"Now, then, murderer!" said he after a little, "do you know I have a great mind to have you hanged?"
"Oh, your Majesty!" cried Maurevel.
"Young De Mouy entreated me to do so only yesterday, and I scarcely knew what answer to make him, for his demand was perfectly just."
Maurevel clasped his hands.
"All the more just, because I am, as you say, the father of my people; and because, as I answered you, now that I am reconciled to the Huguenots, they are as much my children as the Catholics."
"Sire," said Maurevel, in despair, "my life is in your hands; do with it what you will."
"You are quite right, and I would not give a groat for it."
"But, sire," asked the a.s.sa.s.sin, "is there no means of redeeming my crime?"
"None that I know of; only if I were in your place--but thank G.o.d I am not"--
"Well, sire, if you were in my place?" murmured Maurevel, his eyes fixed on the King"s lips.
"I think I could extricate myself," said the King.
Maurevel raised himself on one knee and one hand, fixing his eyes upon Charles to make certain that he was not jesting.
"I am very fond of young De Mouy," said the King; "but I am equally fond of my cousin De Guise; and if my cousin asked me to spare a man that the other wanted me to hang, I confess I should be embarra.s.sed; but for policy as well as religion"s sake I should comply with my cousin De Guise"s request, for De Mouy, brave captain though he be, is but a petty personage compared with a prince of Lorraine."
During these words, Maurevel slowly rose, like a man whose life is saved.
"In your critical situation it would be a very important thing to gain my cousin De Guise"s favor. So I am going to tell you what he said to me last night."
Maurevel drew nearer.
""Imagine, sire," said he to me, "that every morning, at ten o"clock, my deadliest enemy pa.s.ses down the Rue Saint Germain l"Auxerrois, on his return from the Louvre. I see him from a barred window in the room of my old preceptor, the Canon Pierre Piles, and I pray the devil to open the earth and swallow him in its abysses." Now, Maitre Maurevel," continued the King, "perhaps if you were the devil, or if for an instant you should take his place, that would perhaps please my cousin De Guise."
Maurevel"s infernal smile came back to his lips, though they were still bloodless with terror, and he stammered out these words:
"But, sire, I cannot make the earth open."
"Yet you made it open wide enough for the worthy De Mouy, if I remember correctly. After this you will tell me how with a pistol--have you not that pistol still?"
"Forgive me, sire, I am a still better marksman with an arquebuse than a pistol," replied Maurevel, now quite rea.s.sured.
"Pistol or arquebuse makes no difference," said the King; "I am sure my cousin De Guise will not cavil over the choice of methods."
"But," said Maurevel, "I must have a weapon I can rely on, as, perhaps, I shall have to fire from a long distance."
"I have ten arquebuses in this room," replied Charles IX., "with which I can hit a crown-piece at a hundred and fifty paces--will you try one?"
"Most willingly, sire!" cried Maurevel, with the greatest joy, going in the direction of one which was standing in a corner of the room. It was the one which that day had been brought to the King.
"No, not that one," said the King, "not that one; I reserve that for myself. Some day I am going to have a grand hunt and then I hope to use it. Take any other you like."
Maurevel took one down from a trophy.
"And who is this enemy, sire?" asked the a.s.sa.s.sin.
"How should I know," replied Charles, withering the wretch with his contemptuous look.
"I must ask M. de Guise, then," faltered Maurevel.
The King shrugged his shoulders.
"Do not ask," said he; "for M. de Guise will not answer. Do people generally answer such questions? Those that do not wish to be hanged must guess them."
"But how shall I know him?"
"I tell you he pa.s.ses the Canon"s house every morning at ten o"clock."
"But many pa.s.s that house. Would your Majesty deign to give me any certain sign?"
"Oh, that is easy enough; to-morrow, for example, he will carry a red morocco portfolio under his arm."
"That is sufficient, sire."
"You still have the fast horse M. de Mouy gave you?"
"Sire, I have one of the fleetest of horses."
"Oh, I am not in the least anxious about you; only it is as well to let you know the monastery has a back door."
"Thanks, sire; pray Heaven for me!"
"Oh, a thousand devils! pray to Satan rather; for only by his aid can you escape a halter."
"Adieu, sire."
"Adieu! By the way, M. de Maurevel, remember that if you are heard of before ten to-morrow, or are _not_ heard of afterward, there is a dungeon at the Louvre."
And Charles IX. calmly began to whistle, with more than usual precision, his favorite air.
CHAPTER IV.
THE EVENING OF THE 24TH OF AUGUST, 1572.
Our readers have not forgotten that in the previous chapter we mentioned a gentleman named De la Mole whom Henry of Navarre was anxiously expecting.