Another of the very finest of Dumas' historical romances. It was composed in collaboration with Auguste Maquet. It is often referred to as a sequel to "La Reine Margot," but it is not such save in that it follows fairly closely on the concluding year of the previous work, thus including many of the same historical characters. It concerns the troubled times of Henri III, and the League, the king's "mignons" and the death of the most famous among them as well as that of Bussy d'Amboise. the only character in all Dumas' gallery who may possibly rival in popularity and splendour of portrayal d'Artagnan, is here first met with : Chicot, the king's gentleman-jester. The period is 1578-79. It first appeared serially in "Le Constitutionnel," according to Dumas, in his preface to Grisier's "Armes et le Duel".