in action. As they entered
the chamber of the duke, he listlessly said to M. de Retz,

"It is just as you said. The king is about to leave Paris; what shall
we do? I do not see what can be done to prevent it."

The resolute coadjutor replied, "We must immediately take possession
of the city gates."

But the inert and weak duke brought forward sundry silly excuses. He
had not sufficient force of character or moral courage to commit
himself to any decisive course of action. The only measure he could be
induced to adopt was to send a message to the queen regent, imploring
her to reflect upon the consequences which would inevitably result
from the removal of the king from Paris. In the mean time, the
resolute and fearless coadjutor sent his emissaries in all directions.
The populace were aroused with the cry that Mazarin was about to carry
off the king. The gates of the city were seized. Mounted patrols
traversed the streets urging the citizens to arms. An enormous crowd
of excited men and women rushed toward the Palais Royal.

[Illustration: PALACE OF THE LUXEMBOURG.]

The carriages were, in fact, at that hour, at the appointed rendezvous
for the midnight flight of the king and his attendants. The young
monarch was already in his traveling dress, just about to descend the
stairs of the palace, when the queen was apprised, by the tumult in
the streets, that the design was discovered, and that consequently its
execution was impracticable.

With the utmost precipitancy, the traveling dress of the king was
removed, and he was robed in his night garments, replaced in bed, and
urged to feign that he was asleep. Scarcely was this accomplished ere
one of the officers of the household entered and announced to the
queen that the exasperated mob was threatening the palace, insisting
upon seeing the king, that they might satisfy themselves that he had
not been carried away. While he was speaking, another messenger
entered with the announcement that the mob had already proceeded to
violence, and were tearing down the palisades of the palace. While he
was yet speaking, a messenger from the Duke of Orleans arrived,
imploring the queen regent not to attempt the removal of the king, and
assuring her that it was impossible to do so, since the citizens were
resolved to prevent it.

The queen, with dignity, listened to all. To the messenger of the Duke
of Orleans she haughtily replied,

"Say to the duke that he, instigated by the c