, D'Alencon. It
is the King of Navarre!"

"Never," cried Catherine, "shall my race yield to a foreign one! Never
shall a Bourbon reign while a Valois lives!"

She left the room, followed by D'Alencon.

"Henry," said Charles, "after my death you will be great and powerful.
D'Anjou will not leave Poland--they will not let him. D'Alencon is a
traitor. You alone are capable of governing. It is not the regency only,
but the throne I give you."

A stream of blood choked his speech.

"The fatal moment is come," said Henry. "Am I to reign, or to live?"

"Live, sire!" a voice answered, and Rene appeared. "The queen has sent
me to ruin you, but I have faith in your star. It is foretold that you
shall be king. Do you know that the King of Poland will be here very
soon? He has been summoned by the queen. A messenger has come from
Warsaw. You shall be king, but not yet."

"What shall I do, then?"

"Fly instantly to where your friends wait for you."

Henry stooped and kissed his brother's forehead, then disappeared down a
secret passage, passed through the postern, and, springing on his horse,
galloped off.

"He flies! The King of Navarre flies!" cried the sentinels.

"Fire on him! Fire!" said the queen.

The sentinels levelled their pieces, but the king was out of reach.

"He flies!" muttered D'Alencon. "I am king, then!"

At the same moment the drawbridge was hastily lowered, and Henry d'Anjou
galloped into the court, followed by four knights, crying, "France!
France!"

"My son!" cried Catherine joyfully.

"Am I too late?" said D'Anjou.

"No. You are just in time. Listen!"

The captain of the king's guards appeared at the balcony of the king's
apartment. He broke the wand he held in two places, and holding a piece
in either hand, called out three times, "King Charles the Ninth is
dead!"

King Charles the Ninth is dead! King Charles the Ninth is dead!"

"Charles the Ninth is dead!" said Catherine, crossing herself. "God save
Henry the Third!"

All repeated the cry.

"I have conquered," said Catherine, "and the odious Bourbon shall not
reign!"

* * * * *

The Black Tulip

"The Black Tulip," published in 1850, was the last of
Alexandre Dumas' more famous stories, and ranks deservedly
high among the short novels of its prolific author. Dumas
visited Holland in May, 1849, in order to be present at the
coronation of William III. at Amsterdam