EWS 
 
GIFT 
 
 
ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
PHILIP GETS HIS FIRST LOOK AT PIERRE. 
 
ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 A TALE OF 
 
 THE HUGUENOT WARS 
 
 BY 
 
 G. A. HENTY 
 
 Author of " Beric the Briton," " In Freedom's Cause," " The Dash for Khartoum," 
 " By England's Aid," " In the Reign of Terror," &c. 
 
 WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS BY H. J. DRAPER 
 
 AND MAP OF FRANCE 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 
 1910 
 
r of Ednc, !"> 
 
 COPYRIGHT, 1893, BY 
 CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 
 
 .GIFT 
 
(4 55 
 S73 
 
 PREFACE"' 
 
 MY DEAR LADS, 
 
 It is difficult in these days of religious toleration to 
 understand why men should, three centuries ago, have flown 
 at each others' throats in the name of the Almighty; still less, 
 how in cold blood they could have perpetrated hideous mas- 
 sacres of men, women, and children. The Huguenot wars 
 were, however, as much political as religious. Philip of 
 Spain, at that time the most powerful potentate of Europe, 
 desired to add France to the countries where his influence 
 was all-powerful, and in the ambitious house of Guise he 
 found ready instruments. For a time the new faith that had 
 spread with such rapidity in Germany, England, and Hol- 
 land, made great progress in France also. But here the 
 reigning family remained Catholic, and the vigorous measures 
 they adopted to check the growing tide drove those of the 
 new religion to take up arms in self-defence. Although 
 under the circumstances the Protestants can hardly be blamed 
 for so doing, there can be little doubt that the first Huguenot 
 war, though the revolt was successful, was the means of France 
 remaining a Catholic country. It gave colour to the asser- 
 tions of the Guises and their friends that the movement was 
 a political one, and that the Protestants intended to grasp all 
 power and to overthrow the throne of France. It also 
 afforded an excuse for the cruel persecutions which followed, 
 and rallied to the Catholic cause numbers of those who were 
 at heart indifferent to the question of religion, but were 
 Royalists rather than Catholics. 
 
 M723414 
 
PREFACE 
 
 The great organization of the Church of Rome laboured 
 among all classes for the destruction of the growing heresy. 
 Every pulpit in France resounded with denunciations of the 
 Huguenots, and passionate appeals were made to the bigotry 
 and fanaticism of the more ignorant classes; so that, while 
 the power of the Huguenots lay in some of the country dis- 
 tricts, the mobs of the great towns were everywhere the 
 instruments of the priests. 
 
 I have not considered it necessary to devote any large 
 portion of my story to details of the terrible massacres of the 
 period, nor to the atrocious persecutions to which the Hugue- 
 nots were subjected, but have as usual gone to the military 
 events of the struggle for its chief interest. For the par- 
 ticulars of these I have relied chiefly upon the collection of 
 works of contemporary authors published by M. Zeller of 
 Paris, the Memoirs of Francois de la Noiie, and other French 
 authorities. 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 G. A. HENTY. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAP. PAGE 
 
 I. DRIVEN FROM HOME n 
 
 II. AN IMPORTANT DECISION 27 
 
 III. IN A FRENCH CHATEAU 44 
 
 IV. AN EXPERIMENT 60 
 
 V. TAKING THE FIELD 77 
 
 VI. THE BATTLE OF ST. DENIS 94 
 
 VII. A RESCUE . . .no 
 
 VIII. THE THIRD HUGUENOT WAR 129 
 
 IX. AN IMPORTANT MISSION ....... 146 
 
 X. THE QUEEN OF NAVARRE . . . . . .163 
 
 XI. JEAN OF NAVARRE 178 
 
 XII. AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON 195 
 
 XIII. AT LAVILLE 212 
 
 XIV. THE ASSAULT ON THE CHATEAU 229 
 
 XV. THE BATTLE OF JARNAC 246 
 
 XVI. A HUGUENOT PRAYER-MEETING 262 
 
 XVII. THE BATTLE OF MONCONTOUR 279 
 
 XVIII. A VISIT HOME .297 
 
 XIX. IN A NET 316 
 
 XX. THE TOCSIN 332 
 
 XXI. ESCAPE 350 
 
 XXII. REUNITED 367 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 PHILIP GETS HIS FIRST LOOK AT PIERRE . . Frontispiece 64 
 
 GASPARD VAILLANT MAKES A PROPOSAL 27 
 
 PHILIP AND FRANCOIS IN THE ARMOURY 52 
 
 M lF YOU MOVE A STEP YOU ARE A DEAD MAN" . . . . Il8 
 
 PHILIP AND HIS FOLLOWERS EMBARKING 163 
 
 PHILIP IN PRISON 202 
 
 "PHILIP STRUCK HIM FULL IN THE FACE" 26l 
 
 PIERRE LISTENS AT THE OPEN WINDOW OF THE INN . . . 277 
 
 GASPARD VAILLANT GETS A SURPRISE 300 
 
 "YOU HAVE NOT HEARD THE NEWS, MONSIEUR PHILIP?" . . 324 
 
 " THAT CROSS is PLACED THERE BY DESIGN " 341 
 
 PHILIP, CLAIRE, AND PIERRE DISGUISE THEMSELVES . . . 350 
 
ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 A TALE OF THE HUGUENOT WARS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 DRIVEN FROM HOME 
 
 'N the year 1567 there were few towns in the 
 southern counties of England that did not contain 
 a colony, more or less large, of French Protestants. 
 For thirty years the Huguenots had been exposed 
 to constant and cruel persecutions; many thou- 
 sands had been massacred by the soldiery, burned at the stake, 
 or put to death with dreadful tortures. Fifty thousand, it was 
 calculated, had, in spite of the most stringent measures of pre- 
 vention, left their homes and made their escape across the 
 frontiers. These had settled for the most part in the Protes- 
 tant cantons of Switzerland, in Holland, or England. As many 
 of those who reached our shores were but poorly provided with 
 money, they naturally settled in or near the ports of landing. 
 Canterbury was a place in which many of the unfortunate 
 emigrants found a home. Here one Gaspard Vaillant, his 
 wife, and her sister, who had landed in the year 1547, had 
 established themselves. They were among the first comers, 
 but the French colony had grown gradually until it numbered 
 several hundreds. The Huguenots were well liked in the town, 
 being pitied for their misfortunes and admired for the courage 
 with which they bore their losses; setting to work, each man 
 
 11 
 
12 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 at his trade if he had one, or if not, taking to the first work 
 that came to hand. They were quiet and God-fearing folk; 
 very good towards each other and to their poor countrymen on 
 their way from the coast to London, entertaining them to the 
 best of their power, and sending them forward on their way 
 with letters to the Huguenot committee in London, and with 
 sufficient money in their pockets to pay their expenses on the 
 journey, and to maintain them for a while until some employ- 
 ment could be found for them. 
 
 Gaspard Vaillant had been a land-owner near Civray, in 
 Poitou. He was connected by blood with several noble fam- 
 ilies in that district, and had been among the first to embrace 
 the reformed religion. For some years he had not been inter- 
 fered with, as it was upon the poorer and more defenceless 
 classes that the first fury of the persecutors fell ; but as the 
 attempts of Francis to stamp out the new sect failed, and his 
 anger rose more and more against them, persons of all ranks 
 fell under the ban. The prisons were filled with Protestants 
 who refused to confess their errors; soldiers were quartered in 
 the towns and villages, where they committed terrible atrocities 
 upon the Protestants; and Gaspard, seeing no hope of better 
 times coming, or of being permitted to worship in peace and 
 quietness, gathered together what money he could and made 
 his way with his wife and her sister to La Rochelle, whence he 
 took ship to London. 
 
 Disliking the bustle of a large town, he was recommended 
 by some of his compatriots to go down to Canterbury, where 
 three or four fugitives from his own part of the country had 
 settled. One of these was a weaver by trade, but without 
 money to manufacture looms or set up in his calling. Gaspard 
 joined him as partner, embarking the little capital he had 
 saved; and being a shrewd, clear-headed man he carried on 
 the business part of the concern, while his partner Lequoc 
 worked at the manufacture. As the French colony in Canter- 
 bury increased they had no difficulty in obtaining skilled hands 
 from among them. The business grew in magnitude, and the 
 profits were large, in spite of the fact that numbers of similar 
 enterprises had been established by the Huguenot immigrants 
 in London and other places. They were indeed amply suffi- 
 
DRIVEN FROM HOME 13 
 
 cient to enable Gaspard Vaillant to live in the condition of a 
 substantial citizen, to aid his fellow-countrymen, and to lay 
 by a good deal of money. 
 
 His wife's sister had not remained very long with him. She 
 had, upon their first arrival, given lessons in her own language 
 to the daughters of burgesses and of the gentry near the town, 
 but three years after the arrival of the family there she had 
 married a well-to-do young yeoman who farmed a hundred 
 acres of his own land two miles from the town. His relations 
 and neighbours had shaken their heads over what they con- 
 sidered his folly in marrying the pretty young Frenchwoman, 
 but ere long they were obliged to own that his choice had been 
 a good one. Just after his first child was born he was, when 
 returning home one evening from market, knocked down and 
 run over by a drunken carter, and was so injured that for many 
 months his life was in danger. Then he began to mend, but 
 though he gained in strength he did not recover the use of his 
 legs, being completely paralysed from the hips downward, and, 
 as it soon appeared, was destined to remain a helpless invalid 
 all his life. 
 
 From the day of the accident Lucie had taken the manage- 
 ment of affairs in her hands, and having been brought up in 
 the country, and being possessed of a large share of the 
 shrewdness and common sense for which Frenchwomen are 
 often conspicuous, she succeeded admirably. The neatness 
 and order of the house since their marriage had been a matter 
 of surprise to her husband's friends, and it was not long before 
 the farm showed the effects of her management. Gaspard 
 Vaillant assisted her with his counsel, and as the French 
 methods of agriculture were considerably in advance of those 
 in England, instead of things going to rack and ruin, as John 
 Fletcher's friends predicted, its returns were considerably 
 augmented. Naturally, she at first experienced considerable 
 opposition. The labourers grumbled at what they called 
 new-fangled French fashions; but when they left her their 
 places were supplied by her countrymen, who were frugal and 
 industrious, accustomed to make the most out of small areas 
 of ground and to turn every foot to the best advantage. 
 
 Gradually the raising of corn was abandoned, and a large 
 
14 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 portion of the farm devoted to the growing of vegetables, 
 which, by dint of plentiful manuring and careful cultivation, 
 were produced of a size and quality that were the surprise and 
 admiration of the neighbourhood, and gave her almost a 
 monopoly of the supply of Canterbury. The carters were still 
 English; partly because Lucie had the good sense to see that 
 if she employed French labourers only she would excite feelings 
 of jealousy and dislike among her neighbours, and partly 
 because she saw that in the management of horses and cattle 
 the Englishmen were equal, if not superior, to her countrymen. 
 Her life was a busy one; the management of the house and 
 farm would alone have been a heavy burden to most people, 
 but she found ample time for the tenderest care of the invalid, 
 whom she nursed with untiring affection. 
 
 "It is hard upon a man of my size and inches, Lucie," he 
 said one day, "to be lying here as helpless as a sick child; 
 and yet I don't feel that I have any cause for discontent. I 
 should like to be going about the farm, and yet I feel that I 
 am happier here, lying watching you singing so contentedly 
 over your work, and making everything so bright and com- 
 fortable. Who would have thought when I married a little 
 French lady that she was going to turn out a notable farmer? 
 All my friends tell me that there is not a farm like mine in all 
 the country round, and that the crops are the wonder of the 
 neighbourhood; and when I see the vegetables that are brought 
 in here I should like to go over the farm, if only for once, just 
 to see them growing." 
 
 " I hope you will be able to do that some day, dear. Not 
 on foot, I am afraid; but when you get stronger and better, as 
 I hope you will, we will take you round in a litter, and the 
 bright sky and the fresh air will do you good." 
 
 Lucie spoke very fair English now, and her husband had 
 come to speak a good deal of French; for the service of the 
 house was all in that language, the three maids being daugh- 
 ters of French workmen in the town. The waste and disorder 
 of those who were in the house when her husband first brought 
 her there had appalled her, and the women so resented any 
 attempt at teaching on the part of the French madam, that 
 after she had tried several sets with equally bad results, John 
 
DRIVEN FROM HOME 15 
 
 Fletcher had consented to the introduction of French girls, 
 bargaining only that he was to have good English fare, and 
 not French kickshaws. The Huguenot customs had been kept 
 up, and night and morning the house servants, with the French 
 neighbours and their families, all assembled for prayer in the 
 farmhouse. To this John Fletcher had agreed without demur. 
 His father had been a Protestant when there was some danger 
 in being so, and he himself had been brought up soberly and 
 strictly. Up to the time of his accident there had been two 
 congregations, he himself reading the prayers to his farm 
 hands, while Lucie afterwards read them in her own language 
 to her maids, but as the French labourers took the place of the 
 English hands only one servjce was needed. When John 
 Fletcher first regained sufficient strength to take much interest 
 in what was passing round, he was alarmed at the increase in 
 the numbers of those who attended these gatherings. Hitherto 
 four men had done the whole work of the farm; now there 
 were twelve. 
 
 "Lucie, dear," he said uneasily one day, "I know that you 
 are a capital manager, but it is impossible that a farm the size 
 of ours can pay with so many hands on it. I have never been 
 able to do more than pay my way and lay by a few pounds 
 every year with only four hands, and many would have thought 
 three sufficient, but with twelve and I counted them this 
 morning we must be on the high road to ruin." 
 
 " I will not ruin you, John. Do you know how much money 
 there was in your bag when you were hurt just a year ago now? " 
 
 "Yes, I know there were thirty- three pounds." 
 
 His wife went out of the room and returned with a leather 
 bag. 
 
 "Count them, John," she said. 
 
 There were forty-eight. Fifteen pounds represented a vastly 
 greater sum at that time than they do at present, and John 
 Fletcher looked up from the counting with amazement. 
 
 "This can't be all ours, Lucie. Your brother must have 
 been helping us." 
 
 "Not with a penny, doubting man," she laughed. "The 
 money is yours, all earned by the farm; perhaps not quite all, 
 because we have not more than half as many animals as we had 
 
16 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 before. But, as I told you, we are growing vegetables, and for 
 that we must have more men than for corn. But, as you see, 
 it pays. Do not fear about it, John. If God should please to 
 restore you to health and strength most gladly will I lay down 
 the reins, but till then I will manage as best I may, and with 
 the help and advice of my brother and his friends, shall hope, 
 by the blessing of God, to keep all straight." 
 
 The farm throve, but its master made but little progress 
 towards recovery. He was able, however, occasionally to be 
 carried round in a hand-litter made for him upon a plan 
 devised by Gaspard Vaillant, in which he was supported in a 
 half-sitting position, while four men bore him as if in a 
 Sedan-chair. But it was only occasionally that he could bear 
 the fatigue of such excursions. Ordinarily he lay on a couch 
 in the farmhouse kitchen, where he could see all that was going 
 on there; while in warm summer weather he was wheeled out- 
 side, and lay in the shade of the great elm in front of the 
 house. 
 
 The boy, Philip for so he had been christened, after John 
 Fletcher's father, grew apace, and as soon as he was old 
 enough to receive instruction his father taught him his letters 
 out of a hornbook, until he was big enough to go down every 
 day to school in Canterbury. John himself was built upon a 
 large scale, and at quarter-staff and wrestling could, before he 
 married, hold his own with any of the lads of Kent, and Philip 
 bade fair to take after him in skill and courage. His mother 
 would shake her head reprovingly when he returned with his 
 face bruised and his clothes torn after encounters with his 
 school-fellows, but his father took his part. 
 
 "Nay, nay, wife," he said one day, "the boy is eleven 
 years old now, and must not grow up a milksop. Teach him 
 if you will to be honest and true, to love God, and to hold to 
 the faith, but in these days it needs that men should be able 
 to use their weapons also. There are your countrymen in 
 France, who ere long will be driven to take up arms for the 
 defence of their faith and lives from their cruel persecutors; 
 and, as you have told me, many of the younger men from here 
 and elsewhere will assuredly go back to aid their brethren. 
 
 " We may even have trials here. Our Queen is a Protestant, 
 
DRIVEN FROM HOME 17 
 
 and happily at present we can worship God as we please in 
 peace ; but it was not so in the time of Mary, and it may be 
 that troubles may again fall upon the land, seeing that as yet 
 the Queen is not married. Moreover, Philip of Spain has 
 pretensions to rule here, and every Englishman may be called 
 upon to take up bow or bill for his faith and country. Our 
 co-religionists in Holland and France are both being cruelly 
 persecuted, and it may well be that the time will come when 
 we shall send over armies to their assistance. I would that 
 the boy should grow up both a good Christian and a stout sol- 
 dier. He comes on both sides of a fighting stock. One of my 
 ancestors fought at Agincourt, and another with the Black 
 Prince at Cressy and Poitiers; while on your side his blood is 
 noble, and, as we know, the nobles of France are second to 
 none in bravery. 
 
 " Before I met you I had thoughts of going out myself to 
 fight among the English bands who have engaged on the side 
 of the Hollanders. I had even spoken to my cousin James 
 about taking charge of the farm while I was away. I would 
 not have sold it, for Fletchers held this land before the Nor- 
 mans set foot in England; but I had thoughts of borrowing 
 money upon it to take me out to the war, when your sweet 
 face drove all such matters from my mind. Therefore, Lucie, 
 while I would that you should teach the boy to be good and 
 gentle in his manners, so that if he ever goes among your 
 French kinsmen he shall be able to bear himself as befits his 
 birth on that side, I, for my part though, alas, I can do noth- 
 ing myself will see that he is taught to use his arms, and to 
 bear himself as stoutly as an English yeoman should when 
 there is need of it. 
 
 " So, wife, I would not have him chidden when he comes 
 home with a bruised face and his garments somewhat awry. 
 A boy who can hold his own among boys will some day hold 
 his own among men, and the fisticuffs in which our English 
 boys try their strength are as good preparation as are the 
 courtly sports, in which, as you tell me, young French nobles 
 are trained. But I would not have him backward in these 
 either. We English, thank God, have not had much occasion 
 to draw a sword since we broke the strength of Scotland on 
 
18 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Flodden Field, and in spite of ordinances, we know less than 
 we should do of the use of our weapons; even the rules that 
 every lad shall practise shooting at the butts are less strictly 
 observed than they should be. But in this respect our de- 
 ficiencies can be repaired in his case, for here in Canterbury 
 there are several of your countrymen of noble birth, and 
 doubtless among these we shall be able to find an instructor 
 for Phil. Many of them are driven to hard shifts to procure a 
 living; and since that bag of yours is every day getting heavier, 
 and we have but him to spend it upon, we will not grudge 
 giving him the best instruction that can be procured." 
 
 Lucie did not dispute her husband's will, but she neverthe- 
 less tried to enlist Gaspard Vaillant, who was frequently up at 
 the farm with his wife in the evening, for he had a sincere 
 liking for John Fletcher, on her side, and to get him to dis- 
 suade her husband from putting thoughts into the boy's head 
 that might lead him some day to be discontented with the 
 quiet life on the farm. She found, however, that Gaspard 
 highly approved of her husband's determination. 
 
 " Fie upon you, Lucie. You forget that you and Marie are 
 both of noble blood, in that respect being of condition some- 
 what above myself, although I too am connected with many 
 good families in Poitou. In other times I should have said it 
 were better that the boy should grow up to till the land, which 
 is assuredly an honourable profession, rather than to become 
 a military adventurer, fighting only for vainglory. But in our 
 days the sword is not drawn for glory, but for the right to 
 worship God in peace. 
 
 " No one can doubt that ere long the men of the reformed 
 religion will take up arms to defend their right to live and 
 worship God in their own way. The cruel persecutions under 
 Francis I., Henry II., and Francis II. have utterly failed in 
 their object. When Merindol, Cabrieres, and twenty- two 
 other towns and villages were destroyed in 1547, and persons 
 persecuted and forced to recant, or to fly as we did, it was 
 thought that we were but a handful whom it would be easy to 
 exterminate ; but in spite of edict after edict, of persecution, 
 slaughterings, and burnings, in spite of the massacres of Am- 
 boise and others, the reformed religion has spread so greatly 
 
DRIVEN FROM HOME 19 
 
 that even the Guises are forced to recognize it as a power. At 
 Fontainebleau Admiral Coligny, Montmorency, the Chatillons, 
 and others openly professed the reformed religion, and argued 
 boldly for tolerance; while Cond and Navarre, although they 
 declined to be present, were openly ranged on their side. 
 Had it not been that Henry II. and Francis were both carried 
 off by the manifest hand of God, the first by a spear-thrust at 
 a tournament, the second by an abscess in the ear, France 
 would have been the scene of deadly strife, for both were, 
 when so suddenly smitten, on the point of commencing a war 
 of extermination. 
 
 " But it is only now that the full strength of those who hold 
 the faith is manifested. Beza, the greatest of the reformers 
 next to Calvin himself, and twelve of our most learned and 
 eloquent pastors, are at Poissy disputing upon the faith with 
 the Cardinal of Lorraine and the prelates of the Romish 
 church, in the presence of the young king, the princes, and 
 the court. It is evident that the prelates are unable to answer 
 the arguments of our champions. The Guises, I hear, are 
 furious; for the present Catherine, the queen mother, is anx- 
 ious for peace and toleration, and it is probable that the end 
 of this argument at Poissy will be an edict allowing freedom 
 of worship. But this will only infuriate still more the 
 Papists, urged on by Rome and Philip of Spain. Then there 
 will be an appeal to arms, and the contest will be a dreadful 
 one. Navarre, from all I hear; has been well-nigh won over 
 by the Guises; but his noble wife will, all say, hold the faith 
 to the end, and her kingdom will follow her. Conde" is as 
 good a general as Guise, and with him there is a host of 
 nobles: Rochefoucauld, the Chatillons, Soubise, Gramont, 
 Rohan, Genlis, and a score of others. It will be terrible, for 
 in many cases father and son will be ranged on opposite sides, 
 and brother will fight against brother." 
 
 "But surely, Gaspard, the war will not last for years?" 
 "It may last for generations," the weaver said gloomily, 
 "though not without intermissions, for I believe that after 
 each success on one side or the other there will be truces and 
 concessions, to be followed by fresh persecutions and fresh 
 wars, until either the reformed faith becomes the religion of 
 
20 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 all France or is entirely stamped out. What is true of France 
 is true of Holland. Philip will annihilate the reformers there, 
 or they will shake off the yoke of Spain. England will be 
 driven to join in one or both struggles; for if papacy is trium- 
 phant in France and Holland, Spain and France would unite 
 against her. So you see, sister, that in my opinion we are at 
 the commencement of a long and bloody struggle for freedom 
 of worship, and at any rate it will be good that the boy should 
 be trained as he would have been had you married one of your 
 own rank in France, in order that when he comes 40 man's 
 estate he may be able to wield a sword worthily in the defence 
 of the faith. 
 
 " Had I sons I should train them as your husband intends 
 to train Phil. It may be that he will never be called upon to 
 draw a sword, but the time he has spent in acquiring its use 
 will not be wasted. These exercises give firmness and sup- 
 pleness to the figure, quickness to the eye, and briskness of 
 decision to the mind. A man who knows that he can at need 
 defend his life if attacked, whether against soldiers in the 
 field or robbers in the street, has a sense of power and self- 
 reliance that a man untrained in the use of the strength God 
 has given him can never feel. I was instructed in arms when 
 a boy, and I am none the worse weaver for it. Do not forget, 
 Lucie, that the boy has the blood of many good French fami- 
 lies in his veins, and you should rejoice that your husband is 
 willing that he shall be so trained that if the need should 
 ever come he shall do no discredit to his ancestors on our 
 side. These English have many virtues which I recognize 
 freely, but we cannot deny that many of them are somewhat 
 rough and uncouth, being wondrous lacking in manners and 
 coarse in speech. I am sure that you yourself would not wish 
 your son to grow up like many of the young fellows who come 
 into town on market-day. Your son will make no worse a 
 farmer for being trained as a gentleman. You yourself have 
 the training of a French lady, and yet you manage the farm 
 to admiration. No, no, Lucie, I trust that between us we 
 shall make a true Christian and a true gentleman of him, and 
 that if needs be he will show himself a good soldier also." 
 
