Dayelle, a Greek, was she not?"

"Yes," said the priest; "a Cyprian."

"I am from Agen," said the merchant; "and I know that when the king was
there he made love to Mlle. de Tignonville."

"Ventre de biche!" said Chicot; "he is a universal lover. But to return
to Mlle. Dayelle; I knew her family."

"She was jealous and was always threatening; she had a pretty little
poniard, which she used to keep on her work-table, and one day, the king
went away and carried the poniard with him, saying that he did not wish
any misfortune to happen to his successor."

"And Mlle. de Rebours?"

"Oh! they quarreled."

"Then La Fosseuse is the last?"

"Oh! mon Dieu! yes; the king is mad about her."

"But what does the queen say?"

"She carries her griefs to the foot of the crucifix," said the priest.

"Besides," said the officer, "she is ignorant of all these things."

"That is not possible," said Chicot.

"Why so?"

"Because Nerac is not so large that it is easy to hide things there."

"As for that, there is a park there containing avenues more than 3,000
feet long of cypresses, plane trees, and magnificent sycamores, and the
shade is so thick it is almost dark in broad daylight. Think what it
must be at night."

"And then the queen is much occupied."

"Occupied?"

"Yes."

"With whom, pray?"

"With God, monsieur," said the priest.

"With God?"

"Yes, the queen is religious."

"Religious! But there is no mass at the palace, is there?"

"No mass; do you take us for heathens? Learn, monsieur, that the king
goes to church with his gentlemen, and the queen hears mass in her
private chapel."

"The queen?"

"Yes."

"Queen Marguerite?"

"Yes; and I, unworthy as I am, received two crowns for officiating
there; I even preached a very good sermon on the text, 'God has
separated the wheat from the chaff.' It is in the Bible, 'God will
separate,' but as it is a long time since that was written, I supposed
that the thing was done."

"And the king?"

"He heard it, and applauded."

"I must add," said the officer, "that they do something else than hear
mass at the palace; they give good dinners--and the promenades! I do not
believe in any place in France there are more mustaches shown than in
the promenades at Nerac."

Chicot knew Queen Marguerite well, and he knew that if she was blind to
these love affairs, it was when she had some motive for placing a
bandage over her eyes.

"Ventre de biche!" said he, "t