On perceiving him the prince gave a start of surprise.
"Yes," said Henry, taking him by both hands; "yes, I understand, my good brother, you are angry because I was the first to call the King's attention to the fact that your ball struck the leg of his horse instead of the boar, as you intended it should. But what can you expect? I could not prevent an exclamation of surprise. Besides, the King would have noticed it, would he not?"
"No doubt, no doubt," murmured D'Alençon. "And yet I can think of it only as an evil intention on your part to denounce me as you did, and which, as you yourself saw, had no result except to make my brother Charles suspect me, and to make hard feeling between us."
"We will return to this in a few moments. As to my good or evil intentions regarding you, I have come to you on purpose that you may judge them."
"Very good!" said D'Alençon with his customary reserve. "Speak, Henry, I am listening."
"When I have spoken, François, you will readily see what my intentions are, for the confidence I am going to place in you does away with all reserve and prudence. And when I have told you, you will be able to ruin me by a single word!"
"What is it?" said François, beginning to be anxious.
"And yet," continued Henry, "I have hesitated a long time to speak to you of the thing which brings me here, especially after the way in which you turned a deaf ear to-day."
"Really," said François, growing pale, "I do not know what you mean, Henry."
"Brother, your interests are too dear to me not to tell you that the Huguenots have made advances to me."