The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-07-05

Published by Special ARRANGEMENTS with The
Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate,
Incorporated
Copyright: 1884: BY RAFAEL
IN TWO PARTS-PART ONE
A large, fair man in russell velvet,
jeweled like a courtier, booted and
spurred like a soldier, his right hand
on the hilt of his long rapier, his left
on a mullion of the window, the Duke
Of Guise, Lieutenant General of the
Kingdom and Grand Master Of the
Kings Household, stood a little in the
background, like a symbol of the force
in reserve should the p~ersuasions of
his priestly brother fail. His acquiline
face, disfigured by the c of the ter
rible wound taken at the seige of Calais.
was proudly impressive.
The Cardinal Of Lorraine, nobly
handsome, subtly insinuating, was mel
lifluously yelling threats in terms of
deepest solicitude.
1--WE implore you, madame, with no
interest but your own before our eyes
out of the love we bear you, to give
no heed to any proposals that may
reach you from these unhappy men of
the new religion"
Catherine de Medici stifled a yawn,
W. %AAS"S AAAAA IA I" SA4 90
as her aspect.
"You preach, sir, to the converted.
Sometimes I think you forget I am a
Pope's niece. Be sure that I do not"
The Cardinals glance sharpened. Was
she thus abiding to powers which she
might invoke, emulating his own SUBJ
tlety; giving him back covert threat for
covert threat? Her prominent, low
lidded brown eyes met his own with a
battling candor. He inclined his head a
little.
Your Majesty treasures me. I am
Fears for me?"
He spread his elegant hands. "Your
own piety will show you where you
might stand if even a suspicion should
touch you of t~rafficking with these
heretics." His tone deepened in sly
ness. S as to remove you from the
danger of public execration we should
be constrained to advise your return
to Florence-a calamity even greater
for us who esteem you so highly than
for Your Maiestv's own SELF"
Immobile, bolt upright in her tall
craft stood to his as the depth of a
well to that of a goblet, gave no sign
that she was conscious of the steel un-
der the velvet in which he muffled it.
Her heavy, myopic eyes turned slowly
from one to the other of those despotic
brothers. The sleepiness of her glance
was pierced by no CLEAN of the anger
smile a little, whilst her voice droned
lazily.
1T is a calamity you have no cause to
a%pprehend." And upon that she dis
/ missed them, to go ask each other if
there might be a hidden meaning in
her words as there had certainly been
in theirs.
Alone in her cabinet. her figure lost
its stiff uprightness. Her body, which
now in her fortieth year, as a result
continuous collaborating and of glut-
tonous habits, had reached, as Bran
tome tells us, a rich embonpoint, sagged
together. Her high courage threaten
ed to succumb. It became difficult to
maintain that terrible patience with
which for a quarter of a century in the
shadow, neglected and almost despised,
she had awaited opportunity.
She had thought that it had come a
year ago, in July of 1859, when King
Henry II had been cut off by a death
wound accidentally taken in the tilt
yard. It is not easy to believe in the
sincerity of the overwhelming grief
by which the event Frustrated her, or
Of the mourning h wore to the end OF
her days. For even in that fatal jour-
ney, the King rode his courses in the
of Diane de Poitiers, the mistress who
had been the real queen, the woman
who swayed policy and to whom court
was paid by all, whilst In the back
ground Catherine de Medici discharged
no more than the function Of bearing
King Henry's children.
She had borne him ten in all, ct
-I--. 49, - 0r - rVffn
she was without authority, at least
as a mother her empire had been alb
solute. It vas upon this that she had
counted in the hour Of Henry's death:
Her son Francis, who was then 16, had
for a year been married to Mary Stuart.
Since the kings of France attained their
majority at the age of IA, he was no
longer a minor, and therefore there
was no question OF a regency. But OF
him, and through him the kingdom,
she had no doubt. At last the world
should be made conscious of her worth.
Her eagerness cut short the period
of seclusion prescribed in France for a
widowed queen. But not short enough.
When she reached her sons side, the
bidly under the spell of the adorable
Mary Stuart, had at his wife's bidding
already given himself into the posses
sion of her uncles, the masterful Guises.
Their power was firmly planted in the
fertile soil of the religious strife which
the Reformation had produced. BY
assuming the leadership of the Catholic
party, the Guises assured for them
selves a following of a majority which,
properly handled should steadily in
crease. The Duke by his military tai
ents had won the worship of the SOL
diery; the Cardinal educated public
opinion through the monastic orders
spread over the face of France. He