Part 67 (1/2)
”I must speak to your majesty.”
”Unfortunately,” said the king, approaching him, ”do you not know you risk your head?”
”I know it.”
”Well?”
”Well, I am here.”
Henry turned slightly pale, for he knew that he shared the danger run by this rash young man. He looked anxiously about him, and stepped back a second time, no less quickly than he had done at first. He had seen the Duc d'Alencon at a window.
At once changing his manner Henry took the musket from the hands of De Mouy, standing, as we have said, sentinel, and while apparently measuring it:
”De Mouy,” said he, ”it is certainly not without some very strong motive that you have come to beard the lion in his den in this way?”
”No, sire, I have waited for you a week; only yesterday I heard that your majesty was to try a horse this morning, and I took my position at the gate of the Louvre.”
”But how in this uniform?”
”The captain of the company is a Protestant and is one of my friends.”
”Here is your musket; return to your duty of sentinel. We are watched.
As I come back I will try to say a word to you, but if I do not speak, do not stop me. Adieu.”
De Mouy resumed his measured walk, and Henry advanced towards the house.
”What is that pretty little animal?” asked the Duc d'Alencon from his window.
”A horse I am going to try this morning,” replied Henry.
”But that is not a horse for a man.”
”Therefore it is intended for a beautiful woman.”
”Take care, Henry; you are going to be indiscreet, for we shall see this beautiful woman at the hunt; and if I do not know whose knight you are, I shall at least know whose equerry you are.”
”No, my lord, you will not know,” said Henry, with his feigned good-humor, ”for this beautiful woman cannot go out this morning; she is indisposed.”
He sprang into the saddle.
”Ah, bah!” cried d'Alencon, laughing; ”poor Madame de Sauve.”
”Francois! Francois! it is you who are indiscreet.”
”What is the matter with the beautiful Charlotte?” went on the Duc d'Alencon.
”Why,” replied Henry, spurring his horse to a gallop, and making him describe a graceful curve; ”why, I have no idea,--a heaviness in the head, according to what Dariole tells me. A torpor of the whole body; in short, general debility.”
”And will this prevent you from joining us?” asked the duke.