ile they continued their route to Fontainebleau.

Early the next day M. de Villeroy in his turn reached the palace, and at
once proceeded to the royal closet; where, at the command of the King,
he began to read aloud the papers which had been thus obtained; but he
had not proceeded beyond the name of the accused when Henry vehemently
interrupted him by exclaiming:

"And where is this L'Hote, your secretary? Have you caused him to be
arrested?"

"I think, Sire," was the reply, "that he is at my hotel; but he is still
at liberty."

"How, Sir!" said the King still more angrily; "you think that he is at
your hotel, and you have not had him seized? This is strange negligence!
What have you been about since you were informed of this act of treason,
to which you should at once have attended? See to it instantly, and
secure the culprit."

The Duc de Villeroy quitted the royal presence in anxious haste, and
made his way to the capital with all speed, feeling convinced that
should he fail in arresting his delinquent secretary he could not escape
the suspicion of the King. L'Hote had, however, profited by the
intervening time to explain his predicament to the Spanish ambassador,
who instantly perceived that not a moment must be lost. Horses were
accordingly provided, and the detected traitor, accompanied by the
steward of the ambassador, made the best of his way to Meaux, whence
they were to travel post to Luxembourg.

Orders had, meanwhile, been despatched to all the postmasters not to
supply horses to any traveller answering the description of L'Hote; but
as he wore a Spanish costume similar to that of his companion he might
still have passed undetected, had he not, while endeavouring to mount at
Meaux, trembled so violently as to fall from his saddle; a circumstance
which attracted the attention of the groom who held his stirrup, and
who immediately inferred that he must be some criminal who was flying
from justice. On re-entering the house he related the incident to his
master; and upon comparing the height, and bulk, and features of the
fugitive with the written detail furnished by the authorities, both
parties became convinced that they had suffered the very individual whom
they were commissioned to arrest to pursue his journey to the frontier
through their own agency; and thus impressed, the terrified postmaster
hastened to the Prevot des Marechaux,[234] who lost no time in following
upon his track. The fugitives had