“I shall go and see him,” she cried, sweeping towards the door.

“No, no, Francoise.  Believe me, you will ruin everything if you do.  Strict orders have been given to the guard to admit no one to the king.”

“But I shall insist upon passing them.”

“Believe me, sister, it is worse than useless.  I have spoken with the officer of the guard, and the command is a stringent one.”

“Ah, I shall manage.”

“No, you shall not.”  He put his back against the door.  “I know that it is useless, and I will not have my sister make herself the laughing-stock of the court, trying to force her way into the room of a man who repulses her.”

His sister’s cheeks flushed at the words, and she paused irresolute.

“Had I only a day, Charles, I am sure that I could bring him back to me.  There has been some other influence here, that meddlesome Jesuit or the pompous Bossuet, perhaps.  Only one day to counteract their wiles!  Can I not see them waving hell-fire before his foolish eyes, as one swings a torch before a bull to turn it?  Oh, if I could but baulk them to-night!  That woman! that cursed woman!  The foul viper which I nursed in my bosom!  Oh, I had rather see Louis in his grave than married to her!  Charles, Charles, it must be stopped; I say it must be stopped!  I will give anything, everything, to prevent it!”

“What will you give, my sister?”

She looked at him aghast.  “What! you do not wish me to buy you?” she said.

“No; but I wish to buy others.”

“Ha!  You see a chance, then?”

“One, and one only.  But time presses.  I want money.”

“How much?”

“I cannot have too much.  All that you can spare.”

With hands which trembled with eagerness she unlocked a secret cupboard in the wall in which she concealed her valuables.  A blaze of jewellery met her brother’s eyes as he peered over her shoulder.  Great rubies, costly emeralds, deep ruddy beryls, glimmering diamonds, were scattered there in one brilliant shimmering many-coloured heap, the harvest which she had reaped from the king’s generosity during more than fifteen years.  At one side were three drawers, the one over the other.  She drew out the lowest one.  It was full to the brim of glittering louis d’ors.

“Take what you will!” she said.  “And now your plan!  Quick!”

He stuffed the money in handfuls into the side pockets of his coat.  Coins slipped between his fingers and tinkled and wheeled over the floor, but neither cast a glance at them.

“Your plan?” she repeated.

“We must prevent the Archbishop from arriving here.  Then the marriage would be postponed until to-morrow night, and you would have time to act.”

“But how prevent it?”

“There are a dozen good rapiers about the court which are to be bought for less than I carry in one pocket.  There is De la Touche, young Turberville, old Major Despard, Raymond de Carnac, and the four Latours.  I will gather them together, and wait on the road.”