“He fought against you, sire, but it was for what he thought right.”

“Perhaps he was right,” said Charles.  “Why can’t we all live at peace with each other?  When we have finished cutting each other’s throats, the Spaniards will step in and seize the country.  I am not a fool, though my brother thinks I am!”

“While France remains true to herself, sire, Spain can do her no harm.  And a generous action, your majesty, goes far toward gaining a nation’s love.”

“You wish me to restore this young man’s estates?  They shall be restored, my dear Admiral; I will look into the matter on my return to Paris.  There will be papers to sign—­it seems to me I am always signing papers, principally to please my mother and Monseigneur—­in this I will please myself.”

“I thank you, sire, not only for myself, but for Henry of Beam, whose life the youth had the good fortune to save, and who is greatly interested in him.”

“If it will please Henry of Beam,” said the king with an interest for which I could not account, but which became clearer afterwards, “that is a further reason why I should have justice done.  Let the young man go to his estates whenever he pleases; I will see that whatever forms are necessary are made out.”

At that I thanked his majesty very respectfully, and at a sign from my patron fell back to rejoin my companions.  I said nothing to Felix then concerning this conversation, but at night, when we were alone, I told him of the king’s promise.

“He will keep his word,” said my comrade, “unless Anjou gets hold of him.  But if Anjou has promised the estates to his tool, I foresee difficulties.”

“Surely the king is master of his own actions!” I remarked.

My comrade laughed.  “He is a mere puppet; his mother and Anjou between them pull the strings as they please.  Charles is a weakling, Edmond, and easily swayed by other people’s opinions.”

“He seems to be under the Admiral’s influence just at present.”

“Yes; it is when he returns to Paris that the trouble will begin.  The other side will work hard to drive him away from our patron.”

A fortnight passed before I heard anything more of the subject, and I was beginning to feel somewhat doubtful of the king’s good faith when one morning the Admiral sent for me.

“His majesty is returning to Paris, Le Blanc,” he said, “and I am going for a short while to Chatillon.  He has promised to set things right for you, but he may forget, and I shall not be with him.”

“It is very kind of you to think of my troubles, my lord.”

“I must be true to those who are true to me,” he replied graciously, “and I am still deeply in your debt.  Now, what is to be done?  Until the papers are signed, your tenants must continue to pay their rents to the crown; but it may be as well for you to take the king at his word, and go to your estates.  Of course, you will need money, but, fortunately, I can supply that.”