"Issue a warrant for his instant arrest," exclaimed the King. "By Heaven, he shall not escape more than another man."
"May it please your Majesty!" answered Chavigni, "to sign the warrant yourself. This is a case of no simple conspiracy, where the King's brother is at its head, and many of the first in the kingdom its supporters; and the warrants ought not to be simple _lettres de cachet_ of Council, but ought to bear the royal signature."
"Well, Sir," replied the King, "have the warrants prepared, and I will sign them. I am going now to hunt, and at my return we will examine these papers and speak farther."
"I have the warrants drawn out here," said the Statesman, not choosing to let the first impression subside. "It will not detain your Majesty a moment; I felt convinced that you would not allow justice to slumber, and therefore had them prepared. This is against the body of Gaston of France, Duke of Orleans," he continued, looking at one of the papers.
"Well, give it to me!" exclaimed the King, taking up a pen; "it shall be done at once."
Chavigni put the warrant in Louis's hand, and looked at him with intense feeling, and a triumphant smile, as he hastily wrote his signature to it. "Now," thought Chavigni, "I have you, one and all. Now, proud Cinq Mars, and calculating Bouillon, you are in my power! He signs the warrant against his own brother, and he dare not let you escape;" and, countersigning the warrant, he put a second into the King's hand,--"That is against the Duke of Bouillon, Sire!" and he calmly took up the first, and placed it in his portfolio.
"The Duke of Bouillon!" exclaimed Louis, with a sudden start, remembering the orders he had sent him, and terrified lest Richelieu should have discovered them. "Is his name to that paper?"
"No, Sire!" answered the Statesman; "it is not. But in the treaty itself, there is abundant proof of his concurrence; and it was on its way to him in Italy when it was discovered. The same messenger bore it that conveyed to him your orders to march his troops into France:" and Chavigni fixed his keen penetrating glance upon the King's countenance. Louis turned away his head, and signed the warrant; while Chavigni proceeded to place before him that against Fontrailles, and subsequently one which authorized the arrest of Cinq Mars.