 And so between his French relatives and his sturdy English 
 
DRIVEN FROM HOME 21 
 
 father, Philip Fletcher had an unusual training. Among the 
 Huguenots he learned to be gentle and courteous, to bear 
 himself among his elders respectfully, but without fear or shy- 
 ness; to consider that while all things were of minor conse- 
 quence in comparison to the right to worship God in freedom 
 and purity, yet that a man should be fearless of death, ready 
 to defend his rights, but with moderation and without pushing 
 them to the injury of others; that he should be grave and 
 decorous of speech, and yet of a gay and cheerful spirit. He 
 strove hard so to deport himself, that if at any time he 
 should return to his mother's country, he could take his place 
 among her relations without discredit. He learned to fence 
 and to dance. Some of the stricter of the Huguenots were of 
 opinion that the latter accomplishment was unnecessary, if not 
 absolutely sinful, but Gaspard Vaillant was firm on this point. 
 
 "Dancing is a stately and graceful exercise," he said, "and 
 like the use of arms it greatly improves the carriage and poise 
 of the figure. Queen Elizabeth loves dancing, and none can 
 say that she is not a good Protestant. Every youth should be 
 taught to dance, if only he may know how to walk. I am not 
 one of those who think that because a man is a good Christian 
 he should necessarily be awkward and ungainly in speech and 
 manner, adverse to innocent gaieties, narrow in his ideas, ill- 
 dressed, and ill-mannered, as I see are many of those most 
 extreme in religious matters in this country." 
 
 Upon the other hand, in the school playground, under the 
 shadow of the grand cathedral, Phil was as English as any, 
 being foremost in their rough sports, and ready for any fun or 
 mischief. He fought many battles, principally because the 
 difference of his manner from that of the others often caused 
 him to be called "Frenchy." The epithet in itself was not 
 displeasing to him, for he was passionately attached to his 
 mother, and had learned from her to love her native country; 
 but applied in derision it was regarded by him as an insult, 
 and many a tough battle did he fight, until his prowess was so 
 generally acknowledged that the name, though still used, was 
 no longer one of disrespect. 
 
 In figure he took after his French rather than his English 
 ancestors. Of more than average height for his age, he was 
 
22 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 apparently slighter in build than his school-fellows; it was 
 not that he lacked width of chest, but that his bones were 
 smaller and his frame less heavy. The English boys among 
 themselves sometimes spoke of him as "skinny," a word con- 
 sidered specially appropriate to Frenchmen; but though he 
 lacked their roundness and fulness of limb, and had not an 
 ounce of superfluous flesh about him, he was all sinew and 
 wire, and while in sheer strength he was fully their equal, he 
 was incomparably quicker and more active. Although in 
 figure and carriage he took after his mother's countrymen, his 
 features and expression were wholly English. His hair was 
 light-brown, his eyes a bluish-grey, his complexion fair, and 
 his mouth and eyes alive with fun and merriment. This, 
 however, seldom found vent in laughter. His intercourse 
 with the grave Huguenots, saddened by their exile, and quiet 
 and restrained in manner, taught him to repress mirth which 
 would have appeared to them unseemly, and to remain a grave 
 and silent listener to their talk of their unhappy country, and 
 their discussions on religious matters. 
 
 To his school-fellows he was somewhat of an enigma. 
 There was no more good-tempered young fellow in the school, 
 no one more ready to do a kindness; but they did not under- 
 stand why, when he was pleased, he smiled while others 
 roared with laughter; why when in their sports he exerted 
 himself to the utmost, he did so silently while others shouted; 
 why his words were always few, and when he differed from 
 others, he expressed himself with a courtesy that puzzled 
 them; why he never wrangled nor quarrelled; and why any 
 trick played upon an old woman or a defenceless person 
 roused him to fury. 
 
 As a rule, when boys do not quite understand one of their 
 number they dislike him. Philip Fletcher was an exception. 
 They did not understand him, but they consoled themselves 
 under this by the explanation that he was half a French- 
 man, and could not be expected to be like a regular English 
 boy, and they recognized instinctively that he was their 
 superior. 
 
 Much of Philip's time was spent at the house of his uncle, 
 and among the Huguenot colony. Here also were many boys 
 
DRIVEN FROM HOME 23 
 
 of his own age; these went to a school of their own, taught 
 by the pastor of their own church, who held weekly services 
 in the crypt of the cathedral, which had been granted to them 
 for that purpose by the dean. 
 
 While with his English school-fellows he joined in sports 
 and games, among these French lads the talk was sober and 
 quiet. Scarce a week passed but some fugitive, going through 
 Canterbury, brought the latest news of the situation in France, 
 and the sufferings of their co-religionist friends and relations 
 there, and the political events were the chief topics of con- 
 versation. 
 
 The concessions made at the Conference of Poissy had 
 infuriated the Catholics, and the war was brought on by the 
 Duke of Guise, who, passing with a large band of retainers 
 through the town of Vassy in Champagne, found the Hugue- 
 nots there worshipping in a barn. His retainers attacked 
 them, slaying men, women, and children. Some sixty being 
 killed, and a hundred or more left terribly wounded. 
 
 The Protestant nobles demanded that Francis of Guise 
 should be punished for this atrocious massacre, but in vain, 
 and Guise, on entering Paris in defiance of Catherine's pro- 
 hibition, was received with royal honours by the populace. 
 The Cardinal of Lorraine, the duke's brother, the duke him- 
 self, and their allies, the Constable Montmorency and Mar- 
 shal Saint Andre", assumed so threatening an attitude that 
 Catherine left Paris and went to Me"lun, her sympathies at this 
 period being with the reformers, by whose aid alone she 
 thought that she could maintain her influence in the state 
 against that of the Guises. 
 
 Conde was forced to leave Paris with the Protestant nobles, 
 and from all parts of France the Huguenots marched to 
 assist him. Coligny, the greatest of the Huguenot leaders, 
 hesitated, being, above all things, reluctant to plunge France 
 into civil war; but the entreaties of his noble wife, of his 
 brothers and friends, overpowered his reluctance. Conde" 
 left Meaux with fifteen hundred horse with the intention of 
 seizing the person of the young king, but he had been fore- 
 stalled by the Guises, and moved to Orleans, where he took 
 up his head-quarters. All over France the Huguenots rose 
 
24 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 in such numbers as astonished their enemies, and soon be- 
 came possessed of a great many important cities. 
 
 Their leaders had endeavoured, in every way, to impress 
 upon them the necessity of behaving as men who fought only 
 for the right to worship God, and for the most part these in- 
 junctions were strictly obeyed. In one matter alone the 
 Huguenots could not be restrained. For thirty years the people 
 of their faith ' had been executed, tortured, and slain, and 
 their hatred of the Romish church manifested itself by the 
 destruction of images and pictures of all kinds in the churches 
 of the towns of which they obtained possession. 
 
 Only in the south-east of France was there any exception to 
 the general excellence of their conduct. Their persecution 
 here had always been very severe, and in the town of Orange 
 the papal troops committed a massacre almost without a par- 
 allel in its atrocity. The Baron of Adrets, on behalf of the 
 Protestants, took revenge by massacres equally atrocious; but 
 while the butchery at Orange was hailed with approbation and 
 delight by the Catholic leaders, those promoted by Adrets 
 excited such a storm of indignation among the Huguenots of 
 all classes that he shortly afterwards went over to the other 
 side, and was found fighting against the party he had disgraced. 
 At Toulouse three thousand Huguenots were massacred, and in 
 other towns where the Catholics were in a majority terrible 
 persecutions were carried out. 
 
 It was nearly a year after the massacre at Vassy before the 
 two armies met in battle. The Huguenots had suffered greatly 
 by the delays caused by attempts at negotiations and compro- 
 mise. Condi's army was formed entirely of volunteers, and 
 the nobles and gentry, as their means became exhausted, were 
 compelled to return home with their retainers, while many 
 were forced to march to their native provinces to assist their 
 co-religionists there to defend themselves from their Catholic 
 neighbours. 
 
 England had entered to a certain extent upon the war, 
 Elizabeth after long vacillation having at length agreed to send 
 six thousand men to hold the towns of Havre, Dieppe, and 
 Rouen, providing these three towns were handed over to her, 
 thus evincing the same calculating greed that marked her 
 
DRIVEN FROM HOME 25 
 
 subsequent dealings with the Dutch in their struggle for 
 freedom. In vain Conde" and Coligny begged her not to 
 impose conditions that Frenchmen would hold to be infamous 
 to them. In vain Throgmorton, her ambassador at Paris, 
 warned her that she would alienate the Protestants of France 
 from her, while the possession of the cities would avail her 
 but little. In vain her minister, Cecil, urged her frankly to 
 ally herself with the Protestants. From the first outbreak 
 of the war for freedom of conscience in France to the termi- 
 nation of the struggle in Holland, Elizabeth baffled both 
 friends and enemies by her vacillation and duplicity, and her 
 utter want of faith, doling out aid in the spirit of a huckster 
 rather than a queen, so that she was in the end even more 
 hated by the Protestants of Holland and France than by the 
 Catholics of France and Spain. 
 
 To those who look only at the progress made by England 
 during the reign of Elizabeth thanks to her great ministers, 
 her valiant sailors and soldiers, long years of peace at home, 
 and the spirit and energy of her people, Elizabeth may appear 
 a great monarch. To those who study her character from 
 her relations with the struggling Protestants of Holland and 
 France, it will appear that she was, although intellectually 
 great, morally one of the meanest, falsest, and most despicable 
 of women. 
 
 Rouen, although stoutly defended by the inhabitants, sup- 
 ported by Montgomery with eight hundred soldiers and five 
 hundred Englishmen under Killegrew of Pendennis, was at last 
 forced to surrender. The terms granted to the garrison were 
 basely violated, and many of the Protestants put to death. 
 The King of Navarre, who had, since he joined the Catholic 
 party, shown the greatest zeal in their cause, commanded the 
 besiegers. He was wounded in one of the attacks upon the 
 town, and died shortly afterwards. 
 
 The two armies finally met on the igth of December, 1562. 
 The Catholic party had sixteen thousand foot, two thousand 
 horse, and twenty- two cannon; the Huguenots four thousand 
 horse, but only eight thousand infantry and five cannon. 
 Conde" at first broke the Swiss pikemen of the Guises, while 
 Coligny scattered the cavalry of Constable Montmorency, who 
 
26 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 was wounded and taken prisoner; but the infantry of the 
 Catholics defeated those of the Huguenots, the troops sent by 
 the German princes to aid the latter behaving with great 
 cowardice. Condi's horse was killed under him, and he was 
 made prisoner. Coligny drew off the Huguenot cavalry and 
 the remains of the infantry in good order, and made his retreat 
 unmolested. 
 
 The Huguenots had been worsted in the battle, and the loss 
 of Conde was a serious blow; but on the other hand Marshal 
 Saint Andre" was killed and the Constable Montmorency a 
 prisoner. Coligny was speedily reinforced, and the assassina- 
 tion of the Duke of Guise by an enthusiast of the name of Jean 
 Poltrot more than equalized matters. 
 
 Both parties being anxious to treat, terms of peace were 
 arranged on the condition that the Protestant lords should be 
 reinstated in their honours and possessions; all nobles and 
 gentlemen should be allowed to celebrate in their own houses 
 the worship of the reformed religion; that in every bailiwick 
 the Protestants should be allowed to hold their religious ser- 
 vices in the suburbs of one city, and should also be permitted 
 to celebrate it in one or two places inside the walls of all the 
 cities they held at the time of the signature of the truce. This 
 agreement was known as the Treaty of Amboise, and sufficed 
 to secure peace for France until the latter end of 1567. 
 
 
GASPARL) VAILLANT MAKES A PROPOSAL. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 AN IMPORTANT DECISION 
 
 ONE day in June, 1567, Gaspard Vaillant and his wife went 
 up to Fletcher's farm. 
 
 "I have come up to have a serious talk with you, John, 
 about Philip. You see, in a few months he will be sixteen. 
 He is already taller than I am. Rene" and Gustave both tell 
 me that they have taught him all they know with sword and 
 dagger; and both have been stout men-at-arms in their time, 
 and assure me that the lad could hold his own against any 
 young French noble of his own age, and against not a few 
 men. It is time that we came to some conclusion about his 
 future." 
 
 " I have thought of it much, Gaspard. Lying here so help- 
 less, my thoughts do naturally turn to him. The boy has 
 grown almost beyond my power of understanding. Sometimes 
 when I hear him laughing and jesting with the men, or with 
 some of his school friends whom he brings up here, it seems 
 to me that I see myself again in him; and that he is a merry 
 young fellow, full of life and fun, and able to hold his own at 
 single-stick, or to foot it round the maypole with any lad in 
 Kent of his age. Then again, when he is talking with his 
 mother, or giving directions in her name to the French 
 labourers, I see a different lad altogether: grave and quiet, 
 with a gentle, courteous way, fit for a young noble ten years 
 his senior. I don't know but that between us, Gaspard, we 
 have made a mess of it, and that it might have been better for 
 him to have grown up altogether as I was, with no thought or 
 
 27 
 
28 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 care save the management of his farm, with a liking for sport 
 and fun when such came in his way." 
 
 "Not at all, not at all," Gaspard Vaillant broke in hastily, 
 "we have made a fine man of him, John; and it seems to me 
 that he possesses the best qualities of both our races. He is 
 frank and hearty, full of life and spirits when, as you say, 
 occasion offers, giving his whole heart either to work or play, 
 with plenty of determination, and what you English call back- 
 bone; there is, in fact, a solid English foundation to his char- 
 acter. Then from our side he has gained the gravity of 
 demeanour that belongs to us Huguenots, with the courtesy of 
 manner, the carriage and bearing of a young Frenchman 
 of good blood. Above all, John, he is a sober Christian, 
 strong in the reformed faith, and with a burning hatred against 
 its persecutors, be they French or Spanish. Well, then, being 
 what he is, what is to be done with him? In the first place, 
 are you bent upon his remaining here ? I think that with his 
 qualities and disposition it would be well that for a while he 
 had a wider scope. Lucie has managed the farm for the last 
 fifteen years, and can well continue to do so for another ten 
 if God should spare her; and my own opinion is, that for that 
 time he might be left to try his strength, and to devote to the 
 good cause the talents God has given him, and the skill and 
 training that he has acquired through us, and that it would be 
 for his good to make the acquaintance of his French kinsfolk 
 and to see something of the world." 
 
 "I know that is Lucie's wish also, Gaspard; and I have fre- 
 quently turned the matter over in my mind, and have con- 
 cluded that should it be your wish also, it would be well for 
 me to throw no objections in the way. I shall miss the boy 
 sorely; but young birds cannot be kept always in the nest, and 
 I think that the lad has such good stuff in him that it were a 
 pity to keep him shut up here." 
 
 "Now, John," his brother-in-law went on, "although I may 
 never have said quite as much before, I have said enough for 
 you to know what my intentions are. God has not been 
 pleased to bestow children upon us, and Philip is our nearest 
 relation, and stands to us almost in the light of a son. God 
 has blest my work for the last twenty years, and though I have 
 
AN IMPORTANT DECISION 29 
 
 done, I hope, fully my share towards assisting my countrymen 
 in distress, putting by always one-third of my income for that 
 purpose, I am a rich man. The factory has grown larger and 
 larger; not because we desired greater gains, but that I might 
 give employment to more and more of my countrymen. Since 
 the death of Lequoc twelve years ago it has been entirely in 
 my hands, and living quietly as we have done, a greater por- 
 tion of the profits have been laid by every year; therefore, 
 putting out of account the money that my good sister has laid 
 by, Philip will start in life not ill equipped. 
 
 " I know that the lad has said nothing of any wishes he may 
 entertain at his age it would not be becoming for him to do 
 so until his elders speak, but of late when we have read to 
 him letters from our friends in France, or when he has listened 
 to the tales of those freshly arrived from their ruined homes, 
 I have noted that his colour rose, that his fingers tightened as 
 if on a sword, and could see how passionately he was longing 
 to join those who were struggling against their cruel oppres- 
 sors. Not less interested has he been in the noble struggle 
 that the Dutch are making against the Spaniards; a struggle 
 in which many of our exiled countrymen are sharing. 
 
 "One of his mother's cousins, the Count de La Noiie, is, 
 as you know, prominent among the Huguenot leaders, and 
 others of our relatives are ranged on the same side. At pres- 
 ent there is a truce, but both parties feel that it is a hollow 
 one; nevertheless it offers a good opportunity for him to visit 
 his mother's family. Whether there is any prospect of our 
 ever recovering the lands which were confiscated on our flight 
 is uncertain. Should the Huguenots ever maintain their 
 ground and win freedom of worship in France, it may be that 
 the confiscated estates will in many cases be restored; as to 
 that, however, I am perfectly indifferent. Were I a younger 
 man I should close my factory, return to France, and bear my 
 share in the defence of the faith. As it is, I should like to 
 send Philip over as my substitute. 
 
 " It would at any rate be well that he should make the ac- 
 quaintance of his kinsfolk in France, although even I should 
 not wish that he should cease to regard England as his native 
 country and home. Hundreds of young men, many no older 
 
30 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 than himself, are in Holland fighting against the persecutors, 
 and risking their lives, though having no kinship with the 
 Dutch; impelled simply by their love of the faith and their 
 hatred of persecution. I have lately, John, though the matter 
 has been kept quiet, purchased the farms of Blunt and Mar- 
 dyke, your neighbours on either hand. Both are nearly twice 
 the size of your own. I have arranged with the men that for 
 the present they shall continue to work them as my tenants, as 
 they were before the tenants of Sir James Holford, who, hav- 
 ing wasted his money at court, has been forced to sell a por- 
 tion of his estates. 
 
 "Thus some day Phil will come into possession of land 
 which will place him in a good position, and I am prepared 
 to add to it considerably. Sir James Holford still gambles 
 away his possessions, and I have explained to his notary my 
 willingness to extend my purchases at any time, should he 
 desire to sell. I should a once commence the building of a 
 comfortable mansion; but it is scarce worth while to do so, 
 for it is probable that before many years Sir James may be 
 driven to part with his Hall as well as his land. In the mean- 
 time I am ready to provide Philip with an income which will 
 enable him to take his place with credit among our kinsfolk, 
 and to raise a company of some fifty men to follow him in the 
 field, should Conde" and the Huguenots again be driven to 
 struggle against the Guises. What do you think? " 
 
 " I think in the first place that Lucie and I should be indeed 
 grateful to you, Gaspard, for your generous offer. As to his 
 going to France, that I must talk over with his mother, whose 
 wishes in this, as in all respects, are paramount with me. But 
 I may say at once, that lying here as I do, thinking of the 
 horrible cruelties and oppressions to which men and women 
 are subjected for the faith's sake in France and Holland, I 
 feel that we, who are happily able to worship in peace and 
 quiet, ought to hesitate at no sacrifice on their behalf; and, 
 moreover, seeing that owing to my affliction he owes what he 
 is rather to his mother and you than to me, I think your wish 
 that he should make the acquaintance of his kinsfolk in France 
 is a natural one. I have no wish for the lad to become a 
 courtier, English or French, nor that he should, as English- 
 
AN IMPORTANT DECISION 31 
 
 men have done before now in foreign armies, gain great honour 
 and reputation; but if it is his wish to fight on behalf of the 
 persecuted people of God, whether in France or in Holland, 
 he will do so with my heartiest good-will, and if he die he 
 could not die in a more glorious cause. Let us talk of other 
 matters now, Gaspard, this is one that needs thought before 
 more words are spoken." 
 
 Two days later John Fletcher had a long talk with Phil. 
 The latter was delighted when he heard the project, which 
 was greatly in accord with both sides of his character. As an 
 English lad he looked forward eagerly to adventure and peril; 
 as French and of the reformed religion he was rejoiced at the 
 thought of fighting with the Huguenots against their persecut- 
 ors, and of serving under the men with whose names and 
 reputations he was so familiar. 
 
 " I do not know your uncle's plans for you as yet, Phil," his 
 father said. " He went not into such matters, leaving these 
 to be talked over after it had been settled whether his offer 
 should be accepted or not. He purposes well by you, and 
 regards you as his heir. He has already bought Blunt and 
 Mardyke's farms, and purposes to buy other parts of the estates 
 of Sir James Holford, as they may slip through the knight's 
 fingers at the gambling-table. Therefore in time you will 
 become a person of standing in the county; and although I 
 care little for these things now, Phil, yet I should like you to 
 be somewhat more than a mere squire; and if you serve for a 
 while under such great captains as Coligny and Conde" it will 
 give you reputation and weight. Your good uncle and his 
 friends think little of such matters, but I own that I am not 
 uninfluenced by them. Coligny, *or example, is a man whom 
 all honour, and that honour is not altogether because he is 
 leader of the reformed faith, but because he is a great soldier. 
 
 "I do not think that honour and reputation are to be 
 despised. Doubtless the first thing of all is that a man should 
 be a good Christian. But that will in no way prevent him 
 from being a great man; nay, it will add to his greatness. 
 You have noble kinsfolk in France, to some of whom your 
 uncle will doubtless commit you, and it may be that you will 
 have opportunities of distinguishing yourself. Should such 
 
32 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 occur I am sure you will avail yourself of them, as one should 
 do who comes of good stock on both sides; for although we 
 Fletchers have been but yeomen from generation to genera^ 
 tion, we have been ever ready to take and give our share ol 
 hard blows when they were going; and there have been few 
 battles fought since William the Norman came over that a 
 Fletcher has not fought in the English ranks, whether in 
 France, in Scotland, or in our own troubles. 
 
 " Therefore it seems to me but natural that for many rea- 
 sons you should desire at your age to take part in the fighting; 
 as an Englishman, because Englishmen fought six years ago 
 under the banner of Cond ; as a Protestant, on behalf of our 
 persecuted brethren; as a Frenchman by your mother's side, 
 because you have kinsfolk engaged, and because it is the Pope 
 and Philip of Spain, as well as the Guises, who are in fact 
 battling to stamp out French liberty. Of one thing I am sure, 
 my boy, you will disgrace neither an honest English name nor 
 the French blood in your veins, nor your profession as a Chris- 
 tian and a Protestant. There are Engishmen gaining credit 
 on the Spanish Main under Drake and Hawkins, there are 
 Englishmen fighting manfully by the side of the Dutch, there 
 are others in the armies of the Protestant princes of Germany, 
 and in none of these matters are they so deeply concerned as 
 you are in the affairs of France and religion. 
 
 "I shall miss you, of course, Philip, and that sorely; but I 
 have long seen that this would probably be the upshot of your 
 training, and since I can myself take no share in adventure 
 beyond the walls of this house, I shall feel that I am living 
 again in you. But, lad, never forget that you are English. 
 You are Philip Fletcher, come of an old Kentish stock, and 
 though you may be living with French kinsfolk and friends, 
 always keep uppermost the fact that you are an Englishman 
 who sympathizes with France, and not a Frenchman with 
 some English blood in your veins. I have given you up 
 greatly to your French relations here ; but if you win credit 
 and honour I would have it won by my son, Philip Fletcher, 
 born in England of an English father, and who will one day 
 be a gentleman and land-owner in the county of Kent." 
 
 "I sha'n't forget that, father," Philip said earnestly. "I 
 
AN IMPORTANT DECISION 33 
 
 have never regarded myself as in any way French, although 
 speaking the tongue as well as English, and being so much 
 among my mother's friends. But living here with you, where 
 our people have lived so many years, hearing from you the 
 tales from our history, seeing these English fields around me, 
 and being at an English school among English boys, I have 
 ever felt that I am ' English, though in no way regretting the 
 Huguenot blood that I inherit from my mother. Believe me, 
 that if I fight in France it will be as an Englishman who has 
 drawn his sword in the quarrel, and rather as one who hates 
 oppression and cruelty than because I have French kinsmen 
 engaged in it." 
 
