Thecardinal，quiteunmoved，replied:”WhetherthePrincedeCondeiscompromisedornot，ifwearecertainthatheistheleader，weshouldstrikehimdownatonceandsecuretranquillity。Weneedjudgesratherthansoldiersforthisbusiness——andjudgesareneverlacking。Victoryisalwaysmorecertainintheparliamentthanonthefield，anditcostsless。””Iconsent，willingly，”saidtheduke；”butdoyouthinkthePrincedeCondeispowerfulenoughtoinspire，himselfalone，theaudacityofthosewhoaremakingthisfirstattackuponus？Isn’tthere，behindhim——””ThekingofNavarre，”saidthecardinal。”Pooh！afoolwhospeakstomecapinhand！”repliedtheduke。”ThecoquetriesofthatFlorentinewomanseemtoblindyoureyes——””Oh！asforthat，”exclaimedthepriest，”ifIdoplaythegallantwithheritisonlythatImayreadtothebottomofherheart。””Shehasnoheart，”saidtheduke，sharply；”sheisevenmoreambitiousthanyouandI。””Youareabravesoldier，”saidthecardinal；”but，believeme，I
distanceyouinthismatter。IhavehadCatherinewatchedbyMaryStuartlongbeforeyouevensuspectedher。Shehasnomorereligionthanmyshoe；ifsheisnotthesoulofthisplotitisnotforwantofwill。Butweshallnowbeabletotestheronthesceneitself，andfindoutthenhowshestandsbyus。Uptothistime，however，Iamcertainshehasheldnocommunicationwhateverwiththeheretics。””Well，itistimenowtorevealthewholeplottotheking，andtothequeen-mother，who，yousay，knowsnothingofit，——thatisthesoleproofofherinnocence；perhapstheconspiratorshavewaitedtillthelastmoment，expectingtodazzleherwiththeprobabilitiesofsuccess。LaRenaudiemustsoondiscoverbymyarrangementsthatwearewarned。LastnightNemourswastofollowdetachmentsoftheReformerswhoarepouringinalongthecross-roads，andtheconspiratorswillbeforcedtoattackusatAmboise，whichplaceIintendtoletthementer。Here，”addedtheduke，pointingtothreesidesoftherockonwhichthechateaudeBloisisbuilt；”weshouldhaveanassaultwithoutanyresult；theHuguenotscouldcomeandgoatwill。Bloisisanopenhallwithfourentrances；whereasAmboiseisasackwithasinglemouth。””IshallnotleaveCatherine’sside，”saidthecardinal。”Wehavemadeablunder，”remarkedtheduke，whowasplayingwithhisdagger，tossingitintotheairandcatchingitbythehilt。”WeoughttohavetreatedheraswedidtheReformers，——givenhercompletefreedomofactionandcaughtherintheact。”
Thecardinallookedathisbrotherforaninstantandshookhishead。”WhatdoesPardaillanwant？”saidtheduke，observingtheapproachoftheyoungnoblemanwhowaslatertobecomecelebratedbyhisencounterwithLaRenaudie，inwhichtheybothlosttheirlives。”Monseigneur，amansentbythequeen’sfurrierisatthegate，andsayshehasanerminesuittoconveytoher。AmItolethimenter？””Ah！yes，——theerminecoatshespokeofyesterday，”returnedthecardinal；”lettheshop-fellowpass；shewillwantthegarmentforthevoyagedowntheLoire。””Howdidhegetherewithoutbeingstoppeduntilhereachedthegate？”
askedtheduke。”Idonotknow，”repliedPardaillan。”I’llasktoseehimwhenheiswiththequeen，”thoughttheBalafre。”Lethimwaitinthe/salledesgardes/，”hesaidaloud。”Isheyoung，Pardaillan？””Yes，monseigneur；hesaysheisasonofLecamusthefurrier。””LecamusisagoodCatholic，”remarkedthecardinal，who，likehisbrothertheduke，wasendowedwithCaesar’smemory。”TherectorofSaint-Pierre-aux-Boeufsreliesuponhim；heistheprovostofthatquarter。””Nevertheless，”saidtheduke，”makethesontalkwiththecaptainoftheScotchguard，”layinganemphasisontheverbwhichwasreadilyunderstood。”Ambroiseisinthechateau；hecantelluswhetherthefellowisreallythesonofLecamus，fortheoldmandidhimgoodserviceintimespast。SendforAmbroisePare。”
ItwasatthismomentthatQueenCatherinewent，unattended，towardthetwobrothers，whohastenedtomeetherwiththeiraccustomedshowofrespect，inwhichtheItalianprincessdetectedconstantirony。”Messieurs，”shesaid，”willyoudeigntoinformmeofwhatisabouttotakeplace？IsthewidowofyourformermasteroflessimportanceinyouresteemthantheSieursVieilleville，Birago，andChiverni？””Madame，”repliedthecardinal，inatoneofgallantry，”ourdutyasmen，takingprecedenceofthatofstatecraft，forbidsustoalarmthefairsexbyfalsereports。Butthismorningthereisindeedgoodreasontoconferwithyouontheaffairsofthecountry。Youmustexcusemybrotherforhavingalreadygivenorderstothegentlemenyoumention，——orderswhichwerepurelymilitary，andthereforedidnotconcernyou；themattersofrealimportancearestilltobedecided。