“Not then.  The officers missed him.  To-day he came to our house, dressed as an Italian jeweller, with a case of trinkets to sell.  Madame admitted him; no one knew him but me and my chamber-mate.  On the way out, Mayenne met him and kept him while he chose a jewel.  Paul de Lorraine was there too.  I was like to die of fear.  I went in to M. de Mayenne; I begged him to come out with me to supper, to dismiss the tradespeople that I might talk with him there—­anything.  But it availed not.  M. de Mayenne spoke freely before them, as one does before common folk.  Presently he led me to supper.  Paul was left alone with M. de Mar and the boy.  He recognized them.  He was armed, and they were not, but they overbore him and locked him up in the closet.”

“Mordieu, mademoiselle!  I was to rescue M. de Mar for your sake, but now I will do it for his own.  I find him much to my liking.  He came away clear, mademoiselle?”

“Aye, to be seized in the street by the governor’s men.  When M. de Mayenne found how he had been tricked, Sire, he blazed with rage.”

“I’ll warrant he did!” the king answered, suppressing, however, in deference to her distress, his desire to laugh.  “Ventre-saint-gris, mademoiselle! forgive me if this amuses me here at St. Denis.  I trow it was not amusing in the Hotel de Lorraine.”

“He sent for me, Sire,” she went on, blanching at the memory; “he accused me of shielding M. de Mar.  It was true.  He called me liar, traitor, wanton.  He said I was false to my house, to my bread, to my honour.  He said I had smiling lips and a Judas-heart—­that I had kissed him and betrayed him.  I had given him my promise never to hold intercourse with M. de Mar again, I had given my word to be true to my house.  M. de Mar came by no will of mine.  I had no inkling of such purpose till I beheld him before madame and her ladies.  He came to entreat me to fly—­to wed him.  I denied him, Sire.  I sent him away.  But was I to say to the guard, ’This way, gentlemen.  This is my lover’?”

“Mademoiselle,” the king exclaimed, “good hap that you have turned your back on the house of Lorraine.  Here, if we are but rough soldiers, we know how to tender you.”

“It was not for myself I came,” she said more quietly.  “My lord had the right to chasten me.  I am his ward, and I did deceive him.  But while he foamed at me came word of M. de Mar’s capture.  Then Mayenne swore he should pay for this dear.  He said he should be found guilty of the murder.  He said plenty of witnesses would swear to it.  He said M. de Mar should be tortured to make him confess.”

With an oath Monsieur sprang forward.

“Aye,” she cried, starting up, “he swore M. de Mar should suffer the preparatory and the previous, the estrapade and the brodekins!”

“He dare not,” the king shouted.  “Mordieu, he dare not!”

“Sire,” she cried, “you can promise him that for every blow he strikes Etienne de Mar you will strike me two.  Mar is in his hands, but I am in yours.  For M. de Mar, unhurt, you will deliver him me, unhurt.  If he torture Mar, you will torture me.”