 " That is well, Philip. You may be away for some years, 
 but I trust that on your return you will find me sitting here to 
 welcome you back. A creaking wheel lasts long. I have 
 everything to make my life happy and peaceful the best of 
 wives, a well-ordered farm, and no thought or care as to my 
 worldly affairs; and since it has been God's will that such 
 should be my life, my interest will be wholly centred in you, 
 and I hope to see your children playing round me, or, for 
 aught I know, your grandchildren, for we are a long-lived 
 race. And now, Philip, you had best go down and see your 
 uncle and thank him for his good intentions towards you. 
 Tell him that I wholly agree with his plans, and that if he and 
 your aunt will come up this evening we will enter farther into 
 them." 
 
 That evening John Fletcher learned that it was the inten- 
 tion of Gaspard that his wife should accompany Philip. 
 
 "Marie yearns to see her people again," he said, "and the 
 present is a good time for her to do so; for when the war once 
 breaks out again none can say how long it will last or how it 
 will terminate. Her sister and Lucie's, the Countess de 
 Laville, has, as you know, frequently written urgently for 
 Marie to go over and pay her a visit. Hitherto I have never 
 been able to bring myself to spare her, but I feel that this is 
 so good an opportunity that I must let her go for a few weeks. 
 Philip could not be introduced under better auspices. He 
 will escort Marie to his aunt's, remain there with her, and 
 then see her on board ship again at La Rochelle, after which, 
 
34 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 doubtless, he will remain at his aunt's, and when the struggle 
 begins will ride with his cousin Francois. I have hesitated 
 whether I should go also. But, in the first place, my busi- 
 ness would get on but badly without me; in the second, 
 although Marie might travel safely enough, I might be arrested 
 were I recognized as one who had left the kingdom contrary 
 to the edicts; and lastly, I never was on very good terms with 
 her family. 
 
 " Emilie, in marrying the Count de Laville, made a match 
 somewhat above her own rank; for the Lavilles were a 
 wealthier and more powerful family than that of Charles de 
 Moulins, her father. On the other hand, I was, although of 
 good birth, yet inferior in consideration to De Moulins, 
 although my lands were broader than his; consequently we 
 saw little of Emilie after our marriage. Therefore my being 
 with Marie would in no way increase the warmth of the wel- 
 come that she and Philip will receive. I may say that the 
 estrangement was, perhaps, more my fault than that of the 
 Lavilles. I chose to fancy there was a coolness on their part, 
 which probably existed only in my imagination. Moreover, 
 shortly after my marriage the religious troubles grew serious, 
 and we were all too much absorbed in our own perils and 
 those of our poorer neighbours to think of travelling about, 
 or of having family gatherings. 
 
 "At any rate, I feel that Philip could not enter into life 
 more favourably than as cousin of Francois de Laville, who is 
 but two years or so his senior, and who will, his mother wrote 
 to Marie, ride behind that gallant gentleman Francois de la 
 Noue if the war breaks out again. I am glad to feel confi- 
 dent that Philip will in no way bring discredit upon his rela- 
 tions. I shall at once order clothes for him suitable for the 
 occasion. They will be such as will befit an English gentle- 
 man; good in material but sober in colour, for the Huguenots 
 eschew bright hues. I will take his measure, and send up to 
 a friend in London for a helmet, breast, and back pieces, 
 together with offensive arms, sword, dagger, and pistols. I 
 have already written to correspondents at Southampton and 
 Plymouth for news as to the sailing of a ship bound for La 
 Rochelle. There he had better take four men into his ser- 
 
AN IMPORTANT DECISION 35 
 
 vice, for in these days it is by no means safe to ride through 
 France unattended, especially when one is of the reformed 
 religion. The roads abound with disbanded soldiers and 
 robbers, while in the villages a fanatic might at any time bring 
 on a religious tumult. I have many correspondents at La 
 Rochelle, and will write to one asking him to select four stout 
 fellows, who showed their courage in the last war and can be 
 relied on for good and faithful service. I will also get him 
 to buy horses and make all arrangements for the journey. 
 Marie will write to her sister. Lucie, perhaps, had better 
 write under the same cover; for although she can remember 
 but little of Emilie, seeing that she was fully six years her 
 junior, it would be natural that she should take the opportu- 
 nity to correspond with her. 
 
 "In one respect, Phil," he went on, turning to his nephew, 
 "you will find yourself at some disadvantage, perhaps, among 
 young Frenchmen. You can ride well, and I think can sit a 
 horse with any of them; but of the menage, that is to say, the 
 purely ornamental management of a horse, in which they 
 are most carefully instructed, you know nothing. It is one of 
 the tricks of fashion, of which plain men like myself know but 
 little; and though I have often made inquiries, I have found 
 no one who could instruct you. However, these delicacies 
 are rather for courtly displays than for the rough work of war; 
 though it must be owned that in single combat between two 
 swordsmen, he who has the most perfect control over his 
 horse, and can make the animal wheel or turn, press upon his 
 opponent, or give way by a mere touch of his leg or hand, 
 possesses a considerable advantage over the man who is un- 
 versed in such matters. I hope you will not feel the want of 
 it, and at any rate it has not been my fault that you have had 
 no opportunity of acquiring the art. 
 
 "The tendency is more and more to fight on foot. The 
 duel has taken the place of the combat in the lists, and the 
 pikeman counts for as much in the winning of a battle as the 
 mounted man. You taught us that at Cressy and Agincourt; 
 but we have been slow to learn the lesson which was brought 
 home to you in your battles with the Scots, and in your own 
 civil struggles. It is the bow and the pike that have made the 
 
36 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 English soldier famous; while in France, where the feudal 
 system still prevails, horsemen still form a large proportion 
 of our armies, and the jousting lists and the exercise of the 
 menage still occupy a large share in the training and amuse- 
 ments of the young men of noble families." 
 
 Six weeks later Philip Fletcher landed at La Rochelle with 
 his aunt and her French serving-maid. When the ship came 
 into port, the clerk of a trader there came on board at once, 
 and on the part of his employer begged Madame Vaillant and 
 her son to take up their abode at his house, he having been 
 warned of their coming by his valued correspondent, Mon- 
 sieur Vaillant. A porter was engaged to carry up their lug- 
 gage to the house, whither the clerk at once conducted them. 
 From his having lived so long among the Huguenot colony, 
 the scene was less strange to Philip than it would have been 
 to most English lads. La Rochelle was a strongly Protestant 
 city, and the sober-coloured costumes of the people differed 
 but little from those to which he was accustomed in the streets 
 of Canterbury. He himself and his aunt attracted no atten- 
 tion whatever from passers-by, her costume being exactly simi- 
 lar to those worn by the wives of merchants, while Philip 
 would have passed anywhere as a young Huguenot gentleman, 
 in his doublet of dark puce cloth, slashed with gray, his trunks 
 of the same colour, and long gray hose. 
 
 "A proper-looking young gentleman," a market-woman said 
 to her daughter as he passed. " Another two or three years 
 and he will make a rare defender of the faith. He must be 
 from Normandy, with his fair complexion and light eyes. 
 There are not many of the true faith in the north." 
 
 They were met by the merchant at the door of his house. 
 
 "I am glad indeed to see you again, Madame Vaillant," he 
 said. " It is some twenty years now since you and your good 
 husband and your sister hid here for three days before we 
 could smuggle you on board a ship. Ah ! those were bad times; 
 though there have been worse since. But since our people 
 showed that they did not intend any longer to be slaughtered 
 unresistingly, things have gone better here at least, and for the 
 last four years the slaughterings and murders have ceased. 
 You are but little changed, madame, since I saw you last." 
 
AN IMPORTANT DECISION 37 
 
 "I have lived a quiet and happy life, my good Monsieur 
 Bertram; free from all strife and care, save for anxiety about 
 our people here. Why cannot Catholics and Protestants live 
 quietly side by side here, as they do in England?" 
 
 "We should ask nothing better, madame." 
 
 At this moment a girl came hurrying down the stairs. 
 
 " This is my daughter Jean, madame: Why were you not 
 down before, Jean? " he asked sharply. "I told you to place 
 Suzette at the casement to warn you when our visitors were in 
 sight, so that you should, as was proper, be at the door to 
 meet them. I suppose instead of that you had the maid 
 arranging your head-gear, or some such worldly folly." 
 
 The girl coloured hotly, for her father had hit upon the 
 truth. 
 
 "Young people will be young people, Monsieur Bertram," 
 Madame Vaillant said smiling, " and my husband and I are 
 not of those who think that it is necessary to carry a prim 
 face and to attire one's self in ugly garments as a proof of 
 religion. Youth is the time for mirth and happiness, and 
 nature teaches a maiden what is becoming to her; why then 
 should we blame her for setting off the charms God has given 
 her to their best advantage? " 
 
 By this time they had reached the upper storey, and the 
 merchant's daughter hastened to relieve Madame Vaillant of 
 her wraps. 
 
 "This is my nephew, of whom my husband wrote to you," 
 the latter said to the merchant, when Philip entered the room 
 he having lingered at the door to pay the porters, and to 
 see that the luggage, which had come up close behind them, 
 was stored. 
 
 " He looks active and strong, madame ; he has the figure of 
 a fine swordsman." 
 
 " He has been well taught, and will do no discredit to our 
 race, Monsieur Bertram. His father is a strong and power- 
 ful man, even for an Englishman, and though Philip does not 
 follow his figure he has something of his strength." 
 
 "They are wondrous strong, these Englishmen," the trader 
 said. " I have seen among their sailors men who are taller 
 by a head than most of us here, and who look strong enough 
 
38 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 to take a bull by the horns and hold him. But had it not 
 been for your nephew's fair hair and gray eyes, his complex- 
 ion, and the smile on his lips we have almost forgotten how 
 to smile in France I should hardly have taken him for an 
 Englishman." 
 
 " There is nothing extraordinary in that, Monsieur Bertram, 
 when his mother is French, and he has lived greatly in the 
 society of my husband and myself, and among the Huguenot 
 colony at Canterbury." 
 
 "Have you succeeded in getting the horses and the four 
 men for us, Monsieur Bertram?" Philip asked. 
 
 "Yes, everything is in readiness for your departure to- 
 morrow. Madame will, I suppose, ride behind you upon a 
 pillion, and her maid behind one of the troopers. I have, 
 in accordance with Monsieur Vaillant's instructions, bought 
 a horse, which I think you will be pleased with, for Guise 
 himself might ride upon it without feeling that he was ill 
 mounted. I was fortunate in lighting on such an animal. It 
 was the property of a young noble, who rode hither from 
 Navarre and was sailing for England. I imagine he bore de- 
 spatches from the queen to her majesty of England. He had 
 been set upon by robbers on the way; they took everything he 
 possessed, and held him prisoner, doubtless meaning to get a 
 ransom for him; but he managed to slip off while they slept 
 and to mount his horse, with which he easily left the varlets 
 behind, although they chased him for some distance. So 
 when he came here he offered to sell his horse to obtain an 
 outfit and money for his voyage ; and the landlord of the inn, 
 who is a friend of mine, knowing that I had been inquiring 
 for a good animal, brought him to me, and we soon struck a 
 bargain." 
 
 "It was hard on him to lose his horse in that fashion," 
 Philip said; "and I am sorry for it, though I may be the 
 gainer thereby." 
 
 "He did not seem to mind much," the merchant said. 
 " Horses are good and abundant in Navarre, and when I said 
 I did not like to take advantage of his strait he only laughed 
 and said he had three or four others as good at home. He 
 did say, though, that he would like to know if it was to be in 
 
AN IMPORTANT DECISION 39 
 
 good hands. I assured him that on that ground he need not 
 fear; for that I had bought it for a young gentleman, nearly 
 related to the Countess de Laville. He said that was well, 
 and seemed glad indeed that it was not to be ridden by one of 
 the brigands, into whose hands he fell." 
 
 "And the men. Are they trustworthy fellows?" 
 "They are stout men-at-arms. They are Gascons all, and 
 rode behind Coligny in the war, and according to their own 
 account performed wonders; but as Gascons are given to 
 boasting, I paid not much heed to that. However, they were 
 recommended to me by a friend, a large wine-grower, for 
 whom they have been working for the last two years. He 
 says they are honest and industrious, and they are leaving him 
 only because they are anxious for a change, and deeming that 
 troubles were again approaching, wanted to enter the service 
 of some Huguenot lord who would be likely to take the field. 
 He was lamenting the fact to me, when I said that it seemed 
 to me they were just the men I was in search of; and I 
 accordingly saw them, and engaged them on the understand- 
 ing that at the end of a month you should be free to dis- 
 charge them if you were not satisfied with them, and that 
 equally they could leave your service if they did not find it 
 suit. 
 
 " They have arms, of course, and such armour as they need, 
 and I have bought four serviceable horses for their use, to- 
 gether with a horse to carry your baggage, but which will 
 serve for your body-servant. I have not found a man for that 
 office. I knew of no one who would, as I thought, suit you, 
 and in such a business it seemed to me better that you should 
 wait and choose for yourself, for in the matter of servants 
 everyone has his fancies. Some like a silent knave, while 
 others prefer a merry one. Some like a tall proper fellow, 
 who can fight if needs be; others a staid man, who will do 
 his duty and hold his tongue, who can cook a good dinner 
 and groom a horse well. It is certain you will never find all 
 virtues combined. One man may be all that you wish, but 
 he is a liar; another helps himself; a third is too fond of the 
 bottle. In this matter, then, I did not care to take the 
 responsibility, but have left it for you to choose for yourself." 
 
40 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 " I shall be more likely to make -a mistake than you will, 
 Monsieur Bertram," Philip said with a laugh. 
 
 "Perhaps so, but then it will be your own mistake; and a 
 man chafes less at the shortcomings of one whom he has chosen 
 himself than at those of one who has, as it were, been forced 
 upon him." 
 
 "Well, there will be no hurry in that matter," Philip said. 
 " I can get on well enough without a servant for a time. Up 
 to the present I have certainly never given a thought as to 
 what kind of man I should want as a servant, and I should 
 like time to think over a matter which is, from what you say, 
 so important." 
 
 " Assuredly it is important, young sir. If you should take 
 the field you will find that your comfort greatly depends upon 
 it. A sharp, active knave, who will ferret out good quarters for 
 you, turn you out a good meal from anything he can get hold 
 of, bring your horse up well groomed in the morning and 
 your armour brightly polished; who will not lie to you over- 
 much or rob you overmuch, and who will only get drunk at 
 times when you can spare his services. Ah ! he would be a 
 treasure to you. But assuredly such a man is not to be found 
 every day." 
 
 "And of course," Marie put in, "in addition to what you 
 have said, Monsieur Bertram, it would be necessary that he 
 should be one of our religion, and fervent and strong in the 
 faith." 
 
 "My dear lady, I was mentioning possibilities," the trader 
 said. " It is of course advisable that he should be a Hugue- 
 not, it is certainly essential that he should not be a Papist; 
 but beyond this we need not inquire too closely. You cannot 
 expect the virtues of an archbishop and the capacity of a 
 horseboy. If he can find a man embracing the qualities of 
 both, by all means let your son engage him ; but as he will 
 require him to be a good cook and a good groom, and he will 
 not require religious instruction from him, the former points 
 are those on which I should advise him to lay most stress. 
 And now, Madame Vaillant, will you let me lead you into the 
 next room, where, as my daughter has for some time been 
 trying to make me understand, a meal is ready. And I doubt 
 
AN IMPORTANT DECISION 41 
 
 not that you are also ready; for truly those who travel by sea 
 are seldom able to enjoy food, save when they are much ac- 
 customed to voyaging. Though they tell me that after a time 
 even those with the most delicate stomachs recover their 
 appetites, and are able to enjoy the rough fare they get on 
 board a ship." 
 
 After the meal was over the merchant took Philip to the 
 stables, where the new purchases had been put up. The men 
 were not there, but the ostler brought out Philip's horse, with 
 which he was delighted. 
 
 "He will not tire under his double load," the merchant 
 said; "and with only your weight upon him a foeman would 
 be well mounted indeed to overtake you." 
 
 " I would rather that you put it, Monsieur Bertram, that a 
 foeman needs be well mounted to escape me." 
 
 "Well, I hope it will be that way," his host replied smiling. 
 "But in fighting, such as we have here, there are constant 
 changes; the party that is pursued one day is the pursuer a 
 week later, and of the two, you know, speed is of much more 
 importance in flight than in pursuit. If you cannot overtake 
 a foe, well, he gets away, and you may have better fortune next 
 time; but if you can't get away from a foe, the chances are 
 you may never have another opportunity of doing so." 
 
 " Perhaps you are right. In fact, now I think of it, I am 
 sure you are ; though I hope it will not often happen that we 
 shall have to depend for safety on the speed of our horses. 
 At any rate, I am delighted with him, Monsieur Bertram, and 
 I thank you greatly for procuring so fine an animal for me. 
 If the four men turn out to be as good of their kind as the 
 horse, I shall be well set up indeed." 
 
 Early the next morning the four men came round to the 
 merchant's, and Philip went down with him into the entry-hall 
 where they were. He was well satisfied with their appearance. 
 They were stout fellows, from twenty-six to thirty years old. 
 All were soberly dressed, and wore steel caps and breast-pieces, 
 and carried long swords by their sides. In spite of the serious 
 expression of their faces, Philip saw that all were in high if 
 restrained spirits at again taking service. 
 
 " This is your employer, the Sieur Philip Fletcher. I have 
 
42 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 warranted that he shall find you good and true men, and I 
 hope you will do justice to my recommendation." 
 
 "We will do our best," Roger, the eldest of the party, said. 
 "We are all right glad to be moving again. It is not as if we 
 had been bred on the soil here, and a man never takes to a 
 strange place as to one he was born in." 
 
 "You are Gascons, Maitre Bertram tells me?" Philip said. 
 
 "Yes, sir; we were driven out from there ten years ago, 
 when the troubles were at their worst. Our fathers were both 
 killed, and we travelled with our mothers and sisters by night 
 through the country till we got to La Rochelle." 
 
 " You say both your fathers. How are you related to each 
 other?" 
 
 "Jacques and I are brothers," Roger said, touching the 
 youngest of the party on his shoulder. " Eustace and Henri 
 are brothers, and are our cousins. Their father and ours were 
 brothers. When the troubles broke out we four took service 
 with the Count de Luc, and followed him throughout the war. 
 When it was over we came back here. Our mothers had 
 married again. Some of our sisters had taken husbands too, 
 others were in service; therefore we remained here rather than 
 return to Gascony, where our friends and relations had all 
 been either killed or dispersed. We were lucky in getting 
 employment together, but were right glad when we heard that 
 there was an opening again for service. For the last two years 
 we have been looking forward to it; for, as everyone sees, it 
 cannot be long before the matter must be fought out again. 
 And, in truth, we have been wearying for the time to come; 
 for after having had a year of fighting one does not settle 
 down readily to tilling the soil. You will find that you can 
 rely on us, sir, for faithful service ; we all bore a good reputa- 
 tion as stout fighters, and during the time we were in harness 
 before we none of us got into trouble for being overfond of 
 the wine-pots." 
 
 "I think you will suit me very well," Philip said, "and I 
 hope that my service will suit you. Although an Englishman 
 by birth and name, my family have suffered persecution here 
 as yours have done, and I am as warmly affected to the Hugue- 
 not cause as yourselves. If there is danger you will not find 
 
AN IMPORTANT DECISION 43 
 
 me lacking in leading you, and so far as I can I shall try to 
 make my service a comfortable one and to look after your 
 welfare. We shall be ready to start in half an hour, therefore 
 have the horses round at the door in that time. One of the 
 pillions is to be placed on my own horse. You had better 
 put the other for the maid behind your saddle, Roger; you 
 being, I take it, the oldest of your party, had better take 
 charge of her." The men saluted and went out. 
 
 "I like their looks much," Philip said to the merchant. 
 " Stout fellows and cheerful, I should say. Like my aunt I 
 don't see why we should carry long faces, Monsieur Bertram, 
 because we have reformed our religion, and I believe that a 
 light heart and good spirits will stand wear and tear better 
 than a sad visage." 
 
 The four men were no less pleased with their new employer. 
 
 "That is a lad after my own heart," Roger said as they went 
 out. " Quick and alert, pleasant of face, and yet, I will be 
 bound, not easily turned from what he has set his mind to. 
 He bears himself well, and I doubt not can use his weapons. 
 I don't know what stock he comes from on this side, but I 
 warrant it is a good one. He will make a good master, lads; 
 I think that, as he says, he will be thoughtful as to our com- 
 forts, and be pleasant and cheerful with us; but mind you, he 
 will expect the work to be done, and you will find that there 
 is no trifling with him." 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 IN A FRENCH CHATEAU 
 
 THE three days' ride to the chateau of the Countess de 
 Laville was marked by no incident. To Philip it was an 
 exceedingly pleasant one everything was new to him; the 
 architecture of the churches and villages, the dress of the 
 people, their modes of n^n culture, all differing widely from 
 those to which he was accustomed. In some villages the 
 Catholics predominated, and here the passage of the little 
 party was regarded with frowning brows and muttered threats; 
 by the Huguenots they were saluted respectfully, and if they 
 halted, many questions were asked their followers as to news 
 about the intentions of the court, the last rumours as to the 
 attitude of Conde", and the prospects of a continuance of peace. 
 
 Here, too, great respect was paid to Marie and Philip when 
 it was known they were relatives of the Countess de Laville, 
 and belonged to the family of the De Moulins. Emilie had 
 for some time been a widow; the count, her husband, having 
 fallen at the battle of Dreux at the end of the year 1562; but 
 being an active and capable woman, she had taken into her 
 hands the entire management of the estates, and was one of 
 the most influential among the Huguenot nobles of that part 
 of the country. 
 
 From their last halting-place Marie Vaillant sent on a letter 
 by one of the men to her sister, announcing their coming. 
 She had written on her landing at La Rochelle, and they had 
 been met on their way by a messenger from the countess, ex- 
 pressing her delight that her sister had at last carried out her 
 
IN A FRENCH CHATEAU 45 
 
 promise to visit her, and saying that Francois was looking 
 eagerly for the coming of his cousin. 
 
 The chateau was a semi-fortified building, capable of mak- 
 ing a stout resistance against any sudden attack. It stood on 
 the slope of a hill, and Philip felt a little awed at its stately 
 aspect as they approached it. When they were still a mile 
 away a party of horsemen rode out from the gateway, and in 
 a few minutes their leader reined up his horse in front of 
 them, and springing from it advanced towards Philip, who 
 also alighted and helped his aunt to dismount. 
 
 "My dear aunt," the young fellow said doffing his cap, "I 
 am come in the name of my mother to greet you, and to tell 
 you how joyful she is that you have at last come back to us. 
 This is my Cousin Philip, of course; though you are not what 
 I expected to see. My mother told me that you were two 
 years my junior, and I had looked to find you still a boy; but, 
 by my faith, you seem to be as old as I am. Why, you are 
 taller by two inches, and broader and stronger too, I should 
 say. Can it be true that you are but sixteen? " 
 
 "That is my age, Cousin Francois, and I am, as you ex- 
 pected, but a boy yet, and, I can assure you, no taller or 
 broader than many of my English school-fellows of the same 
 age." 
 
 "But we must not delay, aunt," Francois said, turning 
 again to her. "My mother's commands were urgent that I 
 was not to delay a moment in private talk with you, but to 
 bring you speedily on to her; therefore I pray you to mount 
 again and ride on with me, for doubtless she is watching im- 
 patiently now, and will chide me rarely if we linger." 
 
 Accordingly the party remounted at once, and rode forward 
 to the chateau. A dozen men-at-arms were drawn up at the 
 gate, and on the steps of the entrance from the courtyard into 
 the chateau itself the countess was standing. Francois leapt 
 from his horse, and was by the side of his aunt as Philip reined 
 in his horse. Taking his hand she sprang lightly from the 
 saddle, and in a moment the two sisters fell into each others' 
 arms. It was more than twenty years since they last met, but 
 time had dealt gently with them both. The countess had 
 changed least. She was two or three years older than Marie, 
 
46 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 was tall, and had been somewhat stately even as a girl. She 
 had had many cares, but her position had always been assured; 
 as the wife of a powerful noble she had been accustomed to 
 be treated with deference and respect; and although the 
 troubles of the times and the loss of her husband had left their 
 marks, she was still a fair and stately woman at the age of 
 forty-three. Marie, upon the other hand, had lived an un- 
 troubled life for the past twenty years. She had married a 
 man who was considered beneath her, but the match had been 
 in every way a happy one ; her husband was devoted to her, 
 and the expression of her face showed that she was a thor- 
 oughly contented and happy woman. 
 
