Navarre--Catherine de Medicis induces Marguerite to return to
France--The Duc d'Alençon again revolts--Marguerite arrests a royal
courier--She is banished with ignominy from the French Court--She is
deprived of her attendants--Henry of Navarre refuses to receive her in
the palace--Marguerite returns to Agen--Her licentiousness--Agen is
stormed and taken by the Maréchal de Matignon--Marguerite escapes to the
fortress of Carlat--The inhabitants of the town resolve to deliver her
up to the French King--She is made prisoner by the Marquis de Canillac,
and conveyed to Usson--She seduces the governor of the fortress--Death
of the Duc d'Alençon--Poverty of Marguerite--Accession of Henri IV--He
embraces the Catholic faith--His dissipated habits--The Duc de Bouillon
heads the Huguenot party--Henri IV proceeds to Brittany, and threatens
M. de Bouillon--Festivities at Rennes--Henri IV becomes melancholy--He
resolves to divorce Marguerite, and take a second wife--European
princesses--Henry desires to marry la belle Gabrielle--Sully
expostulates--Sully proposes a divorce to Marguerite--The Duchesse de
Beaufort intrigues to prevent the marriage of the King with Marie de
Medicis--She bribes Sillery--Diplomacy of Sillery--Gabrielle aspires to
the throne of France--Her death--Marguerite consents to a divorce--The
Pope declares the nullity of her marriage--Grief of the King at the
death of Gabrielle--Royal pleasures--A new intrigue--Mademoiselle
d'Entragues--Her tact--Her character--A love-messenger--Value of a royal
favourite--Costly indulgences--A practical rebuke--Diplomacy of
Mademoiselle d'Entragues--The written promise--Mademoiselle d'Entragues
is created Marquise de Verneuil.



CHAPTER II