discovered that I belonged to Monsieur d’Alençon, and cross when he found out that I was your friend.”
“You think, then, that he has heard me spoken of?”
“I fear that he has heard nothing very good of you. But that is not the point. I believe these ladies have a pilgrimage to make to the Rue de Roi de Sicile, and that we are to take them there.”
“Why, that is impossible! You know that very well.”
“How impossible?”
“We are on duty at his royal highness’s.”
“By Heavens, that is so; I always forget that we are ranked, and that from the gentlemen we once were we have had the honor to pass into valets.”
Thereupon the two friends went and told the queen and the duchess the necessity of their being present at least when Monsieur le Duc retired.
“Very well,” said Madame de Nevers, “we will go by ourselves.”
“Might we know where you are going?” asked Coconnas.
“Oh! you are too curious!” said the duchess. “Quære et invenies.”
The young men bowed and went at once to Monsieur d’Alençon.
The duke seemed to be waiting for them in his cabinet.
“Ah! ah!” said he, “you are very late, gentlemen.”
“It is scarcely ten o’clock, monseigneur,” said Coconnas.
The duke drew out his watch.
“That is true,” said he. “And yet every one has gone to sleep in the Louvre.”
“Yes, monsieur, but we are here at your orders. Must we admit into the chamber of your highness the gentlemen who are with the King until he retires?”
“On the contrary, go into the small reception-room and dismiss every one.”
The young men obeyed, carried out the order, which surprised no one, because of the well-known character of the duke, and returned to him.
“Monseigneur,” said Coconnas, “your highness will probably either go to bed or work, will you not?”
“No, gentlemen; you may have leave of absence until tomorrow.”
“Well, well,” whispered Coconnas into La Mole’s ear, “the court is going to stay up all night, apparently. It will be devilishly pleasant. Let us have our share of it.”
And both young men descended the stairs four steps at a time, took their cloaks and their night swords, and hastily left the Louvre after the two ladies, whom they overtook at the corner of the Rue du Coq Saint Honoré.
Meanwhile the Duc d’Alençon, with open eyes and ears, locked himself in his room to await the unexpected events he had been promised.
12. Charles IX. had married Elizabeth of Austria, daughter of Maximilian.
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