, Henry--your Henry--and I swear
to you that what she says is false!"

"I think so, too, Margot. But Henry is safe. Safer in disgrace in
Vincennes than in favour at the Louvre."

"Oh, thanks, thanks! But there is another person in whose welfare I am
interested, whom I hardly dare mention to my brother, much less to my
king."

"M. de la Mole, is it not? But do you know that a figure dressed in
royal robes and pierced to the heart was found in his rooms?"

"I know it; but it was the figure of a woman, not of a man."

"And the needle?"

"Was a charm not to kill a man, but to make a woman love him."

"What was the name of this woman?"

"Marguerite!" cried the queen, throwing herself down and bathing the
king's hand in her tears.

"Margot, what if I know the real author of the crime? For a crime has
been committed, and I have not three months to live. I am poisoned, but
it must be thought I die by magic."

"You know who is guilty?"

"Yes; but it must be kept from the world, and so it must be believed I
die of magic, and by the agency of him they accuse."

"But it is monstrous!" exclaimed Marguerite. "You know he is innocent.
Pardon him--pardon him!"

"I know it, but the world must believe him guilty. Let your friend die.
His death alone can save the honour of our family. I am dying that the
secret may be preserved."

M. de la Mole, after enduring excruciating tortures at the hand of
Catherine, without making any admissions, died on the scaffold.

_IV--"The Bourbon Shall Not Reign_!"

Before he died Charles showed Catherine the poisoned book, which he had
kept under lock and key.

"And now burn it, madame. I read this book too much, so fond was I of
the chase. And the world must not know the weaknesses of kings. When it
is burnt, please summon my brother Henry. I wish to speak to him about
the regency."

Catherine brought Henry of Navarre to the king, and warned him that if
he accepted the regency he was a dead man.

Charles, however, though on his death-bed, declared Henry should be
regent.

"Madame," he said, addressing his mother, "if I had a son he would be
king, and you would be regent. In your stead, did you decline, the King
of Poland would be regent; and in his stead, D'Alencon. But I have no
son, and therefore the throne belongs to D'Anjou, who is absent. To make
D'Alencon regent is to invite civil war. I have therefore chosen the
fittest person for regent Salute him, madame; salute him