The king was received, however, with less respect than the Prince de Condé. No acclamation welcomed him upon his arrival. He noticed the omission, and turning to the cardinal, he said, with an angry frown,—
"Ah, Monsieur le Cardinal, I will never forgive you for forcing us to come hither!"
Charles de Lorraine, however, had raised his hand as a signal for the marks of devotion to be manifested, and a few voices scattered through the crowd cried,—
"Vive le roi!"
"You hear, Sire?" rejoined the cardinal.
"Yes," said the king, sadly; "I hear a few awkward fellows, who but serve to make the general silence more noticeable."
Meanwhile the remainder of the royal gallery had been occupied. The king's brothers, the papal nuncio, the Duchesse de Guise, had taken their places there one after another.
Then came the Duc de Nemours, also very pale, and looking as if he were the prey of bitter remorse.
Last of all two men took their stations there, behind the others, whose presence in that place and at that time was perhaps not less remarkable than that of the Prince de Condé.
They were Ambroise Paré and Gabriel de Montgommery.