 "You are just what I fancied you would be, Marie, a quiet 
 little home-bird, living in your nest beyond the sea, and free 
 from all the troubles and anxieties of our unhappy country. 
 You have been good to write so often, far better than I have 
 been, and I seem to know all about your quiet, well-ordered 
 home, and your good husband and his business that flourishes 
 so. I thought you were a little foolish in your choice, and 
 that our father was wrong in mating you as he did; but it has 
 turned out well, and you have been living in quiet waters 
 while we have been encountering a sea of troubles. And this 
 tall youth is our nephew, Philip? I wish you could have 
 brought over Lucie with you. It would have been pleasant 
 indeed for us three sisters to be reunited again, if only for a 
 time. Why, your Philip is taller than Francois, and yet he 
 is two years younger. I congratulate you and Lucie upon 
 him. Salute me, nephew; I had not looked to see so proper 
 a youth. You show the blood of the De Moulins plainly, 
 Philip. I suppose you get your height and your strength from 
 your English father?" 
 
 " They are big men these English, Emilie, and his father is 
 big even among them. But, as you say, save in size Philip 
 takes after our side rather than his father's; and of course he 
 has mixed so much with our colony at Canterbury, that in 
 spite of his being English bred we have preserved in him 
 something of the French manner, and I think his heart is fairly 
 divided between the two countries." 
 
 "Let us go in," the countess said; "you need rest and 
 
IN A FRENCH CHATEAU 47 
 
 refreshment after your journey, and I long to have a quiet 
 talk with you. Francois, do you take charge of your cousin. 
 I have told the serving-men to let you have a meal in your 
 own apartments, and then you can show him over the chateau 
 and the stables." 
 
 Francois and Philip bowed to the two ladies and then went 
 off together. 
 
 "That is good," the young count said, laying his hand on 
 Philip's shoulder; "now we shall get to know each other. 
 You will not be angry, I hope, when I tell you that though I 
 have looked forward to seeing my aunt and you, I have yet 
 been a little anxious in my mind. I do not know why, but I 
 have always pictured the English as somewhat rough and 
 uncouth as doughty fighters, for so they have shown them- 
 selves to our cost, but as somewhat deficient in the graces of 
 manner, and when I heard that my aunt was bringing you over 
 to leave you for a time with us, since you longed to fight in 
 the good cause, I have thought pray, do not be angry with 
 me, for I feel ashamed of myself now " and he hesitated. 
 
 " That I should be a rough cub, whom you would be some- 
 what ashamed of introducing to your friends as your cousin," 
 Philip laughed. "I am not surprised; English boys have 
 ideas just as erroneous about the French, and it was a perpet- 
 ual wonder to my school-fellows that, being half French, I 
 was yet as strong and as tough as they were. Doubtless I 
 should have been somewhat different had I not lived so much 
 with my uncle and aunt and the Huguenot community at Can- 
 terbury. Monsieur Vaillant and my aunt have always im- 
 pressed upon me that I belong to a noble French family, and 
 might some day come over here to stay with my relations, 
 and have taken much pains with my deportment and manners, 
 and have so far succeeded that I am always called 'Frenchy ' 
 among my English companions, though in their own games 
 and sports I could hold my own with any of them." 
 
 "And can you ride, Philip? " 
 
 " I can sit on any horse, but I have had no opportunity of 
 learning the menage.'" 
 
 "That matters little after all," Francois said, "though it is 
 an advantage to be able to manage your horse with a touch of 
 
48 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 the heel or the slightest pressure of the rein, and to make 
 him wheel and turn at will, while leaving both arms free to 
 use your weapons. You have learned to fence?" 
 
 "Yes; there were some good masters among the colony, 
 and many a lesson have I had from old soldiers passing 
 through, who paid for a week's hospitality by putting me 
 up to a few tricks with the sword." 
 
 "I thought you could fence," Francois said. "You would 
 hardly have that figure and carriage unless you had practised 
 with the sword. And you dance, I suppose; many of our 
 religion regard such amusement as frivolous if not sinful, but 
 my mother, although as staunch a Huguenot as breathes, insists 
 upon my learning it, not as an amusement but as an exercise. 
 There was no reason, she said, why the Catholics should 
 monopolize all the graces." 
 
 " Yes, I learned to dance, and for the same reason. I think 
 my uncle rather scandalized the people of our religion in 
 Canterbury. He maintained that it was necessary as part of 
 the education of a gentleman, and that in the English Protes- 
 tant court dancing was as highly thought of as in that of 
 France, the queen herself being noted for her dancing, and 
 none can throw doubts upon her Protestantism. My mother 
 and aunt were both against it, but as my father supported my 
 uncle he had his own way." 
 
 "Well, I see, Philip, that we shall be good comrades. 
 There are many among us younger Huguenots who, though 
 as staunch in the religion as our fathers, and as ready to fight 
 and die for it if need be, yet do not see that it is needful to 
 go about always with grave faces, and to be cut off from all 
 innocent amusements. It is our natural disposition to be 
 gay, and I see not why, because we hold the Mass in detesta- 
 tion, and have revolted against the authority of the Pope and 
 the abuses of the church, we should go through life as if we 
 were attending a perpetual funeral. Unless I am mistaken 
 such is your disposition also, for although your face is grave 
 your eyes laugh." 
 
 " I have been taught to bear myself gravely in the presence 
 of my elders," Philip replied with a smile; "and truly at 
 Canterbury the French colony was a grave one, being strangers 
 
IN A FRENCH CHATEAU 49 
 
 in a strange land; but among my English friends I think I 
 was as much disposed for a bit of fun or mischief as any of 
 them." 
 
 "But I thought the English were a grave race." 
 
 " I think not, Francois. We call England ' Merry England. ' 
 I think we are an earnest people, but not a grave one. Eng- 
 lish boys play with all their might. The French boys of the 
 colony never used to join in our sports, regarding them as 
 rude and violent beyond all reason; but it is all in good- 
 humour, and it is rare indeed for anyone to lose his temper, 
 however rough the play and hard the knocks. Then they are 
 fond of dancing and singing, save among the strictest sects, 
 and the court is as gay as any in Europe. I do not think that 
 the English can be called a grave people." 
 
 " Well, I am glad that it is so, Philip, especially that you 
 yourself are not grave. Now, as we have finished our meal, 
 let us visit the stables. I have a horse already set aside for 
 you, but I saw as we rode hither that you are already excel- 
 lently mounted; still Victor, that is his name, shall be at 
 your disposal. A second horse is always useful, for shot and 
 arrows no more spare a horse than his rider." 
 
 The stables were large and well ordered, for during the past 
 two months there had been large additions made by the coun- 
 tess in view of the expected troubles. 
 
 "This is my charger; I call him Rollo. He was bred on 
 the estate, and when I am upon him I feel that the king is 
 not better mounted." 
 
 "He is a splendid animal indeed," Philip said, as Rollo 
 tossed his head and whinnied with pleasure at his master's 
 approach. 
 
 "He can do anything but talk," Francois said as he patted 
 him. " He will lie down when I tell him, will come to my 
 whistle, and with the reins lying loose on his neck will obey 
 my voice as readily as he would my hand. This is my second 
 horse, Pluto; he is the equal of Rollo in strength and speed, 
 but not so docile and obedient, and he has a temper of his 
 own." 
 
 "He looks it," Philip agreed. "I should keep well out of 
 reach of his heels and jaws." 
 
50 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "He is quiet enough when I am on his back," Francois 
 laughed ; " but I own that he is the terror of the stable-boys. 
 This is Victor; he is not quite as handsome as Rollo, but he 
 has speed and courage and good manners." 
 
 "He is a beautiful creature," Philip said enthusiastically. 
 " I was very well satisfied with my purchase, but he will not 
 show to advantage by the side of Victor." 
 
 "Ah, I see they have put him in the next stall," Francois 
 said. "He is a fine animal too," he went on after examining 
 the horse closely. "He comes from Gascony, I should say; 
 he has signs of Spanish blood." 
 
 " Yes, from Gascony or Navarre. I was very fortunate in 
 getting him," and he related how the animal had been left at 
 La Rochelle. 
 
 "You got him for less than half his value, Philip. What 
 are you going to call him? " 
 
 "I shall call him Robin; that was the name of my favourite 
 horse at home. I see you have got some stout animals in the 
 other stalls, though of course they are of a very different quality 
 to your own." 
 
 "Yes; many of them are new purchases. We have taken 
 on thirty men-at-arms; stout fellows, old soldiers all, whom 
 my mother will send into the field if we come to blows. Be- 
 sides these there will be some twenty of our tenants. We 
 could have raised the whole number among them had we 
 chosen; for if we called up the full strength of the estate, and 
 put all bound to service in the field in war time, we could 
 turn out fully three hundred; but of these well-nigh a third 
 are Catholics, and could not in any way be relied on, nor 
 would it be just to call upon them to fight against their co- 
 religionists. Again, it would not do to call out all our Hugue- 
 not tenants, for this would leave their wives and families and 
 homes and property, to say nothing of the chateau, at the 
 mercy of the Catholics while they were away. I do not think 
 that our Catholic tenants would interfere with them, still less 
 with the chateau, for our family have ever been good masters, 
 and my mother is loved by men of both parties. Still, bands 
 might come from other districts or from the towns to pillage 
 or slay were the estate left without fighting men. Therefore, 
 
IN A FRENCH CHATEAU 51 
 
 we have taken these men-at-arms into our service, with twenty 
 of our own tenants, all young men belonging to large families, 
 while the rest will remain behind as a guard for the estate and 
 chateau; and as in all they could muster some two hundred 
 and fifty strong, and would be joined by the other Huguenots 
 of the district, they would not likely be molested, unless one 
 of the Catholic armies happened to come in this direction. 
 
 " Directly I start with the troop the younger sons of the 
 tenants will be called in to form a garrison here. We have 
 five-and-thirty names down, and there are twenty men capa- 
 ble of bearing arms among the household, many of whom have 
 seen service. Jacques Parold, our seneschal, has been a 
 valiant soldier in his time, and would make the best of them, 
 and my mother would assuredly keep our flag flying till the 
 last. I shall go away in comfort, for unless the Guises march 
 this way there is little fear of trouble in our absence. We 
 are fortunate in this province; the parties are pretty evenly 
 divided, and have a mutual respect for each other. In dis- 
 tricts where we are greatly outnumbered, it is hard for fighting 
 men to march away with the possibility that on their return 
 they will find their families murdered and their homes 
 levelled. 
 
 "Now we will take a turn round the grounds; their beauty 
 has been sadly destroyed. You see, before the troubles seven 
 years ago broke out, there was a view from the windows on 
 this side of the house over the park and shrubberies, but at 
 that time my father thought it necessary to provide against 
 sudden attacks, and therefore before he went away to the war 
 he had this wall with its flanking towers erected. All the 
 tenants came in and helped, and it was built in five weeks 
 time. It has, as you see, made the place safe from a sudden 
 attack, for on the other three sides the old defences remain 
 unaltered. It was on this side only that my grandfather had 
 the house modernized, believing that the days of civil war 
 were at an end. You see, this new wall forms a large quad- 
 rangle. We call it the countess's garden, and my mother has 
 done her best by planting it with shrubs and fast-growing 
 trees to make up for the loss of the view she formerly had 
 from the windows. 
 
52 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "Along one side you see there are storehouses, which are 
 screened from view by that bank of turf; they are all full now 
 of grain. There is a gate, as you see, opposite. In case of 
 trouble cattle will be driven in there and the garden turned 
 into a stock-yard, so that there is no fear of our being starved 
 out." 
 
 " Fifty-five men are a small garrison for so large a place, 
 Francois." 
 
 "Yes, but that is only against a sudden surprise. In case 
 of alarm the Protestant tenants would all come in with their 
 wives and families, and the best of their horses and cattle, 
 and then there will be force enough to defend the place against 
 anything short of a siege by an army. You see there is a 
 moat runs all round; it is full now on three sides, and there 
 is a little stream runs down from behind, which would fill the 
 fourth side in a few hours. To-morrow we will take a ride 
 through the park which lies beyond that wall." 
 
 Entering the house they passed through several stately 
 apartments, and then entered a large hall completely hung 
 with arms and armour. 
 
 "This is the grand hall, and you see it serves also the pur- 
 pose of a salle d'armes. Here we have arms and armour for 
 a hundred men, for although all the tenants are bound by the 
 terms of their holding to appear when called upon fully armed 
 and accoutred, each with so many men according to the size 
 of his farm, there may well be deficiencies, especially as, 
 until the religious troubles began, it was a great number of 
 years since they had been called upon to take the field. For 
 the last eight years, however, they have been trained and 
 drilled; fifty at a time coming up once a week. That began 
 two years before the last war, as my father always held that 
 it was absurd to take a number of men wholly unaccustomed 
 to the use of arms into the field. Agincourt taught that lesson 
 to our nobles, though it has been forgotten by most of them. 
 We have two officers accustomed to drill and marshal men, 
 and these act as teachers here in the hall. The footmen prac- 
 tise with pike and sword. They are exercised with arquebus 
 and cross-bow in the park, and the mounted men are taught 
 to manoeuvre and charge, so that in case of need we can show 
 
PHILIP AND FRANCOIS IN THE ARMOURY. 
 
IN A FRENCH CHATEAU 53 
 
 a good face against any body of troops of equal numbers. It 
 is here I practise with ray maitre d'armes, and with Montpace 
 and Bourdon, our two officers. Ah ! here is Charles, my maitie 
 ifarmes. Charles, this is my cousin Philip, who will also be 
 a pupil of yours while he remains here. What do you say, 
 Philip? Will we try a bout with blunted swords just now? " 
 
 "With pleasure," Philip said. 
 
 The art of fencing had not at that time reached the perfec- 
 tion it afterwards attained. The swords used were long and 
 straight, and sharpened at both edges, and were used as much 
 for cutting as thrusting. In single combat on foot, long dag- 
 gers were generally held in the left hand, and were used for 
 the purpose both of guarding and of striking at close quarters. 
 
 They put on thick quilted doublets and light helmets with 
 visors. 
 
 "Do you use a dagger, Philip? " 
 
 "No, I have never seen one used in England. We are 
 taught to guard with our swords as well as to strike with 
 them." 
 
 "Monsieur has learned from English teachers? " the maitre 
 d'armes asked. 
 
 "I have had English teachers as well as French," Philip 
 said. " We all learn the use of the sword in England, but my 
 uncle, Monsieur Vaillant, has taken great pains in having me 
 taught also by such French professors of arms as lived in 
 Canterbury, or happened to pass through it; but I own that I 
 prefer the English style of fighting. We generally stand up- 
 right to our work, equally poised on the two feet for advance 
 or retreat, while you lean with the body far forward and the 
 arm outstretched, which seems to me to cripple the move- 
 ments." 
 
 "Yes, but it puts the body out of harm's way," Francois 
 said. 
 
 "It is the arm's business to guard the body, Francois, and 
 it is impossible to strike a downright blow when leaning so 
 far forward." 
 
 "We strike but little now-a-days in single combat," the 
 maitre Cannes said. "The point is more effective." 
 
 " That is doubtless so, Maitre Charles," Philip agreed; "but 
 
54 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 I have not learned fencing for the sake of righting duels, but 
 to be able to take my part on a field of battle. The Span- 
 iards are said to be masters of the straight sword, and yet they 
 have been roughly used in the western seas by our sailors, 
 who, methinks, always use the edge." 
 
 The two now took up their position facing each other. 
 Their attitude was strikingly different. Francois stood on 
 bent knees leaning far forward, while Philip stood erect with 
 his knees but slightly bent, ready to spring either forwards or 
 backwards, with his arm but half extended. For a time both 
 fought cautiously. Francois had been well taught, having 
 had the benefit whenever he was in Paris of the best masters 
 there. He was extremely active, and as they warmed to their 
 work Philip had difficulty in standing his ground against his 
 impetuous rushes. Some minutes passed without either of 
 them succeeding in touching the other. At length the maitre 
 fTarmes called upon them to lower their swords. 
 
 "That is enough," he said, "you are equally matched. I 
 congratulate you, Monsieur Philip. You have been well 
 taught; and indeed there are not many youths of his age who 
 could hold their own with my pupil. Take off your helmets, 
 enough has been done for one day." 
 
 "Peste, Philip! " Francois said as he removed his helmet. 
 " I was not wrong when I said that from your figure I was sure 
 that you had learned fencing. Maitre Charles interfered on 
 my behalf, and to save me the mortification of defeat. I had 
 nearly shot my bolt and you had scarcely begun. I own my- 
 self a convert. Your attitude is better than ours; that is, 
 when the hand is skilful enough to defend the body. The 
 fatigue of holding the arm extended as I do is much greater 
 than it is as you stand, and in the long run you must get the 
 better of anyone who is not sufficiently skilful to slay you be- 
 fore his arm becomes fatigued. What do you think, Maitre 
 Charles ? My cousin is two years younger than I am, and yet 
 his wrist and arm are stronger than mine, as I could feel every 
 time he put aside my attacks." 
 
 " Is that so? " the maitre (Parities said in surprise. " I had 
 taken him for your senior. He will be a famous man-at-arms 
 when he attains his full age. His defence is wonderfully 
 
IN A FRENCH CHATEAU 55 
 
 strong, and although I do not admit that he is superior to you 
 with the point, he would be a formidable opponent to any of 
 our best swordsmen in a melee. If, as he says, he is more 
 accustomed to use the edge than the point, I will myself try 
 him to-morrow if he will permit me. I have always under- 
 stood that the English are more used to strike than to thrust, 
 and although in the duel the edge has little chance against the 
 point, I own that it is altogether different in a melee on horse- 
 back, especially as the point cannot penetrate armour, while 
 a stout blow, well delivered with a strong arm, can break it 
 in. Are you skilled in the exercises of the ring, Monsieur 
 Philip?" 
 
 "Not at all, I have had no practise whatever in them. 
 Except in some of the great houses the tourney has gone quite 
 out of fashion in England, and though I can ride a horse 
 across country I know nothing whatever of knightly exercises. 
 My father is but a small proprietor, and up to the time I left 
 England I have been but a school-boy." 
 
 " If all your school-boys understand the use of their arms 
 as you do," Maitre Charles said courteously, " it is no wonder 
 that the English are terrible fighters." 
 
 "I do not say that," Philip said smiling. "I have had the 
 advantage of the best teaching, both English and French, to 
 be had at Canterbury, and it would be a shame for me indeed 
 if I had not learnt to defend myself." 
 
 A servant now entered and said that the countess desired 
 their presence, and they at once went to the apartment where 
 the sisters were talking. 
 
 "What do you think, mother?" Francois said. "This 
 cousin of mine, whom I had intended to patronize, turns out 
 to be already a better swordsman than I am." 
 
 "Not better, madame," Philip said hastily. "We were a 
 fair match, neither having touched the other." 
 
 " Philip is too modest, mother, " Francois laughed. " Maitre 
 Charles stopped us in time to save me from defeat. Why, he 
 has a wrist like iron, this cousin of mine." 
 
 "We have done our best to have him well taught," Madame 
 Vaillant said. " There were some good swordsmen among our 
 Huguenot friends, and he has also had the best English 
 
56 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 teachers we could get for him. My husband always wished 
 particularly that if he ever came over to visit our friends here 
 he should not be deficient in such matters." 
 
 "I feel a little crestfallen," the countess said. "I have 
 been rather proud of Francois' skill as a swordsman, and I 
 own that it is a little mortifying to find that Philip, who is 
 two years younger, is already his match. Still I am glad that 
 it is so, for if they ride together into battle I should wish that 
 Philip should do honour to our race. Now, Philip, I have 
 been hearing all about your mother's life, as well as that of 
 your uncle and aunt. Now let us hear about your own, which 
 must needs differ widely from that to which Francois has been 
 accustomed. Your aunt says that your English schools differ 
 altogether from ours. With us our sons are generally brought 
 up at home, and are instructed by the chaplain in Huguenot 
 families or by the priest in Catholic families; or else they go 
 to religious seminaries, where they are taught what is necessary 
 of books and Latin, being under strict supervision, and learn- 
 ing all other matters such as the use of arms after leaving 
 school, or when at home with their families." 
 
 Philip gave an account of his school life, and its rough 
 games and sports. 
 
 "But is it possible, Philip," the countess said in tones of 
 horror, "that you used to wrestle and to fight? Fight with 
 your arms and fists against rough boys, the sons of all sorts of 
 common people?" 
 
 " Certainly I did, aunt, and it did me a great deal of good, 
 and no harm so far as I know. All these rough sports 
 strengthen the frame and give quickness and vigour, just the 
 same as exercises with the sword do. I should never have 
 been so tall and strong as I am now, if, instead of going to an 
 English school, I had been either, as you say, educated at 
 home by a chaplain or sent to be taught and looked after by 
 priests. My mother did not like it at first, but she came to 
 see that it was good for me. Besides, there is not the same 
 difference between classes in England as there is in France; 
 there is more independence in the lower and middle classes, 
 and less haughtiness and pride in the upper, and I think that 
 it is better so." 
 
EST A FRENCH CHATEAU 57 
 
 "It is the English custom, Emilie," her sister said; "and I 
 can assure you that my husband and I have got very English 
 in some things. We do not love our country less, but we see 
 that in many respects the English ways are better than ours; 
 and we admire the independence of the people, every man 
 respecting himself, though giving honour, but not lavishly, to 
 those higher placed." 
 
 The countess shrugged her shoulders. "We will not argue, 
 Marie. At any rate whatever the process, it has succeeded 
 well with Philip." 
 
 The days passed quietly at the chateau. Before breakfast 
 Philip spent an hour on horseback, learning to manage his 
 horse by the pressure of knee or hand. This was the more 
 easy, as both his horses had been thoroughly trained in the 
 menage, and under the instruction of Captain Montpace, who 
 had been Francois' teacher, he made rapid progress. 
 
 " It is much easier to teach the man than the horse," his 
 instructor said, " although a horse learns readily enough when 
 its rider is a master of the art; but with horse and rider alike 
 ignorant it is a long business to get them to work together as 
 if they were one, which is what should be. As both your horses 
 know their work, they obey your motions, however slight, and 
 you will soon be able to pass muster on their backs; but it 
 would take months of patient teaching for you so to acquire the 
 art of horsemanship as to be able to train an animal yourself." 
 
 After the lesson was over Francois and Philip would tilt at 
 rings and go through other exercises in the courtyard. Break- 
 fast over they went hawking or hunting. Of the former sport 
 Philip was entirely ignorant, and was surprised to learn how 
 highly a knowledge of it was prized in France, and how 
 necessary it was considered as part of the education of a gen- 
 tleman. Upon the other hand his shooting with the bow and 
 arrow astonished Francois; for the bow had never been a 
 French weapon, and the cross-bow was fast giving way to the 
 arquebus, but few gentlemen troubled themselves to learn the 
 use of either one or the other. The pistol, however, was 
 becoming a recognized portion of the outfit of a cavalier in 
 the field, and following Francois' advice Philip practised with 
 one steadily until he became a fair shot. 
 
58 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "They are cowardly weapons," Francois said, "but for all 
 that they are useful in battle. When you are surrounded by 
 three or four pikemen thrusting at you, it is a good thing 
 to be able to disembarrass yourself of one or two of them. 
 Besides, these German horsemen, of whom the Guises employ 
 so many, all carry firearms, and the contest would be too 
 uneven if we were armed only with the sword; though for my 
 part I wish that all the governments of Europe would agree 
 to do away with firearms of every description. They place 
 the meanest footman upon the level of the bravest knight, and 
 in the end will, it seems to me, reduce armies to the level of 
 machines." 
 
