The herald., 1898-12-18

complimentary speech of my guardian
and my heart began to sink. Then
came something l did not catch from
Catherine, and after that murmur OF
indistinct voices. At last the king S
high-pitched tones rose again. 1t was
a voice that seemed to drill it's way
through the door.
Enough! 1t is agreed that we pay
in advance-eh, Tavannes? Send for
the little baggage, if she is as you say
here, and we will tell her at once. The
matter does not admit Of any delay. St.
Blaise! I should say that after thirty
a man must be mad to peril his neck
for any woman!"
rose from my seat trembling all
as 1 did so the Queen Mothers voice
rang out sharply:
"Mademoiselle de Mieux!"
The next moment the door opened,
and the dwarf Majosky put out his
leering face.
Enter, mademoiselle!" he said, with
a grotesque bow, adding in rapid,
malignant whisper as I passed him.
You are going to be married-to me-"
AT any other time I would have
spared no pains to get him punished
for his insolence; but now, so taken
aback was at what I had heard, that
1 scarcely noticed him, and entered the
room as If in a dream. Indeed, 1t was
only with an effort that 1 recollected
myself sufficiently to make my rever-
ence to the king. He called out as I
did so, "Mordieu! I retract, Tavannes! {!
l retract! Faith! I almost feel as If I
could take the adventure on myself"
A slight exclamation of annoyance
escaped the queen, and Tavannes said
coldly:
Perhaps your majesty had better in
form my niece of your good pleasure"
adding grimly, land I guarantee ma
demoiselle's obedience"
There was q minute or so of silence,
during which the king was as it were,
picking his words, whilst stood before
him. Majosky shuffled down at Cathe-
rines feet, and watched me with his
wicked, blinking eyes. I do not remem-
ber to have looked around me, and yet
every little detail of that scene will re-
main stamped on my memory until the
day I die. -t
Madame. the Queen Mother, was at
her secretary, her fingers toying with
a jeweled paper-knife, and her white
face and glittering eyes fixed steadily
on me, eyes with that pitiless look in
them which we all knew so well, and
which made the most daring of us
tremble. A little to my right stood de
Tavannes, one hand on the back of a
chair, and stroking his grizzled beard
with the other. Before me, on a Golfer,
whereon he had negligently thrown
himself, was the king, and he surveyed
me without speaking, with a half-ap-
proving, half-sarcastic look that made
my blood tingle, and almost gave me
back my courage.
In sharp contrast to the solemn black
of GATHERINGS robes and the stern SOL
dierly marshal was the figure of the
king. Henri was dressed in his favor
lte colors, orange, green and tan, with
a short cloak of the same three hues
hanging from his left shoulder His
pourpoint was open at the throat,
around which was clasped a necklet of
pearls, and he wore three ruffs, one
such as we women wear. of lace that
fell over the shoulders, and two smaller
ones as stiff as starch could make
them. He wore earrings, there were
rings on his embroidered gloves, and
all over his person, from his sleeves to
the aigrette he wore on the little tur-
ban over his peruke, a multitude of
gems glittered. On his left side, near
his sword hilt, was bunch of medal
lions of ladies who had smiled on him,
and this was balanced on the other
hand by an equally large cluster of
charms and relics. AS he sat there he
kept tapping the end of one of his shoes
with a little cane, whilst he surveyed
me with an almost insulting glance In