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Henriette Catherine, Duchesse de Joyeuse, daughter and heiress of Henri de Joyeuse, Comte de Bouchage, Marshal of France, who died a Capuchin under the name of Père Ange, and of Catherine de la Valette. She had, in 1597, become the wife of Henri de Bourbon, Due de Montpensier, etc., the last Prince of his line, who dying in 1608 left her a widow.
Henri paused under a group of trees: at this moment the gate close to the river side rolled on its hinges, and a man shrouded in a large brown cloak passed through, followed by a person in a page's costume. The man, perceiving Henri, who was too absorbed in his reverie to think of him, glided through the trees, avoiding the observation either of Du Bouchage or of any one else.
"France," replied Du Bouchage. Then, turning to Diana, he said, "Now, madame, you are saved. I recognize the standard of the gendarmes of Aunis, a corps in which I have many friends." At the cry of the sentinel and the answer of the comte several gendarmes ran to meet the new comers, doubly welcome, in the midst of this terrible disaster, as survivors and compatriots.
"Ah! ma foi! music would not have amused me when I was in love with Madame de Conde." "No; but you were in love, sire; and she is as cold as an icicle." "And you think music will melt her?" "Diable! I do not say that she will come at once and throw herself into the arms of Du Bouchage, but she will be pleased at all this being done for herself alone.
"You sigh? you, Henri, comte de Bouchage? you, the brother of Joyeuse? you, whom some people call the third king in France? You know M. de Guise is the second, if not the first; but you, rich and handsome, who will be peer and duke on the first occasion, are in love, and you sigh! you, whose device is 'hilariter."
"Thanks, cardinal, for your quotation from Plutarch; in a similar case I shall apply to you again." The cardinal saw that Henri wished to be left alone with his brother, and took his leave. There only remained the queen-mother, D'Epernon, and Du Bouchage. The king beckoned to the latter, and said: "Why do you hide thus behind the ladies; do you not know it gives me pleasure to see you?"
It seems that the Count Pierre de Bouchage, to whose estate Gabriel's family belonged, had got into a quarrel with a certain baron who lived near the town of Evreux, and Count Pierre was determined to take his followers and attack the baron's castle; for these private wars were very common in those days.
"Amen!" said Chicot, plunging his hands into the king's sweetmeat-box to finish his desert. At this moment the door opened, and the usher announced "M. le Comte du Bouchage." "Ah!" cried Henri, "I told you so; here are news. Enter, comte, enter." The usher opened the door, and Henri du Bouchage entered slowly and bent a knee to the king. "Still pale and sad," said the king.
"It is nothing, Joyeuse," said the king, laughing, "only a dog asleep on the footstool. You say, then, that Du Bouchage grew sad? "Sad as death, sire. It seems he has met with some woman of an extraordinary disposition. However, one sometimes succeeds as well with this sort of women as with others, if you only set the right way to work." "You would not have been embarrassed, libertine!"
"The king says yes now; but in five minutes he will say no." "Thanks, my brother," said Bouchage; "I was as anxious as you to get away." The councilors entered. "Well, gentlemen," said the king, "is there anything new?" "Sire," replied the president, "we come to beg your majesty to promise life to the criminal; he has revelations to make, which, on this promise, we shall obtain."
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