 In the afternoons there were generally gatherings of Hugue- 
 not gentry, who came to discuss the situation, to exchange 
 news, or to listen to the last rumours from Paris. No good 
 had arisen from the Conference of Bayonne, and one by one 
 the privileges of the Huguenots were being diminished. The 
 uprising of the Protestants of Holland was watched with the 
 greatest interest by the Huguenots of France. It was known 
 that several of the most influential Huguenot nobles had met 
 at Valery and at Chatillon, to discuss with the Prince of Conde" 
 and Admiral Coligny the question of again taking up arms in 
 defence of their liberties. It was rumoured that the opinion 
 of the majority was that the Huguenot standard should be again 
 unfurled, and that this time there should be no laying down 
 of their arms until freedom of worship was guaranteed to all; 
 but that the admiral had used all his powers to persuade them 
 that the time had not yet come, and that it was better to bear 
 trials and persecutions for a time in order that the world might 
 see they had not appealed to arms until driven to it by the 
 failure of all other hope of redress of their grievances. 
 
 The elder men among the visitors at the chateau were of 
 the admiral's opinion; the younger chafed at the delay. The 
 position had indeed become intolerable. Protestant worship 
 was absolutely forbidden, except in a few specified buildings 
 near some of the large towns, and all Protestants save those 
 dwelling in these localities were forced to meet secretly, and 
 at the risk of their lives, for the purpose of worship. Those 
 caught transgressing the law were thrown into prison, sub- 
 
IN A FRENCH CHATEAU 59 
 
 jected to crushing fines, and even punished with torture and 
 death. " Better a thousand times to die with swords in our 
 hands in the open field than thus tamely to see our brethren 
 ill-treated and persecuted ! " was the cry of the young men, 
 and Philip, who from daily hearing tales of persecution and 
 cruelty had become more and more zealous in the Huguenot 
 cause, fully shared their feeling. 
 
 In the presence of the elders, however, the more ardent 
 spirits were silent. At all times grave and sober in manner 
 and word, the knowledge that a desperate struggle could not 
 long be deferred, and the ever-increasing encroachments of 
 the Catholics, added to the^ gravity of their demeanour. 
 Sometimes those present broke up into groups, talking in an 
 undertone. Sometimes the gathering took the form of a gen- 
 eral council. Occasionally some fugitive minister or a noble 
 from some district where the persecution was particularly fierce 
 would be present, and their narratives would be listened to 
 with stern faces by the elders, and with passionate indignation 
 by the younger men. In spite of the decrees the countess 
 still retained her chaplain, and before the meetings broke up 
 prayers were offered by him for their persecuted brethren, and 
 for a speedy deliverance of those of the reformed religion from 
 the cruel disabilities under which they laboured. 
 
 Services were held night and morning in the chateau. 
 These were attended not only by all the residents, but by 
 many of the farmers and their families. The countess had 
 already received several warnings from the Catholic authori- 
 ties of the province ; but to these she paid no attention, and 
 there were no forces available to enforce the decree in her case, 
 as it would require nothing short of an army to overcome the 
 opposition that might be expected, joined as she would be by 
 the other Huguenot gentry of the district. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 AN EXPERIMENT 
 
 MARIE VAILLANT, after remaining six weeks at the 
 chateau, returned to England, and Philip with a party 
 of twelve men escorted her to La Rochelle. Her visit was 
 cut short somewhat at the end by the imminence of the out- 
 break of hostilities, in which case she might have found a 
 difficulty in traversing the country. Moreover, La Rochelle 
 would probably be besieged soon after the war began; for 
 being both an important town and port the Catholics would 
 be anxious to obtain possession of it, and so cut off the 
 Huguenots from escape to England, besides rendering it diffi- 
 cult for Elizabeth to send a force to their assistance. 
 
 "It has been a pleasant time," the countess said on the 
 morning of her departure, "and your presence has taken me 
 back five-and-twenty years, Marie. I hope that when these 
 troubles are past you will again come over and spend a hap- 
 pier time with me. I was going to say that I will look well 
 after Philip, but that I cannot do. He has cast his lot in with 
 us and must share our perils. I am greatly pleased with him, 
 and I am glad that Francois will have him as a companion in 
 arms. Francois is somewhat impulsive and liable to be car- 
 ried away by his ardour, and Philip, although the younger, is, 
 it seems to me, the more thoughtful of the two. He is one 
 I feel I can have confidence in. He is grave, yet merry; 
 light-hearted in a way, and yet, I think, prudent and cautious. 
 It seems strange, but I shall part with Francois with the more 
 comfort in the thought that he has Philip with him. Don't 
 
AN EXPERIMENT 61 
 
 come back more English than you are now, Marie, for truly 
 you seem to me to have fallen in love with the ways of these 
 islanders." 
 
 "I will try not to, Emilie; but I should not like the cus- 
 toms did it not seem to me that they are better than my own. 
 In England Protestants and Catholics live side by side in 
 friendship, and there is no persecution of anyone for his re- 
 ligion; the Catholics who have suffered during the present 
 reign have done so not because they are Catholics, but because 
 they plotted against the queen. Would that in France men 
 would agree to worship, each in his own way, without rancour 
 or animosity." 
 
 "Tell Lucie that I am very sorry she did not come over 
 with you and Philip, and that it is only because you tell me 
 how occupied she is that I am not furiously angry with her. 
 Tell her, too," she went on earnestly, "that I feel she is one 
 of us, still a Huguenot, a Frenchwoman, and one of our race, 
 or she would never have allowed her only son to come over to 
 risk his life in our cause. I consider her a heroine, Marie. 
 It is all very well for me whose religion is endangered, whose 
 friends are in peril, whose people are persecuted, to throw 
 myself into the strife and to send Francois into the battle; but 
 with her, working there with an invalid husband, and her 
 heart, as it must be, wrapped up in her boy, it is splendid to 
 let him come out here to fight side by side with us for the 
 faith. Whose idea was it first? " 
 
 " My husband's. Gaspard regards Philip almost in the light 
 of a son. He is a rich man now, as I told you, and Philip 
 will become his heir. Though he has no desire that he should 
 settle in France, he wished him to take his place in our family 
 here, to show himself worthy of his race, to become a brave 
 soldier, to win credit and honour, and to take his place per- 
 haps some day in the front rank of the gentry of Kent." 
 
 "They were worldly motives, Marie, and our ministers 
 would denounce them as sinful; but I cannot do so. I am a 
 Huguenot, but I am a countess of France, a member of one 
 noble tamily and married into another; and though, I believe, 
 as staunch a Huguenot and as ready to lay down my life for 
 our religion as any man or woman in France, yet I cannot give 
 
62 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 up all the traditions of my rank, and hold that fame and 
 honour and reputation and courage are mere snares. But 
 such were not Lucie's feelings in letting him go, I will be 
 bound, nor yours." 
 
 "Mine partly," Marie said. "I am the wife now of a 
 trader, though one honoured in his class, but have still a little 
 of your feelings, Emilie, and remember that the blood of the 
 De Moulins runs in Philip's veins, and hope that he will do 
 credit to it. I don't think that Lucie has any such feelings. 
 She is wrapped up in duty first her duty to God, secondly her 
 duty to her crippled husband, whom she adores; and I think 
 she regarded the desire of Philip to come out to fight in the 
 Huguenot ranks as a call that she ought not to oppose. I 
 know she was heart-broken at parting with him, and yet she 
 never showed it. Lucie is a noble character. Everyone who 
 knows her loves her. I believe the very farm labourers would 
 give their lives for her, and a more utterly unselfish creature 
 never lived." 
 
 "Well, she must take a holiday and come over with you 
 next time you come, Marie. I hope that these troubles may 
 soon be over, though that is a thing one cannot foretell." 
 
 After seeing his aunt safely on board a ship at La Rochelle 
 Philip prepared to return to the chateau. He and his aunt 
 had stayed two nights at the house of Maitre Bertram, and on 
 his returning there the latter asked, " Have you yet found a 
 suitable servant, Monsieur Philip?" 
 
 "No; my cousin has been inquiring among the tenantry, 
 but the young men are all bent on fighting, and indeed there 
 are none of them who would make the sort of servant one 
 wants in a campaign a man who can not only groom horses 
 and clean arms, but who knows something of war, can forage 
 for provisions, cook, wait at table, and has intelligence. One 
 wants an old soldier; one who has served in the same capacity 
 if possible." 
 
 " I only asked because I have had a man pestering me to 
 speak to you about him. He happened to see you ride off 
 when you were here last, and apparently became impressed 
 with the idea that you would be a good master. He is a 
 cousin of one of my men, and heard I suppose from him that 
 
AN EXPERIMENT 63 
 
 you were likely to return. He has been to me three or four 
 times. I have told him again and again that he was not the 
 sort of man I could recommend, but he persisted in begging 
 me to let him see you himself." 
 
 "What sort of a fellow is he? " 
 
 "Well, to tell you the truth he is a sort of ne'er-do-well," 
 the merchant laughed. " I grant that he has not had much 
 chance. His father died when he was a child, and his mother 
 soon married again. There is no doubt that he was badly 
 treated at home, and when he was twelve he ran away. He 
 was taken back and beaten time after time, but in a few hours 
 he was always off again, and at last they let him go his own 
 way. There is nothing he hasn'{ turned his hand to. First 
 he lived in the woods, I fancy, and they say he was the most 
 arrant young poacher in the district, though he was so cun- 
 ning that he was never caught. At last he had to give that 
 up. Then he fished for a bit, but he couldn't stick to it. He 
 has been always doing odd jobs, turning his hand to whatever 
 turned up. He worked in a shipyard for a bit, then I took 
 him as a sort of errand-boy and porter. He didn't stop long, 
 and the next I heard of him he was servant at a priest's. 
 He has been a dozen other things, and for the last three or 
 four months he has been in the stables where your horse was 
 standing, I fancy you saw him there. Some people think he 
 is half a fool, but I don't agree with them; he is as sharp as 
 a needle to my mind. But, as I say, he has never had a fair 
 chance. A fellow like that without friends is sure to get 
 roughly treated." 
 
 "Is he a young man of about one or two and twenty?" 
 Philip asked. " I remember a fellow of about that age brought 
 out the horse, and as he seemed to me a shrewd fellow, and 
 had evidently taken great pains in grooming Robin, I gave 
 him a crown. I thought he needed it, for his clothes were 
 old and tattered, and he looked as if he hadn't had a hearty 
 meal for a week. Well, Maitre Bertram, can you tell me if 
 among his other occupations he has ever been charged with 
 theft?" 
 
 "No, I have never heard that brought against him." 
 
 "Why did he leave you?" 
 
64 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 " It was from no complaint as to his honesty. Indeed he 
 left of his own accord after a quarrel with one of the men, 
 who was, as far as I could learn, in the wrong. I did not even 
 hear that he had left until a week after, and it was too late 
 then to go thoroughly into the matter. Boys are always 
 troublesome, and as everyone had warned me that Pierre 
 would turn out badly I gave the matter but little thought at 
 the time. Of course you will not think of taking the luckless 
 rascal as your servant." 
 
 " I don't know. I will have a talk with him anyhow. A fel- 
 low like that would certainly be handy, but whether he could 
 be relied upon to behave discreetly and soberly and not to 
 bring me into discredit is a different matter. Is he here now? " 
 
 "He is below. Shall I send him up here to you? " 
 
 " No, I will go down and see him in the courtyard. If he 
 comes up here he would be perhaps awkward and unnatural, 
 and would not speak so freely as he would in the open air." 
 
 The merchant shook his head. " If you take the vagabond, 
 remember, Monsieur Philip, that it is altogether against my 
 advice. I would never have spoken to you about him if I 
 had imagined for a moment that you would think of taking 
 him. A fellow who has never kept any employment for two 
 months, how could he be fit for a post of confidence and be 
 able to mix as your body-servant with the households of 
 honourable families." 
 
 " But you said yourself, Maitre Bertram, that he has never 
 had a fair chance. Well, I will see him anyhow." 
 
 He descended into the courtyard, and could not help smil- 
 ing as his eye fell upon a figure seated on the horse-block. 
 He was looking out through the gateway, and did not at first 
 see Philip. The expression of his face was dull and almost 
 melancholy, but as Philip's eye fell on him his attention was 
 attracted by some passing object in the street. His face lit 
 up with amusement, his lips twitched and his eyes twinkled. 
 A moment later and the transient humour passed, and the 
 dull, listless expression again stole over his face. 
 
 " Pierre ! " Philip said sharply. The young fellow started 
 to his feet as if shot upwards by a spring, and as he turned 
 and saw who had addressed him, took off his cap, and bowing 
 
AN EXPERIMENT 65 
 
 stood twisting it round in his fingers. "Monsieur Bertram 
 tells me you want to come with me as a servant, Pierre; but 
 when I asked him about you he does not give you such a char- 
 acter as one would naturally require in a confidential servant. 
 Is there anyone who will speak for you ? " 
 
 "Not a soul," the young man said doggedly; "and yet, 
 monsieur, I am not a bad fellow. What can a man do when 
 he has not a friend in the world? He picks up a living as he 
 can, but everybody looks at him with suspicion. There is no 
 friend to take his part, and so people vent their ill-humours 
 upon him, till the time comes when he revolts at the injustice 
 and strikes back, and then he has to begin it all over again 
 somewhere else. And yet, sir, I know that I could be faithful 
 and true to anyone who would not treat me like a dog. You 
 spoke kindly to me in the stable, and gave me a crown; no 
 one had ever given me a crown before. But I cared less for 
 that than for the way you spoke. Then I saw you start, and 
 you spoke pleasantly to your men, and I said to myself, that 
 is the master I would serve if he would let me. Try me, sir, 
 and if you do not find me faithful, honest, and true to you, 
 tell your men to string me up to a bough. I do not drink, 
 and have been in so many services that, ragged as you see me, 
 I can yet behave so as not to do discredit to you." 
 
 Philip hesitated. There was no mistaking the earnestness 
 with which the youth spoke. 
 
 "Are you a Catholic or a Huguenot? " he asked. 
 
 "I know nothing of the difference between them," Pierre 
 replied. "How should I? No one has ever troubled about 
 me one way or the other. When my mother lived I went to 
 Mass with her; since then I have gone nowhere. I have had 
 no Sunday clothes. I know that the bon Dieu has taken care 
 of me or I should have died of hunger long ago. The priest 
 I was with used to tell me that the Huguenots were worse than 
 heathen; but if that were so, why should they let themselves 
 be thrown into prison, and even be put to death, rather than 
 stay away from their churches. As for me, I know nothing 
 about it. They say monsieur is a Huguenot, and if he were 
 good enough to take me into his service, of course I should 
 be a Huguenot." 
 
66 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "That is a poor reason, Pierre," Philip said smiling. 
 " Still, you may find better reasons in time. However, you are 
 not a Catholic, which is the principal thing at present. Well, 
 I will try you, I think. Perhaps, as you say, you have never 
 had a fair chance yet, and I will give you one. I believe 
 what you say, that you will be faithful.!' 
 
 The young fellow's face lit up with pleasure. 
 
 " I will be faithful, sir. If I were otherwise I should deserve 
 to be cut in pieces." 
 
 "As for wages," Philip said, "I will pay you what you 
 deserve. We will settle that when we see how we get on 
 together. Now follow me and I will get some suitable clothes 
 for you." 
 
 There was no difficulty about this; clothes were not made 
 to fit closely in those days, and Philip soon procured a couple 
 of suits suitable for the serving-man of a gentleman of con- 
 dition. One was a riding-suit, with high boots, doublet, and 
 trunks of sober colour and of a strong tough material; a leather 
 sword-belt and sword, and a low hat thickly lined and quilted 
 and capable of resisting a heavy blow. The other suit was for 
 wear in the house ; it was of dark-green cloth of a much finer 
 texture than the riding-suit, with cloth stockings of the same 
 colour coming up above the knee, and then meeting the trunks 
 or puffed breeches. A small cap with turned-up brim, fur- 
 nished with a few of the tail feathers of a black-cock, com- 
 pleted the costume; a dagger being worn in the belt instead of 
 the sword. Four woollen shirts, a pair of shoes, and a cloak 
 were added to the purchases, which were placed in a valise to 
 be carried behind the saddle. 
 
 " Is there any house where you can change your clothes, 
 Pierre? Of course you could do so at Monsieur Bertram's, 
 but some of the men I brought with me will be there, and it 
 would be just as well that they did not see you in your pres- 
 ent attire." 
 
 " I can change at the stables, sir, if you will trust me with 
 the clothes." 
 
 " Certainly, I will trust you. If I trust you sufficiently to 
 take you as my servant, I can surely trust you in a matter like 
 this. Do you know of anyone who has a stout nag for sale? " 
 
AN EXPERIMENT 67 
 
 Pierre knew of several, and giving Philip an address the 
 latter was not long in purchasing one, with saddle and bridle 
 complete. He ordered this to be sent at once to the stables 
 where Pierre had been employed, with directions that it was 
 to be handed over to his servant. 
 
 It was one o'clock in the day when Madame Vaillant em- 
 barked, and it was late in the afternoon before Philip returned 
 to Monsieur Bertram's house. 
 
 "What have you done about that vagabond Pierre?" 
 
 "I have hired him," Philip said. 
 
 "You don't say that you have taken him after what I have 
 told you about him ! " the merchant exclaimed. 
 
 " I have, indeed. He pleaded hard for a trial, and I am 
 going to give him one. I believe that he will turn out a useful 
 fellow. I am sure that he is shrewd, and he ought to be full 
 of expedients. As to his appearance, good food and decent 
 clothes will make him another man. I think he will turn out 
 a merry fellow when he is well fed and happy; and I must say, 
 Maitre Bertram, that I am not fond of long faces. Lastly, I 
 believe that he will be faithful." 
 
 "Well, well, well, I wash my hands of it altogether, Mon- 
 sieur Philip. I am sorry I spoke to you about him, but I 
 never for a moment thought you would take him. If harm 
 comes of it don't blame me." 
 
 "I will hold you fully acquitted," Philip laughed. "I own 
 that I have taken quite a fancy to him, and believe that he 
 will turn out well." 
 
 An hour later one of the domestics came in with word that 
 Monsieur Philip's servant was below, and wished to know if 
 he had any commands for him. 
 
 "Tell him to come up," Philip said, and a minute later 
 Pierre entered. He was dressed in his dark-green costume. 
 He had had his hair cut, and presented an appearance so 
 changed that Philip would hardly have known him. 
 
 " By my faith ! " the merchant said, "you have indeed trans- 
 formed him. He is not a bad-looking varlet, now that he has 
 got rid of that tangled crop of hair." 
 
 Pierre bowed low at the compliment. 
 
 " Fine feathers make fine birds, Monsieur Bertram," replied 
 
68 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Pierre. " It is the first time I have had the opportunity of 
 proving the truth of the proverb. I am greatly indebted to 
 monsieur for recommending me to my master." 
 
 " It is not much recommendation you got from me, Pierre," 
 the merchant said bluntly; "for a more troublesome young 
 scamp I never had in my warehouse. Still, as I told Monsieur 
 Philip, I think everything has been against you, and I do 
 hope now that this English gentleman has given you a chance 
 that you will take advantage of it." 
 
 "I mean to, sir," the young fellow said earnestly, and with- 
 out a trace of the mocking smile with which he had first 
 spoken. " If I do not give my master satisfaction it will not 
 be for want of trying. I shall make mistakes at first it will 
 all be strange to me, but I feel sure that he will make allow- 
 ances. I can at least promise that he will find me faithful and 
 devoted." 
 
 "Has your horse arrived, Pierre?" 
 
 " Yes, sir. I saw him watered and fed before I came out. 
 Is it your wish that I should go round to the stables where 
 your horse and those of your troop are, and take charge of 
 your horse at once? " 
 
 "No, Pierre; the men will look after him as usual. We 
 will start at six in the morning. Be at the door on horseback 
 at that hour." 
 
 Pierre bowed and withdrew. 
 
 " I do not feel so sure as I did that you have made a bad 
 bargain, Monsieur Philip. As far as appearances go at any 
 rate, he would pass muster. Except that his cheeks want 
 filling out a bit, he is a nimble, active-looking young fellow, 
 and with that little moustache of his and his hair cut short he 
 is by no means ill-looking. I really should not have known 
 him. I think at present he means what he says, though 
 whether he will stick to it is another matter altogether." 
 
 "I think he will stick to it," Philip said quietly. "Put- 
 ting aside what he says about being faithful to me, he is shrewd 
 enough to see that it is a better chance than he is ever likely 
 to have again of making a start in life. He has been leading 
 a dog's life ever since he was a child, and to be well fed and 
 well clothed and fairly treated will be a wonderful change for 
 
AN EXPERIMENT 69 
 
 him. My only fear is that he may get into some scrape at the 
 chateau. I believe that he is naturally full of fun, and fun 
 is a thing that the Huguenots, with all their virtues, hardly 
 appreciate." 
 
 "A good thrashing will tame him of that," the merchant 
 said. 
 
 Philip laughed. "I don't think I shall be driven to try 
 that. I don't say that servants are never thrashed in England, 
 but I have not been brought up among the class who beat their 
 servants. I think I shall be able to manage him without that. 
 If I can't we must part. I suppose there is no doubt, Monsieur 
 Bertram, how La Rochelle will go. when the troubles begin?" 
 
 " I think not. All preparations are made on our part, and 
 as soon as the news comes that Conde" and the Admiral have 
 thrown their flags to the wind, we shall seize the gates, turn 
 out all who oppose us, and declare for the cause. I do not 
 think it can be much longer delayed. I sent a trusty servant 
 yesterday to fetch back my daughter, who, as I told you, has 
 been staying with a sister of mine five or six leagues away. I 
 want to have her here before the troubles break out. It will 
 be no time for damsels to be wandering about the country 
 when swords are once out of their scabbards." 
 
 The next morning the little troop started early from La 
 Rochelle, Pierre riding gravely behind Philip. The latter 
 presently called him up to his side. 
 
 " I suppose you know the country round here well ? " 
 
 "Every foot of it. I don't think that there is a pond in 
 which I have not laid my lines, not a streamlet of which I do 
 not know every pool, not a wood that I have not slept in nor 
 a hedge where I have not laid snares for rabbits. I could find 
 my way about as well by night as by day; and you know, sir, 
 that may be of use if you ever want to send a message into the 
 town when the Guises have got their troops lying outside." 
 
 Philip looked sharply at him. " Oh, you think it likely that 
 the Guises will soon be besieging La Rochelle? " 
 
 "Anyone who keeps his ears open can learn that," Pierre 
 said quietly. "I haven't troubled myself about these matters. 
 It made no difference to me whether the Huguenots or the 
 Catholics were in the saddle; still, one doesn't keep one's 
 
70 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 ears closed, and people talk freely enough before me. 'Pierre 
 does not concern himself with these things; the lad is half a 
 fool; he pays no attention to what is "being said; ' so they 
 would go on talking, and I would go on rubbing down a horse 
 or eating my black bread with a bit of cheese or an onion, or 
 whatever I might be about, and looking as if I did not even 
 know they were there. But I gathered that the Catholics think 
 that the Guises and Queen Catharine and Philip of Spain and 
 the Pope are going to put an end to the Huguenots altogether. 
 From those on the other side I learned that the Huguenots 
 will take the first step in La Rochelle, and that one fine morn- 
 ing the Catholics are likely to find themselves bundled out of 
 it. Then it doesn't need much sense to see that ere long we 
 shall be having a Catholic army down here to retake the place, 
 that is if the Huguenot lords are not strong enough to stop 
 them on their way." 
 
 " And you think the Catholics are not on their guard at all ? " 
 " Not they, " Pierre said contemptuously. " They have been 
 strengthening the walls and building fresh ones, thinking that 
 an attack might come from without from the Huguenots, and 
 all the time the people of that religion in the town have been 
 laughing in their sleeves and pretending to protest against 
 being obliged to help at the new works, but really paying and 
 working willingly. Why, they even let the magistrates arrest 
 and throw into prison a number of their party without saying 
 a word, so that the priests and the commissioners should think 
 they have got it entirely their own way. It has been fun 
 watching it all, and I had made up my mind to take to the 
 woods again directly it began. I had no part in the play, and 
 did not wish to run any risk of getting a ball through my head, 
 whether from a Catholic or a Huguenot arquebus. Now of 
 course it is all different. Monsieur is a Huguenot, and there- 
 fore so am I. It is the Catholic bullets that will be shot at 
 me, and as no one likes to be shot at I shall soon hate the 
 Catholics cordially, and shall be ready to do them any ill-turn 
 that you may desire." 
 
