‘How, sir!’ interrupted Charles, haughtily and angrily, ’if you forget that you are a French nobleman still, I should remember it!  The Ambassador may protect his own countrymen-none else.’

‘I entreat your Majesty’s pardon,’ said Berenger, anxious to retract his false step.  ’It was your goodness and the gracious Queen’s that made me hope for your sanction.’

’All the sanction Charles de Valois can give is yours, and welcome,’ said the King, hastily.  ’The sanction of the King of France is another matter!  To say the truth, I see no way out of the affair but an elopement.’  ‘Sire!’ exclaimed the astonished Berenger, whose strictly-disciplined education had little prepared him for such counsel.

’Look you! if I made you known as a wedded pair, the Chevalier and his son would not only assassinate you, but down on me would come my brother, and my mother, and M. de Guise and all their crew, veritably for giving the prize out of the mouth of their satellite, but nominally for disregarding the Pope, favouring a heretical marriage, and I know not what, but, as things go here, I should assuredly get the worst of it; and if you made safely off with your prize, no one could gainsay you—­I need know nothing about it—­and lady and lands would be your without dispute.  You might ride off from the skirts of the forest; I would lead the hunt that way, and the three days’ riding would bring you to Normady, for you had best cross to England immediately.  When she is one there, owned by your kindred, Monsieur le cousin may gnash his teeth as he will, he must make the best of it for the sake of the honour of his house, and you can safely come back and raise her people and yours to follow the Oriflamme when it takes the field against Spain.  What! you are still discontented?  Speak out!  Plain speaking is a treat not often reserved for me.’

’Sire, I am most grateful for your kindness, but I should greatly prefer going straightforward.’

’Peste!  Well is it said that a blundering Englishman goes always right before him!  There, then!  As your King on the one hand, as the friend who has brought you and your wife together, sir, it is my command that you do not compromise me and embroil greater matters than you can understand by publicly claiming this girl.  Privately I will aid you to the best of my ability; publicly, I command you, for my sake, if you heed not your own, to be silent!’

Berenger sought out Sidney, who smiled at his surprise.

‘Do you not see,’ he said, ’that the King is your friend, and would be very glad to save the lady’s lands from the Guisards, but that he cannot say so; he can only befriend a Huguenot by stealth.’

‘I would not be such a king for worlds!’