THE EXPLANATION.
To get rid of a witness whom Marguerite believed to know more of Latin than he allowed was already a triumph, or at least a pledge of security for her; for alone with her husband she could give whatever translation of the Latin that she pleased.
Henri and his wife were then left tete-*-tete. He had on his face no appearance of disquietude or menace; decidedly he could not understand Latin.
"Monsieur," said Marguerite, "I wait for you to interrogate me."
"This letter preoccupies you much, ma mie; do not alarm yourself thus."
"Sire, because a king does not send a special messenger to another without some reason that he believes important."
"Well ma mie, let us leave it for the present; have you not something like a ball this evening?"
"Yes, sire," said Marguerite, ast
