She went to her son and kissed his hand; then she withdrew to her own apartments.

“With what composure that audacious daughter of a shop-keeper alluded to the death of the dauphin, poisoned by Montecuculi, one of her own Italian followers!” said Mary Stuart.

“Mary!” cried the little king, “my grandfather never doubted her innocence.”

“Can we prevent that woman from coming here to-morrow?” said the queen to her uncles in a low voice.

“What will become of us if the king dies?” returned the cardinal, in a whisper.  “Catherine will shovel us all into his grave.”

Thus the question was plainly put between Catherine de’ Medici and the house of Lorraine during that fatal night.  The arrival of the Connetable de Montmorency and the Chancelier de l’Hopital were distinct indications of rebellion; the morning of the next day would therefore be decisive.

XII

DEATH OF FRANCOIS II

On the morrow the queen-mother was the first to enter the king’s chamber.  She found no one there but Mary Stuart, pale and weary, who had passed the night in prayer beside the bed.  The Duchesse de Guise had kept her mistress company, and the maids of honor had taken turns in relieving one another.  The young king slept.  Neither the duke nor the cardinal had yet appeared.  The priest, who was bolder than the soldier, had, it was afterward said, put forth his utmost energy during the night to induce his brother to make himself king.  But, in face of the assembled States-general, and threatened by a battle with Montmorency, the Balafre declared the circumstances unfavorable; he refused, against his brother’s utmost urgency, to arrest the king of Navarre, the queen-mother, l’Hopital, the Cardinal de Tournon, the Gondis, Ruggiero, and Birago, objecting that such violent measures would bring on a general rebellion.  He postponed the cardinal’s scheme until the fate of Francois II. should be determined.

The deepest silence reigned in the king’s chamber.  Catherine, accompanied by Madame de Fiesque, went to the bedside and gazed at her son with a semblance of grief that was admirably simulated.  She put her handkerchief to her eyes and walked to the window where Madame de Fiesque brought her a seat.  Thence she could see into the courtyard.

It had been agreed between Catherine and the Cardinal de Tournon that if the Connetable should successfully enter the town the cardinal would come to the king’s house with the two Gondis; if otherwise, he would come alone.  At nine in the morning the duke and cardinal, followed by their gentlemen, who remained in the hall, entered the king’s bedroom,—­the captain on duty having informed them that Ambroise Pare had arrived, together with Chapelain and three other physicians, who hated Pare and were all in the queen-mother’s interests.