"It must have flattened itself against the boar," said the duke.
"Well! my God!" exclaimed Henry, with admirably assumed surprise; "you see, François, your bullet has broken the leg of his Majesty's horse. That is strange!"
"What!" said the King; "is that true?"
"It is possible," said the duke terrified; "my hand shook so!"
"The fact is that for a clever marksman that was a strange thing to do, François!" said Charles frowning. "A second time, Henriot, I thank you!"
"Gentlemen," continued the King, "let us return to Paris; I have had enough of this."
Marguerite came up to congratulate Henry.
"Yes, indeed, Margot," said Charles, "congratulate him, and sincerely too, for without him the King of France would be Henry III."
"Alas, madame," said the Béarnais, "Monsieur le Duc d'Anjou, who is already my enemy, will be angrier than ever at me. But what can you expect? One does what one can. Ask Monsieur d'Alençon."
And bowing, he drew his knife from the wild boar's body and dug it two or three times into the earth to wipe off the blood.