The duke threw a suspicious glance round him. “Is it possible?” he said.
“Alas, yes, monseigneur,” said M. de Morvilliers.
“Tell us all about it,” said Chicot.
“Yes,” stammered the duke, “tell us all about it, monsieur.”
“I listen,” said Henri.
“Sire, for some time I have been watching some malcontents, but they were shopkeepers, or junior clerks, a few monks and students.”
“That is not much,” said Chicot.
“I know that malcontents always make use either of war or of religion.”
“Very sensible!” said the king.
“I put men on the watch, and at last I succeeded in persuading a man from the provosty of Paris to watch the preachers, who go about exciting the people against your majesty. They are prompted by a party hostile to your majesty, and this party I have studied, and now I know their hopes,” added he, triumphantly. “I have men in my pay, greedy, it is true, who, for a good sum of money, promised to let me know of the first meeting of the conspirators.”