"What do I wish, Marcel? I wish to be King of the French.... This astonishes you!" "No," answered the provost with a coolness that stupefied Charles the Wicked; "sooner or later you were bound to make the disclosure." "You foresaw things from a great distance.... How long is it since you foresaw it?" "Since I saw your creature Robert le Coq, Bishop of Laon, throw himself with ardor on the side of the popular party, and show himself one of the most violent enemies of King John, whose daughter you married--" "Nevertheless, if my memory does not fail me, you made good use of the influence of the Bishop of Laon in the States General to induce them to accept your famous ordinance of reforms." "I use any instrument that aids me in doing good." "And then you break it?" "If necessary. But Robert le Coq is too subtle to be broken. Nevertheless, despite his finesse, I have penetrated his secret motives." "And that is?" "The people of Paris have with their keen eyes and tongues surnamed the Bishop of Laon 'a two-edged dirk;' the people, Sire, are right. By showing himself so hostile to King John, your father-in-law, and afterwards so hostile to the Regent, your brother-in-law, the Bishop of Laon played a double game. He aimed, with the aid of the popular party, to first of all dethrone the reigning dynasty; and then ... to give the crown to you. That is the reason, Sire, why I am not taken by surprise at your admission that you wish to be King of the French." "What do you think of my pretensions?" "Your chances are fair of mounting the throne. I am ready to admit that." "With your help, Marcel?" "I might enter into your projects." "Is that true!" cried the King of Navarre, unable to conceal his joy; but after a short moment's reflection, and casting upon the provost a defiant look, he presently proceeded: "Marcel, you are laying a trap for me.... I know how and more than once you have expressed yourself regarding me. Your words were extremely severe." "Sire, you are called _Charles the Wicked_. I hold the name fits you. But you are active, subtle, venturesome; you command numerous armed bands; your partisans are powerful; your wealth considerable. You are a force, that, at a given moment, may be useful. For that reason I caused your release from prison where your father-in-law kept you locked up." "So that I, Charles, King of Navarre, am to be merely an instrument in the hands of Marcel, the cloth merchant."