having previously rendered himself
obnoxious to the monarch by his marked attentions to the Marquise de
Verneuil, the latter was anxious to see him married, and thus to rid
himself of a dangerous rival. Such an alliance must, moreover, as he at
once felt, deeply wound the pride of the Guises, whom it was his
interest to humble by every means in his power; and accordingly he
hastened upon leaving Madame de Moret to summon the young Prince to his
presence, and to insist upon the fulfilment of his promise.

Startled by so unexpected an order, M. de Joinville feigned a ready
compliance, but on his dismissal from the royal closet he expressed his
indignation in no measured terms, declaring that had any other than the
sovereign proposed to him so disgraceful an alliance, whatever might
have been his rank, he would have resented the insult upon the instant;
while no sooner did the Duchess his mother become apprised of the
circumstance, than she hastened to throw herself at the feet of the
King, beseeching him rather to take her life than to subject her son to
such dishonour.

"Rise, Madame," said Henry gravely; "yours is a petition which I cannot
grant, as I never yet took the life of any woman, and have still to
learn the possibility of doing so."

"A Guise, Sire," pursued the haughty Duchess, as she once more stood
erect before him, "cannot marry the mistress of any man, even although
that man should chance to be his monarch."

"Every man, Madame," retorted the King, "must pay the penalty of seeking
to humiliate his sovereign, even although that man be a Guise."

"M. de Joinville, Sire, shall never become the husband of Jacqueline de
Bueil."

"Neither, Madame," said the King angrily, "shall he ever become her
gallant. This is not the first occasion upon which he has had the
insolence to interpose between me and my favourites. I have not yet
forgotten his intrigue with Madame de Verneuil; and if I pardoned him
upon that occasion, it was not on his own account, but from respect for
the relationship which exists between us. Neither, Madame, has it
escaped my memory that the House of Guise endeavoured to wrest from me
the crown of France; and, in short, finding myself so ill-requited for
my indulgence, I am weary of exercising a lenity which has degenerated
into weakness. Your son is at perfect liberty to marry my mistress,
since he has seen fit to desire it, and he shall do so, or repent his
obduracy in the Bastille, whe