We have already had occasion to remark, that Louis, deeply imbued with all the superstitions of the age, put full faith in every part of astrology, and dreaded nothing more than the effects of enchantment. Nor could any thing free his mind from the idea, that his brother had, in former times, conspired against his life, with certain magicians who were actually executed for the crime; one amongst others being the famous Père Le Rouge, whom we have more than once noticed in this sage history. The Duke of Orleans himself escaped with a temporary banishment, but the circumstance still rankled in the King's mind; and at present the anger which might perhaps have turned aside from Cinq Mars, had Chavigni at first suffered the favourite's name to appear, now burst with full force upon the less favoured Gaston. "Issue a warrant for his instant arrest," exclaimed the King. "By Heaven, he shall not escape more than another man." "May it please your Majesty!" answered Chavigni, "to sign the warrant yourself. This is a case of no simple conspiracy, where the King's brother is at its head, and many of the first in the kingdom its supporters; and the warrants ought not to be simple _lettres de cachet_ of Council, but ought to bear the royal signature." "Well, Sir," replied the King, "have the warrants prepared, and I will sign them. I am going now to hunt, and at my return we will examine these papers and speak farther." "I have the warrants drawn out here," said the Statesman, not choosing to let the first impression subside. "It will not detain your Majesty a moment; I felt convinced that you would not allow justice to slumber, and therefore had them prepared. This is against the body of Gaston of France, Duke of Orleans," he continued, looking at one of the papers. "Well, give it to me!" exclaimed the King, taking up a pen; "it shall be done at once." Chavigni put the warrant in Louis's hand, and looked at him with intense feeling, and a triumphant smile, as he hastily wrote his signature to it. "Now," thought Chavigni, "I have you, one and all. Now, proud Cinq Mars, and calculating Bouillon, you are in my power! He signs the warrant against his own brother, and he dare not let you escape;" and, countersigning the warrant, he put a second into the King's hand,--"That is against the Duke of Bouillon, Sire!" and he calmly took up the first, and placed it in his portfolio. "The Duke of Bouillon!" exclaimed Louis, with a sudden start, remembering the orders he had sent him, and terrified lest Richelieu should have discovered them. "Is his name to that paper?"