"Ambroise," cried Catherine; "remember that your head will answer for the king's life.""We are opposed to the treatment suggested by Maitre Ambroise," said the three physicians. "The king can be saved by injecting through the ear a remedy which will draw the contents of the abscess through that passage."The Duc de Guise, who was watching Catherine's face, suddenly went up to her and drew her into the recess of the window.
"Madame," he said, "you wish the death of your son; you are in league with our enemies, and have been since Blois. This morning the Counsellor Viole told the son of your furrier that the Prince de Conde's head was about to be cut off. That young man, who, when the question was applied, persisted in denying all relations with the prince, made a sign of farewell to him as he passed before the window of his dungeon. You saw your unhappy accomplice tortured with royal insensibility. You are now endeavoring to prevent the recovery of your eldest son. Your conduct forces us to believe that the death of the dauphin, which placed the crown on your husband's head was not a natural one, and that Montecuculi was your--""Monsieur le chancilier!" cried Catherine, at a sign from whom Madame de Fiesque opened both sides of the bedroom door.
The company in the hall then saw the scene that was taking place in the royal chamber: the livid little king, his face half dead, his eyes sightless, his lips stammering the word "Mary," as he held the hand of the weeping queen; the Duchesse de Guise motionless, frightened by Catherine's daring act; the duke and cardinal, also alarmed, keeping close to the queen-mother and resolving to have her arrested on the spot by Maille-Breze; lastly, the tall Ambroise Pare, assisted by the king's physician, holding his instrument in his hand but not daring to begin the operation, for which composure and total silence were as necessary as the consent of the other surgeons.
"Monsieur le chancelier," said Catherine, "the Messieurs de Guise wish to authorize a strange operation upon the person of the king; Ambroise Pare is preparing to cut open his head. I, as the king's mother and a member of the council of the regency,--I protest against what appears to me a crime of /lese-majeste/. The king's physicians advise an injection through the ear, which seems to me as efficacious and less dangerous than the brutal operation proposed by Pare."When the company in the hall heard these words a smothered murmur rose from their midst; the cardinal allowed the chancellor to enter the bedroom and then he closed the door.
"I am lieutenant-general of the kingdom," said the Duc de Guise; "and I would have you know, Monsieur le chancelier, that Ambroise, the king's surgeon, answers for his life.""Ah! if this be the turn that things are taking!" exclaimed Ambroise Pare. "I know my rights and how I should proceed." He stretched his arm over the bed. "This bed and the king are mine. I claim to be sole master of this case and solely responsible. I know the duties of my office; I shall operate upon the king without the sanction of the physicians.""Save him!" said the cardinal, "and you shall be the richest man in France.""Go on!" cried Mary Stuart, pressing the surgeon's hand.
"I cannot prevent it," said the chancellor; "but I shall record the protest of the queen-mother.""Robertet!" called the Duc de Guise.
When Robertet entered, the lieutenant-general pointed to the chancellor.
"I appoint you chancellor of France in the place of that traitor," he said. "Monsieur de Maille, take Monsieur de l'Hopital and put him in the prison of the Prince de Conde. As for you, madame," he added, turning to Catherine; "your protest will not be received; you ought to be aware that any such protest must be supported by sufficient force.
I act as the faithful subject and loyal servant of king Francois II., my master. Go on, Antoine," he added, looking at the surgeon.
"Monsieur de Guise," said l'Hopital; "if you employ violence either upon the king or upon the chancellor of France, remember that enough of the nobility of France are in that hall to rise and arrest you as a traitor.""Oh! my lords," cried the great surgeon; "if you continue these arguments you will soon proclaim Charles IX!--for king Francois is about to die."Catherine de' Medici, absolutely impassive, gazed from the window.
"Well, then, we shall employ force to make ourselves masters of this room," said the cardinal, advancing to the door.
But when he opened it even he was terrified; the whole house was deserted! The courtiers, certain now of the death of the king, had gone in a body to the king of Navarre.
"Well, go on, perform your duty," cried Mary Stuart, vehemently, to Ambroise. "I--and you, duchess," she said to Madame de Guise,--"will protect you.""Madame," said Ambroise; "my zeal was carrying me away. The doctors, with the exception of my friend Chapelain, prefer an injection, and it is my duty to submit to their wishes. If I had been chief surgeon and chief physician, which I am not, the king's life would probably have been saved. Give that to me, gentlemen," he said, stretching out his hand for the syringe, which he proceeded to fill.
"Good God!" cried Mary Start, "but I order you to--""Alas! madame," said Ambroise, "I am under the direction of these gentlemen."The young queen placed herself between the surgeon, the doctors, and the other persons present. The chief physician held the king's head, and Ambroise made the injection into the ear. The duke and the cardinal watched the proceeding attentively. Robertet and Monsieur de Maille stood motionless. Madame de Fiesque, at a sign from Catherine, glided unperceived from the room. A moment later l'Hopital boldly opened the door of the king's chamber.
