"Vicomte d'Exmès!" said the Duc de Guise, who had a memory like Cæsar's, and who also had the best of reasons for remembering Gabriel. "Vicomte d'Exmès! My young companion in arms of Metz and Renty and Valenza! Show him in, Thibault; show him in at once!" The valet; bowed and left the room to introduce Gabriel. Our hero (we surely have the right to give him that name) had not hesitated. With the instinct which illuminates the brain at critical moments, and which if it shines throughout the ordinary extent of one's life is called genius, Gabriel, on leaving the king, as if he had foreseen the secret thoughts which the Duc de Guise was fondling in his mind at that moment, betook himself at once to the apartments of the lieutenant-general. He was perhaps the only living man who could understand and assist him. Gabriel might well have been touched by the reception which he met with from his former commander. The Duc de Guise went quite to the door to meet him, and folded him in his arms. "Ah, you are here at last, my hero!" he said effusively. "Whence have you come h What has become of you since St. Quentin? Ah, how often I have thought of you and spoken of you, Gabriel!" "Have I really kept any place in your memory, Monseigneur?" "_Pardieu_! he has the assurance to ask me such a question!" cried the duke. "As if you hadn't ways of your own of making yourself remembered by people. Coligny, who is worth more alone than all the rest of the Montmorencys together, has told me (but in very ambiguous terms, for some unknown reason) a part of your exploits at St. Quentin; nevertheless, from what he did say, I should judge that he said nothing regarding the greater portion of them." "Yet I did too little!" said Gabriel, with a sad smile. "Ambitious boy!" said the duke. "Indeed I am ambitious!" was Gabriel's response, with a mournful shake of the head. "But, thank God, you have returned!" rejoined the Duc de Guise. "Once more we are together, my friend; you remember what plans we made together in Italy! Ah, poor Gabriel, France needs your valor more than ever now. To what dire extremity have they reduced our country!" "All that I am, and all that I have," said Gabriel, "is consecrated to her support; I only await your signal, Monseigneur." "Thanks, my friend," the duke responded; "be sure that I will avail myself of your offer, and you will not have long to wait for my signal." "Then it will be for me to thank you, Monseigneur," cried Gabriel.