furniture was against the wall.

"'There he has been, ever since. Two or three times a day I have
managed to steal away from my work, to carry him water and food
that I brought from the kitchen, when we went down to our meals.
For a time, I thought he would die; for four days he did not know
me. He talked much to himself and, several times, he mentioned the
name of Philip, and called upon him to aid him against the
murderers. Fortunately he was so weak that he could not speak much
above a whisper, and there was no fear of his voice being heard.

"'The day after I hid him, the whole palace was searched to see if
any Huguenots were concealed. But up in the attics they searched
but carelessly, seeing that we slept three or four in each room,
and no one could well be hidden there without all knowing it. They
did enter the lumber room. But I had carefully washed the floor
where he had lain and, as I could not get out the stains of blood,
I pushed some heavy chests over them.

"'I was in my room when they searched the lumber room, and my heart
stood still until I heard them come out, and knew that they had
found nothing.

"'For the last ten days, the count has gained strength. His wounds
are still very sore and painful, but they are beginning to heal. I
have bought wine for him, and can always manage to conceal enough
food, from the table, to suffice for his wants. He can walk now,
though feebly; and spoke to me but today about making his escape.

"'It would be easy enough to get him out of the palace, if I had a
lackey's attire for him. I could lead him down private staircases
till near the door from which we come out of the palace. But I had
little money, for I had sent off most of my wages to my mother,
only a day or two before the royal wedding. Still, we might have
managed that; I could have borrowed some, on some pretence or
other.

"'He is, however, too weak to travel, and the effort to do so might
cause his wounds to burst out afresh; but now that his cousin has
come, all will be well.'

"'Where is he wounded?' I asked.

"'He has four wounds. One is on the head; another on the neck; one
is a stab in the body, that must have narrowly missed his heart;
and the other is a sword thrust, through his arm.

"'But how, monsieur, did you know,' she asked, 'that it is I who
have hidden the count?'

"I told her that I had been watching for four days, feeling sure
that the count was hidden in the palace; but hers w