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"Then you are ignorant of what is passing?" "Ma foi, perhaps." "Your most cruel enemies surround you at this moment." "Bah! who are they?" "First, the Duchesse de Montpensier." "Yes, that is true; she came to see Salcede; but what is that to me?" "You knew it, then?" "You see I did." "But that M. de Mayenne was here?" "Yes, since yesterday evening."
Besides, I have renounced politics; I will go and dine." M. Friard was right when he talked of 100,000 persons as the number of spectators who would meet on the Place de Greve and its environs, to witness the execution of Salcede.
"Yes, monsieur," replied he, "you are right: but may I venture to ask what you think their motive is for these precautions?" "Pardieu! the fear they have lest some one should eat their Salcede." "Diable!" said a voice, "a sad meal."
Perhaps you will reply that you are not friends of the king; but of MM. de Guise, and that you are waiting here for the Lorraines, who they say are about to enter Paris in order to deliver M. de Salcede."
"I did not mean that; your majesty would find, I am sure, were there occasion, followers as devoted as Salcede." "Well, duke, do not look gloomy; I am sad enough already. Do be gay." "Gayety cannot be forced, sire." The king struck the table angrily. "You are a bad friend," said he; "I lost all, when I lost my former ones."
We have work to do there, and why should we leave it to come here, where our work is done?" "But where it will be quickly undone, if you do not hasten." "Bah!" "Bah! if you like. I tell you the citizens will be put off no longer; they insist upon seeing their Duke Henri." "They shall see him at the right time. And Salcede ?" "Is dead." "Without speaking?" "Without uttering a word."
Salcede had seen the archers sent off for the horses, and he understood that the order for punishment was about to be given, and it was then that he bit his lips till they were covered with blood, as the queen had remarked. "No one," murmured he; "not one of those who had promised me help. Cowards! cowards!"
Salcede, who had betrayed us, and would have done so again, not only did not speak, but retracted on the scaffold thanks to the duchess, who, in the suite of one of these card-bearers, had the courage to penetrate the crowd even to the place of execution, and made herself known to Salcede, at the risk of being pointed out.
The people had for these favorites of the king none of the hatred which they had felt toward Maugiron, Quelus, and Schomberg. Henri saluted the people gravely; then, turning to the young men, he said, "Anne, lean against the tapestry; it may last a long time." "I hope so," said Catherine. "You think, then, that Salcede will speak, mother?" "God will, I trust, give this confusion to our enemies."
The gates were thrown open, and then horses, mules, and carts, men, women, and children, pressed into Paris, at the risk of suffocating each other, and in a quarter of an hour all the crowd had vanished. Robert Briquet remained until the last. "I have seen enough," said he: "would it be very advantageous to me to see M. Salcede torn in four pieces? No, pardieu!
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