"Exactly so; for I hear she is at the Hotel St. Denis, with her
brother."

"Quite true; but why do you deceive me? It is not the treasurer who is
sent with these sort of messages."

"But to a princess! Now do not detain me, or I shall miss her."

"She will return, you might have waited for her."

"True; but I shall not be sorry to see M. le Duc also."

"Oh! that is more like the truth, so go on. There is something new going
on," thought Nicholas; "but why should I try to discover what it is?"

Meanwhile the brother and sister had been conversing together, and had
settled that the king had no suspicions, and was therefore easy to
attack. They also agreed that the first thing to be done was to organize
the League more generally in the provinces, while the king abandoned his
brother, who was the only enemy they had to fear, so long as Henri of
Navarre occupied himself only with love affairs.

"Paris is all ready, but must wait," said Mayenne.

At this moment M. de Mayneville entered, and announced Borromée.

"Borromée! who is he?" cried the duke.

"The man whom you sent me from Nancy, when I asked for a man of action
and mind."