answer to what?" said Henri.

"To your proposals of last month."

"Ma foi! I am very forgetful! please to recall to me what they were."

"About the invasions of the Lorraine princes."

"Yes, I remember, particularly those of M. de Guise; go on, monsieur."

"Sire, the king, my master, although much begged to sign a treaty of
alliance with Lorraine, prefers one with Navarre. I know my master's
intentions with regard to you."

"May I also know them?"

"Sire, my master will refuse nothing to Navarre."

Chicot bit his fingers to convince himself that he was not dreaming.

"What can I ask then?" said Henri.

"Whatever your majesty pleases."

"Diable!"

"If your majesty will speak openly and frankly?"

"Ventre St. Gris, it is embarrassing."

"Shall I tell you his majesty the king of Spain's proposal?"

"I listen."

"The king of France treats the queen of Navarre as an enemy, he
repudiates her as a sister, and covers her with opprobrium. All this,
but I beg your majesty's pardon for touching on so delicate a subject--"

"Go on."

"All this, then, is public."

"Well! monsieur, and what of all this?"

"It is consequently easy for your majesty to repudiate as a wife her
whom her brother disclaims as a sister. This once done, the alliance
between the king of Navarre and the king of Spain is concluded, and the
king of Spain will give the infanta, his daughter, to your majesty, and
he himself will marry Madame Catherine de Navarre, your majesty's
sister."

A movement of pride shook Henri, while Chicot shuddered with terror. The
one saw his star rising, radiant like the morning sun; the other saw the
scepter of the Valois ready to decline and fall.

For an instant there was profound silence, and then Henri said:

"The proposal, monsieur, is magnificent, and crowns me with honor."

"His majesty," said the negotiator, who already calculated on an
enthusiastic acceptance, "proposes only one condition."

"Ah! a condition! that is but just; let me hear it."

"In aiding your majesty against the Lorraine princes, that is to say, in
opening to your majesty a way to the throne, my master desires to
facilitate by your alliance the safety of Flanders, which the Duc
d'Anjou is already attacking; your majesty will understand that it is
pure preference on my master's part for you over the Lorraine princes,
since MM. de Guise, his natural allies, as Catholic princes, make of
themselves a party against the Duc d'Anjo