"The King! His Majesty the King!"
Holding the Dauphin by the hand the Queen rose and advanced to meet the King, who entered, followed by half a dozen of his gentlemen. Henri was tall, strongly built, and carried himself royally; but there was a strange mixture of courage and weakness in his countenance. He was brave—no man could be found to deny that; but there was never a sparkle of intelligence in his dull eyes, though at times they shone with cunning, and his mouth was weak and sensual. That night he had supped in the apartments of Diane de Poitiers, and had evidently primed himself for this visit to the Queen, for his face was flushed and his voice thick.
"Your Majesty is unexpected, but all the more welcome for that," said the Queen as Henri touched her fingers with his lips. The King made some answer I did not hear, and led the Queen to a seat; then, patting the Dauphin's head much in the manner of one patting a spaniel's back, he looked around.
"Birge!" he said. "You are gay here. It was dull this evening at supper; she had the megrims."
A slight flush came into Catherine de Medicis' cheeks at this mention of the mistress, and her voice trembled a little.
"I trust madame will soon be better; but you, sire, will always find us gay here."
"It seems so. What was the particular jest? It might bring a smile to
Diane's face when I tell her of it."
I moved back, so that I did not hear the Queen's answer, but Henri laughed loudly.
"A Court of Love! Bigre! 'Tis a new idea, and a good one. But where is our little ward? Present her."
Mademoiselle had to come forward, and when she had kissed hands the
King said: