The body of a man who has been assassinated opposite Marie d’Entragues’s house mistaken for that of Bassompierre--Bassompierre wins a wager of a thousand crowns from the King--Marriage of the Prince de Condé and Mlle. de Montmorency--Henri IV informs Bassompierre of his intention to send him on a secret mission to Henri II, Duke of Lorraine, to propose an alliance between that prince’s elder daughter and the Dauphin--Departure of Bassompierre--He arrives at Nancy and challenges a gentleman to a duel, but the affair is arranged--His first audience of Duke Henri II--Irresolution of that prince, who desires to postpone his answer until he has consulted his advisers--Negotiations of Bassompierre with the Margrave of Baden-Durlach--He returns to Nancy--Continued hesitation of the Duke of Lorraine--Memoir of Bassompierre: his prediction of the advantages which Lorraine would derive from being incorporated with France abundantly justified by time--The Duke gives a qualified acceptance of Henri IV’s propositions--Difficulty which Bassompierre experiences in inducing him to commit his reply to writing.....pp. 119-131 CHAPTER XII Return of Bassompierre to the French Court--Frenzied passion of Henri IV for the young Princesse de Condé--His extravagant conduct--Condé flies with his wife to Flanders--Grief and indignation of the King, who summons his most trusted counsellors to deliberate upon the affair--Sage advice of Sully, which, however, is not followed--The Archduke Albert refuses to surrender the fugitives--Condé retires to Milan and places himself under the protection of Spain--Failure of an attempt to abduct the princess--Henri IV and his Ministers threaten war if the lady is not given up--The “Great Design”--Bassompierre appointed Colonel of the Light Cavalry and a Counsellor of State--His account of the last days and assassination of Henri IV.....pp. 132-145 CHAPTER XIII Incidents at the Court and in Paris after the assassination of Henri IV--Meeting between Bassompierre and Sully--Marie de’ Medici declared Regent--Her difficult position--Return of Condé--Greed and arrogance of the grandees--Quarrel between the Comte de Soissons and the Duc de Guise--Grievance of _Monsieur le Comte_ against Bassompierre--He persuades Madame d’Entragues to endeavour to compel Bassompierre to marry her daughter Marie--Proceedings instituted against that gentleman--Announcement of the “Spanish marriages”--Magnificent fêtes in the Place-Royale--Intrigues at the Court--The Princes and Concini in power--Assassination of the Baron de Luz by the Chevalier de Guise--Marie de’ Medici and the Princes--Conversation of the Regent with Bassompierre--Bassompierre reconciles the Guises with the Queen-Mother--The Chevalier de Guise kills the son of the Baron de Luz in a duel--The Princes, on the advice of Concini, retire from Court.....pp. 146-164 CHAPTER XIV