t time he had been his companion,
perceived that there was much more in him than appeared on the
surface; and that, beside his frank bonhomie manner, there was a
fund of shrewdness and common sense. Moreover, without being
ambitious, it is pleasant for a young man to know that one, who may
some day be a great prince, has conceived a good opinion of him.

He took Francois' letter down to his uncle Gaspard, and read
portions of it to him. Gaspard sat thoughtful, for some time, after
he had finished.

"It is new to me," he said at last. "I believed the general report
that Henry of Navarre was a frank, careless young fellow, fond of
the chase, and, like his mother, averse to all court ceremony;
likely enough to make a good soldier, but without ambition, and
without marked talent. If what Francois says is true--and it seems
that you are inclined to agree with him--it may make a great
difference in the future of France. The misfortune of the
Huguenots, hitherto, has been that they have been ready to fall
into any trap that the court of France might set for them and, on
the strength of a few hollow promises, to throw away all the
advantages they had gained by their efforts and courage, in spite
of their experience that those promises were always broken, as soon
as they laid down their arms.

"In such an unequal contest they must always be worsted and, honest
and straightforward themselves, they are no match for men who have
neither truth nor conscience. If they had but a leader as politic
and astute as the queen mother and the Guises, they might possibly
gain their ends. If Henry of Navarre turns out a wise and politic
prince, ready to match his foes with their own weapons, he may win
for the Huguenots what they will never gain with their own swords.

"But mind you, they will hardly thank him for it. My wife and your
mother would be horrified were I to say that, as a Catholic, Henry
of Navarre would be able to do vastly more, to heal the long open
sore and to secure freedom of worship for the Huguenots, than he
ever could do as a Huguenot. Indeed, I quite agree with what he
says, that as a Huguenot he can never hold the throne of France."

Philip uttered an exclamation of indignation.

"You cannot think, uncle, that he will ever change his religion?"

"I know nothing about him, beyond what you and your cousin say,
Philip. There are Huguenots, and Huguenots. There are men who would
die at the stake, rather than give up