Chapter IV

Condé is disappointed in his hopes of obtaining the
post of Lieutenant-General of the Kingdom--The prince
incurs the hatred of the extreme Catholics--Plot to
assassinate him on the Feast of Corpus Christi--Suspicion
with which he is regarded by the zealots of his own
party--Condé, deceived in his ambition and mortified by
the hostility of the extremists on both sides, turns
to pleasure for consolation--Violent passion of the
Maréchale de Saint-André for him--Indignation and alarm
aroused at Geneva by the rumours of Condé’s amorous
adventures--Calvin and Bèze address a joint letter of
remonstrance to the prince--Condé at Muret--Death of
two of his children--Failing health of the Princesse
de Condé--Her touching devotion to her husband--Her
dignified attitude in regard to his infidelities--Return
of Condé to the Court--Quarrel between him and Isabelle
de Limeuil--Temporary triumph of the Maréchale de
Saint-André--Refusal of the King to sanction the betrothal
of the Marquis de Conti to Mlle. de Saint-Andre--Condé
quits the Court in anger, but is reconciled to Isabelle and
returns--A second honeymoon 43–52

CHAPTER V

The fêtes of Fontainebleau--Charles IX. and Catherine set
out on a grand progress through the kingdom--Dangerous
illness of the Princesse de Condé--Her husband obliged
to remain with her--Scandalous _dénoûment_ of the
amours of Condé and Isabelle de Limeuil--Indignation
of the Queen-Mother--Isabelle and the Prince de la
Roche-sur-Yon--The Comte de Maulevrier accuses Isabelle
of having plotted to poison the prince--She is arrested
and conducted to the Franciscan convent at Auxonne--Tender
correspondence between her and Du Fresne--Passionate
letters of Condé to his mistress--Isabelle denies the
charges against her--Her letter to Catherine--She is
removed to Vienne--Her despair--Her pathetic letters to
Condé--She is examined by the Bishops of Orléans and
Limoges, and confronted by Maulevrier 53–69