The princess clasped her hands as she cried: "My child! My child!"
Gonzague pointed mockingly at Lagardere. "The impostor is already exposed!" he cried, exultingly.
Lagardere turned towards him, fiercely. "Liar! assassin!" he cried, and advanced towards Gonzague, but was stopped by Bonnivet.
The king looked at him sternly. "Sir, you have made charges you could not prove, promises you could not keep. You shall answer for this before your judges."
Bonnivet made as if to arrest Lagardere, but Lagardere held up his hand. "Stop!" he cried; "let no man dare to touch me. I have here your majesty’s safe-conduct, signed and sealed—’free to come, free to go’—that was your promise, sire."
Gonzague protested. "A promise won by a trick does not count."
The king shook his head. "I have given my word. The man has forty-eight hours to cross the frontier."
Lagardere bowed to the king. "I thank you, sire. You are a true and honorable gentleman. But, sire, I give you back your word." As he spoke he tore the safe-conduct in two and flung it at his feet. "I ask but four-and-twenty hours to unmask the villain who now triumphs over truth and justice, and to give back a daughter to her mother. Nevers shall be avenged! Make way for me!"
As he spoke he turned upon his heel and passed rapidly from the king’s presence, the amazed and bewildered guests giving ground before him as he passed. Instantly Gonzague turned and whispered to Peyrolles: "He must not leave this place alive."
And Peyrolles answered, confidently: "He shall not. Every gate is guarded by my spies."