ere within her reach.

The Comte d'Auvergne, although he had been a second time pardoned by
Henry, who was ever too ready to receive him into favour, and was wont
to declare that although he was a _prodigal son_ he could never make up
his mind to see the offspring of his King and brother-in-law perish upon
a scaffold,[252] was devotedly attached to his sister, and of an
intriguing spirit which delighted in every species of cabal and
conspiracy; while Francois de Balzac d'Entragues, her father,
overlooking the fact that he had himself become the husband of a woman
whose reputation was lost before their marriage, talked loudly of the
dishonour which the King had brought upon his family, and moreover
resented, with great reason, an attempt made by Henry to seduce his
younger daughter, Marie de Balzac.

For this lady, who subsequently became the mistress of Bassompierre, the
King conceived so violent a passion that, although at that period in his
fiftieth year, he did not hesitate to assume the disguise of a peasant
in order to meet her in the forest of Verneuil. The appointment had,
however, become known to M. d'Entragues, who, exasperated by this second
affront, and indignant at the persevering licentiousness of the monarch,
stationed himself with fifteen devoted adherents in different quarters
of the wood in order to take his life. Happily for Henry, he was well
mounted, and on being attacked, defended himself so resolutely that he
escaped almost by a miracle.

The disappointment of M. d'Entragues at this failure was so great that
he compelled his daughter to propose another meeting in a solitary spot
which he indicated, and where he made every preparation to secure the
assassination of the imprudent monarch; but although she despatched the
letter containing the assignation, Marie de Balzac found means to
apprise her royal lover of the reception which awaited him, and he
consequently failed to keep the appointment.[253] That the Comte
d'Entragues, twice foiled in his meditated vengeance, should lend
himself willingly to any conspiracy against the honour and life of his
sovereign, is consequently scarcely surprising, when we remember how
many nobles had in turn caballed against Henri IV with scarcely a
pretext for their disloyalty; and meanwhile Madame de Verneuil, fully
conscious of the hatred of Philip of Spain for the French King, had no
sooner resolved upon revenge than she at once turned her attention
towards that