Bussi, whom God had thus miraculously preserved, with
that presence of mind which he was so remarkable for
in time of battle and the most imminent danger, considering
within himself when he reached home the anxiety of
his master’s mind should he have received any
false report, and fearing he might expose himself
to hazard upon the first alarm being given (which
certainly would have been the case, if my mother had
not interfered and prevented it), immediately despatched
one of his people to let him know every circumstance.
The next day Busai showed himself at the Louvre without
the least dread of enemies, as if what had happened
had been merely the attack of a tournament.
My brother exhibited much pleasure at the sight of
Busai, but expressed great resentment at such a daring
attempt to deprive him of so brave and valuable a
servant, a man whom Le Guast durst not attack in any
other way than by a base assassination.
Bussi Is Sent from Court.—Marguerite’s Husband Attacked with a Fit of
Epilepsy.—Her Great Care of Him.—Torigni Dismissed from Marguerite’s
Service.—The King of Navarre and the Duc d’Alencon Secretly Leave the
Court.
The Queen my mother, a woman endowed with the greatest
prudence and foresight of any one I ever knew, apprehensive
of evil consequences from this affair, and fearing
a dissension betwixt her two sons, advised my brother
to fall upon some pretence for sending Bussi away from
Court. In this advice I joined her, and, through
our united counsel and request, my brother was prevailed
upon to give his consent. I had every reason
to suppose that Le Guast would take advantage of the
reencounter to foment the coolness which already existed
betwixt my brother and the King my husband into an
open rupture. Bussi, who implicitly followed
my brother’s directions in everything, departed
with a company of the bravest noblemen that were about
the latter’s person.
Bussi was now removed from the machinations of Le
Guast, who likewise failed in accomplishing a design
he had long projected,—to disunite the
King my husband and me.
One night my husband was attacked with a fit, and
continued insensible for the space of an hour,—occasioned,
I supposed, by his excesses with women, for I never
knew anything of the kind to happen to him before.
However, as it was my duty so to do, I attended him
with so much care and assiduity that, when he recovered,
he spoke of it to every one, declaring that, if I
had not perceived his indisposition and called for
the help of my women, he should not have survived
the fit.
From this time he treated me with more kindness, and
the cordiality betwixt my brother and him was again
revived, as if I had been the point of union at which
they were to meet, or the cement that joined them
together.
Le Guast was now at his wit’s end for some fresh
contrivance to breed disunion in the Court.
