ured Queen. Of this union a son had been born, possessed,
however, of less patience and self-control than his unhappy parents,
who, after having clung to Marguerite through good and evil fortune, now
found themselves abandoned to all the miseries of poverty and neglect.
This youth, called by L'Etoile Vermond, and by Bassompierre Charmond,
made his way to Paris as best he might, and arrived in the capital after
Marguerite had taken up her residence as already stated in the Faubourg
St. Antoine. There can be no doubt that the utter destitution of his
parents had made him desperate, for he could not rationally indulge the
slightest hope of impunity; suffice it, that as the Princess was
alighting from her coach on her return from attending mass at the abbey
of the Celestines, between mid-day and one o'clock on the 5th of April,
while her favourite stood beside the steps to assist her to descend, the
unhappy Vermond shot him through the head, and then, turning his horse
towards the gate of St. Denis, endeavoured to make his escape. He was,
however, too ill-mounted to succeed in this attempt, the carriage of the
ex-Queen having been followed by many of the nobles who were anxious to
propitiate the favour of the King by so easy a display of respect to the
dethroned Marguerite; and ere he reached the barrier the wretched young
man found himself a prisoner.

The body of his victim had, meanwhile, been conveyed to an apartment on
the ground floor of the hotel, where on his arrival he was immediately
confronted with it; but no sign of remorse or regret was visible as he
gazed upon the corpse. "Turn it over," he said huskily, after he had
gazed for awhile upon the glazed eyes and the parted lips. "Let me see
if he be really dead." His request was complied with; and as he became
convinced that life had indeed departed from the already stiffening
form, he exclaimed joyfully: "It is well--I have not failed--my task is
accomplished. Had it been otherwise I could yet have repaired
the error."

When this scene was reported to Marguerite, who, absorbed in the most
passionate grief, had retired to her appartment, she vowed that she
would not touch food until she had vengeance on the murderer; and she
kept her word, as she persisted in her resolution till, on the third day
after he had committed the crime, the unhappy young man was decapitated
in front of the house, and almost upon the very spot still reeking with
the blood of his victim.