y wise
and firm statesmanship lifted the country from bankruptcy to
prosperity and contentment.

[Illustration: HOTEL DE SULLY.]

Henry, like one of his predecessors, had of _bastards et bastardes une
moult belle compagnie_, but as yet no legitimate heir. A divorce from
Marguerite of Valois and a politic marriage with the pope's niece,
Marie de' Medici,[125] gave him a magnificent dowry (600,000 golden
crowns and a yearly income of 20,000), an additional bond to the
papacy, and several children. Margot, once convinced that the divorce
was not to enable Henry to marry that _bagasse_ Gabrielle, made small
objection and soon consoled herself. In 1606 one of her discarded
lovers was executed in front of her dwelling in the palace of the
archbishop of Sens for having shot his rival in her affections, a
young page of twenty, as he was handing her into her carriage.

[Footnote 125: Her majesty, we learn from the _Memoires_ of L'Estoile,
was of a rich figure, stout, fine eyes and complexion. She used no
paint, powder or other _vilanie_.]

Like all his race, Henry was susceptible to the charms of the
daughters of Eve, but, unlike his descendants, he never sacrificed
France to their tears and wiles. When the question of the succession
was urgent and he thought of marrying Gabrielle d'Estrees, Sully
opposed the union. The impatient Gabrielle used all her powers of
fascination to compass the dismissal of the great minister, who was
present at the interview in her room at the cloister of St. Germain,
and who has left us a vivid description of the scene. Gabrielle burst
into passionate reproaches and employed in turn all the arts of
feminine guile. Her eyes streaming with tears, sobbing and wailing,
she seized her royal lover's hand and smothered it with kisses; she
called for a poignard that by plunging it into her heart he might
behold his image graven there; she appealed to his love for their
children and flung herself hysterically on the bed, protesting she
could live no longer seeing herself disgraced, and a servant whom so
many complained of, preferred to a mistress whom all praised. It was
of no avail. "Let me tell you," answered Henry, calmly, "if I must
choose between you and Sully, I would sooner part with ten mistresses
such as you than one faithful servant such as he."

In 1610 the king was making great preparations for a war with Austria,
and, on the 14th May, desiring to consult Sully, who was unwell in his
rooms