There was a moment of silence,--every one reflecting, no doubt, upon this extraordinary spectacle of the lie given by a prince of the blood to the whole court, where there was not a page who did not know him to be guilty twenty times over of that offence from which he defended himself with such well-simulated indignation. And, in truth, the youthful king was probably the only one who was innocent enough to be astonished; and no one thought any the worse of the prince's valor or virtue. The political theories of the Italian courts, brought into France by Catherine de Médicis and her Florentines, were then fashionable in France. He who was most skilful in deceit was considered the most clever; and to conceal one's thoughts and disguise one's purpose was the acme of political skill. Frankness would have been looked upon as folly. The noblest and purest characters of the time--Coligny, Condé, the Chancellor Olivier--had not succeeded in keeping clear of the contagion. Therefore the Duc de Guise did not despise the Prince de Condé; he rather admired him. But he said to himself, smiling, that he was at least as good an actor as the other. Taking a step forward, he slowly removed his glove, and cast it beside that of the prince. There was a murmur of surprise; and the first impression was that he proposed to answer Monsieur de Condé's defiant challenge. But in that case he would not have been the subtle politician he prided himself on being. In a loud, firm voice, and as if really convinced by the prince's demeanor, he said,-- "I approve Monsieur le Prince de Condé's words, and support him in them; and I am so devotedly his humble servant, having the honor to be his kinsman, that I here offer myself as his second, and will assist him in his just defence against all comers." Le Balafré, with these words, let his inquiring glance rove boldly upon all those who stood around. The Prince de Condé could only lower his own. He felt himself more thoroughly worsted than if he had been overthrown in the lists. "Will no one," continued the Duc de Guise, "take up either the Prince de Condé's glove or mine?" No one stirred, of course. "My cousin," observed François II., with a melancholy smile, "you are, as you desired, thoroughly cleared of all suspicion of felony, in my opinion." "Yes, Sire," said the "Silent Captain," with ingenuous impudence; "and I thank your Majesty for having assisted me." He turned with an effort to Le Balafré, and added,-- "I also am grateful to my good ally and kinsman, Monsieur de Guise. I hope to prove afresh to him, and to all others, by my behavior to-night against the rebels, if there be an attack, that he was not wrong in taking my part." Thereupon the Prince de Condé and the Duc de Guise exchanged most profoundly courteous salutations. Then the prince, being well and duly justified, and having no further business there, bowed to the king, and left the room, followed by those who had come in with him.