"Well said, _per Bacco_! as these drunken dogs of cardinals say. And do you be quite easy in your mind, Gabriel, for François de Lorraine, Duc de Guise, will spare no warmth to serve you in love or in hatred; for one or the other of these passions is at work in us, is it not, my master?" "Both, perhaps, Monseigneur." "Ah! so? And when your heart is so full, how can you resist letting it overflow into the heart of a friend?" "Alas, Monseigneur, because I scarcely know whom I love, and have no idea at all whom I hate!" "Indeed! Just suppose, then, Gabriel, since your enemies are to be mine henceforth,--just suppose that old rake Montmorency should happen to be among them!" "It may very well be so, Monseigneur; and if my suspicions have any foundation--But we must not bother about my affairs at this crisis; it is with you and your far-reaching plans that we have to do. How can I be of service to you, Monseigneur?" "In the first place, read me this letter from my brother, the Cardinal de Lorraine, Gabriel." Gabriel broke the seal and unfolded the letter, and after having cast a glance at it, handed it back to the duke, saying, as he did so,-- "Pardon, Monseigneur, but this letter is written in peculiar characters, and I cannot read it." "Ah!" said the duke, "was it Jean Panquet's courier who brought it, then? It must be a confidential communication, I see,--a grated letter, so to speak. Wait a moment, Gabriel!" He opened a casket of chased iron and took from it a paper with pieces cut out at regular intervals, which he laid carefully upon the cardinal's letter. "There," said he, handing it to Gabriel, "read it now!" Gabriel seemed to have some hesitation about doing as he was bid; but François took his hand and pressed it, and said again, with a look of perfect confidence and good faith, "Come, read it; there's a good fellow!" So the Vicomte d'Exmès read as follows:-- "Monsieur, my most honored and illustrious brother (ah, when shall I be able to call you by that one little word of four letters,--_Sire_!)--" Gabriel stopped again; and the duke said, smiling,-- "You are astonished, Gabriel, and no wonder; but I trust that you have no suspicions of me. The Duc de Guise is not another Constable de Bourbon, my friend; and may God keep Henri's crown on his head, and grant him long life! But is there no other throne in the world save the throne of France? Since chance has placed me on an absolutely confidential footing with you, Gabriel, I do not wish to hide anything from you; but I am anxious to make known to you all my plans, and all my dreams, which are not, I think, such as could spring from a commonplace soul." The duke rose and strode up and down the tent.