“Your sufferings, father,” said Louis, resuming his seat, “give you every claim, both upon the Church and upon me, who am its special champion and protector.  What would you counsel, then, father, in the case of those Huguenots who refuse to change?”

“They would change,” cried Du Chayla, with a drawn smile upon his ghastly face.  “They must bend or they must break.  What matter if they be ground to powder, if we can but build up a complete Church in the land?” His deep-set eyes glowed with ferocity, and be shook one bony hand in savage wrath above his head.

“The cruelty with which you have been used, then, has not taught you to be more tender to others.”

“Tender!  To heretics!  No, sire, my own pains have taught me that the world and the flesh are as nothing, and that the truest charity to another is to capture his soul at all risks to his vile body.  I should have these Huguenot souls, sire, though I turned France into a shambles to gain them.”

Louis was evidently deeply impressed by the fearless words and the wild earnestness of the speaker.  He leaned his head upon his hand for a little time, and remained sunk in the deepest thought.

“Besides, sire,” said Pere la Chaise softly, “there would be little need for these stronger measures of which the good abbe speaks.  As I have already remarked to you, you are so beloved in your kingdom that the mere assurance that you had expressed your will upon the subject would be enough to turn them all to the true faith.”

“I wish that I could think so, father; I wish that I could think so.  But what is this?”

It was his valet who had half opened the door.

“Captain de Catinat is here, who desires to see you at once, sire.”

“Ask the captain to enter.  Ah!” A happy thought seemed to have struck him.  “We shall see what love for me will do in such a matter, for if it is anywhere to be found it must be among my own body-servants.”

The guardsman had arrived that instant from his long ride, and leaving Amos Green with the horses, he had come on at once, all dusty and travel-stained, to carry his message to the king.  He entered now, and stood with the quiet ease of a man who is used to such scenes, his hand raised in a salute.

“What news, captain?”

“Major de Brissac bade me tell you, sire, that he held the Castle of Portillac, that the lady is safe, and that her husband is a prisoner.”

Louis and his wife exchanged a quick glance of relief.

“That is well,” said he.  “By the way, captain, you have served me in many ways of late, and always with success.  I hear, Louvois, that De la Salle is dead of the small-pox.”

“He died yesterday, sire.”

“Then I desire that you make out the vacant commission of major to Monsieur de Catinat.  Let me be the first to congratulate you, major, upon your promotion, though you will need to exchange the blue coat for the pearl and gray of the mousquetaires.  We cannot spare you from the household, you see.”