"You said that too loud and too often, Sire," said Diane, frowning, and in a somewhat embarrassed tone. "It was agreed that Madame de Castro should pass for the child of another than myself. I was born to have legitimate children by you. I have been your mistress because I loved you; but I will not put up with your openly declaring me your concubine." "That shall be as your pride dictates, Diane," was the king's reply; "but you love our child dearly, do you not?" "I like to have you love her." "Oh, yes! I love her very much. She is so fascinating, so clever, so sweet! And then, Diane, she reminds me so of my younger days and of the time when I loved you--ah! no more passionately than to-day, God knows, but when I loved you so that I was willing to commit a crime." The king, who had suddenly fallen into gloomy reflection, raised his head. "This Montgommery! You didn't care for him, did you, Diane? You didn't care for him?" "What a foolish question!" said the favorite, with a disdainful smile. "Still so jealous after twenty years!" "Yes, I am jealous; I am, and shall always be jealous of you, Diane. Surely you didn't love him; but he loved you, the villain,--he dared to love you!" "_Mon Dieu_! Sire, you have always lent too willing an ear to the slanders with which these Protestants are always pursuing me. That is not the part of a Catholic king. In any event, whether the man loved me or not, what does it matter, if my heart never for an instant ceased to be wholly yours, for the Comte de Montgommery has been dead many years?" "Yes, dead!" said the king, in a hollow voice. "Come, let us not grow mournful over these reminiscences on a day which ought to be a day of rejoicing," said Diane. "Have you seen François and Marie yet? Are they always so lovelorn, these children? Well their terrible impatience will soon be at an end. Think, in two hours they will be made one, and so glad and happy, but still not so delighted as the Guises, whose wishes are fully satisfied by this marriage." "Yes, but who is in a fury about it?" said the king. "My old Montmorency; and the constable has so much the more reason to lose his head, because I greatly fear that our Diane is not destined for his son." "But, Sire, didn't you promise him this marriage by way of amends?" "Certainly I did; but it seems that Madame de Castro has objections--" "A child of eighteen just out of a convent! What objections can she possibly have?" "It is to confide them to me that she is probably waiting in my apartments at this very moment." "Go to her, then, Sire, while I proceed to beautify myself to please you." "And after the ceremony I shall see you again at the tilting match. I am going to break a lance in your honor once more to-day, and I propose to make you queen of the lists." "The queen? And who is the other?" "There is only one, Diane, and you know it very well. _Au revoir_."