 " And you think that if necessary, Pierre, you could carry 
 a message into the town, even though the Catholics were 
 camped round it." 
 
AN EXPERIMENT 71 
 
 Pierre nodded. "I have never seen a siege, master, and 
 don't know how close the soldiers might stand round a town; 
 but I think that if a rabbit could get through I could, and if 
 I could not get in by land I could manage somehow to get 
 in by water." 
 
 " But such matters as this do not come within your service, 
 Pierre. Your duties are to wait on me when not in the field, 
 to stand behind my chair at meals, and to see that my horses 
 are well attended to by the stable varlets. When we take the 
 field you will not be wanted to fight, but will look after my 
 things; will buy food and cook it, get dry clothes ready for 
 me to put on if I come back soaked with rain, and keep an 
 eye upon my horses. Two of the men-at-arms will have 
 special charge of them; they will groom and feed them. But 
 if they are away with me they cannot see after getting forage 
 for them, and it will be for you to get hold of that, either by 
 buying it from the villagers or employing a man to cut it. At 
 any rate to see that there is food for them as well as for me 
 when the day's work is over." 
 
 "I understand that, master; but there are times when a lad 
 who can look like a fool but is not altogether one can carry 
 messages and make himself very useful, if he does not place 
 over much value on his life. When you want anything done, 
 no matter what it is, you have only to tell me, and it will be 
 done if it is possible." 
 
 In the afternoon of the second day after starting they ap- 
 proached the chateau. The old sergeant of the band, who 
 with two of his men was riding a hundred yards ahead, 
 checked his horse and rode back to Philip. 
 
 "There is something of importance doing, Monsieur Philip; 
 the flag is flying over the chateau. I have not seen it hoisted 
 before since my lord's death, and I can make out horsemen 
 galloping to and from the gates." 
 
 "We will gallop on then," Philip said, and in ten minutes 
 they arrived. Francois ran down the steps as Philip alighted 
 in the courtyard. 
 
 " I am glad you have come, Philip. I had already given 
 orders for a horseman to ride to meet you, and tell you to 
 hurry on. The die is cast at last. There was a meeting yes- 
 
72 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 terday at the Admiral's; a messenger came to my mother from 
 my cousin, Francois de la Noiie. The Admiral and Conde 
 had received news from a friend at court that there had been 
 a secret meeting of the Royal Council, and that it had been 
 settled that the Prince should be thrown into prison and 
 Coligny executed. The Swiss troops were to be divided be- 
 tween Paris, Orleans, and Poitiers. The edict of toleration 
 was to be annulled, and instant steps taken to suppress Hugue- 
 not worship by the sternest measures. In spite of this news 
 the Admiral still urged patience; but his brother, D'Andelot, 
 took the lead among the party of action, and pointed out that 
 if they waited until they, the leaders, were all dragged away 
 to prison, resistance by the Huguenots would be hopeless. 
 Since the last war over three thousand Huguenots had been 
 put to violent deaths. Was this number to be added to in- 
 definitely? Were they to wait until their wives and children 
 were in the hands of the executioners before they moved? 
 His party were in the majority, and the Admiral reluctantly 
 yielded. Then there was a discussion as to the steps to be 
 taken. Some proposed the seizure of Orleans and other large 
 towns, and that with these in their hands they should nego- 
 tiate with the court for the dismissal of the Swiss troops, as 
 neither toleration nor peace could be hoped for as long as this 
 force was at the disposal of the Cardinal of Lorraine and his 
 brothers. 
 
 "This council, however, was overruled. It was pointed 
 out that at the beginning of the last war the Huguenots held 
 fully a hundred towns, but nearly all were wrested from their 
 hands before its termination. It was finally resolved that all 
 shall be prepared for striking a heavy blow, and that the ris- 
 ing shall be arranged to take place throughout France on the 
 29th of September. That an army shall take the field, dis- 
 perse the Swiss, seize if possible the Cardinal of Lorraine, 
 and at any rate petition the king for a redress of grievances, 
 for a removal of the Cardinal from his councils, and for send- 
 ing all foreign troops out of the kingdom. We have, you see, 
 a fortnight to prepare. We have just sent out messengers to 
 all our Huguenot friends, warning them that the day is fixed, 
 that their preparations are to be made quietly, and that we 
 
AN EXPERIMENT 73 
 
 will notify them when the hour arrives. All are exhorted to 
 maintain an absolute silence upon the subject, while seeing 
 that their tenants and retainers are in all respects ready to 
 take the field." 
 
 "Why have you hoisted your flag, Francois? That will 
 only excite attention." 
 
 " It is my birthday, Philip, and the flag is supposed to be 
 raised in my honour. This will serve as an excuse for the 
 assemblage of our friends, and the gathering of the tenants. 
 It has been arranged, as you know, that I, and of course you, 
 are to ride with De la Noiie, who is a most gallant gentleman, 
 and that our contingent is to form part of his command. I 
 am heartily glad this long suspense is over, and that at last 
 we are going to meet the treachery of the court by force. 
 Too long have we remained passive, while thousands of our 
 friends have in defiance of the edicts been dragged to prison 
 and put to death. Fortunately the court is, as it was before 
 the last war, besotted with the belief that we are absolutely 
 powerless, and we have every hope of taking them by 
 surprise." 
 
 "I also am glad that war has been determined upon," 
 Philip said. "Since I have arrived here I have heard noth- 
 ing but tales of persecution and cruelty. I quite agree with 
 you that the time has come when the Huguenots must either 
 fight for their rights, abandon the country altogether and go 
 into exile, as so many have already done, or renounce their 
 religion." 
 
 " I see you have a new servant, Philip. He is an active, 
 likely-looking lad, but rather young. He can know nothing 
 of campaigning." 
 
 " I believe he is a very handy fellow, with plenty of sense 
 and shrewdness; and if he can do the work, I would rather 
 have a man of that age than an older one. It is different with 
 you. You are Francois, Count de Laville, and your servant 
 whatever his age would hold you in respect; I am younger 
 and of far less consequence, and an old servant might want to 
 take me under his tuition. Moreover, if there is hard work 
 to be done for me I would rather have a young fellow like this 
 doing it than an older man." 
 
74 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "You are always making out that you are a boy, Philip. 
 You don't look it, and you are going to play a man's part." 
 
 "I mean to play it as far as I can, Francois; but that does 
 not really make me a day older." 
 
 "Well, mind, not a word to a soul as to the day fixed on." 
 
 For the next fortnight the scene at the chateau was a busy 
 one. Huguenot gentlemen came and went. The fifty men- 
 at-arms who were to accompany Francois were inspected, and 
 their arms and armour served out to them. The tenantry 
 came up in small parties, and were also provided with weap- 
 ons, offensive and defensive, from the armoury, so that they 
 might be in readiness to assemble for the defence of the 
 chateau at the shortest notice. All were kept in ignorance as 
 to what was really going on; but it was felt that a crisis was 
 approaching, and there was an expression of grim satisfaction 
 on the stern faces of the men that showed they rejoiced at 
 the prospect of a termination to the long passive suffering 
 which they had borne at the hands of the persecutors of their 
 faith. Hitherto they themselves had suffered but little, for 
 the Huguenots were strong in the south of Poitou, while in 
 Niort, the nearest town to the chateau, the Huguenots, if not 
 in an absolute majority, were far too strong to be molested by 
 the opposite party. Nevertheless here, and in all other towns, 
 public worship was suspended, and it was only in the chateaux 
 and castles of the nobles that the Huguenots could gather to 
 worship without fear of interruption or outrage. There was 
 considerable debate as to whether Francois' troop should 
 march to join the Admiral at Chatillon-sur-Loing, or should 
 proceed to the south-east, where parties were nearly equally 
 balanced; but the former course was decided upon. The 
 march itself would be more perilous, but as Conde", the Ad- 
 miral, and his brother D'Andelot would be with the force 
 gathered there, it was the most important point; and more- 
 over Francois de la Noiie would be there. 
 
 So well was the secret of the intended movement kept, that 
 the French court, which was at Meaux, had no idea of the 
 danger that threatened, and when a report of the intentions 
 of the Huguenots came from the Netherlands, it was received 
 with incredulity. A spy was, however, sent to Chatillon to 
 
AN EXPERIMENT 75 
 
 report upon what the Admiral was doing, and he returned with 
 the news that he was at home, and was busily occupied in 
 superintending his vintage. 
 
 On the evening of the 26th the troop, fifty strong, mustered 
 in the courtyard of the chateau. All were armed with breast 
 and back pieces and steel caps, and carried lances as well as 
 swords. In addition to this troop were Philip's four men-at- 
 arms, and four picked men, who were to form Francois' body- 
 guard, one of them carrying his banner. He took as his 
 body-servant a man who had served his father in that capac- 
 ity. He and Pierre wore lighter armour than the others, and 
 carried no lances. Francois and Philip were both in com- 
 plete armour, Philip donning for the first time that given to 
 him by his uncle. 
 
 Neither of them carried lances, but were armed with swords, 
 light battle-axes, and pistols. Before mounting service was 
 held; the pastor offered up prayers for the blessing of God 
 upon their arms, and for his protection over each and all of 
 them in the field. The countess herself made them a stirring 
 address, exhorting them to remember that they fought for the 
 right to worship God unmolested, and for the lives of those 
 dear to them. Then she tenderly embraced her son and 
 Philip, the trumpets sounded to horse, and the party rode out 
 from the gates of the chateau. As soon as they were away the 
 two young leaders took off their helmets and handed them to 
 their attendants, who rode behind them. Next to these came 
 their eight body-guards, who were followed by the captain and 
 his troop. 
 
 " It may be that this armour will be useful on the day of 
 battle," Philip said, "but at present it seems to me, Francois, 
 that I would much rather be without it." 
 
 " I quite agree with you, Philip. If we had only to fight 
 with gentlemen, armed with swords, I would gladly go into 
 battle unprotected; but against men with lances, one needs a 
 defence. However, I do not care so much now that I havs 
 got rid of the helmet, which, in truth, is a heavy burden." 
 
 "Methinks, Francois, that armour will ere long be aban- 
 doned, now that arquebuses and cannon are coming more anj 
 more into use. Against them they give no protection, and it 
 
76 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 were better, methinks, to have lightness and freedom oi 
 action, than to have the trouble of wearing all this iron stuff 
 merely as a protection against lances. You have been trained 
 to wear armour, and therefore feel less inconvenience; but I 
 have never had as much as a breast-plate on before, and I feel 
 at present as if I had almost lost the use of my arms. I think 
 that at any rate I shall speedily get rid of these arm-pieces; 
 the body armour I don't so much mind, now that I am fairly 
 in the saddle. The leg-pieces are not as bad as those on the 
 arms; I was scarcely able to walk in them; still now that I 
 am mounted I do not feel them much. But if I am to be of 
 any use in a melee I mtist have my arms free, and trust to my 
 sword to protect them." 
 
 "I believe that some have already given them up, Philip; 
 and if you have your sleeves well wadded and quilted, I think 
 you might if you like give up the armour. The men-at-arms 
 are not so protected, and it is only when you meet a noble in 
 full armour that you would be at a disadvantage." 
 
 " I don't think it would be a disadvantage, for I could strike 
 twice with my arms free to once with them so confined." 
 
 "There is one thing, you will soon become accustomed to 
 the armour." 
 
 "Not very soon, I fancy, Francois. You know, you have 
 been practising in it almost since you were a child, and yet 
 you admit that you feel a great difference. Still, I daresay as 
 the novelty wears off I shall get accustomed to it to some 
 extent." 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 TAKING THE FIELD 
 
 A GUIDE thoroughly acquainted with the country rode 
 ahead of the party, carrying a lantern fixed at the back 
 of his saddle. They had, after leaving the chateau, begun 
 to mount the lofty range of hills behind. The road crossing 
 these was a mere track, and they were glad when they began 
 to descend on the other side. They crossed the Clain river 
 some ten miles above Poitiers, a few miles farther forded the 
 Vienne, crossed the Gartempe at a bridge at the village of 
 Montmorillon, and an hour later halted in a wood, just as 
 daylight was breaking, having ridden nearly fifty miles since 
 leaving the chateau. 
 
 So far they had kept to the south of the direct course in 
 order to cross the rivers near their sources. 
 
 Every man carried provisions for himself and his horse, 
 and as soon as they had partaken of a hearty meal the armour 
 was unstrapped, and all threw themselves down for a long 
 sleep; sentries being first placed, with orders to seize any 
 peasants who might enter the wood to gather fuel. With the 
 exception of the sentries, who were changed every hour, the 
 rest slept until late in the afternoon, then the horses were 
 again fed and groomed, and another meal was eaten. At 
 sunset the armour was buckled on again, and they started. 
 They crossed the Creuse at the bridge of Argenton about 
 midnight, and riding through La Chatre halted before morn- 
 ing in a wood two miles from St. Amand. Here the day was 
 passed as the previous one had been. 
 
 77 
 
78 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "Tell me, Francois," Philip said, as they were waiting for 
 the sun to go down, "something about your cousin De la 
 Nolle. As we are to ride with him, it is as well to know 
 something about him. How old is he? " 
 
 "He is thirty-six, and there is no braver gentleman in 
 France. As you know, he is of a Breton family, one of the 
 most illustrious of the province. He is connected with the 
 great houses of Chateau-Briant and Matignon. As a boy he 
 was famous for the vigour and strength that he showed in 
 warlike exercises, but was in other respects, I have heard, of 
 an indolent disposition, and showed no taste for reading or 
 books of any kind. As usual among the sons of noble fami- 
 lies he went up to the court of Henry II. as a page, and when 
 there became seized with an ardour for study, especially that 
 of ancient and modern writers who treated on military sub- 
 jects. As soon as he reached manhood he joined the army in 
 Piedmont, under Marshal de Brissac, that being the best mili- 
 tary school of the time. 
 
 " On his return he showed the singular and affectionate kind- 
 ness of his nature. His mother, unfortunately, while he was 
 away, had become infected with the spirit of gambling, and 
 the king, who had noted the talent and kind disposition of 
 the young page, thought to do him a service by preventing 
 his mother squandering the estates in play. He therefore 
 took the management of her affairs entirely out of her hands, 
 appointing a royal officer to look after them. Now most 
 young men would have rejoiced at becoming masters of their 
 estates, but the first thing that Francois did on his return was 
 to go to the king, and solicit as a personal favour that his 
 mother should be reinstated in the management of her estates. 
 This was granted, but a short time afterwards she died. De 
 la Noiie retired from court, and settled in Brittany upon his 
 estates, which were extensive. 
 
 "Shortly afterwards D'Andelot, Coligny's brother, who was 
 about to espouse Madamoiselle De Rieux, the richest heiress 
 in Brittany, paid a visit there. He had lately embraced our 
 faith and was bent upon bringing over others to it, and he 
 brought down with him to Brittany a famous preacher named 
 Cormel. His preaching in the chateau attracted large num- 
 
TAKING THE HELD 79 
 
 bers of people, and although Brittany is perhaps the most 
 Catholic province in France, he made many converts. Among 
 these was De la Noiie, then twenty-seven years old. Recog- 
 nizing his talent and influence, D'Andelot had made special 
 efforts to induce him to join the ranks of the Huguenots, and 
 succeeded. My cousin, who previous to that had, I believe, 
 no special religious views, became a firm Huguenot. As you 
 might expect with such a man, he is in no way a fanatic, and 
 does not hold the extreme views that we have learned from 
 the preachers of Geneva. He is a staunch Huguenot; but he 
 is gentle, courtly, and polished, and has, I believe, the regard 
 of men of both parties. He is a personal friend of the Guises, 
 and was appointed by them as one of the group of nobles who 
 accompanied Marie Stuart to Scotland. 
 
 "When the w r ar broke out in 1562, after the massacre of 
 Vassy, he joined the standard of Conde". He fought at Dreux, 
 and distinguished himself by assisting the Admiral to draw off 
 our beaten army in good order. The assassination of Francois 
 de Guise, as you know, put an end to that war. De la Noiie 
 bitterly regretted the death of Guise, and after peace was made 
 retired to his estates in Brittany, where he has lived quietly 
 for the last four years. I have seen him several times, because 
 he has other estates in Poitou, within a day's ride of us. I 
 have never seen a man I admire so much. He is all for peace, 
 though he is a distinguished soldier. While deeply religious, 
 he has yet the manners of a noble of the court party. He has 
 no pride, and he is loved by the poor as well as by the rich. 
 He would have done anything to have avoided war; but you 
 will see that, now the war has begun, he will be one of our 
 foremost leaders. I can tell you, Philip, I consider myself 
 fortunate indeed that I am going to ride in the train of so 
 brave and accomplished a gentleman." 
 
 During the day they learned from a peasant of a ford cross- 
 ing the Cher, two or three miles below St. Amand. Entering 
 a village near the crossing-place, they found a peasant who 
 was willing for a reward to guide them across the country to 
 Briare, on the Loire their first guide had returned from their 
 first halting-place, and the peasant being placed on a horse 
 behind a man-at-arms, took the lead. Their pace was much 
 
80 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 slower than it had been the night before, and it was almost 
 daybreak when they passed the bridge at Briare, having ridden 
 over forty miles. They rode two or three miles into the 
 mountains after crossing the Loire, and then halted. 
 
 "We must give the horses twenty-four hours here," Francois 
 said. " I don't think it is above twenty miles on to Chatillon- 
 sur-Loing; but it is all through the hills, and it is of no use 
 arriving there with the horses so knocked up as to be useless 
 for service. We have done three tremendous marches, and 
 anyhow we shall be there long before the majority of the 
 parties from the west and south can arrive. The Admiral and 
 Conde will no doubt be able to gather sufficient strength from 
 Champagne and the north of Burgundy for his purpose of tak- 
 ing the court by surprise. I am afraid there is but little 
 chance of their succeeding. It is hardly possible that so 
 many parties of Huguenots can have been crossing the country 
 in all directions to the Admiral's without an alarm being 
 given. Meaux is some sixty miles from Chatillon, and if the 
 court get the news only three or four hours before Conde* 
 arrives there, they will be able to get to Paris before he can 
 cut them off." 
 
 In fact, even while they were speaking the court was in safety. 
 The Huguenots of Champagne had their rendezvous at Rosoy, 
 a little more than twenty miles from Meaux, and they began 
 to arrive there in the afternoon of the 28th. The Prince of 
 Conde", who was awaiting them, feeling sure that the news of 
 the movement must in a few hours at any rate be known at 
 Meaux, marched for Lagny on the Marne, established himself 
 there late in the evening and seized the bridge. The news, 
 however, had as he feared already reached the court, and mes- 
 sages had been despatched in all haste to order up six thousand 
 Swiss troops, who were stationed at Chateau-Thierry, thirty 
 miles higher up the Marne. 
 
 During the hours that elapsed before their arrival, the court 
 was in a state of abject alarm; but at one o'clock the Swiss 
 arrived, and two hours later the court set out under their pro- 
 tection for Paris. The Prince of Conde", who had with him 
 but some four hundred gentlemen, for the most part armed 
 only with swords, met the force as it passed by Lagny. He 
 
TAKING THE FIELD 81 
 
 engaged in a slight skirmish with it, but being unable with his 
 lightly-armed followers to effect anything against the solid 
 body of the Swiss mountaineers armed with their long pikes, 
 he fell back to await reinforcements, and the court reached 
 Paris in safety. 
 
 A messenger had arrived at Chatillon with the news when 
 Francois and Philip rode in. The castle gate stood open. 
 Numbers of Huguenot gentlemen were standing in excited 
 groups discussing the news. 
 
 " There is my cousin De la Nolle ! " Francois exclaimed as 
 he alighted from his horse. "This is good fortune. I was 
 wondering what we should do if we did not find him here," 
 and he made his way to where a.singularly handsome gentle- 
 man was talking with several others. 
 
 " Ah, Frangois, is that you ? Well arrived indeed ! Gen- 
 tlemen, this is my cousin and namesake, Frangois de Laville. 
 He has ridden across France to join us. Is that your troop, 
 Frangois, entering the gate now? Ah, ym, I see your banner. 
 By my faith it is the best accoutred body we have seen yet, 
 they make a brave show with their armour and lances. The 
 countess has indeed shown her good-will right worthily, and 
 it is no small credit to you that you should have brought them 
 across from the other side of Poitou, and yet have arrived here 
 before many who live within a few leagues of the castle. And 
 who is this young gentleman with you? " 
 
 "It is my cousin, Philip Fletcher, son of my mother's sister 
 Lucie. I spoke to you of his coming to us when you were at 
 Laville three months since. He has come over in order 
 that he may venture his life on behalf of our religion and 
 family." 
 
 " I am glad to welcome you, young sir. We are, you see, 
 connections, I being Philip's first cousin on his father's side, 
 and you on that of his mother. Your spirit in coming over 
 here shows that you inherit the bravery of your mother's race, 
 and I doubt not that we shall find that the mixture with the 
 sturdy stock of England will have added to its qualities. 
 Would that your queen would but take her proper place as 
 head of a league of the Protestants of Europe, our cause would 
 then be well-nigh won without the need of striking a blow." 
 
82 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "Is it true, cousin, that the court has escaped to Paris? " 
 
 "Yes. I would that Cond6 had had but a' few hours longer 
 before they took the alarm, another day and he would have 
 had such a gathering as it would have puzzled the Swiss to 
 have got through. His forces were double yesterday, and 
 eight hundred have ridden forth from here this morning to 
 join him. I myself, though I made all speed, arrived but two 
 hours since, and shall with all who come in this evening ride 
 forward to-morrow. The Admiral, and his brother the Car- 
 dinal of Chatillon, will go with us. D'Andelot is already 
 with Conde". Now as your troop is to ride with mine, I will 
 see that they are disposed for the night together, and that 
 their wants are attended to. My men have picketed their 
 horses just outside the castle moat; for, as you see, we are 
 crowded here with gentlemen and their personal followers, and 
 it would be impossible to make room for all. I will take your 
 officer to the seneschal, who will see that your men are pro- 
 vided with bread, meat, and wine. Ah, Captain Montpace, 
 you are in command of the troop, I see. I thought the coun- 
 tess would send so experienced a soldier with them, and I am 
 proud to have such a well-appointed troop behind me. None 
 so well armed and orderly have yet arrived. My own at present 
 are forty strong, and have, like you, made their way across 
 France from Poitou. 
 
 " I could not bring my Bretons," he said turning to Francois. 
 " The Huguenots there are but a handful among the Catholics. 
 Happily on my estates they are good friends together, but I 
 could not call away men from their homes at a time like this. 
 Now, Captain Montpace, I will show you where your men are 
 to bivouac next to my own. Then if you will come with me 
 to the seneschal, rations shall be served out to them. Are 
 your horses fit for another journey? " 
 
 " They will be by to-morrow morning, Count. They have 
 only come from this side of Briare this morning, but though 
 the journey is not long the road is heavy. They had twenty- 
 four hours' rest before that, which they needed sorely, having 
 travelled from Laville in three days." 
 
 " Draw a good supply of forage for them from the maga- 
 zines," De la Noiie said. "See that the saddle-bags are well 
 
TAKING THE FIELD 83 
 
 filled in the morning. There is another heavy day's work 
 before them, and then they can take a good rest." 
 
 Francois and Philip accompanied the troop, and waited 
 until they saw that they were supplied with provisions and 
 forage, and with straw for lying down on, then they re-entered 
 the castle. De la Nolle presented them to many of his friends, 
 and then took them into the Admiral. He quite fulfilled the 
 anticipations that Philip had formed of him. He was of tall 
 figure, with a grave but kindly face. He was dressed entirely 
 in black, with puffed trunks, doublet to match, and a large 
 turned-down collar. As was usual, he wore over his shoulders 
 a loose jacket with a very high collar, the empty sleeves hang- 
 ing down on either side. When riding, the arms were thrust 
 into these. He wore a low soft cap with a narrow brim all 
 round. The expression of his face, with its short-pointed 
 beard, moustache, and closely-trimmed whiskers, was melan- 
 choly. The greatest captain of his age, he was more reluc- 
 tant than any of his followers to enter upon civil war, and the 
 fact that he felt that it was absolutely necessary to save 
 Protestantism from being extinguished in blood, in no way 
 reconciled him to it. 
 
