Her reason for this expression may be found in the fact that during
three examinations which he underwent the Comte d'Auvergne finally
acknowledged everything, and threw the whole blame upon the Marquise;
feeling convinced that, under every circumstance, her life was safe;
although he had previously (placing the most entire reliance on the
good-faith and secrecy of M. de Chevillard,[273] to whom he had, in
conjunction with his sister, confided the original treaty with Spain,
and never apprehending the discovery of the documents deposited at
Marcoussis), declared his innocence in the most solemn manner; and he
even concluded his address to the commissioners by saying: "Gentlemen,
show me one line of writing by which I can be convicted of having
entered into any treaty, either with the King of Spain or his
ambassador, and I will immediately sign beneath it my own sentence of
death, and condemn myself to be quartered alive."

Nor was the confidence placed by M. d'Auvergne in his friend misplaced;
for when Chevillard was in his turn taken to the Bastille as his
accomplice, he so carefully concealed the treaty in the skirt of his
doublet that it escaped the search of the officials; and on seeing
himself treated as a prisoner of state, he contrived by degrees to
swallow it in his soup, in order that it should not afterwards fall
into their hands in the event of his condemnation.[274]

The indignation of the Marquise may consequently be imagined, when,
after such a declaration as that which he had originally made, she
ascertained that the Count had not only confessed his guilt, but that he
had, moreover, revealed the most minute details of the plot; and in
order to convince the King that he placed himself entirely at his mercy,
had even given up to him the mutual promise made between himself and the
Dues de Bouillon and de Biron on the occasion of the previous
conspiracy. Her arrogance was also encouraged by the fact that Henry,
anxious to find some pretext for pardoning her treachery, sent secretly
to inform her that if she would confess her fault and ask his
forgiveness, it should be granted in consideration of the past, and from
regard for their children; to which message the Marquise vouchsafed no
further reply than that those who had committed no crime required no
pardon; and in addition to this impertinence, on being informed that
some of her friends, anxious to save her in spite of her own obstinacy,
had asserted th