ther's throats, the
Spaniards will step in and seize the country. I am not a fool, though my
brother thinks I am!"

"While France remains true to herself, sire, Spain can do her no harm.
And a generous action, your majesty, goes far toward gaining a nation's
love."

"You wish me to restore this young man's estates? They shall be
restored, my dear Admiral; I will look into the matter on my return to
Paris. There will be papers to sign--it seems to me I am always signing
papers, principally to please my mother and Monseigneur--in this I will
please myself."

"I thank you, sire, not only for myself, but for Henry of Beam, whose
life the youth had the good fortune to save, and who is greatly
interested in him."

"If it will please Henry of Beam," said the king with an interest for
which I could not account, but which became clearer afterwards, "that is
a further reason why I should have justice done. Let the young man go to
his estates whenever he pleases; I will see that whatever forms are
necessary are made out."

At that I thanked his majesty very respectfully, and at a sign from my
patron fell back to rejoin my companions. I said nothing to Felix then
concerning this conversation, but at night, when we were alone, I told
him of the king's promise.

"He will keep his word," said my comrade, "unless Anjou gets hold of
him. But if Anjou has promised the estates to his tool, I foresee
difficulties."

"Surely the king is master of his own actions!" I remarked.

My comrade laughed. "He is a mere puppet; his mother and Anjou between
them pull the strings as they please. Charles is a weakling, Edmond, and
easily swayed by other people's opinions."

"He seems to be under the Admiral's influence just at present."

"Yes; it is when he returns to Paris that the trouble will begin. The
other side will work hard to drive him away from our patron."

A fortnight passed before I heard anything more of the subject, and I
was beginning to feel somewhat doubtful of the king's good faith when
one morning the Admiral sent for me.

"His majesty is returning to Paris, Le Blanc," he said, "and I am going
for a short while to Chatillon. He has promised to set things right for
you, but he may forget, and I shall not be with him."

"It is very kind of you to think of my troubles, my lord."

"I must be true to those who are true to me," he replied graciously,
"and I am still deeply in your debt. Now, what is to be done? Until the