"Of course," said he, "the direct heirs of Charlemagne have the right to take back the crown which was snatched from their family by Hugues Capet; but--can they? The pear is not ripe.--Our nephew is dying, and all the Court is gone over to the King of Navarre." "The King's heart failed him; but for that, the Béarnais would have been stabbed," replied the Cardinal, "and we could easily have disposed of the children." "We are in a bad position here," said the Duke. "The revolt in the town will be supported by the States-General. L'Hôpital, whom we have befriended so well, and whose elevation Queen Catherine opposed, is now our foe, and we need the law on our side. The Queen-mother has too many adherents now to allow of our sending her away.--And besides, there are three more boys!" "She is no longer a mother; she is nothing but a queen," said the Cardinal. "In my opinion, this is the very moment to be rid of her. Energy, and again energy! that is what I prescribe." Having said this, the Cardinal went back into the King's room, and the Duke followed him. The prelate went straight up to Catherine. "The papers found on La Sagne, the Prince de Condé's secretary, have been communicated to you," said he. "You know that the Bourbons mean to dethrone your children?" "I know it all," said the Queen. "Well, then, will you not have the King of Navarre arrested?" "There is a Lieutenant-General of the kingdom," replied she. At this moment Francis complained of the most violent pain in his ear, and began to moan lamentably. The physician left the fireplace, where he was warming himself, and came to examine the patient's head. "Well, monsieur?" said the Grand Master, addressing him. "I dare not apply a compress to draw the evil humors. Master Ambroise has undertaken to save his Majesty by an operation, and I should annoy him by doing so." "Put it off till to-morrow," said Catherine calmly, "and be present, all of you medical men; for you know what calumnies the death of a prince gives ground for." She kissed her son's hands and withdrew. "How coolly that audacious trader's daughter can speak of the Dauphin's death, poisoned as he was by Montecuculi, a Florentine of her suite!" cried Mary Stuart. "Marie," said the little King, "my grandfather never cast a suspicion on her innocence." "Cannot we hinder that woman from coming here to-morrow?" said the Queen in an undertone to her two uncles. "What would become of us if the King should die?" replied the Cardinal. "Catherine would hurl us all into his grave." And so that night the question stood plainly stated between Catherine de' Medici and the House of Lorraine. The arrival of the Chancellor and the Connétable de Montmorency pointed to rebellion, and the dawn of the morrow would prove decisive.