"If heaven is just," said Diana, "it will yet place the Huguenot bandit face to face with the Cordelier Hervé. Then would we see terrible things. The monk commands a company of Catholics, all desperate men. For arms he has a chaplet, the beads of which are arquebus balls, and a heavy iron crucifix which he uses for a mace. All heretics who fall into the hands of the troop of Fra Hervé are put to death with all manner of refined tortures, whether they be men or women, old men or children. But do let us return to our pasquils."
"The best are still to come. They are the cleverest and drollest, but they are in prose;" and Blanche continued reading:
"New Works Belonging to the Court Library.
"The Pot-pourri of the Affairs of France, translated from the Italian into French by the Queen of France.
"The General Goslings' Record, by the Cardinal of Bourbon. A collection of racy stories.
"The History of Ganymede, by the Duke of Anjou, the Queen's favorite son."
"The dear Prince surely did not write that book without a collaborator," cried Diana of Sauveterre, laughing. "I wager the lovely Odet, the son of Count Neroweg of Plouernel, his aide-de-camp, must have helped the Duke of Anjou in his work. The two youngsters have become inseparable, day—and night!"
"O, Italiam! Italiam! O, Italy, the rival of Gomorrah and of Lesbos!" exclaimed Clorinde, laughing boisterously.
"You speak Latin, my dear?" asked Diana, amused.
"Simply out of shame," replied Clorinde, "in order not to frighten the modesty of the maids of honor, my pretty chickens."