hey mingled with it to
be refilled with another wine of equal strength, but so limpid as to be
utterly undistinguishable to the eye from the purer liquid for which it
had been substituted. The consequences of this cruel pleasantry may be
inferred; the heat, the movement, and the noise by which they were
surrounded, together with the increased thirst caused by the insidious
draughts that they were unconsciously imbibing, only induced the
unfortunate Florentines to recur the more perseveringly to their
refreshing libations; and at length the results became so apparent as to
attract the notice of the King, who, already prepossessed like Sully
himself against the Queen's foreign retinue, laughed heartily at a piece
of treachery which he appeared to consider as the most amusing feature
of the entertainment.[133]

During the succeeding days several ballets were danced by the young
nobles of the Court; and a tournament, open to all comers, and at which
the Queen presented the prizes to the victors, was held at the
Pont-au-Change.

At the close of Lent, the Duchesse de Bar, the King's sister, and her
father-in-law, the Duc de Lorraine, arrived in France to welcome the new
sovereign; who, together with her consort, met them at Monceaux, which
estate, lately the property of _la belle Gabrielle_> Henry had, after
her arrival in the capital, presented to his wife. Here the Court
festivals were renewed; and had the heart and mind of Marie been at
ease, her life must have seemed rather like a brilliant dream than a
sober reality. Such, however, was far from being the case; for already
the seeds of domestic discord which had been sown before her marriage
were beginning to germinate. Madame de Verneuil was absent from the
Court, and it was evident to every individual of whom it was composed,
that the King rather tolerated than shared in the gaieties by which he
was surrounded.

Bassompierre relates that during this sojourn at Monceaux, while Henry
was standing apart with himself, M. de Sully, and the Chancellor, he
suddenly informed them that the favourite had confided to him a proposal
of marriage which she had received from a prince, on condition that she
should be enabled to bring with her a dowry of a hundred thousand
crowns; and inquired if they would advise him to sacrifice so large a
sum for such a purpose. "Sire," replied M. de Bellievre, "I am of
opinion that you would do well to give the young lady the hundred
thousand cr