"Having reached the damp and unwholesome abyss, which, during her reign, had witnessed numerous similar scenes to that now enacted, Catherine proceeded to search the corpse, eagerly drew forth the desired billet, ascertained by the lantern that it was the one she sought, then, pushing the mangled body from her, she pressed a spring, the bottom of the _oubliette_ sank down, and the corpse, borne by its own weight, disappeared toward the river. "Closing the door after her, she reascended; and, returning to her closet, read the paper poor Orthon had so valiantly defended. It was conceived in these words: "'This evening at ten o'clock, Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, Hôtel de la Belle Etoile. Should you come, no reply is requisite; if otherwise, send word back, _No_, by the bearer. "'DE MOUY DE SAINT-PHALE.' "At eight o'clock Henri of Navarre took two of his gentlemen, went out by the Porte St. Honoré, entered again by the Tour de Bois, crossed the Seine at the ferry of the Nesle, mounted the Rue St. Jacques, and there dismissed them, as if he were going to an amorous rendezvous. At the corner of the Rue des Mathurins he found a man on horseback, wrapped in a large cloak; he approached him. "'Mantes!' said the man. "'Pau!' replied the king. "The horseman instantly dismounted. Henri wrapped himself in his splashed mantle, sprang on his steed, rode down the Rue de la Harpe, crossed the Pont St. Michel, passed the Rue Barthelemy, crossed the river again on the Pont au Meunier, descended the quais, reached the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, and knocked at Maître la Hurière's." The route is easily traced to-day, and at the end of it is the Hôtel des Mousquetaires, so it will not take much imagination to revivify the incident which Dumas conceived, though one may not get there that "good wine of Artois" which the innkeeper, La Hurière, served to Henri. The circumstance is recounted in "Marguerite de Valois," as follows: "'La Hurière, here is a gentleman wants you.' "La Hurière advanced, and looked at Henri; and, as his large cloak did not inspire him with very great veneration: "'Who are you?' asked he. "'Eh, _sang Dieu_!' returned Henri, pointing to La Mole. 'I am, as the gentleman told you, a Gascon gentleman come to court.' "'What do you want?' "'A room and supper.' "'I do not let a room to any one, unless he has a lackey.' "'Oh, but I will pay you a rose noble for your room and supper.' "'You are very generous, worthy sir,' said La Hurière, with some distrust. "'No; but expecting to sup here, I invited a friend of mine to meet me. Have you any good wine of Artois?' "'I have as good as the King of Navarre drinks.' "'Ah, good!'"