"I told you in that case to have him write."
"I tried. He collected all his strength, but his hand could trace only two letters. They are almost illegible. Then he fainted. The jugular vein was cut and the blood he lost has taken away all his strength."
"Have you seen the letters?"
"Here they are."
Réné drew a paper from his pocket and handed it to Catharine, who hastily unfolded it.
"An m and an o," said she. "Could it have been La Mole, and was all that acting of Marguerite done to throw me off the track?"
"Madame," said Réné, "if I dared to express my opinion in a matter about which your majesty hesitates to give yours I should say that I believe Monsieur de la Mole is too much in love to be seriously interested in politics."
"You think so?"
"Yes, and above all too much in love with the Queen of Navarre to serve the King very devotedly; for there is no real love without jealousy."
"You think that he is very much in love, then?"