well-timed tempest—­Diplomacy of Madame de Verneuil—­Her reception at Lyons—­War in Savoy—­Marie de Medicis lands at Marseilles—­Madame de Verneuil returns to Paris—­The Duc de Bellegarde is proxy for the King at Florence—­He escorts the new Queen to France—­Portrait of Marie de Medicis—­Her state-galley—­Her voyage—­Her reception—­Henry reaches Lyons—­The royal interview—­Public rejoicings—­The royal marriage—­Henry returns to Paris—­The Queen’s jealousy is awakened—­Profligate habits of the King—­Marie’s Italian attendants embitter her mind against her husband—­Marie reaches Paris—­She holds a court—­Presentation of Madame de Verneuil to the Queen—­Indignation of Marie—­Disgrace of the Duchesse de Nemours—­Self-possession of Madame de Verneuil—­Marie takes possession of the Louvre—­She adopts the French costume—­Splendour of the Court—­Festival given by Sully—­A practical joke—­Court festivities—­Excessive gambling—­Royal play debts—­The Queen’s favourite—­A petticoat intrigue—­Leonora Galigai appointed Mistress of the Robes—­Reconciliation between the Queen and Madame de Verneuil—­The King gives the Marquise a suite of apartments in the Louvre—­Her rivalry of the Queen—­Indignation of Marie—­Domestic dissensions—­The Queen and the favourite are again at war—­Madame de Verneuil effects the marriage of Concini and Leonora—­Gratitude of the Queen—­Birth of the Dauphin—­Joy of the King—­Public rejoicings—­Birth of Anne of Austria—­Superstitions of the period—­Belief in astrology—­A royal anecdote—­Horoscope of the Dauphin—­The sovereign and the surgeon—­Birth of Gaston Henri, son of Madame de Verneuil—­Public entry of the Dauphin into Paris—­Exultation of Marie de Medicis.

CHAPTER III

1602

Court festivities—­The Queen’s ballet—­A gallant prelate—­A poetical almoner—­Insolence of the royal favourite—­Unhappiness of the Queen—­Weakness of Henry—­Intrigue of Madame de Villars—­The King quarrels with the favourite—­They are reconciled—­Madame de Villars is exiled, and the Prince de Joinville sent to join the army in Hungary—­Mortification of the Queen—­Her want of judgment—­New dissension in the royal menage—­Sully endeavours to restore peace—­Mademoiselle de Sourdis—­The Court removes to Blois—­Royal rupture—­A bewildered minister—­Marie and her foster-sister—­Conspiracy of the Ducs de Bouillon and de Biron—­Parallel between the two nobles—­The Comte d’Auvergne—­Ingratitude of Biron—­He is betrayed—­His arrogance—­He is summoned to the capital to justify himself—­He refuses to obey the royal summons—­Henry sends a messenger to command his presence at Court—­Precautionary measures of Sully—­The President Jeannin prevails over the obstinacy of Biron—­Double treachery of La Fin—­The King endeavours to induce Biron to confess his crime—­Arrest of the Duc de Biron and the Comte d’Auvergne—­The royal soiree—­A timely caution—­Biron is made prisoner by Vitry, and the Comte d’Auvergne