a bow regulated
rather by this thought than by the shabbiness of my dress, I advanced
amid a sudden silence.

'M. de Marsac!' the page announced, in a tone which sounded a little
odd in my ears; so much so, that I turned quickly to look at him. He was
gone, however, and when I turned again the eyes which met mine were
full of smiles. A young girl who stood near me tittered. Put out of
countenance by this, I looked round in embarrassment to find someone to
whom I might apply.

The room was long and narrow, panelled in chestnut, with a row of
windows on the one hand, and two fireplaces, now heaped with glowing
logs, on the other. Between the fireplaces stood a rack of arms. Round
the nearer hearth lounged a group of pages, the exact counterparts of
the young blade who had brought me hither; and talking with these were
as many young gentlewomen. Two great hounds lay basking in the heat,
and coiled between them, with her head on the back of the larger, was a
figure so strange that at another time I should have doubted my eyes. It
wore the fool's motley and cap and bells, but a second glance showed me
the features were a woman's. A torrent of black hair flowed loose about
her neck, her eyes shone with wild merriment, and her face, keen, thin,
and hectic, glared at me from the dog's back. Beyond her, round the
farther fireplace, clustered more than a score of gallants and ladies,
of whom one presently advanced to me.

'Sir,' he said politely--and I wished I could match his bow--'you wished
to see--?'

'The King of Navarre,' I answered, doing my best.

He turned to the group behind him, and said, in a peculiarly even,
placid tone, 'He wishes to see the King of Navarre.' Then in solemn
silence he bowed to me again and went back to his fellows.

Upon the instant, and before I could make up my mind how to take this, a
second tripped forward, and saluting me, said, 'M. de Marsac, I think?'

'At your service, sir,' I rejoined. In my eagerness to escape the gaze
of all those eyes, and the tittering which was audible behind me, I took
a step forward to be in readiness to follow him. But he gave no sign.
'M. de Marsac to see the King of Navarre' was all he said, speaking as
the other had close to those behind. And with that he too wheeled round
and went back to the fire.

I stared, a first faint suspicion of the truth aroused in my mind.
Before I could act upon it, however--in such a situation it was no
easy task to decide h