yal intervention, and Henry instantly
decided upon visiting the province in person, accompanied by his whole
Court, before the two factions should have time to reconcile their
differences and to deprecate his interference. At the close of February
he accordingly commenced his journey, despite the inclemency of the
weather and the unfavourable condition of the roads, which rendered
travelling difficult and at times even dangerous for the Queen and her
attendant ladies; and pretexting a visit to his sister the Duchesse de
Bar, he advanced to Verdun, where he remained for a few days ere he
finally made his entry into Metz.

So unexpected an apparition paralyzed all parties. M. d'Epernon having
refused to consent to the removal of Sobole, who was, as he knew,
devoted to his interests, had failed to appease the indignation of the
Messinese, who were consequently eager to obtain justice from the King;
while Sobole himself, after a momentary vision of fortifying the citadel
and defying the royal authority, became convinced that his design was
not feasible; and he accordingly obeyed without a murmur the sentence of
banishment pronounced against him, gave up the fortress unconditionally,
and left the province.

Sobole had no sooner resigned his trust than the King appointed M. de
Montigny lieutenant-governor of the province of Messin, and his brother,
M. d'Arquien,[213] lieutenant-governor of the town and fortress; while
the garrison was replaced by a portion of the bodyguard by which the
monarch had been accompanied from the capital.

The vexation of the Duc d'Epernon was extreme, but he dared not
expostulate, although he at once perceived that his power was
annihilated. So long as his lieutenants had been creatures of his own,
his dominion over the province had been absolute; but when they were
thus replaced by officers of the King's selection, his influence became
merely nominal; so great, moreover, had been the tact of Henry, that he
had found means to compel the Duke himself to solicit the dismissal of
Sobole and his brother, in order to assure his own tenure of office; and
he was consequently placed in a position which rendered all semblance of
discontent impossible, while the citizens, delighted to find themselves
thus unexpectedly revenged upon their oppressors, and proud of the
presence of the sovereigns within their walls, were profuse in their
demonstrations of loyalty and attachment.

A slight indisposition havin