 He received Francois and his cousin kindly. " I am glad," 
 he said to the former, " to see the representative of the Lavilles 
 here. Your father was a dear friend of mine, and fell fighting 
 bravely by my side. I should have been glad to have had you 
 riding among my friends, but it is better still for you to be 
 with your cousin De la Noiie, who is far more suitable as a 
 leader and guide for youth than I am. You can follow no 
 better example. I am glad also," he said turning to Philip, 
 " to have another representative of the old family of the De 
 Moulins here, and to find that though transplanted to England 
 it still retains its affection for France. I trust that ere long 
 I may have many of your countrymen fighting by my side. 
 We have the same interests, and if the Protestant nations 
 would unite, the demand for the right of all men, Catholic and 
 Protestant, to worship according to their consciences could no 
 longer be denied. I regret that your queen does not permit 
 free and open worship to her Catholic subjects, since her not 
 doing so affords some sort of excuse to Catholic kings and 
 
84 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 princes. Still I know that this law is not put rigidly into 
 force, and that the Catholics do in fact exercise the rights of 
 their religion without hindrance or persecution; and above all 
 that there is no violent ill-will between the people of the two 
 religions. Would it were so here. Were it not that you are 
 going to ride with my good friend here, I would have said a 
 few words to you, praying you to remember that you are fighting 
 not for worldly credit and honour, but for a holy cause, and it 
 behoves you to bear yourselves gravely and seriously; but no 
 such advice is needed to those who come under his influence." 
 
 Leaving the Count de la Noiie in conversation with the 
 Admiral, Francois and Philip made their way to the hall, where 
 the tables were laid, so that all who came, at whatever hour, 
 could at once obtain food. Their own servants, who were 
 established in the castle, waited upon them. 
 
 " I think that lackey of yours will turn out a very useful 
 fellow, Philip," Francois said as they left the hall. "He is 
 quick and willing, and he turned out our dinner yesterday in 
 good fashion. It was certainly far better cooked than it had 
 been by Charles the day before." 
 
 "I fancy Pierre has done a good deal of cooking in the 
 open air," Philip said, "and we shall find that he is capable 
 of turning out toothsome dishes from very scanty materials." 
 
 " I am glad to hear it, for though I am ready to eat horse- 
 flesh if necessary, I see not why because we happen to be at 
 war one should have to spoil one's teeth by gnawing at meat 
 as hard as leather. Soldiers are generally bad cooks, they are 
 in too much haste to get their food at the end of a long day's 
 work to waste much time with the cooking. Here comes La 
 Noiie again." 
 
 " Will you order your troop to be again in the saddle at five 
 o'clock in the morning, De Laville, " the Count said. " I start 
 with a party of two hundred at that hour. There will be my 
 own men and yours, the rest will be gentlemen and their 
 personal retainers." 
 
 "I would that it had been three hours later," Francois said 
 as the Count left them and moved away, giving similar orders 
 to the other gentlemen. " I own I hate moving before it is 
 light. There is nothing ruffles the temper so much as getting 
 
TAKING THE FIELD 85 
 
 up in the dark, fumbling with your buckles and straps, and 
 finding everyone else just as surly and cross as you feel your- 
 self. It was considered a necessary part of my training that 
 I should turn out and arm myself at all times of the night. 
 It was the part of my exercises that I hated the most." 
 
 Philip laughed. " It will not make much difference here, 
 Frangois. I don't like getting out of a warm bed myself on a 
 dark winter's morning, but as there will be certainly no 
 undressing to-night, and we shall merely have to get up and 
 shake the straw off us, it will not matter much. By half -past 
 five it will be beginning to get light. At any rate we should 
 not mind it to-morrow, as it will be really our first day of 
 military service." 
 
 Up to a late hour fresh arrivals continued to pour in, and 
 the cooks and servants of the castle were kept hard at work 
 administering to the wants of the hungry and tired men. 
 There was no regular set meal, each man feeding as he was 
 disposed. After it became dark all the gentlemen of family 
 gathered in the upper part of the great hall, and there sat talk- 
 ing by the light of torches until nine, then the Admiral with 
 a few of the nobles who had been in consultation with him 
 joined them, and a quarter of an hour later a pastor entered 
 and prayers were read. Then a number of retainers came in 
 with trusses of straw, which were shaken down thickly beside 
 the walls, and as soon as this was done, all present prepared 
 to lie down. 
 
 "The trumpet will sound, gentlemen," Francois de la Noiie 
 said in a loud voice, "at half-past four, but this will only 
 concern those who, as it has already been arranged, will ride 
 with me the rest will set out with the Admiral at seven. I 
 pray each of you who go with me to bid his servant cut off a 
 goodly portion of bread and meat to take along with him, and 
 to place a flask or two of wine in his saddle-bags, for our ride 
 will be a long one, and we are not likely to be able to obtain 
 refreshment on our way." 
 
 "I should have thought," Francois said, as he lay down on 
 the straw by Philip's side, "that we should have passed through 
 plenty of places where we could obtain food. Whether we go 
 direct to Paris, or by the road by Lagny, we pass through 
 Nemours and Melun." 
 
86 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "These places may not open their gates to us, Francois, 
 and in that case probably we should go through Montereau 
 and Rosoy, and it may be considered that those who have 
 already gone through to join Conde" may have pretty well 
 stripped both places of provisions." 
 
 The trumpet sounded at half-past four. The torches were 
 at once relighted by the servants, and the gentlemen belong- 
 ing to La Noiie' s party rose, and their servants assisted them 
 to buckle on their armour. They gave them instructions as 
 to taking some food with them, and prepared for their journey 
 by an attack on some cold joints that had been placed on a 
 table at the lower end of the hall. There was a scene of 
 bustle and confusion in the courtyard as the horses were 
 brought up by the retainers. The Admiral himself was there 
 to see the party off, and as they mounted each issued out and 
 joined the men drawn up outside. Before starting, the min- 
 ister according to Huguenot custom held a short service, and 
 then with a salute to the Admiral, La Noiie took his place at 
 their head and rode away. 
 
 With him went some twenty or thirty gentlemen, behind 
 whom rode their body-servants. After these followed some 
 fifty men-at-arms and the troops of La Noiie and Laville. As 
 soon as they were off La Noiie reined in his horse so as to 
 ride in the midst of his friends, and chatted gaily with them 
 as they went along. An hour and a half's brisk riding took 
 them to Montargis. Instead of keeping straight on, as most 
 of those present expected, the two men who were riding a short 
 distance in advance of the column turned sharp off to the left 
 in the middle of the town. 
 
 "I am going to give you a surprise, gentlemen," De la 
 Noiie said with a smile. " I will tell you what it is when we 
 are once outside the place." 
 
 "I suppose," one of the gentlemen from the province, who 
 was riding next to Philip, said, " we are going to strike the 
 main road from Orleans north; to ride through Etampes, and 
 take post between Versailles and Paris on the south side of 
 the river, while the Prince and his following beleaguer the 
 place on the north. It is a bold plan thus to divide our 
 forces, but I suppose the Admiral's party will follow us, and 
 
TAKING THE FIELD 87 
 
 by taking post on the south side of the river we shall straiten 
 Paris for provisions." 
 
 "Gentlemen," the Count said, when they had issued from 
 the streets of Montargis, "I can now tell you the mission 
 which the Admiral has done me the honour to confide to me. 
 It was thought best to keep the matter an absolute secret until 
 we were thus fairly on our way, because, although we hope 
 and believe that there is not a man at Chatillon who is not to 
 be trusted, there may possibly be a spy of the Guises there, 
 and it would have been wrong to run the risk of betrayal. 
 Well, my friends, our object is the capture of Orleans." 
 
 An exclamation of surprise broke from many of his hearers. 
 
 "It seems a bold enterprise to undertake with but little 
 over two hundred men," La Noiie went on with a smile; "but 
 we have friends there. D'Andelot has been for the last ten 
 days in communication with one of them. We may of course 
 expect to meet with a stout resistance, but with the advantage 
 of a surprise and with so many gallant gentlemen with me, I 
 have no shadow of fear as to the result. I need not point 
 out to you how important its possession will be to us. It will 
 keep open a road to the south, will afford a rallying-place for 
 all our friends in this part of France, and the news of its cap- 
 ture will give immense encouragement to our co-religionists 
 throughout the country. Besides it will counterbalance the 
 failure to seize the court, and will serve as an example to 
 others to attempt to obtain possession of strong places. We 
 shall ride at an easy pace to-day, for the distance is long and 
 the country hilly. We could not hope to arrive there until 
 too late to finish our work before dark. Moreover, most of 
 our horses have already had very hard work during the past 
 few days. We have started early in order that we may have a 
 halt of four hours in the middle of the day. We are to be 
 met to-night by our friend, the Master of Grelot, five miles 
 this side of the city; he will tell us what arrangements have 
 been made for facilitating our entrance." 
 
 "This is a glorious undertaking, Philip, is it not?" Fran- 
 cois said. " Until now I have been thinking how unfortunate 
 we were in being too late to ride with Conde\ Now I see 
 that what I thought was a loss has turned out a gain." 
 
88 ST. RARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "You do not think Cond will be able to do anything 
 against Paris ?" Philip asked. 
 
 " Certainly not at present. What can some fifteen hundred 
 horsemen and as many infantry (and he will have no more 
 force than that for another three or four days) do against Paris 
 with its walls and its armed population, and the Guises and 
 their friends and retainers, to say nothing of the six thousand 
 Swiss? If our leaders thought they were going to fight at once 
 they would hardly have sent two hundred good troops off in 
 another direction. I expect we shall have plenty of time to 
 get through this and other expeditions and then to join the 
 Prince in front of Paris before any serious fighting takes 
 place." 
 
 "Do you know how far it is across the hills to Orleans?" 
 Philip asked the gentleman next to him on the other side. 
 
 " It is over fifty miles, but how much more I do not know. 
 I am a native of the province, but I have never travelled along 
 this road, which can be but little used. East of Montargis 
 the traffic goes by the great road through Me"lun to Paris, while 
 the traffic of Orleans, of course, goes north through Etampes." 
 
 They rode on until noon, and then dismounted by a stream, 
 watered and fed the horses, partook of a meal from the con- 
 tents of their saddle-bags, and then rested for four hours to 
 recruit the strength of their horses. The soldiers mostly 
 stretched themselves on the sward and slept. A few of the 
 gentlemen did the same, but most of them sat chatting in 
 groups, discussing the enterprise upon which they were en- 
 gaged. Frangois and Philip went among their men with Cap- 
 tain Montpace, inspected the horses, examined their shoes, 
 saw that fresh nails were put in where required, chatting with 
 the men as they did so. 
 
 " I felt sure we should not be long before we were engaged 
 on some stirring business," the Captain said. "The Count 
 de la Notie is not one to let the grass grow under his feet. I 
 saw much of him in the last campaign, and the count, your 
 father, had a very high opinion of his military abilities. At 
 first he was looked upon somewhat doubtfully in our camp, 
 seeing that he did not keep a long face, but was ready with 
 a jest and a laugh with high and low, and that he did not 
 
TAKING THE FIELD 89 
 
 affect the soberness of costume favoured by our party; but 
 that soon passed off when it was seen how zealous he was in 
 the cause; how ready to share in any dangerous business, 
 while he set an example to all by the cheerfulness with which 
 he bore fatigue and hardship. Next to the Admiral himself 
 and his brother D'Andelot there was no officer more highly 
 thought of by the troops. This is certainly a bold enterprise 
 that he has undertaken now, if it be true what I have heard 
 since we halted that we are going to make a dash at Orleans. 
 It is a big city for two hundred men to capture, even though 
 no doubt we have numbers of friends within the walls." 
 
 "All the more glory and credit to us, Montpace," Frangois 
 said gaily. "Why, the news that Orleans is captured will 
 send a thrill through France, and will everywhere encourage 
 our friends to rise against our oppressors. We are sure to 
 take them by surprise, for they will believe that all the Hu- 
 guenots in this part of France are hastening to join the Prince 
 before Paris." 
 
 At four o'clock the party got in motion again, and an hour 
 after dark entered a little village among the hills about five 
 miles north of the town. De la Nolie at once placed a cor- 
 don of sentries, with orders that neither man, woman, nor 
 child was to be allowed to leave it. Orders were issued to 
 the startled peasants that all were to keep within their doors 
 at the peril of their lives. The horses were picketed in the 
 street, and the soldiers stowed in barns; trusses of straw were 
 strewn round a fire for La Noiie and the gentlemen who fol- 
 lowed him. At eight o'clock two videttes thrown forward 
 some distance along the road rode in with a horseman. It was 
 the Master of Grelot, who, as he rode up to the fire, was 
 heartily greeted by the Count. 
 
 "I am glad to find you here, Count," he said; "I knew you 
 to be a man of your word, but in warfare things often occur 
 to upset the best calculations." 
 
 "Is everything going on well at Orleans?" De la Noiie 
 asked. 
 
 " Everything. I have made all my arrangements. A party 
 of five-and-twenty men I can depend on will to-morrow morn- 
 ing at seven o'clock gather near the gate this side of the town. 
 
90 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 They will come up in twos and threes, and just as the guard 
 are occupied in unbarring the gate they will fall upon them. 
 The guard is fifteen strong, and as they will be taken by sur- 
 prise they will be able to offer but a faint resistance. Of 
 course you with your troop will be lying in readiness near. 
 As soon as they have taken possession of the gateway the 
 party will issue out and wave a white flag as a signal to you 
 that all is clear, and you will be in before the news that the 
 gateway has been seized can spread. After that you will know 
 what to do. In addition to the men who are to carry out the 
 enterprise you will shortly be joined by many others. Word 
 has been sent round to our partisans that they may speedily 
 expect deliverance, and bidding them be prepared whenever 
 they are called upon to take up their arms and join those who 
 come to free them. 
 
 "A large number of the town-folk are secretly either wholly 
 with us or well disposed towards us, and although some will 
 doubtless take up arms on the other side, I think that with 
 the advantage of the surprise and with such assistance as our 
 party can give you, there is every chance of bringing the 
 enterprise to a successful issue. One of our friends, who has 
 a residence within a bow-shot of the gates, has arranged with 
 me that your troop, arriving there before daylight, shall at 
 once enter his grounds, where they will be concealed from the 
 sight of any country people going towards the city. 
 
 " From the upper windows the signal can be seen, and if 
 you are mounted and ready you can be there in three or four 
 minutes, and it will take longer than that before the alarm can 
 spread, and the Catholics muster strongly enough to recapture 
 the gate." 
 
 "Admirably arranged," the Count said warmly. "With a 
 plan so well laid our scheme can hardly fail of success. If 
 we only do our part as well as you have done yours, Orleans 
 is as good as won. Now, gentlemen, I advise you to toss off 
 one more goblet of wine, and then to wrap yourselves up in 
 your cloaks for a few hours' sleep. We- must be in the saddle 
 soon after four, so as to be off the road by five." 
 
 At that hour the troop led by the Master of Grelot turned 
 in at the gate of the chateau. The owner was awaiting them, 
 
TAKING THE FIELD 91 
 
 and gave them a cordial welcome. The men were ordered to 
 dismount and stand by their horses, while the leaders fol- 
 lowed their host into the house, where a repast had been laid 
 out for them, while some servitors took out baskets of bread 
 and flagons of wine to the troopers. 
 
 At half-past six groups of countrymen were seen making 
 their way along the road towards the gate, and a quarter of an 
 hour later the troop mounted and formed up in readiness to 
 issue out as soon as the signal was given, their host placing 
 himself at an upper window whence he could obtain a view of 
 the city gate. It was just seven when he called out "The 
 gate is opening!" and immediately afterwards, "They have 
 begun the work. The country" people outside are running 
 away in a panic. Ah! there is the white flag." Two servi- 
 tors at the gate of the chateau threw it open, and headed by 
 La Notie and the gentlemen of the party they issued out and 
 galloped down the road at full speed. As they approached 
 the gate some men ran out waving their caps and swords. 
 
 " Well done ! " La Nolle exclaimed as he rode up. " Now, 
 scatter and call out all our friends to aid us in the capture." 
 
 The troop had already been divided into four parties, each 
 led by gentlemen familiar with the town. Francois and 
 Philip, with the men from Laville, formed the party led by 
 the Count himself. The news of the tumult at the gate had 
 spread, and just as they reached the market-place a body of 
 horsemen equal in strength to their own rode towards them. 
 
 "For God and the religion!" La Noiie shouted as be led 
 the charge. Ignorant of the strength of their assailants, and 
 having mounted in haste at the first alarm, the opposing band 
 hesitated, and before they could set their horses into a gallop 
 the Huguenots were upon them. 
 
 The impetus of the charge was irresistible. Men and horses 
 rolled over, while those in the rear turned and rode away, and 
 the combat was over before scarce a blow had been struck. 
 A party of infantry hastening up were next encountered; these 
 offered a more stubborn resistance, but threw down their arms 
 and surrendered when another of the Huguenot parties rode 
 into the square. At the sound of the conflict the upper win- 
 dows of the houses were opened, and the citizens looked out 
 
92 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 in alarm at the struggle. But the Catholics having neither 
 orders nor plan dared not venture out, while the Huguenots 
 mustered rapidly with arms in their hands, and rendered val- 
 uable assistance to the horsemen in attacking and putting to 
 flight the parties of Catholic horse and foot as they came 
 hurriedly up. 
 
 In an hour all resistance had ceased and Orleans was taken. 
 The Count at once issued a proclamation to the citizens assur- 
 ing all peaceable persons of protection, and guaranteeing to 
 the citizens immunity from all interference with personal 
 property and the right of full exercise of their religion. 
 The charge of the gates was given over to the Huguenot citi- 
 zens, parties of horse were told off to patrol the streets to see 
 that order was preserved, and to arrest any using threats or 
 violence to the citizens, and in a very few hours the town re- 
 sumed its usual appearance. Now that all fear of persecution 
 was at an end, large numbers of the citizens who had hitherto 
 concealed their leanings towards the new religion openly 
 avowed them, and La Nolle saw with satisfaction that the town 
 could be safely left to the keeping of the Huguenot adherents 
 with the assistance only of a few men to act as leaders. These 
 he selected from the gentlemen of the province who had come 
 with him, and as soon as these had entered upon their duties 
 he felt free to turn his attention elsewhere. 
 
 Two days were spent in appointing a council of the leading 
 citizens, the Huguenots of course being in the majority. To 
 them was intrusted the management of the affairs of the town 
 and the maintenance of order. The young nobleman ap- 
 pointed as governor was to have entire charge of military 
 matters; all Huguenots capable of bearing arms were to be 
 formed up in companies, each of which was to appoint its 
 own officers. They were to practise military exercises, to 
 have charge of the gates and walls, and to be prepared to 
 defend them in case a hostile force should lay siege to the 
 city. Three of the nobles were appointed to see to the vict- 
 ualling of the town; and all citizens were called upon to con- 
 tribute a sum according to their means for this purpose. A 
 few old soldiers were left to drill the new levies, to see that 
 the walls were placed in a thorough condition of defence, and 
 
TAKING THE FIELD 93 
 
 above all to aid the leaders in suppressing any attempt at the 
 ill-treatment of Catholics, or the desecration of their churches 
 by the Huguenot portion of the population. When all 
 arrangements were made for the peace and safety of the town, 
 De la Noiie despatched most of the gentlemen with him and 
 their followers to join the Prince of Cond before Paris, 
 retaining only his Cousin Francois, Philip, the troop from 
 Laville, and his own band of forty men-at-arms. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE BATTLE OF ST. DENIS 
 
 DE LAVILLE and Philip had fought by the 
 side of La Noiie in the engagement in the streets of 
 Orleans, but had seen little of the Count afterwards, his time 
 being fully employed in completing the various arrangements 
 to ensure the safety of the town. They had been lodged in 
 the house of one of the Huguenot citizens, and had spent 
 their time walking about the town or in the society of some of 
 the younger gentlemen of their party. 
 
 "Are you both ready for service again?" the Count de la 
 Nolle, who had sent for them to come to his lodgings, asked 
 on the evening of the third day after the capture of Orleans. 
 
 "Quite ready," Francois replied. "The horses have all 
 recovered from their fatigue, and are in condition for a fresh 
 start. Are we bound for Paris, may I ask? " 
 
 "No, Francois, we are going on a recruiting tour: partly 
 because we want men, but more to encourage our people by 
 the sight of an armed party, and to show the Catholics that 
 they had best stay their hands and leave us alone for the 
 present. I take a hundred men with me, including your troop 
 and my own, which I hope largely to increase. Sometimes 
 we shall keep in a body, sometimes break up into two or three 
 parties. Always we shall move rapidly, so as to appear where 
 least expected, and so spread uneasiness as to where we may 
 next appear. In the south we are, as I hear, holding our own. 
 I shall therefore go first to Brittany, and if all is quiet, there 
 raise another fifty men. We shall travel through Touraine and 
 
THE BATTLE OF ST. DENIS 9ft 1 
 
 Anjou as we go, and then sweep round by Normandy and La 
 Perche, and so up to Paris. So you see we shall put a good 
 many miles of ground under our feet before we join the 
 Prince. In that way not only shall we swell our numbers and 
 encourage our friends, but we shall deter many of the Catholic 
 gentry from sending their retainers to join the army of the 
 Guises." 
 
 "It will be a pleasant ride, cousin," Francois said, "and I 
 hope that we shall have an opportunity of doing some good 
 work before we reach Paris, and especially that we shall not 
 arrive there too late to join in the coming battle." 
 
 "I do not think that there is much fear of that," the Count 
 replied; "the Prince has not sufficient strength to attack Paris. 
 And for my part, I think that it would have been far better, 
 when it was found that his plan of seizing the court had failed, 
 to have drawn off at once. He can do nothing against Paris, 
 and his presence before it will only incite the inhabitants 
 against us and increase their animosity. It would have been 
 better to have applied the force in reducing several strong 
 towns where, as at Orleans, the bulk of the inhabitants are 
 favourable to us. In this way we should weaken the enemy, 
 strengthen ourselves, and provide places of refuge for our peo- 
 ple in case of need. However, it is too late for such regrets; 
 the Prince is there, and we must take him what succour we 
 can. I was pleased with you both in the rights upon the day 
 we entered. You both behaved like brave gentlemen and good 
 swordsmen. I expected no less from you, Francois; but I 
 was surprised to find your English cousin so skilled with his 
 weapon." 
 
 "He is a better swordsman than I am," Francois said; 
 "which is a shame to me, since he is two years my junior." 
 
 " Is he indeed ! " the Count said in surprise. " I had taken 
 him to be at least your equal in years. Let me think, you are 
 but eighteen and some months? " 
 
 "But a month over eighteen," Francois said, "and Philip 
 has but just passed sixteen." 
 
 " You will make a doughty warrior when you attain your full 
 strength, Philip. I saw you put aside a thrust from an officer 
 in the melee, and strike him from his horse with a backhanded 
 
96 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 cut with your sword, dealt with a vigour that left nothing to be 
 desired." 
 
 "I know that I am too fond of using the edge, sir," Philip 
 said modestly; "my English masters taught me to do so, and 
 although my French instructors at home were always impress- 
 ing upon me that the point was more deadly than the edge, 
 I cannot break myself altogether from the habit." 
 
 "There is no need to do so," the Count said. "Of late the 
 point has come into fashion among us, and doubtless it has 
 advantages, but often a downright blow will fetch a man from 
 his saddle when you would in vain try to find with the point a 
 joint in his armour. But you must have been well taught 
 indeed if you are a better swordsman than my cousin, whose 
 powers I have tried at Laville, and found him to be an excel- 
 lent swordsman for his age." 
 
