It took perhaps not more than a quarter of an hour for Humphrey to describe all he had overheard in that bedroom of his at Basle; all of what was said in the adjacent salon. Nevertheless, he told the story clearly and succinctly, omitting only one thing, namely, all mention of De Beaurepaire. _His_ name he could not bring himself to pronounce, remembering that he had ever been treated kindly by the chevalier and also that, even now, he was not resolved as to whether the former was the head and front of the whole conspiracy or whether his name and position were not being used by the conspirators without his consent. "So," said the King, "you overheard all this. And--the names of those who plotted thus? Do you know them? Outside that of La Truaumont with whom you rode in the train of the Duchesse de Castellucchio, are you aware of the names of the others? The name of the woman and also of the man passing as her father?" "Sire, the woman is known as the Marquise de Villiers-Bordéville." "The Marquise de Villiers-Bordéville. De Villiers-Bordéville!" the King repeated. Then, after a moment's reflection, he said, "There is no such title in France." As, however, the words fell from his lips the attitude of De Louvois, while he leant nearer to him, showed that he desired to speak. Whereupon the King said, "You know her, De Louvois?" "Sire," the minister answered, "La Reynie, your _Surintendant de Police_, knows her. He has signalised her to me as dangerous." "Who is she?" "She is Louise Belleau de Cortonne. Her husband was Jacques de Mallorties, Seigneur de Villers and Boudéville. Villers and Boudéville are almost akin to Villiers-Bordéville. That husband died mysteriously by poison, she was tried at Rouen for his murder but acquitted. Now----" "Yes, now?" "She is a spy in the pay of either Holland or Spain or both, and she loves secretly--the--man--whom--we suspect." "_Dieu!_" the King exclaimed, exhibiting, however, as little agitation as, in all the great crises of his long reign--the plots and conspiracies against his life, the combinations of half Europe against him, the treachery of those whom he had enriched and advanced, as well as the treachery, in one extreme case at least, of the women he had loved--he was ever known to show. Turning, however, to Humphrey now, Louis said in a voice that was absolutely calm:-- "Was any great name mentioned in this talk you overheard? Any name so great in all that pertains to it that, almost, it casts a shadow over, or pretends to cast a shadow over, the name of Louis de Bourbon?" "Your Majesty," Humphrey whispered, "such a name was mentioned, hinted at. But--but----" "But what?" "More as the name of one who occupied the position spoken of by Monsieur le Ministre a moment past. As one who is admired, perhaps loved by----" "That woman, the _soi-disant_ Marquise?" "Your Majesty has said it. More as that than as the name of a plotter, an intriguer."