The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-26

you would have found your tongue ere
this, M. d'Auriac-you are not Of the
south, are your"
mo. sire, though my father was gov
ernor of Provence, and married into
| the Folk Candale"
eff so you should be a perfect Chry
| sostom. What have you to say?"
| I had regained my courage by this
and took the matter in both hands,
| "Your majesty, 1 will speak, charge
| the marshal, Due de Biron, with being
traitor to you and to France, I charge
| him with conspiring-"
You iar!'
| 1t was Biron's voice, furious and
cracked with rage, that rang through
| the room; but Henry stopped him with
/ a word, and then I went on repeating
| exactly what is known, and what 1
have described before. When it was
over the king turned to the marshal.
who burst out in passion of upbraid-
| ing, calling God and his own services
| to witness that his hands were clean,
"and is the word of this man to, be be-
lieved?" he concluded, this man who
| was openly in arms against his king,
| who is known as brawler in the
| streets, who is even now trying to win
| the hand of royal ward with not a
penny piece to line his doublet pockets,
who is excluded from the kings peace
|
| of peer of France? Sire, my father
died by your side-and II will say no
more. Believe him if you will. Here
is my sword! 1t has served you well, ;"
and unbuckling his sword the marshal
| flung himself on his knees before the
| king and presented him with the hilt
of his blade.
Astonished and silenced by this au-
| daciouS OutburSt, 1 could say nothing,
| h11t SIJl1u do orc
| strange smile. The king, however,
was much moved. Putting his hands
| on Birons shoulders, he lifted him to
| his feet. 'Biron, my old friend" he
said, 'tthe oaths of this man and g.,
| hundred such as he are but as feath-
| erweight against your simple word.
| Messieurs, 1t is because l wished the
marshal to know that I would have
nothing behind a mans back that
| would not repeat to his own face that
| 1 have allowed NJ d'Auriac a free
reign to his tongue. In fine, l believe
no word of this incredible tale-M.
d'Auriac," and he turned to me, Il
give you twenty-four hours to quit
France and never cross my path
again. And here the reckless Bircn
interposed hotly: But I must have
satisfaction, sire"
rs it not satisfactory enough to know
that the king believes your word ?"
said Sully
THAT may do for the house of Be-
thune, but not for Biron." The taunt
told. 1t was the one tender point with
the great minister. 1.-THE house Of Be-
thune,'' he began.
WAS old with the ark duc-we all
know that" said Henry, 'but truly, L
know what satisfaction the marshal
wants.
7"If not for you, sire, for my friends.
There is M. de Gomeron, who has been
much Wronged too"
st see you are coming to the old
point again. / tell you, Biron, plainly
and once for all, I will not have it. My
word is given to dAyen, and now let
us CO.
When the king had warned me out
of France, I had made a half move
ment to bow and retire, and then
glanced round to Belin for a hint as TO
what I should do. / could not see him,
and, not knowing whether to leave the
cabinet or not, I remained standing lr
resolutely where 1 was and thus was a
witness to the little passage described
above. AS Henry refused Birons re-
quest he, however, at the same time
linked his arm in that of the marshal,
and stepped towards the door of the
| cabinet. Suily followed immediately
| behind, and I brought up the rear
lerie d'Apollon, and as We passed In
the king looked around and saw me.
He stared hard for moment, and then
| said in loud tones, 'Twenty-four- hours
! is a short time to reach the frontier.
!. M. d Aurfae," and then he turned his
/ back on me.
Everyone heard the words, and I
caught de Gie's moclsing voice as he
spoke to Mile. d'Estrangues. His
| cloak was short enough to see the
king in. I observe" and then there was
| a feminine litter.
| With my heart boiling with rage
made for the stairway. I did not dare
! to look for madame. There was enough
I despair on my face to enable her 10
read it like book were she to see me,
| and I had no doubt she had. I felt /
had miserably failed There was one
chance however, and that was to urge
her to instant flight, and 1 determined
to ride straight to the Rue Varenne,
| and there await either madame or Pa
| Inns retnrn, and induce them to adopt
this course.
/ At this moment some one came in
/ my way and, stepping aside to let
him pass. Iscaught sight Of madame
with both de Belin and the Huguenot
! at her side She was not three feet
from me and held out her hand, saying
Courage I know ALL" I held her
small fingers for moment, and then
the ribbon by which her fan was slung
to her wrist somehow slipped and the
fan fell to the ground [ picked it up
and on handing it to her caught
whisper "Coiffier-tonight," and then
with a bow I went on. Ten steps more
| brought me to the head of the stair
way and Coiffier was standing there.
''Would you have your fortune told,
monseur?'' he asked.
"rVill tonight suit you?" I answered
taIxirg his humor.
Tonight will be too late, monsieur
le chevalier-look in that as you ride
home and you will see-and now 60"
With a turn of his wrist he produced
a small red ball Of polished wood and
placed it in my hands, and then moved
backwards amongst the crowd.
1t did not take me five minutes more
to find Couronne, but as [ turned her
head on reaching the gates of the
town towards the river face, 1 heard
de Belin's quiet voice behind:
'fNot that way, d'Auriac-you come
with me-"
To be Continued.