"'I will not forget. Well, what did these gentlemen say?'
"'Amongst other things, that your Majesty would totally cancel the edicts you have suspended, and freely pardon all the Christaudins.'
"I had risked my shot, and now awaited the result. It had hit its mark, I knew, for the King began to hum and haw, and Diane gave me a look from those blue-black eyes of hers. It is wonderful how their expression can change. They seemed to grow small, with a hard, pitiless look in them, and little cobwebs of wrinkles gathered near her temples.
"'It would be madness!—folly!' And her foot kept tapping the carpet.
"'Caraffa and Lorraine are right; it would be a sin.' And the King crossed himself. 'No, no! I will purge the land of its heresy. You have proved their disloyalty to me, Diane. Scarce three weeks have passed since the edicts were suspended, and see what head these Huguenots make! But I will let them see that I am King!'
"And Diane bent forward and kissed his cheek.
"As for me, I knew I was treading on dangerous ground, and so, for the present, went warily, and kept silence. And then La Valentinois knelt by the side of the King, holding his hand in hers, and looking into his eyes.
"'Sire,' she said, 'I have a boon to ask.'
"'Ask, then.' And Henri pushed aside the curls from her forehead.
"'It is that you reward the faithful whilst you punish the guilty.'