pportunity earlier."

"I do not see our officer."

"I do."

"Where?"

"See that red plume."

"Ventrebleu! that red plume--"

"Well?"

"It is M. d'Epernon, sword in hand."

"They have left him his sword."

"Mordieu! he commands."

"Our people! There has been treason."

"Oh! madame; they are not our people."

"You are mad, Mayneville!"

But at that moment De Loignac, at the head of the first body of guards,
cried, brandishing his large sword, "Vive le Roi!"

"Vive le Roi!" replied enthusiastically all the Forty-five, with their
Gascon accent. The duchess grew pale and sank down almost fainting.
Mayneville, somber, but resolute, drew his sword, not knowing but what
the house was to be attacked. The cortege advanced, and had reached
Bel-Esbat. Borromee came a little forward, and as De Loignac rode
straight up to him, he immediately saw that all was lost, and determined
on his part.

"Room for the king!" cried De Loignac. Gorenflot, delighted with the
scene, extended his powerful arm and blessed the king from his balcony.
Henri saw him, and bowed smilingly, and at this mark of favor Gorenflot
gave out a "Vive le Roi!" with his stentorian voice. The rest, however,
remained mute: they expected a different result from their two months'
training. But Borromee, feeling certain from the absence of the
duchess's troops of the fate of the enterprise, knew that to hesitate a
moment was to be ruined, and he answered with a "Vive le Roi!" almost as
sonorous as Gorenflot's. Then all the rest took it up.

"Thanks, reverend father, thanks," cried Henri; and then he passed the
convent, where his course was to have terminated, like a whirlwind of
fire, noise, and glory, leaving behind him Bel-Esbat in obscurity.

From her balcony, hidden by the golden scutcheon, behind which she was
kneeling, the duchess saw and examined each face on which the light of
the torches fell.

"Oh!" cried she, "look, Mayneville! That young man, my brother's
messenger, is in the king's service! We are lost!"

"We must fly immediately, madame, now the Valois is conqueror."

"We have been betrayed; it must have been by that young man, he must
have known all."

The king had already, with all his escort, entered the Porte St.
Antoine, which had opened before him and shut behind him.

CHAPTER XLIII.

HOW CHICOT BLESSED KING LOUIS II. FOR HAVING INVENTED POSTING, AND
RESOLVED TO PROFIT BY IT.

Chicot, to whom our readers will no