The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-11

SAAOeAANA AiCeiA TIE ICSuiL u lily Ai4AoOAOlls
and learn from my mouth the just and
friendly sentiments which Queen
Elizabeth entertained toward him.
Unfortunately, 1 was not able to i'm
part these on the instant. During my
absence a trifling matter had carried
the king to Dieppe, whence his anxiety
on the queens account, who was snort
ly to be brought to bed, led him to
take the road to Paris. When reached
the arsenal found the Louvre va
cant the queen, who lay at FOntalne-
bleau. having summoned the king
thither. Ferret, his secretary, however,
awaited me with a letter, in which
Henry, after expressing his desire TO
see me, babe me nevertheless stay IN
Paris a day to transact some busl-
ness. Then" he continued. come to
me, my friend. and we viii discuss the
matter of which you know. In the
meantime send me your papers by
Ferret, who viii give you a receipt
for them"
Suspecting no danger in a course
which was usual enough. 1 FASTENED
to comply. Summoning Maignan, who
whenever I travelled carried my port
folio. I unlocked it. and, emptying the
papers in a mass on the table. handed
them in detail to Ferret. Presently, to
my establishment, I found that one
and this the most important, was
missing. 7 went over the papers again
and again and yet again. Still it was
not to be found
Whenever I Travelled on a mission of
Importance I wrote my dispatches in
one of three modes, according as they
We're Of little, great, or the first i'm
portance: in ordinary characters, that
Is, In a cipher to which the council
possessed the key, or in a cipher to
which only the king and l held keys.
This last was rarely changed; but it
was my duty on my return from each
mission Immediately to remit my key
to the king. It was this key which
was missing. More than little I'M
easy, I recalled Maignan. who had
Withdrawn after delivering up his
charge. you rascal" I said with
some heat. HAS this been out Of your
custody?"
1.-THE bag?" he answered. looking at
it. Then his face changed. ''You have
cut your finger, my lord" he said.
I had cut it slightly in unbuCkling
the portfolio, and a drop or two Of
blood had fallen on the papers. But
his reference to it at this moment,
when my mind was full or my loss,
angered me, and even awoke my sus-
piciOns. ''SiIencei" I said, "and an
sver me. Have you let this bag out
or your possession p
This time ne replied straightfor-
wardly that he had not.
'NOr unlocked ito"
II have no key, your exceIlency."
That was true; and as I had at bot
tom the utmost confidence in his fl
deity. I pursued the inquiry no fur
Their in that direction, but made an
other search among the papers. This
also failing to bring the packet to
iC-17A ri IN, 1,
gone, I was obliged for the moment to
put up with the loss, and draw what
comfort I could from the reflection
that no dispatch in the missing cipher
was extant. Whoever had stolen it.
\ therefore, another could be substituted
Ter it and no one the worse. Still I
was unwilling that the king should
hear Of the mischance from a stranger
and be led to think me careless; and
I babe Ferret be silent about it unless
Henry missed the packet, which might
not happen before my arrival.
When the secretary. who readily as
scented, had given me his receipt and
was gone, questioned Maignan afresh
and more closely, but with no result.
He had not seen me place the packet
in the portfolio at Calais, and that I
had done so I could vOuch for only
by my own memory, which I knew to
be fallible. In the meantime, though
the mischanCe annoyed me, I attached
no great Importance to it, but antici-
pating that a word Of explanation
would satisfy the king and a new
cipher dispose Of other difficulties, I
dismissed the matter from my mind
IWenty-tour hours later, however. I
was rudely awakened. A courier ar
rived from Henry, and, surprising me
in the midst of my last preparations
at the arsenal, handed me an order
to attend his majesty-an order
COuched in the most absolute and per-
emptOry terms, and lacking all those
friendly expressions which the king
never failed to use when he wrote me
A missive so brief and so fOrmaI-and
so needless for 1 was on the point of
starting-had not reached me for
years, and coming at this moment
when had no reason to expect a re
verse of fortune, ii had all the effect
Of a thUnderbOit in a clear SKY. AS
sured in a moment that I stood face
TO face with grave crisis I found
myself hard put to il to hide my feel
iugS from those about me-
Nevertheless I did so with an effort
and, sending for the courier. asked
him. with an assumption of careless
ness, what was the latest news at
court. His answer in a measure Gained
my fears though it could not remove
them. He reported that the queen had
been taken fl-or so the rumor went
Suddenly?' / said.
This morning" he answered.
The king was with herr"
Yes, your eXceuency"
Had he left her long when he sent
this letter."
1T came from her chamber, your
eycellency"
"But-did you understand that her
majesty was in danger?'' I urged.
AS 10 that, however, the man could
not say anything. and I was left to
nurse my conJectures during the long
ride to Fontainebleau. where we arr
rived in the cool of the evening. Dis
mounting in the dusk at the door of
my apartments, I found a fresh sur
prise awaiting me in the shape of Mon
sieur de Concini the Italian. who. adj
Vanclng TO meet me before my foot
was out or the stirrUp, announced thar
he came from the king. who desired
my instant attendance in the queens
closet