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Still, however, his capacity was too much limited to admit of his rising to higher rank, and though smiled on and favoured by Louis on many occasions, Balafre continued a mere Life Guardsman, or Scottish Archer.
As the queen-mother drew near her end, and was lying ill at Blois, great events for France were culminating at the château. Henry III. had become King of France, and the Balafré, supported by Rome and Spain, was in open rebellion against the reigning house, and the word had gone forth that the Duc de Guise must die.
"Half an hour would be too much," cried the cardinal, alarmed. "So this is your courage, is it?" retorted the Balafre. The cardinal, quite unmoved, replied: "Whether the Prince de Conde is compromised or not, if we are certain that he is the leader, we should strike him down at once and secure tranquillity. We need judges rather than soldiers for this business and judges are never lacking.
He here paused for a reply; and, with his eyes fixed on the ground, save just when once or twice they stole upwards to take a side glance at Quentin, he heard Balafre observe that his Majesty had been unlucky in not having himself by his side instead of his nephew, as he would questionless have made in, and speared the brute, a matter which he understood Quentin had left upon his Majesty's royal hands, so far as he could learn the story.
The scar on the face of Le Balafré glistened for him; he had veritably tasted the little round loaves of French bread that the adventurer had eaten with the pseudo-merchant. But to step out of that world of words into this keen sunlight ah, there was the difference! The minds which one found in the pages of a book were understandable. But the minds of living men how terrible they were!
If, again, the King pleases to give to plain Ludovic le Balafre a commission which he will execute, instead of employing the High Constable, who would perhaps betray it, doth it not show wisdom? Above all, doth not a monarch of such conditions best suit cavaliers of fortune, who must go where their services are most highly prized, and most frequently in demand?
It was the purpose of the League to obtain possession of the King's person, and, if necessary, to dispose of the 'politiques' by a general massacre, such as sixteen years before had been so successful in the case of Coligny and the Huguenots. So the populace more rabid than ever were impatient that their adored Balafre should come to Paris and begin the holy work.
His words are like the fruit on the tree, ripe and fit to be given to chiefs. "Many snows have fallen since Le Balafre has been found on the war-path. His blood has been very hot, but it has had time to cool. The Wahcondah gives him dreams of war no longer; he sees that it is better to live in peace.
"Ye are mad, my masters," said Tristan l'Hermite. "No one disputes your privileges; but this youth is not one of you." "He is my nephew," said the Balafre, with a triumphant air. "But no Archer of the Guard, I think," retorted Tristan l'Hermite. The Archers looked on each other in some uncertainty. "Stand to it yet, comrade," whispered Cunningham to Balafre. "Say he is engaged with us."
He received subsidies and alms with both hands from those who distrusted and despised him, but who could not eject him from his advantageous position. He wished to arrive at the throne of France. As son of Francis of Guise, as brother of the great Balafre, he considered himself entitled to the homage of the fishwomen and the butchers' halls.
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