No one, however, had the courage to tell her the truth. It was a poor
maniac who by her tears gave her to understand that the King was no
longer alive. Sainte-Marthe records the incident as follows: “Now the
day that Francis was taken away from us (Margaret herself has since told
me so), she thought whilst sleeping that she saw him looking pale, and
calling for her in a sad voice, which she took for a very evil sign; and
feeling doubtful about it, she sent several messengers to the Court to
ascertain the condition of the King her brother, but not a single one of
them returned to her. One day, her brother having again appeared to her
while she was asleep (he had already been dead fifteen days), (1) she
asked the members of her household if they had heard any news of the
King.