'Yes, it was a little amusement. They say, however, that Madame is furious, and that her temper is worse than that of Mademoiselle d'Entragues--who, by the way, literally flung herself at the King, without avail. Her time will come soon enough, no doubt--but, good gracious, man! what is the matter? You are white as a sheet.' 'It is nothing, Belin--yes, it is more than I can bear. Belin, old friend, is there nothing that can save this lady?' He looked at me and whistled low to himself. 'Sets the wind that way? I did not know you had even heard of the lily of Bidache. Are you hard hit, d'Auriac?' And he rose from his seat and put a kind hand on my shoulder. I jumped up furiously. 'Belin, I tell you I will stop this infamy if I die for it! I swear before God that I will kill that man, king though he be, like a mad dog----' 'Be still,' he said. 'What bee has stung you? You and I, d'Auriac, come of houses too old to play the assassin. _Croix Dieu_, man! Will you sully your shield with murder? There, drink that wine and sit down again. That's right. You do not know what you say. I have fought against the King, and I serve him now, and I tell you, d'Auriac, he is the greatest of Frenchmen. And there is yet hope. Remember, a fortnight is a fortnight.' I ground my teeth in silent agony. 'Wait a moment,' he continued; 'a chamberlain of the court knows most of its secrets, and I can tell you that it is not such plain sailing as you think for d'Ayen. The death of that unhappy Gabrielle has affected the King much. He is but now beginning to recover, and Biron, who was hurrying to his government of Burgundy, has been ordered to remain in close attendance on the King. Whether Biron knew of the King's intentions or not, I do not know; but he has strongly urged the suit of one of his gentlemen for the hand of Madame--it is that _croquemort_ de Gomeron, with all his faults a stout soldier. It is said that the Marshal has even pressed de Gomeron's suit with Madame, and that rather than marry d'Ayen, and clinging to any chance for escape, she has agreed to fall in with his views. This I heard from the Vidame and the Chevalier de Lafin--good enough authority.' 'One alternative is as bad as the other.' 'There is no satisfying some people. Why, man! don't you see it would be the best thing in the world for you if it was settled in favour of our friend from the Camargue.' 'That low-born scoundrel?' '_Mon ami_, we don't know anything about that. Give the devil his due; he is a better man than d'Ayen. I know there is ill blood between you, and wonder that some has not been spilt before now.' 'There will be, by God! before this is ended!' '_Tenez!_ Let but the King agree to de Gomeron's suit--and he is hard pressed, I tell you, for Sully even is on Biron's side in this matter, and after that----' 'What?' 'Henry's mind will have turned another way. There are many who would like to play queen, and few like Mesdames de Guercheville and Bidache.'