At Paris, for a while, it was believed that the battle was lost.

"If it had been," says Montluc, "I think that it was all over with France, for the state would have changed, and so would the religion; a young king can be made to do as you please;" Catherine de' Medici showed a facile resignation to such a change.

"Very well," she had said, "then we will pray to God in French." When the victory became known there was general enthusiasm for the Duke.
of Guise; but he took only a very modest advantage of it, being more anxious to have his comrades' merits appreciated than his own.

At Blois, as he handed the queen-mother her table-napkin at dinner-time, he asked her if he might have an audience of her after the repast.

"Jesu! my dear cousin," said Catherine, "whatever are you saying ?" "I say it, madame, because I would fain show you in the presence of everybody what I have done, since my departure from Paris, with your army which you gave in charge to me together with the constable, and also present to you all the good captains and servants of the king and of yourself who have served you faithfully, as well your own subjects as also foreigners, and horsemen and foot;" whereupon he discoursed about the battle of Dreux, "and painted it so well and so to the life," says Brantome, "that you would have said that they were still about it, whereat the queen felt very great pleasure.