The portraiture of Dumas forms a wonderfully complete list of the royalties and nobilities of France. Both the D'Artagnan gallery and the Valois series literally reek with the names of celebrated personages, and this, too, in the mere romances, for it must be remembered that, in spite of his reputation as a romancist, Dumas' historical sketches and travels were both numerous and of great extent. One significant portrait, though it is not one of noble birth, is that of Marie Touchet, extracted from "Marguerite de Valois," and reprinted here. "When Charles IX. and Henri of Navarre visited the Rue de la Martellerie, it was to see the celebrated Marie, who, though 'only a poor, simple girl,' as she referred to herself, was the Eve of Charles' paradise. 'Your Eden, Sire,' said the gallant Henri. "'Dearest Marie,' said Charles, 'I have brought you another king happier than myself, for he has no crown; more unhappy than me, for he has no Marie Touchet.' "'Sire, it is, then, the King of Navarre?' "'It is, love.' "Henri went toward her, and Charles took his right hand. "'Look at this hand, Marie,' said he; 'it is the hand of a good brother and a loyal friend; and but for this hand--' "'Well, Sire!' "'But for this hand, this day, Marie, our boy had been fatherless.' "Marie uttered a cry, seized Henri's hand, and kissed it. "The king went to the bed where the child was still asleep. "'Eh!' said he, 'if this stout boy slept in the Louvre, instead of sleeping in this small house, he would change the aspect of things at present, and perhaps for the future.' "'Sire,' said Marie, 'without offence to your Majesty, I prefer his sleeping here; he sleeps better.'" This illustrates only one phase of Dumas' power of portraiture, based on historical fact, of course, and casting no new light on matters which are otherwise well known, but still a very fresh and vivifying method of projecting the features of those famous in the history of France, and a method, perhaps, which will serve to impress them upon the reader in a more nearly indelible fashion than any other. "It was this child of Marie Touchet and Charles IX. who afterward was the famous Duke d'Angoulême, who died in 1650; and, had he been legitimate, would have taken precedence of Henri III., Henri IV., Louis XIII., Louis XIV., etc., and altered the whole line of the royal succession of France." It was a pleasurable visit for all three, that of which Dumas writes. Charles, Henri, and Marie supped together, and the accomplished Prince of Béarn made the famous anagram from the letters of the lady's name, "_Je charme tout_," which Charles declared he would present to her worked in diamonds, and that it should be her motto. History does not state that he did so, but no doubt that was a detail which the chroniclers have overlooked, or, of course, it may have been an interpolation of Dumas'. * * * * *