"What do you wish?" said the king. "I cannot help being sad when I see how many enemies you have made--I mean how many enemies I have! But come, let us say no more about it, good uncle; give me more details as to the insolent attempt of these rebels." "Pardon, Sire!" retorted the cardinal, still standing on his dignity; "after what your Majesty has said, it seems to me that others than ourselves--" "Oh, dear uncle, I implore you to say no more about my hasty words, which I am sorry for," said François II. "What more can I say? Must I apologize, pray, and ask your pardon?" "Oh, Sire!" said Charles de Lorraine, "at the moment that your Majesty restores his precious confidence to us--" "Entirely, and with all my heart," added the king, offering his hand to the cardinal. "Just so much valuable time lost!" said the Duc de Guise, gravely. It was the first word he had uttered since the beginning of the interview. He came forward now, as if all that had gone before had been simply unimportant preliminaries a wearisome prologue, in which he had allowed the Cardinal de Lorraine to sustain the principal part; but these puerile discussions being at an end, he haughtily took the floor and assumed the initiative. "Sire," said he to the king, "this, in brief, is the condition of affairs: two thousand rebels, commanded by Baron de la Renaudie, and encouraged underhand by the Prince de Condé, are preparing a descent at this time from Poitou, Béarn, and other provinces, with the view of surprising Blois and carrying off your Majesty." François made a gesture of indignation and surprise. "Carry off the king!" cried Mary Stuart. "And you with him, Madame," continued Le Balafré. "But never fear; we will take good care of your Majesties." "What measures do you propose to take?" asked the king. "We received warning of this only an hour since," said the Duc de Guise. "But the first thing to do, Sire, is to assure the safety of your sacred person. For that purpose, it is necessary that you should leave this unfortified town of Blois and its unprotected château this very day, to withdraw to Amboise, where there is a fortified château which will protect you against a sudden blow." "What!" said the queen; "imprison ourselves in that vile Château d'Amboise, perched up on top of a rock, and so gloomy and sad!" "Child!" was what Le Balafré's harsh look said to his niece, though he did not put it in words. He said simply,-- "Madame, it must be done!" "But that will be flying from these rebels!" said the young king, trembling with rage. "Sire," rejoined the duke, "you cannot fly from an enemy who has not yet attacked you, nor even declared war against you. We are supposed to be in ignorance of the guilty designs of these factionists." "However, we do know them," said François.