him and as he was furiously angry he answered her so loudly that
he was heard by the Prince de Montpensier； but so indistinctly
that the Prince heard only a man's voice without being able to
recognise it as that of the Comte。
These events would have infuriated a character more placid and
less jealous than the Prince de Montpensier。 He hurled himself
against the door； calling for it to be opened； and cruelly
surprising the Princess； the Duc de Guise and the Comte de
Chabannes。 This last； hearing the Prince's voice； saw immediately
that it was impossible to prevent him from believing that there
was someone in his wife's room； and that he was in such a state
that if he found that it was the Duc de Guise he might kill him
before the eyes of the Princess and that even her life might be
at risk。 He decided； in an act of extraordinary generosity； to
sacrifice himself to save a successful rival and an ungrateful
mistress。
While the Prince was battering on the door； he went to the Duc；
who had no idea what to do； put him in the care of the woman who
had arranged his entry by the bridge and told her to show him the
way out。 Scarcely had he left when the Prince having broken down
the door entered the room like a man possessed。 However when he
saw only the Comte de Chabanne； motionless； leaning on a table
with a look of infinite sadness on his face； he stopped short。
The astonishment of finding his best friend alone at night in his
wife's room deprived him of speech。 The Princess had collapsed
onto some cushions and never perhaps has fate put three people in
a more unhappy position。 At last the Prince made an attempt to
make sense of the chaos before his eyes。 He addressed the Comte
in a tone of voice which still had some friendliness； 〃What is
this I see？〃 he said。 〃Is it possible that a man I love so dearly
has chosen among all other women to seduce my wife？ And you
madame；〃 he said； turning to his wife； 〃was it not enough to
deprive me of your love and my honour without depriving me of the
one man who could have consoled me in such circumstances？ Answer
me； one of you；〃 he said to them； 〃and explain this affair； which
I cannot believe is what it seems。〃 The Princess was incapable
of replying and the Comte opened his mouth once or twice but was
unable to speak。
〃You see me as a criminal〃 he said at last； 〃and unworthy of the
friendship you have shown me； but the situation is not what you
may think it is。 I am more unhappy than you and more despairing。
I do not know how to tell you more than that。 My death would
avenge you； and if you were to kill me now you would be doing me
a favour。〃 These words； spoken with an air of the deepest sorrow；
and in a manner which declared his innocence instead of
enlightening the Prince confirmed him in the view that something
mysterious was going on which he did not understand。 His
unhappiness was increased by this uncertainty。 〃Kill me
yourself；〃 he said； 〃or give me some explanation of your words
for I can understand nothing。 You owe it to my friendship； you
owe it to my restraint； for anyone but me would have already
taken your life to avenge such an affront。〃
〃The appearances are wholly misleading〃 interrupted the Comte。
〃Ah！ It is too much。 I must be avenged and clear things up
later；〃 said the Prince； advancing towards the Comte like a man
carried away by rage。 The Princess； fearing bloodshed （which was
not possible as her husband did not have a sword）； placed herself
between the two of them and fell fainting at her husband's feet。
The Prince was even more affected by this than he was by the
calmness of the Comte when he confronted him； and as if he could
no longer bear the sight of those two people who had caused him
such distress； he turned away and fell on his wife's bed；
overcome by grief。 The Comte de Chabannes； filled with remorse at
having abused the friendship of which he had had so many marks；
and believing that he could never atone for what he had done；
left the room abruptly and passing through the Princess's
apartment where he found all the doors open； he went down to the
courtyard。 He had a horse brought to him and rode off into the
country led only by his feelings of hopelessness。 The Prince de
Montpensier； seeing that his wife did not recover from her faint；
left her to her women and retired to his own quarters greatly
disturbed。
The Duc de Guise having got out of the park； hardly knowing what
he was doing being in such a state of turmoil； put several
leagues between himself and Champigny； but could go no further
without news of the Princess。 He stopped in the forest and sent
his squire to find out from the Comte de Chabannes what had
happened。 The squire found no trace of Chabannes but was told by
others that the Princess was seriously ill。 The Duc's inquietude
was increased by what the squire had told him； but as he could do
nothing he was constrained to go back to his uncle's in order not
to raise suspicions by too long an absence。
The Duc's squire had been correct when he said that the Princess
was seriously ill； for as soon as her women had put her to bed
she was seized by a violent fever with horrible phantasies； so
that by the second day her life was despaired of。 The Prince
pretended that he himself was ill so that no one should be
surprised that he did not visit his wife's room。 The order which
he received to return to the Court； to which all the Catholic
princes were being recalled in preparation for the massacre of
the Huguenots； relieved him of his embarrassment。 He went off to
Paris without knowing what he had to hope or fear about his
wife's illness。 He had hardly arrived there when the assault on
the Huguenots was signalised by the attack on Admiral de
Chatillon。 Two days later came the disgraceful massacre； now so
well known throughout Europe。
The poor Comte de Chabanne； who had gone to hide himself away in
one of the outer suburbs of Paris to abandon himself to his
misery； was caught up in the ruin of the Huguenots。 The people to
whose house he had retired； having recognised him； and having
recalled that he had once been suspected of being of that
persuasion； murdered him on the same night which was fatal to so
many people。 The next day the Prince de Montpensier； who was in
that area on duty； passed along the street where the body of the
Comte lay。 He was at first shocked by this pitiful sight and；
recalling his past friendship； was grieved； but then the memory
of the offence； which he believed the Comte had committed； made
him feel pleased that he had been avenged by the hand of chance。
The Duc de Guise who had used the opportunity of the massacre to
take ample revenge for the death of his father； gradually took
less and less interest in the Condition of the Princess of
Montpensier； and having met the Marquise de Noirmoutier； a woman
of wit and beauty； and one who promised more than the Princess de
Montpensier； he attached himself to her； an attachment which
lasted a lifetime。
The Princess's illness reached a crisis and then began to remit。
She recovered her senses and was somewhat relieved by the absence
of her husband。 She was expected to live； but her health
recovered very slowly because of her low spirits； which were
further depressed by the realisation that she had received no
news of the Duc de Guise during all her illness。 She asked her
women if they had not seen anyone； if they had not had any
letters； and finding that there had been nothing； she saw herself
as the most wretched of women； one who had risked all for a man
who had abandoned her。 A fresh blow was the news of the death of
the Comte de Chabannes； which her husband made sure she heard
about as soon as possible。 The ingratitude of the Duc de Guise
made her feel even more deeply the loss of a man whose fidelity
she knew so well。 These disappointments weighed heavily upon her
and reduced her to a state as serious as that from which she had
recently recovered。 Madame de Noirmoutier was a woman who took as
much care to publicise her affairs as others do to conceal them。
Her relations with the Duc de Guise were so open that； even
though far away and ill； the Princess heard so much about it that
she was left in no doubt。 This was the final straw。 She had lost
the regard of her husband； the heart of her lover； and the most
loyal of her friends。 She took to her bed； and died not long
after in the flower of her youth。 She was one of the loveliest of
women and could have been one of the happiest if she had not
strayed so far from the path of prudence and virtue。
End