Chicot did not feel inclined to climb back through the window: but by chance, or rather by charity, the door was opened, and he returned into the palace. Here he saw the page, who said, "Dear M. Chicot, shall I give you the key to all this?"
"Well! the king loves you so much, he did not wish to lose you."
"Oh! M. Chicot, impossible! It was a state secret."
"Oh! dear M. Chicot, the secret was worth more than ten pistoles."
When Marguerite left the king, she went at once to the apartments of the maids of honor, and performed her promise with regard to Fosseuse. When she returned, the king thanked her warmly, and then went up to Chicot's room, where he found him still asleep. Henri shook him to wake him. "Come, compere," said he, "get up, it is two in the morning."
"Ah! you make me a prisoner," cried Chicot; "I, an ambassador. Sire, you violate the rights of nations."
Henri began to laugh, and Chicot could not help joining him.
"You are mad," said Henri. "Why the devil did you want to go away from here, have you not been well treated?"
"Too well, ventre de biche! too well. It seems to me as if I were like a goose being fattened. Every one says to me, 'Pretty little Chicot, how gentle he is!' but they clip my wings, and shut the doors on me."
"Oh! reassure yourself, Chicot; you are not fat enough for my table."
"Sire, you seem very gay this morning; what is it?"
"I am always gay when I am setting off for the chase. Come, out of bed, compere."
Chicot dressed murmuringly, while the king remained in the antechamber.
"My horse," cried Henri; "and tell M. de Mornay that I am ready."
"What! is M. de Mornay chief huntsman?" asked Chicot.
"M. de Mornay is everything here," replied Henri. "I am so poor, than I can afford but one man."
Chicot found the preparations much less sumptuous than those of Henri III. A dozen or fifteen gentlemen only, among whom he recognized the Vicomte de Turenne, formed the whole suite. And as they were none of them rich, they all wore, instead of the usual hunting dress, their helmets and cuirasses, which made Chicot ask if the wolves in Gascony used muskets and artillery.
"No," said Henri; "but they are fierce beasts, who have claws and teeth, and draw hunters into places where they are likely to tear their clothes on the thorns, if they wear silk and velvet, or even cloth and buff, but not if they wear cuirasses."
