eep
sanctity, raised up his eyes, and hastened to adjust newer and surer
schemes of ambition.

With such purpose, Louis ordered the attendance of his astrologer,
Martius Galeotti, who appeared with his usual air of assumed dignity,
yet not without a shade of uncertainty on his brow, as if he had doubted
the King's kind reception. It was, however, favourable, even beyond the
warmest which he had ever met with at any former interview. Louis termed
him his friend, his father in the sciences--the glass by which a king
should look into distant futurity--and concluded by thrusting on his
finger a ring of very considerable value. Galeotti, not aware of the
circumstances which had thus suddenly raised his character in the
estimation of Louis, yet understood his own profession too well to let
that ignorance be seen. He received with grave modesty the praises of
Louis, which he contended were only due to the nobleness of the
science which he practised, a science the rather the more deserving of
admiration on account of its working miracles through means of so feeble
an agent as himself; and he and the King took leave, for once much
satisfied with each other.

On the Astrologer's departure, Louis threw himself into a chair,
and appearing much exhausted, dismissed the rest of his attendants,
excepting Oliver alone, who, creeping around with gentle assiduity and
noiseless step, assisted him in the task of preparing for repose.

While he received this assistance, the King, unlike to his wont, was so
silent and passive, that his attendant was struck by the unusual
change in his deportment. The worst minds have often something of
good principle in them--banditti show fidelity to their captain, and
sometimes a protected and promoted favourite has felt a gleam of sincere
interest in the monarch to whom he owed his greatness. Oliver le Diable,
le Mauvais (or by whatever other name he was called expressive of his
evil propensities), was, nevertheless, scarcely so completely identified
with Satan as not to feel some touch of grateful feeling for his master
in this singular condition, when, as it seemed, his fate was deeply
interested and his strength seemed to be exhausted. After for a short
time rendering to the King in silence the usual services paid by a
servant to his master at the toilette, the attendant was at length
tempted to say, with the freedom which his Sovereign's indulgence had
permitted him in such circumstances, "Tete die