"Two parties are offered to you," was Gabriel's reply.
"Who are they, pray?—for you see I allow you to go on, as if all this were something more than a mere figment of your imagination. Who are these two parties?"
"The army and the Protestants, Monseigneur," Gabriel answered. "You have it in your power to assume the position of a military chieftain at once."
"A usurper!" exclaimed Le Balafré.
"Say a conqueror! But if you would prefer, Monseigneur, be the king of the Huguenots."
"How about the Prince de Condé?" said the duke, smiling.
"He is fascinating and clever, but you are great and brilliant. Do you suppose that Calvin would hesitate between you?—and there is no doubt that the son of the cooper of Noyon is the dictator of his party. Say one word, and to-morrow you have at your command thirty thousand Reformers."
"But I am a Catholic prince, Gabriel."
"Glory is the true religion of heroes like yourself, Monseigneur."
"I should involve myself in trouble at Rome."