pain and not of France. Let him keep to his own
character. I crossed the Pyrenees once to secure him on his throne; I
might cross them a second time to remove him from it."

"We will think of that later--I do not say no; but for the present we
have the fifth piece to read--and not the least important as you will
see."

And Dubois presented another paper to the regent, which he opened with
such impatience that he tore it in opening it.

"Never mind," said Dubois, "the pieces are good; put them together and
read them."

The regent did so, and read--

"'Dearly and well beloved.'

"Ah!" said the regent, "it is a question of my deposition, and these
letters, I suppose, were to be given to the king?"

"To-morrow, monseigneur."

"By whom?"----"The marshal."

"Villeroy?"

"Himself."

"How did he determine on such a thing?"

"It was not he; it was his wife, monseigneur."

"Another of Richelieu's tricks?"

"You are right, monseigneur."

"And from whom do you get these papers?"

"From a poor writer to whom they have been given to be copied, since,
thanks to a descent made on Laval's house, a press which he had hidden
in the cellar has ceased to work."

"And this writer is in direct communication with Cellamare? The
idiots!"

"Not at all, monseigneur; their measures are better taken. The good man
has only had to deal with the Prince de Listhnay."

"Prince de Listhnay! Who is he?"

"Rue du Bac, 110."

"I do not know him."

"Yes, you do, monseigneur."

"Where have I seen him?"

"In your antechamber."

"What! this pretended Prince de Listhnay?"

"Is no other than that scoundrel D'Avranches, Madame de Maine's
valet-de-chambre."

"Ah! I was astonished that she was not in it."

"Oh! she is at the head, and if monseigneur would like to be rid of her
and her clique, we have them all."

"Let us attend to the most pressing."

"Yes, let us think of Villeroy. Have you decided on a bold stroke?"

"Certainly. So long as you confine yourself to parading about like a man
at a theater or a tournament, very well; so long as you confine yourself
to calumnies and impertinences against me, very good; but when it
becomes a question of the peace and tranquillity of France, you will
find, Monsieur le Marechal, that you have already compromised them
sufficiently by your military inaptitude, and we shall not give you an
opportunity of doing so again by your political follies."

"Then," said Dubois, "we must lay