the lowest condition
have been elevated to the cardinalate. The minister himself, devouring
the most sacred things, has had himself elected general of the orders of
Citeaux, Cluny, and Premontre, throwing into prison the monks who refused
him their votes. Jesuits, Carmelites, Cordeliers, Augustins, Dominicans,
have been forced to elect general vicars in France, in order no longer to
communicate at Rome with their true superiors, because he would be
patriarch in France, and head of the Gallican Church."

"He's a schismatic! a monster!" cried several voices.

"His progress, then, is apparent, gentlemen. He is ready to seize both
temporal and spiritual power. He has little by little fortified himself
against the King in the strongest towns of France--seized the mouths of
the principal rivers, the best ports of the ocean, the salt-pits, and all
the securities of the kingdom. It is the King, then, whom we must deliver
from this oppression. 'Le roi et la paix!' shall be our cry. The rest
must be left to Providence."

Cinq-Mars greatly astonished the assembly, and De Thou himself, by this
address. No one had ever before heard him speak so long together, not
even in fireside conversation; and he had never by a single word shown
the least aptitude for understanding public affairs. He had, on the
contrary, affected the greatest indifference on the subject, even in the
eyes of those whom he was molding to his projects, merely manifesting a
virtuous indignation at the violence of the minister, but affecting not
to put forward any of his own ideas, in order not to suggest personal
ambition as the aim of his labors. The confidence given to him rested on
his favor with the king and his personal bravery. The surprise of all
present was therefore such as to cause a momentary silence. It was soon
broken by all the transports of Frenchmen, young or old, when fighting of
whatever kind is held out to them.

Among those who came forward to press the hand of the young party leader,
the Abbe de Gondi jumped about like a kid.

"I have already enrolled my regiment!" he cried. "I have some superb
fellows!" Then, addressing Marion de Lorme, "Parbleu! Mademoiselle, I
will wear your colors--your gray ribbon, and your order of the Allumette.
The device is charming--

'Nous ne brullons que pour bruller les autres.'

And I wish you could see all the fine things we shall do if we are
fortunate enough to come to blows."

The fair Marion, wh