'And was my visit to the Rue de St. Jacques my sole crime?' I asked furiously. 'It was not.' 'Then madame will perhaps have the kindness to inform me whether I am indebted to the King or to M. de Brissac for my quarters here?' 'To Louis of France himself.' 'But he was most gracious to me when I delivered my standard and the despatches.' 'He who knows not how to _dissemble_ knows not how to reign,' said the Countess, smiling again; ''tis an old regal proverb--but at that moment the King was in no way incensed at you.' 'My crime--my error, Countess,' said I, angrily; 'to the point, madame.' 'You fell asleep on the terrace at Versailles, M. Blane, under an elm-tree. The King passed near you, and saw the miniature of a lady openly suspended from your neck. He loves pretty women after his own maudlin fashion, and curiosity prompted him to draw near. He recognised my features, and then jealousy urged him to send you here, where, but for me, you might remain with many others until France hails as Louis XIV. the infant son of Anne of Austria; and I fear that your black, curly hair would be silvery enough by that time, my dear M. Blane.' 'I should attempt to escape, or perish!' 'Escape!--for what purpose?' 'To return home.' 'Home--poor M. Blane, you forget--' 'True, madame,' said I, clasping my hands; 'alas! proscribed and expatriated, I dare not; but I can turn my steps to Holland.' 'To make love to clumsy vrows, and Dutch dairy-maids with coarse red fingers--to learn the mysteries of cheese-making and tulip-rearing?' 'No, madame! to fight against France, perhaps--to serve under the banner of the Scottish Brigade.' 'Hush--if you value life!' 'And so this was all my mighty crime--my error!' 'Nay, you also committed another most grievous one.' 'Indeed! I am all attention,' said I, bitterly. 'You delivered your despatches to the King instead of the Cardinal.' 'Heavens, madame! the despatches from the army were for the eye of Louis alone.' 'So are his Majesty's love-letters--yet his Eminence contrives to receive and read them all first. Then why not a mere despatch?' 'How many wheels revolve within each other at this wretched court of France!' I exclaimed. 'You were justly punished for your falsehood to me,' said the Countess, with one of her most seductive smiles, and an artful droop of the eyelid; 'for I will not understand all about your visit to the Rue de St. Jacques. But listen,' she added, laying her soft, pretty hand engagingly on mine: 'his Majesty's private ring has opened up to me every avenue of this terrible chatelet, to the governor of which he had previously sent M. de Brissac with instructions that I was to be obeyed in all things--hence I am here, to free and to forgive you.' 'Ah, Madame d'Amboise!' I exclaimed, kissing her hand with a greater burst of joy than gratitude at this delightful intelligence, 'my heart, my life, my sword are yours from this moment.'