"Monseigneur, foreign princes fear you, the people adore you, and the army is at your command to a man; you are already more of a king in France than the king himself. You are king by right of genius, he only because the crown is on his head. Dare to speak with the voice of a master, and the nation will listen to you like obedient subjects. Will Henri II. be any stronger in the Louvre than you in your camp? He who now speaks to you will be proud and happy to be the first to address you as 'your Majesty.'" "Well, this is an audacious and daring scheme of yours, Gabriel," commented the Duc de Guise. But he did not give the least sign of irritation; on the contrary, his features wore a smile under their simulated expression of surprise. "If it is an audacious scheme, it is a heart of extraordinary daring to which I propose it," replied Gabriel, firmly. "I speak for the good of France. We need a great man for king. Is it not calamitous that all your ideas of grandeur and of conquest should be thus disgracefully impeded by the caprice of a wanton and the jealousy of a favorite? If you were once at the helm with unfettered hands, where would your genius stop? You would renew the glory of Charlemagne." "You know the house of Lorraine can trace its descent from him!" said Le Balafré, eagerly. "Who could doubt it after seeing you in action?" replied Gabriel. "Be in your turn another Hugh Capet for the Valois." "Yes, but suppose I should be only a Constable de Bourbon?" "You slander yourself, Monseigneur. The Constable de Bourbon called foreigners to his assistance,--foes they were too. You need make use of none but your own country's forces." "But where are these forces, which, according to you, are at my disposal?" asked Le Balafré. "Two parties are offered to you," was Gabriel's reply. "Who are they, pray?--for you see I allow you to go on, as if all this were something more than a mere figment of your imagination. Who are these two parties?" "The army and the Protestants, Monseigneur," Gabriel answered. "You have it in your power to assume the position of a military chieftain at once." "A usurper!" exclaimed Le Balafré. "Say a conqueror! But if you would prefer, Monseigneur, be the king of the Huguenots." "How about the Prince de Condé?" said the duke, smiling. "He is fascinating and clever, but you are great and brilliant. Do you suppose that Calvin would hesitate between you?--and there is no doubt that the son of the cooper of Noyon is the dictator of his party. Say one word, and to-morrow you have at your command thirty thousand Reformers." "But I am a Catholic prince, Gabriel." "Glory is the true religion of heroes like yourself, Monseigneur." "I should involve myself in trouble at Rome." "That will be an excuse for making yourself her master." "Ah, my friend, my friend!" rejoined the duke, looking keenly at Gabriel, "you hate Henri II. bitterly!" "As much as I love you, I confess," said the youth, with noble frankness.