"No, but to bring them to amendment," answered the Cardinal de Lorraine in a whisper, "and we hope to achieve it by a little gentleness."
"Do you know what I should have done in the reign of the King's father?" said Anne de Montmorency. "I should have sent for the Provost to hang those two rascals high and dry on the Louvre gallows."
"Well, gentlemen, and who are the learned doctors you will bring into the field?" said the Queen, silencing the Constable with a look.
"Duplessis-Mornay and Théodore de Bèze are our leaders," said Chaudieu.
"The Court will probably go to the château of Saint-Germain; and as it would not be seemly that this colloquy should take place in the same town, it shall be held in the little town of Poissy," replied Catherine.
"Shall we be safe there, madame?" asked Chaudieu.
"Oh!" said the Queen, with a sort of simplicity, "you will, no doubt, know what precautions to take. Monsieur the Admiral will make arrangements to that effect with my cousins de Guise and Montmorency."
"Fie on it all!" said the Constable; "I will have no part in it."
The Queen took Chaudieu a little way apart.
"What do you do to your sectarians to give them such a spirit?" said she. "My furrier's son was really sublime."