The Princesses of Mayenne,[38] of Aumale,[39] and of Longueville,[40] were next the subject of the royal comments; but they were all either too fair or too dark, too old or too plain; nor were Mesdemoiselles de Rohan,[41] de Luxembourg,[42] or de Guemenee[43] more fortunate:  the first was a Calvinist, the second too young, and the third not to his taste.

Long ere the King had arrived at this point of his discourse, the keen-sighted minister had fathomed his determination to raise some obstacle in every instance; and he began to entertain a suspicion that this was not done without a powerful motive, which he immediately became anxious to comprehend.  Thus, therefore, when Henry pressed him to declare his sentiments upon the subject, he answered cautiously:  “I cannot, in truth, hazard an opinion, Sire; nor can I even understand the bent of your own wishes.  Thus much only do I comprehend—­that you consent to take another wife, but that you can discover no princess throughout Europe with whom you are willing to share the throne of France.  From the manner in which you spoke of the Infanta, it nevertheless appeared as though a rich heiress would not be unacceptable; but surely you do not expect that Heaven will resuscitate in your favour a Marguerite de Flandres, a Marie de Bourgogne, or even permit Elizabeth of England to grow young again.”

“I anticipate nothing of the kind,” was the sharp retort; “but how know I, even were I to marry one of the princesses I have enumerated, that I should be more fortunate than I have hitherto been?  If beauty and youth could have ensured to me the blessing of a Dauphin, had I not every right to anticipate a different result in my union with Madame Marguerite?  I could not brook a second mortification of the like description, and therefore I am cautious.  And now, as I have failed to satisfy myself upon this point, tell me, do you know of any one woman in whom are combined all the qualities which I have declared to be requisite in a Queen of France?”

“The question is one of too important a nature, Sire, to be answered upon the instant,” said Sully, “and the rather that I have never hitherto turned my attention to the subject.”

“And what would you say,” asked Henry with ill-concealed anxiety, “were I to tell you that such an one exists in my own kingdom?”

“I should say, Sire, that you have greatly the advantage over myself; and also that the lady to whom you allude must necessarily be a widow.”

“Just as you please,” retorted the King; “but if you refuse to guess, I will name her.”

“Do so,” said Sully with increasing surprise; “for I confess that the riddle is beyond my reach.”

“Rather say that you do not wish to solve it,” was the cold reply; “for you cannot deny that all the qualities upon which I insist are to be found combined in the person of the Duchesse de Beaufort.”

“Your mistress, Sire!”

“I do not affirm that I have any intention, in the event of my release from my present marriage, of making the Duchess my wife,” pursued Henry with some embarrassment; “but I was anxious to learn what you would say, if, unable to find another woman to my taste, I should one day see fit to do so.”