st upon him.

As it was utterly impossible to propose such a measure to Marie de
Medicis as that of dismissing her most favoured attendants until a
perfect reconciliation had been effected between the royal couple, it
was to that object that the prudent minister first turned his attention;
and so successful did he ultimately prove, that after a brief
correspondence the King and Queen had an interview, during which the
whole of their recent misunderstanding was calmly discussed, and
declared by both parties to have been occasioned by the ill-judged
interference of those by whom they were severally surrounded; nor did
they separate until they had mutually pledged themselves to consign the
past to oblivion, and thenceforward to close their ears against all the
gossiping of the Court.

The effect produced by this matrimonial truce (for it was unfortunately
nothing more, and lasted only for the short space of three weeks) was of
the most happy description. Nothing was seen or heard of save projects
of amusement, which, not content with absorbing the present, extended
also into the future. This calm, like those by which it had been
preceded, was not, however, fated to realize the hopes of either party.
Henry was too much addicted to pleasure to fulfil his part of the
compact, while the Queen had, unhappily for her own peace, so long
accustomed herself to listen to the comments and complaints of her
favourites, that it was not long ere they found her as well disposed as
she had previously been to lend a willing ear to their communications.
In Madame de Verneuil they, of course, possessed a fruitful topic; and
as Marie, despite all her good resolutions, could not restrain her
curiosity with regard to the proceedings of this obnoxious personage,
she ere long betrayed her knowledge of the new affronts to which she had
been subjected by the Marquise.

The result of this unfortunate enlightenment was such as, from her
impulsive character, might justly have been anticipated. She no sooner
found herself in the society of the King than she once more assailed
him with invectives and reproaches which he was of no temper to brook;
and in this new dilemma Sully resolved, as a last and crowning effort to
establish peace, to suggest to Marie that as her happiness had again
been destroyed solely by the evil tongues about her, she should secure
to herself the gratitude and affection of her royal consort by
dismissing all her Italian househ