ocating her cause;[244] and so
dangerously active had the cabal become in the Eternal City that the
Cardinal d'Ossat considered it expedient to address a letter to the
French Government upon the subject, which implicated in this wild
conspiracy both the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy, who, through
the agency of Father Hilaire, were represented as upholding the
pretensions of Madame de Verneuil. These circumstances, and especially
the notoriety of a fact which involved alike the dignity of her husband
and her own honour, so greatly exasperated the temper of the Queen that
she no longer attempted to control her irritation; and on one occasion
when, as was constantly the case, the pretended claim of the Marquise
became the subject of discord between the royal couple, Marie so
thoroughly forgot the respect which she owed to the King that she raised
her hand to strike him. Fortunately, however, for both parties, the Duc
de Sully, who was present during the altercation, and who instantly
detected her intention, sprang forward and seized her arm; but in his
haste he was compelled to do this so roughly that she afterwards
declared he had given her a blow, adding, however, that she was grateful
to him for having thus preserved her from a worse evil.

So great, indeed, was her sense of the obligation thus conferred, that
thenceforward Marie regarded the finance minister with more favour than
she had hitherto done; and occasionally requested his advice during her
misunderstandings with the King. She could not have chosen a safer
counsellor, for although Sully does not, in any instance, attempt to
disguise his dislike to the Tuscan princess, he was incapable of
betraying so sacred a trust; and if, as generally occurs in such cases,
his advice was frequently neglected, she never once had cause to
question its propriety.

A short time subsequent to the scene we have just described the Queen
sent to request the presence of the minister in her closet, where he
found her conversing with Concini, and evidently much excited. On his
entrance she informed him that she was weary of the infidelities of the
monarch; that the jealousy which he constantly kept alive alike
undermined her health and destroyed her happiness; and that she had
determined to follow the advice of her faithful servant, there present,
and to communicate to his Majesty certain advances which had been made
to her by some of the Court nobles, who were less insensible