just the ones which take root in minds like the king's, and that such words, which are supposed to have been blown away by the wind, almost always have more weight than a long harangue which is not listened to. That may be, Monsieur le Duc de Medina, that may be, but I am only a poor woman, engrossed with ribbons and gewgaws, and you understand all these serious matters a thousand times better than I; but the lion may have need of the ant, the skiff may save the ship. We are here to come to an understanding, Monsieur le Duc, and that's all we have to do." "If you choose, madame," said the ambassador, "it will be very quickly done." "Who gives to-day receives to-morrow," continued the duchess, evading a direct reply; "my womanly instinct will always lead me to advise François I. to perform great and generous deeds, but instinct often turns its back on reason. We must also think of our interest, of the interest of France, of course. But I have confidence in you, Monsieur de Medina; I will ask your advice, and upon the whole I think that the Emperor will do well to rely upon the king's word. "Ah! if you were in our interest, madame, he would not hesitate." "Master Clement Marot," said the duchess, abruptly breaking off the conversation, as if she had not heard the ambassador's last exclamation; "Master Clement Marot, do you not happen to have some flowing madrigal, or some stately sonnet to repeat to us?" "Madame," said the poet, "sonnets and madrigals are natural flowers beneath your feet, and grow apace in the sunshine of your lovely eyes: half a score of lines have come to my mind simply from looking into them." "Indeed, master! Very good! we will listen to them. Ah! Messire le Prévôt, welcome; pray forgive me for not seeing you at once. Have you news of your future son-in-law, our friend Comte d'Orbec?" "Yes, madame," replied D'Estourville, "he writes that he is to hasten his return, and we shall soon see him, I trust." A half suppressed sigh made Madame d'Etampes start, but she said, without turning toward its author:-- "He will be welcomed by us all. Well, Vicomte de Marmagne," she continued, "have you found the sheath of your dagger?" "No, madame; but I am on the trace of it, and I know how and where to find it now." "Good luck to you then, Monsieur le Vicomte, good luck to you. Are you ready, Master Clement? we are all ears." "The subject is the duchy of Etampes," said Marot. A murmur of approval ran through the room, and the poet recited the following lines in an affected voice:-- "Ce plaisant val que l'on nomme Tempé Dont mainte histoire est encore embellie, Arrosé d'eau, si doux, si attrempé, Sachez que plus il n'est en Thessalie; Jupiter, roi qui les cœurs gagne et lie, L'a de Thessale en France remué, Et quelque peu son propre nom mué, Car pour Tempé veut qu'Etampes s'appelle, Ainsi lui plait, ainsi l'a situé Pour y loger de France la plus belle."[7]