But one word escaped him, some long-lost memory, some secret of that iron heart came up at the last.
I stood over him for a moment, a drumming in my ears, and then I heard the ringing of cheers and the rush of feet. Then a half-dozen strong shoulders were at the door before me, and as it fell back with a crash I sprang in and took a tall, slim, white-robed figure in my arms, and kissed her dear face again and again.
One by one those in the room stepped out and left us together, and for once a brave heart gave way and she sobbed like a child on my shoulder.
I said nothing, but held her to me, and so we might have been for a half-hour, when I heard de Belin's voice at the broken door:
'D'Auriac! Come, man!--the King waits! And bring your prisoner!'
There was a laugh in his voice and a light on his face as he spoke, and my dear lifted her swimming eyes to my face, and I kissed her again, saying:
As we passed out I kept between Claude and the grim figure still lying stark on the landing, and held her to me so that she could not see. So, with Lisois before us, we passed down the passage, filled now with men-at-arms, and halted before a room, the door of which was closed.
'We must wait here a moment,' said de Belin; and merely to say something, I asked:
'All who were not killed. Stay! One escaped--that rascal Ravaillac. I could have run him through, but did not care to soil my sword with such _canaille_, so his skin is safe.'
He gave me an expressive look and muttered something about Montfauçon. Then the door was flung open and a stream of light poured forth. We entered, and saw the King standing surrounded by his friends, and a little on one side was the dejected group of conspirators.
The Marshal, now abject, mean, and cringing, was kneeling before Henry, who raised him as we entered, saying:
'Biron, and you, Tremouille, and you all who called yourselves my friends, and lay in wait to destroy me and destroy your country--I cannot forget that we were old comrades, and for old friendships' sake I have already told you that I forgive; and God give you all as clean a conscience as I have over the blood that has been spilt to-day.'
He ran his eye over the group, and they stood before him abashed and ashamed, and yet overcome with joy at escape when death seemed so certain; and he, their leader, the man who hoped to see his head on a crown-piece, broke into unmanly sobbing, and was led away vowing repentance--vows that he broke again, to find then that the mercy of the King was already strained to breaking-point.
