sed a little lower down, Sire," replied Leoni;
"but we dared not stay for fear the pursuers might be searching either
bank."

"Let them search and find if they will," cried the King. "I must have
refreshment before I do more."

"Your Majesty wishes us to row there and take our chance of being
discovered?"

"Yes," said the King, "and at once. But stay. You are certain that the
Count's death warrant was signed?"

"Yes, Sire; sure."

"Bah! If I declared myself there would be an end to that?"

"No, Sire."

"What!" cried the King.

"Henry doubtless has his ends and would gladly have you dead. If you
declared yourself now he would laugh you to scorn and call you impostor,
cheat."

"Hah!" cried the King, grinding his teeth. "Let him if he dare! But I
will not believe it of him, going as I shall now, for nothing shall stay
me from hurrying back to save that poor lad's life."

"But, your Majesty, let me implore you!" cried Leoni.

"Implore, then, but you will find me deaf."

"For your own sake, Sire!"

"It is for my sake I go--mine honour as a king."

"For the sake of your servants, then, who have risked so much!"

"I cannot! I will not," he cried. "I will go."

"For the sake of France, the country you so dearly love!"

"It is for the sake of France I go, to prove myself worthy the name of
her King. You urge me to perform a dastardly act in fleeing at a time
like this."

"Remember, Sire, the reason why you came."

"I do," said the King, standing up proudly in the boat, as the edge of
the moon began to lift above the low mist that lay upon the river and
adjacent meads, lighting up the King's face, animated now into stern
beauty by the spirit within which spoke, "and think of it with shame.
Listening to your words, I blinded myself into the belief that it was
right, that it was a brave and a gallant act to wrest that Crown jewel
from King Henry's hand; but I see more clearly now that my mad
enterprise has met with its merited fate, and go back I will as a
chivalrous knight, ask my brother King's forgiveness, and save that
brave boy from his cruel fate."

"But, Sire, remember! Remember Fontainebleau and France."

"I do; and I remember too that your plot has failed."

"But it has not failed, Sire," cried Leoni, rising now; and as he stood
erect there was a look of triumph in his face which gave him, as it
were, a reflection of the kingly majesty before which he stood. "It has
not failed, but