Part 125 (1/2)
”Well!” murmured the impatient Florentine; ”why does he not leave now?”
And she returned to the room smiling.
”Still here, my boy?” said she; ”why, what do you want? Did I not tell you that I would look after your fortune? When I say a thing you do not doubt it, do you?”
”Oh, madame, G.o.d forbid!” replied Orthon.
And approaching the queen, he bent his knee, kissed the hem of her robe, and at once withdrew.
As he went through the antechamber he saw the captain of the guards, who was waiting for Catharine. The sight of this man, instead of allaying his suspicions, augmented them.
On her part, no sooner had she seen the curtains fall behind Orthon than Catharine sprang to the mirror. But in vain she sought behind it with hands trembling with impatience. She found no note.
And yet she was sure that she had seen the boy approach the mirror. It was to remove the note, therefore, and not to leave it. Fate had given to her enemies a strength equal to her own.
A child had become a man the moment he fought with her.
She moved the mirror, looked behind it, tapped it; nothing was there!
”Oh! unhappy boy!” cried she, ”I wished him no ill and now by removing the note he hastens his destiny. Ho, there, Monsieur de Nancey!”
The vibrating tones of the queen mother rang through the salon and penetrated into the anteroom, where, as we have said, Monsieur de Nancey was waiting.
The captain of the guards hastened to the queen.
”Here I am, madame,” said he, ”what is your majesty's will?”
”Have you been in the antechamber?”
”Yes, madame.”
”Did you see a young man, a child, pa.s.s through?”
”Just now.”
”He cannot have gone far, can he?”
”Scarcely to the stairway.”
”Call him back.”
”What is his name?”
”Orthon. If he refuses to come bring him back by force; but do not frighten him unless he resists. I must speak to him at once.”
The captain of the guards hurriedly withdrew.
As he had said, Orthon was scarcely half way down the stairs, for he was descending slowly, hoping to meet or see the King of Navarre or Madame de Sauve somewhere.
He heard his name and gave a start.