absent, because he is in love with some woman whom I have forgotten
to invite."

"But," said Maugiron, "did you see the king's face at dinner?
And as for the duke, if he could not come, his gentlemen might.
There is not one here, not even Bussy."

"Oh! gentlemen," said the Duc de Brissac, in a despairing tone,
"it looks like a complete disgrace. Mon Dieu! how can our house,
always so devoted to his majesty, have displeased him?"

The young men received this speech with bursts of laughter, which
did not tend to soothe the marquis. The young bride was also
wondering how St. Luc could have displeased the king. All at once
one of the doors opened and the king was announced.

"Ah!" cried the marshal, "now I fear nothing; if the Duc d'Anjou
would but come, my satisfaction would be complete."

"And I," murmured St. Luc; "I have more fear of the king present
than absent, for I fear he comes to play me some spiteful tricks."

But, nevertheless, he ran to meet the king, who had quitted at last
his somber costume, and advanced resplendent in satin, feathers,
and jewels. But at the instant he entered another door opened
just opposite, and a second Henri III., clothed exactly like
the first, appeared, so that the courtiers, who had run to meet
the first, turned round at once to look at the second.

Henri III. saw the movement, and exclaimed: