"Go, that will set a good example, and to-morrow you will give me news of him."
"Then, madame, I will go, since you approve of this step."
"Oh," said Catharine, "my approval is nothing – But who goes there? Send him away, send him away."
Henry started to go to the door to carry out Catharine's order; but at the same instant the portière was raised and Madame de Sauve showed her blond head.
"Madame," said she, "it is Réné, the perfumer, whom your majesty sent for."
Catharine cast a glance as quick as lightning at Henry of Navarre.
The young prince turned slightly red and then fearfully pale. Indeed, the name of his mother's assassin had been spoken; he felt that his face betrayed his emotion, and he went and leaned against the bar of the window.
The little greyhound growled.
At the same moment two persons entered – the one announced, and the other having no need to be so.
The first was Réné, the perfumer, who approached Catharine with all the servile obsequiousness of Florentine servants. He held in his hand a box, which he opened, and all the compartments were seen filled with powders and flasks.
The second was Madame de Lorraine, Marguerite's eldest sister. She entered by a small secret door, which led from the King's closet, and, all pale and trembling, and hoping not to be observed by Catharine, who was examining, with Madame de Sauve, the contents of the box brought by René, seated herself beside Marguerite, near whom the King of Navarre was standing, with his hand on his brow, like one who tries to rouse himself from some sudden shock.
At this instant Catharine turned round.
"Daughter," she said to Marguerite, "you may retire to your room. My son, you may go and amuse yourself in the city."
Marguerite rose, and Henry turned half round.
Madame de Lorraine seized Marguerite's hand.
"Sister," she whispered, with great quickness, "in the name of the Duc de Guise, who now saves you, as you saved him, do not go from here – do not go to your apartments."
"Eh! what say you, Claude?" inquired Catharine, turning round.
"Nothing, mother."
"You were whispering to Marguerite."
"Simply to wish her good-night, and convey a greeting to her from the Duchesse de Nevers."
"And where is that fair duchess?"
"At her brother-in-law's, M. de Guise's."
Catharine looked suspiciously at the women and frowning:
"Come here, Claude," said the queen mother.
Claude obeyed, and the queen seized her hand.
"What did you say to her, indiscreet girl that you are?" she murmured, squeezing her daughter's wrist until she nearly shrieked with pain.
"Madame," said Henry to his wife, having lost nothing of the movements of the queen, Claude, or Marguerite, – "madame, will you allow me the honor of kissing your hand?"
Marguerite extended her trembling hand.
"What did she say to you?" whispered Henry, as he stooped to imprint a kiss on her hand.
"Not to go out. In the name of Heaven, do not you go out either!"
This was like a flash; but by its light, swift as it was, Henry at once detected a complete plot.
"This is not all," added Marguerite; "here is a letter, which a country gentleman brought."
"Monsieur de la Mole?"
"Yes."
"Thank you," he said, taking the letter and putting it under his doublet; and, passing in front of his bewildered wife, he placed his hand on the shoulder of the Florentine.
"Well, Maître Réné!" he said, "and how go commercial affairs?"
"Pretty well, monseigneur, – pretty well," replied the poisoner, with his perfidious smile.
"I should think so," said Henry, "with men who, like you, supply all the crowned heads at home and abroad."
"Except the King of Navarre," replied the Florentine, impudently.
"Ventre saint gris, Maître Réné," replied the king, "you are right; and yet my poor mother, who also bought of you, recommended you to me with her dying breath. Come to me to-morrow, Maître Réné, or day after to-morrow, and bring your best perfumes."
"That would not be a bad notion," said Catharine, smiling; "for it is said" —
"That I need some perfumery," interrupted Henry, laughing; "who told you that, mother? Was it Margot?"
"No, my son," replied Catharine, "it was Madame de Sauve."
At this moment the Duchesse de Lorraine, who in spite of all her efforts could no longer contain herself, burst into loud sobs.
Henry did not even turn toward her.
"Sister, what is the matter?" cried Marguerite, darting toward Claude.
"Nothing," said Catharine, passing between the two young women, "nothing; she has those nervous attacks, for which Mazille prescribes aromatic preparations."
And again, and with still more force than before, she pressed her eldest daughter's arm; then, turning toward the youngest:
"There, Margot," she said, "did you not hear me request you to retire to your room? If that is not sufficient, I command you."
"Excuse me, madame," replied Marguerite, trembling and pale; "I wish your majesty good-night."
"I hope your wishes may be heard. Good-night – good-night!"
Marguerite withdrew, staggering, and in vain seeking to meet her husband's eyes, but he did not even turn toward her.
There was a moment's silence, during which Catharine remained with her eyes fastened on the Duchess of Lorraine, who, without speaking, looked at her mother with clasped hands.
Henry's back was still turned, but he was watching the scene in a mirror, while seeming to curl his mustache with a pomade which Réné had just given to him.
"And you, Henry," said Catharine, "are you still intending to go out?"
"Yes, that's true," exclaimed the king. "Faith, I was forgetting that the Duc d'Alençon and the Prince de Condé are waiting for me! These are admirable perfumes; they quite overpower one, and destroy one's memory. Good evening, madame."
"Good evening! To-morrow you will perhaps bring me tidings of the admiral."
"Without fail – Well, Phœbe, what is it?"
"Phœbe!" said the queen mother, impatiently.
"Call her, madame," said the Béarnais, "for she will not allow me to go out."
The queen mother rose, took the little greyhound by the collar, and held her while Henry left the apartment, with his features as calm and smiling as if he did not feel in his heart that his life was in imminent peril.
Behind him the little dog, set free by Catharine de Médicis, rushed to try and overtake him, but the door was closed, and Phœbe could only put her long nose under the tapestry and give a long and mournful howl.
"Now, Charlotte," said Catharine to Madame de Sauve, "go and find Messieurs de Guise and Tavannes, who are in my oratory, and return with them; then remain with the Duchess of Lorraine, who has the vapors."
CHAPTER VII
THE NIGHT OF THE 24TH OF AUGUST, 1572
When La Mole and Coconnas had finished their supper – and it was meagre enough, for the fowls of La Belle Étoile had their pin feathers singed only on the sign – Coconnas whirled his chair around on one leg, stretched out his feet, leaned one elbow on the table, and drinking a last glass of wine, said:
"Do you mean to go to bed instantly, Monsieur