she apparently divided her time between prayer and literary
labour. She was still writing the _Heptameron_, as is shown by the
sixty-sixth tale, which chronicles an adventure that befell her daughter
and Anthony de Bourbon on their marriage trip during the winter of
1548-49. It may be noted, too, that the scene of the sixty-ninth story
is laid at the Castle of Odos near Tarbes, and as Margaret came to
reside at the castle in the autumn of 1549, this tale was probably
written during her sojourn there. Whilst adding fresh stories to the
_Heptameron_, she was not neglecting poetry, for from this period also
dates the _Miroir de Jesus Christ crucifie_, which Brother Olivier
published in 1556, stating that it was the Queen's last work, and that
she had handed it to him a few days before her death.

Margaret had long been in failing health and was growing extremely weak.
Brantome, on the authority of his grandmother, states that when her
approaching death was announced to her, she found the monition a very
bitter one, saying that she was not yet so aged but that she might live
some years longer. She was then in her fifty-eighth year. Sainte-Marthe
relates that shortly before her death she saw in a dream a very
beautiful woman holding in her hand a crown of all sorts of flowers
which she showed to her, telling her that she would soon be crowned with
it.(1)

1 _Oraison funebre, &c._, p. 104.

She interpreted this dream as signifying that her end was near, and from
that day forward abandoned the administration of her property to the
King of Navarre, refusing to occupy herself with any other matter than
that of her approaching end. After dictating her will she fell into her
final illness, which lasted twenty days according to some authorities,
and eight according to others. It seized her one night at Odos whilst
she was watching a comet, which it was averred had appeared to notify
the death of Pope Paul III. "It was perhaps to presage her own," naively
remarks Brantome, who adds that while she was looking at the comet her
mouth suddenly became partially paralysed, whereupon her doctor, M.
d'Escuranis, led her away and made her go to bed. Her death took place
on December 21st, 1549, and just before expiring she grasped a crucifix
that lay beside her and murmured, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus." (1)

Although the King of Navarre had not always lived in perfect accord with
his wife, he none the less keenly felt the loss he had sustai