 " I have had many masters, " Philip said. " Both my French 
 and English teachers were good swordsmen, and it was seldom 
 a Frenchman who had been in the wars passed through Canter- 
 bury that my uncle did not engage him to give me a few 
 lessons. Thus, being myself very anxious to become a good 
 swordsman, and being fond of exercises, I naturally picked up 
 a great many tricks with the sword. " 
 
 " You could not have spent your time better if you had an 
 intention of coming over to take part in our troubles here. 
 Your grandfather, De Moulins, was said to be one of the best 
 swordsmen in France, and you may have inherited some of his 
 skill. I own that I felt rather uneasy at the charge of two such 
 young cockerels, though I could not refuse when the countess, 
 my aunt, begged me to let you ride with me; but in future I 
 shall feel easy about you, seeing that you can both take your 
 own parts stoutly. Well, order your men to be ready and 
 mounted in the market-place at half-past five. The west gate 
 will be opened for us to ride forth at six." 
 
 Philip had every reason to be satisfied with the conduct of 
 his new servant. In the town, as at Laville, Pierre behaved 
 circumspectly and quietly, assuming a grave countenance in 
 accordance with his surroundings; keeping his arms and 
 armour brightly polished, and waiting at table as orderly as if 
 he had been used to nothing else all his life. 
 
THE BATTLE OF ST. DENIS 97 
 
 " I am glad to hear it, sir," Pierre said, when Philip informed 
 him that they would start on the following morning. " I love 
 not towns, and here, where there is nought to do but to polish 
 your armour and stand behind your chair at dinner, the time 
 goes mighty heavily." 
 
 " You will have no cause to grumble on that account, Pierre, 
 I fancy, for your ride will be a long one. I do not expect we 
 shall often have a roof over our heads." 
 
 " All the better, sir, so long as the ride finishes before the 
 cold weather sets in. Fond as I am of sleeping with the stars 
 over me, I own that when the snow is on the ground I prefer 
 a roof over my head." 
 
 At six o'clock the party started; only two other gentlemen 
 rode with it, both of whom were, like the Count, from Brittany. 
 The little group chatted gaily as they rode along. Unless they 
 happened to encounter parties of Catholics going north to join 
 the royal army, there was, so far as they knew, no chance of 
 their meeting any body of the enemy, on their westward ride. 
 The towns of Vendome, Le Mans, and Laval were all strongly 
 Catholic and devoted to the Guises. These must be skirted. 
 Rennes in Brittany must also be avoided, for all these towns 
 were strongly garrisoned, and could turn out a force far too 
 strong for La Noiie to cope with. 
 
 Upon the march Pierre was not only an invaluable servant 
 but the life of the troop, he being full of fun and frolic, and 
 making even the gravest soldier smile at his sallies. When 
 they halted he was indefatigable in seeing after Philip's com- 
 forts : he cut boughs of the trees best suited for the purpose 
 of making a couch, and surprised his master and Francois by 
 his ingenuity in turning out excellent dishes from the scantiest 
 materials. He would steal away in the night to procure fowls 
 and eggs from neighbouring farmhouses, and although Philip's 
 orders were that he was to pay the full price for everything he 
 required, Philip found when he gave an account a fortnight 
 later of how he had spent the money he had given him, that 
 there was no mention of any payment for these articles. 
 When he rated Pierre for this the latter replied : 
 
 " I did not pay for them, sir. Not in order to save you 
 money, but for the sake of the farmers and their families. It 
 
98 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 would have been worse than cruelty to have aroused them from 
 sleep. The loss of a fowl or two and of a dozen eggs were 
 nothing to them; if they missed them at all they would say 
 that a fox had been there, and they would think no more of it. 
 If, on the other hand, I had waked them up in the middle of the 
 night to pay for these trifles they would have been scared out 
 of their life, thinking when I knocked that some band of 
 robbers was at the door. In their anger at being thus dis- 
 turbed they would have been capable of shooting me, and it is 
 well-nigh certain that at any rate they would have refused to 
 sell their chickens and eggs at that time of the night. So you 
 see, sir, I acted for the best for all parties. Two chickens out 
 of scores was a loss not worth thinking of, while the women 
 escaped the panic and terror that my waking them up would 
 have caused them. When I can pay I will assuredly do so, 
 since that is your desire; but I am sure you will see that under 
 such circumstances it would be a crime to wake people from 
 their sleep for the sake of a few sous." 
 
 Philip laughed. 
 
 "Besides, sir," Pierre went on, "these people were either 
 Huguenots or Catholics. If they were Huguenots they would 
 be right glad to minister to those who are fighting on their 
 behalf; if they were Catholics they would rob and murder us 
 without mercy. Therefore they may think themselves fortu- 
 nate indeed to escape at so trifling a cost from the punishment 
 they deserve." 
 
 "That is all very well, Pierre; but the orders are strict 
 against plundering, and if the Admiral were to catch you you 
 would get a sound thrashing with a stirrup-leather." 
 
 " I have risked worse than that, sir, many times in my life, 
 and if I am caught I will give them leave to use the strap. 
 But you will see, Monsieur Philip, that if the war goes on these 
 niceties will soon become out of fashion. At present the 
 Huguenot lords and gentlemen have money in their pockets to 
 pay for what they want, but after a time money will become 
 scarce. They will see that the armies of the king live on 
 plunder as armies generally do, and when cash runs short they 
 will have to shut their eyes and let the men provide themselves 
 as best they can." 
 
THE BATTLE OF ST. DENIS 99 
 
 "I hope the war won't last long enough for that, Pierre. 
 But at any rate we have money in our pockets at present, and 
 can pay for what we require ; though I do not pretend that it 
 is a serious matter to take a hen out of a coop, especially when 
 you can't get it otherwise, without, as you say, alarming a 
 whole family. However, remember my orders are that every- 
 thing we want is to be paid for." 
 
 " I understand, sir, and you will see that the next time we 
 reckon up accounts every item shall be charged for, so that 
 there will be nothing on your conscience." 
 
 Philip laughed again. "I shall be content if that is the 
 case, Pierre, and I hope that your conscience will be as clear 
 as mine will be." 
 
 On the third of November, just a month after leaving Orleans, 
 De la Noiie with his troop augmented to three hundred joined 
 the Prince of Cond before Paris. During the interval he had 
 traversed the west of France by the route he had marked out 
 for himself, had raised fifty more men among the Huguenots 
 of Brittany, and had been joined on the route by many gentle- 
 men with parties of their retainers. Several bodies of Catho- 
 lics had been met and dispersed. Two or three small towns 
 where the Huguenots had been ill-treated and massacred were 
 entered, the ringleaders in the persecutions had been hung, 
 and the authorities had been compelled to pay a heavy fine, 
 under threat of the whole town being committed to the flames. 
 
 Everywhere he passed La Noiie had caused proclamations 
 to be scattered far and wide to the effect that any ill-treatment 
 of Huguenots would be followed by his return, and by the 
 heaviest punishment being inflicted upon all who molested 
 them. And so, having given great encouragement to the 
 Huguenots and scattered terror among their persecutors, hav- 
 ing ridden great distances and astonished the people of the 
 western provinces by his energy and activity, La Noiie joined 
 the Prince of Conde" with three hundred men. He was 
 heartily welcomed on his arrival at the Huguenot camp at St. 
 Denis. 
 
 Francois de Laville and Philip Fletcher had thoroughly 
 enjoyed the expedition. They had often been in the saddle 
 from early morning till late at night, and had felt the benefit 
 
100 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 of having each two horses, as when the party halted for a day 
 or two they were often sent out with half their troop to visit 
 distant places to see friends, to bring into the camp magis- 
 trates and others who had been foremost in stirring up the 
 people to attack the Huguenots, to enter small towns, throw 
 open prisons and carry off the Huguenots confined there, and 
 occasionally to hang the leaders of local massacres. In these 
 cases they were always accompanied by one or other of the 
 older leaders in command of the party. 
 
 Their spare chargers enabled them to be on horseback every 
 day, while half the troop rested in turn. Sometimes their halts 
 were made in small towns and villages, but more often they 
 bivouacked in the open country; being thus, the Count con- 
 sidered, more watchful and less apt to be surprised. On their 
 return from these expeditions Pierre always had a meal pre- 
 pared for them. In addition to the rations of meat and bread, 
 chicken and eggs, he often contrived to serve up other and 
 daintier food. His old poaching habits were not forgotten. 
 As soon as the camp was formed he would go out and set 
 snares for hares, traps for birds, and lay lines in the nearest 
 stream, while fish and game of some sort were generally added 
 to the fare. 
 
 "Upon my word," the Count, who sometimes rode with 
 them, said one evening, " this varlet of yours, Master Philip, 
 is an invaluable fellow, and Conde" himself cannot be better 
 served than you are. I have half a mind to take him away 
 from you, and to appoint him Provider-in-General to our 
 camp. I warrant me he never learned thus to provide a table 
 honestly; he must have all the tricks of a poacher at his 
 fingers' end." 
 
 " I fancy when he was young he had to shift a good deal for 
 himself, sir," Philip replied. 
 
 "I thought so," La Noiie laughed. "I marked him once 
 or twice behind your chair at Orleans, and methought then 
 that he looked too grave to be honest; and there was a twinkle 
 in his eye that accorded badly with the gravity of his face and 
 his sober attire. Well, there can be no doubt that in war a 
 man who has a spice of the rogue in him makes the best of 
 servants, provided he is but faithful to his master and respects 
 
THE BATTLE OF ST. DENIS 101 
 
 his goods, if he does those of no one else. Your rogue is 
 necessarily a man of resources, and one of that kind will on a 
 campaign make his master comfortable where one with an 
 over-scrupulous varlet will well-nigh starve. I had such a 
 man when I was with Brissac in Northern Italy, but one day 
 he went out and never returned. Whether a provost-marshal 
 did me the ill service of hanging him, or whether he was shot 
 by the peasants, I never knew, but I missed him sorely, and 
 often went fasting to bed when I should have had a good 
 supper had he been with me. It is lucky for you both that 
 you haven't to depend upon that grim-visaged varlet of Fran- 
 $ois'. I have no doubt that the countess thought she was 
 doing well by my cousin when she appointed him to go with 
 him, and I can believe that he would give his life for him, but 
 for all that if you had to depend upon him for your meals you 
 would fare badly indeed." 
 
 De la Nolle was much disappointed on joining the Prince at 
 finding that the latter 's force had not swollen to larger dimen- 
 sions. He had with him, after the arrival of the force the 
 Count had brought from the west, but two thousand horse. 
 Of these a large proportion were gentlemen, attended only by 
 a few personal retainers; a fifth only were provided with 
 lances, and a large number had no defensive armour. Of foot 
 soldiers he had about the same number as of horse, and of 
 these about half were armed with arquebuses, the rest being 
 pikemen. The force under the command of the Constable de 
 Montmorency inside the walls of Paris was known to be enor- 
 mously superior in strength, and the Huguenots were unable to 
 understand why he did not come out to give them battle. 
 They knew, however, that Count Aremberg was on his way 
 from the Netherlands with seventeen hundred horse, sent by 
 the Duke of Alva to the support of the Catholics, and they 
 supposed that Montmorency was waiting for this reinforcement. 
 
 On the Qth of November news arrived that Aremberg was 
 approaching, and D'Andelot, with five hundred horse and 
 eight hundred of the best-trained arquebusiers, was despatched 
 to seize Poissy, and so prevent Aremberg entering Paris. 
 The next morning the Constable, learning that Conde" had 
 weakened his army by this detachment, marched out from 
 
102 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Paris. Seldom have two European armies met with a greater 
 disparity of numbers, for while Conde" had but fifteen hundred 
 horse and twelve hundred foot, the Constable marched out 
 with sixteen thousand infantry, of whom six thousand were 
 Swiss, and three thousand horse. He had eighteen pieces of 
 artillery, while Conde" was without a single cannon. As soon 
 as this force was seen pouring out from the gates of Paris the 
 Huguenot trumpets blew to arms. All wore over their coats 
 or armour a white scarf, the distinguishing badge of the 
 Huguenots, and the horsemen were divided into three bodies. 
 De la Noiie and his following formed part of that under the 
 personal command of Conde". 
 
 "We longed to be here in time for this battle, Philip," 
 Francois said, " but I think this is rather more than we bar- 
 gained for. They must be nearly ten to one against us. 
 There is one thing, although the Swiss are good soldiers, the 
 rest of their infantry are for the most part Parisians, and 
 though these gentry have proved themselves very valiant in 
 the massacre of unarmed Huguenot men, women, and chil- 
 dren, I have no belief in their valour when they have to meet 
 men with swords in their hands. I would, however, that 
 D'Andelot with his five hundred horse and eight hundred 
 arquebusiers, all picked men, were here with us, even if 
 Aremberg with his seventeen hundred horse were ranged 
 under the Constable. As it is I can hardly believe that Conde" 
 and the Admiral will really lead us against that huge mass. 
 I should think that they can but be going to manoeuvre so as 
 to fall back in good order and show a firm face to the enemy. 
 Their footmen would then be of no use to them, and as I do 
 not think their horse are more than twice our strength, we 
 might turn upon them when we get them away from their 
 infantry, and beyond the range of their cannon." 
 
 As soon, however, as the troops were fairly beyond the 
 gates of St. Denis the leaders placed themselves at the head 
 of the three columns, and with a few inspiring words led them 
 forward. Coligny was on the right, La Rochefoucauld, 
 Genlis, and other leaders on the left, and the column com- 
 manded by Conde" himself in the centre. Conde", with a 
 number of nobles and gentlemen, rode in front of the line. 
 
THE BATTLE OF ST. DENIS 103 
 
 Behind them came the men-at-arms with lances, while those 
 armed only with swords and pistols followed. Coligny, on 
 the right, was most advanced, and commenced the battle by 
 charging furiously down upon the enemy's left. Facing 
 Conde" were the great mass of the Catholic infantry, but with- 
 out a moment's hesitation the little band of but five hundred 
 horse charged right down upon them. Fortunately for them 
 it was the Parisians and not the Swiss upon whom their assault 
 fell. The force and impetus of their rush was too much for 
 the Parisians, who broke at the onset, threw away their arms, 
 and fled in a disorderly mob towards the gates of Paris. 
 
 "Never mind those cowards," the Prince shouted, "there 
 is nobler game ;" and followed by his troop he rode at the 
 Constable, who, with a thousand horse, had taken his post 
 behind the infantry. Before this body of cavalry could ad- 
 vance to meet the Huguenots the latter were among them, and 
 a desperate hand-to-hand melee took place. Gradually the 
 Huguenots won their way into the mass, although the old 
 Constable, fighting as stoutly as the youngest soldier, was 
 setting a splendid example to his troops. Robert Stuart, a 
 Scotch gentleman in Condi's train, fought his way up to him 
 and demanded his surrender. The Constable's reply was a 
 blow with the hilt of the sword which nearly struck Stuart from 
 his horse, knocking out three of his teeth. A moment later 
 the Constable was struck by a pistol-ball, but whether it was 
 fired by Stuart himself or one of the gentlemen by his side 
 was never known. The Constable fell, but the fight still 
 raged. 
 
 The Royalists, recovered from the first shock, were now 
 pressing their adversaries. Condi's horse was shot by a 
 musket-ball, and in falling pinned him to the ground so that 
 he was unable to extricate himself. De la Noiie, followed by 
 Frangois and Philip, who were fighting by his side, and other 
 gentlemen, saw his peril, and rushing forward drove back 
 Condi's assailants. Two gentlemen leaping from their horses 
 extricated the Prince from his fallen steed, and, after hard 
 fighting, placed him on a horse before one of them, and the 
 troops, repulsing every attack made on them, fell slowly back 
 to St. Denis. On the right Coligny had more than held his 
 
104 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 own against the enemy, but on the left the Huguenots, en- 
 countering Marshal de Montmorency, the eldest son of the 
 Constable, and suffering heavily from the arquebus and artil- 
 lery fire, had been repulsed, and the Catholics here had gained 
 considerable advantages. 
 
 The flight of a large portion of the infantry, and the dis- 
 order caused in the cavalry by the charges of Cond and 
 Coligny, prevented the Marshal from following up his advan- 
 tage, and as the Huguenots fell back upon St. Denis the Royal- 
 ists retired into Paris, where the wounded Constable had 
 already been carried. Victory was claimed by both sides, 
 but belonged to neither. Each party had lost about four 
 hundred men, a matter of much greater consequence to the 
 Huguenots than to the Catholics, the more so as a large pro- 
 portion of the slain on their side were gentlemen of rank. 
 Upon the other hand the loss of the Constable, who died next 
 day, paralysed for a time the Catholic forces. 
 
 A staunch and even bigoted Catholic, and opposed to any 
 terms of toleration being granted to the Huguenots, he was 
 opposed to the ambition of the Guises, and was the head of 
 the Royalist party as distinguished from that of Lorraine. 
 Catharine, who was the moving spirit of the court, hesitated 
 to give the power he possessed as Constable into hands that 
 might use it against her, and persuaded the king to bestow the 
 supreme command of the army upon his brother, Henri, Duke 
 of Anjou. The divisions in the court caused by the death of 
 the Constable, and the question of his successor, prevented 
 any fresh movements of the army, and enabled the Prince of 
 Cond, after being rejoined by D'Andelot's force, to retire 
 unmolested three days after the battle, the advanced guard of 
 the Royalists having been driven back into Paris by D'Ande- 
 lot on his return, when in his disappointment at being absent 
 from the battle he fell fiercely upon the enemy, and pursued 
 them hotly to the gates, burning several windmills close under 
 the walls. 
 
 On the evening of the battle De la Noiie had presented his 
 cousin and Philip to the Prince, speaking in high terms of 
 the bravery they displayed in the battle, and they had received 
 Condi's thanks for the part they had taken in his rescue from 
 
THE BATTLE OF ST. DENIS 105 
 
 the hands of the Catholics. The Count himself had praised 
 them highly, but had gently chided Francois for the rashness 
 he had shown. 
 
 "It is well to be brave, Francois; but that is not enough. 
 A man who is brave without being prudent, may with fortune 
 escape as you have done from a battle without serious wounds, 
 but he cannot hope for such fortune many times, and his life 
 v/ould be a very short one. Several times to-day you were 
 some lengths ahead of me in the melee, and once or twice I 
 thought you lost, for I was too closely pressed myself to render 
 you assistance. It was the confusion alone that saved you. 
 Your life is a valuable one. You are the head of an old fam- 
 ily, and have no right to throw your life away. Nothing 
 could have been more gallant than your behaviour, Francois, 
 but you must learn to temper bravery by prudence. Your 
 cousin showed his English blood and breeding. When we 
 charged he was half a length behind me, and at that distance 
 he remained through the fight, except when I was very hotly 
 pressed, when he at once closed up beside me. More than 
 once I glanced round at him, and he was fighting with the 
 coolness of a veteran. It was he who called my attention to 
 Conde's fall, which in the melee might have passed unnoticed 
 by me until it was too late to save him. He kept his pistols 
 in his holsters throughout the fray, and it was only when they 
 pressed us so hotly as we were carrying off the Prince that he 
 used them, and, as I observed, with effect. I doubt if there 
 was a pistol save his undischarged at that time; they were a 
 reserve that he maintained for the crisis of the fight. Master 
 Philip, I trust that you will have but small opportunity for 
 winning distinction in this wretched struggle, but were it to 
 last, which heaven forbid, I should say that you would make 
 a name for yourself, as assuredly will my cousin Francois, if 
 he were to temper his enthusiasm with coolness." 
 
 The evening before the Huguenots retired from St. Denis 
 the Count sent for Francois and his cousin. 
 
 "As you will have heard," he said, "we retire to-morrow 
 morning. We have done all, and more than all, that could 
 have been expected from such a force. We have kept Paris 
 shut up for ten weeks, and have maintained our position in 
 
106 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 face of a force, commanded by the Constable of France, of 
 well-nigh tenfold our strength. We are now going to march 
 east to effect a junction with a force under Duke Casimir. 
 He is to bring us over six thousand horse, three thousand 
 foot, and four cannon. The march will be toilsome, but the 
 Admiral's skill will, I doubt not, enable us to elude the force 
 with which the enemy will try to bar our way. The Admiral 
 is sending off the Sieur D'Arblay, whom you both know, to 
 the south of France in order that he may explain to our 
 friends there the reason for our movement to the east, for 
 otherwise the news that we have broken up from before Paris 
 may cause great discouragement. 
 
 " I have proposed to him that you should both accompany 
 him. You have frequently ridden under his orders during our 
 expedition to the west, and he knows your qualities. He has 
 gladly consented to receive you as his companions. It will 
 be pleasant for him to have two gentlemen with him. He 
 takes with him his own following of eight men; six of his 
 band fell in the battle. The Admiral is of opinion that this 
 is somewhat too small a force for safety, but if you each take 
 the four men-at-arms who ride behind you it will double his 
 force. Two of yours fell in the fight I believe, Francois." 
 "I have taken two others from the troop to fill their places." 
 "Your men all came out of it, Philip, did they not? " 
 " Yes, sir. They were all wounded, but none of them seri- 
 ously, and are all fit to ride." 
 
 " You will understand, Frangois, that in separating you from 
 myself I am doing so for your sakes' alone. It will be the 
 Admiral's policy to avoid fighting. Winter is close upon us 
 and the work will be hard and toilsome, and doubtless ere we 
 effect a junction with the Germans very many will succumb 
 to cold and hardship. You are not as yet inured to this 
 work, and I would rather not run the risk of your careers end- 
 ing from such causes. If I thought there was a prospect of 
 fighting I should keep you with me, but being as it is I think 
 it better you should accompany the Sieur D'Arblay. The 
 mission is a dangerous one, and will demand activity, energy, 
 and courage, all of which you possess; but in the south you 
 will have neither cold nor famine to contend with, and far 
 
THE BATTLE OF ST. DENIS 107 
 
 greater opportunities maybe of gaining credit than you would 
 in an army like this, where, as they have proved to the enemy, 
 every man is brave. Another reason, I may own, is that in 
 this case I consider your youth to be an advantage. We could 
 hardly have sent one gentleman on such a mission alone, and 
 with two of equal rank and age, each with eight followers, 
 difficulties and dissensions might have arisen, while you would 
 both be content to accept the orders of the Sieur D'Arblay 
 without discussion, and to look up to him as the leader of 
 your party." 
 
 Although they would rather have remained with the army, 
 the lads at once thanked the Count and stated their willing- 
 ness to accompany the Sieur D'Arblay, whom they both knew 
 and liked, being, like De la Noiie, cheerful and of good 
 spirits, not deeming it necessary to maintain at all times a 
 stern and grave aspect, or a ruggedness of manner, as well as 
 sombre garments. De la Noiie at once took them across to 
 D'Arblay's tent. 
 
 " My cousin and his kinsman will gladly ride with you and 
 place themselves under your orders, D'Arblay. I can warmly 
 commend them to you. Though they are young I can guaran- 
 tee that you will find them, if it comes to blows, as useful as 
 most men ten years their senior, and on any mission that you 
 may intrust to them I think that you can rely upon their dis- 
 cretion; but of that you will judge for yourself when you know 
 somewhat more of them. They will take with them eight 
 men-at-arms, all of whom will be stout fellows, so that with 
 your own men you can traverse the country without fear of any 
 party you are likely to fall in with." 
 
 " I shall be glad to have your cousin and his kinsman with 
 me," D'Arblay said courteously. "Between you and I, De la 
 Noiie, I would infinitely rather have two bright young fellows 
 of spirit than one of our tough old warriors, who deem it sin- 
 ful to smile, and have got a text handy for every occasion. 
 It is not a very bright world for us at present, and I see not 
 the use of making it sadder by always wearing a gloomy coun- 
 tenance." 
 
 The next morning the party started and rode south. Avoid- 
 ing the places held by the Catholics, they visited many of the 
 
108 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 chateaux of Huguenot gentlemen, to whom D'Arblay com- 
 municated the instructions he had received from the Admiral 
 as to the assemblage of troops and the necessity for raising 
 such a force as would compel the Royalists to keep a consid- 
 erable army in the south, and so lessen the number who would 
 gather to oppose his march eastward. 
 
 After stopping for a short time in Navarre, and communi- 
 cating with some of the principal leaders in that little kingdom 
 they turned eastward. They were now passing through a part 
 of the country where party spirit was extremely bitter, and 
 were obliged to use some caution, as they were charged to 
 communicate with men who were secretly well affected to the 
 cause, but who, living within reach of the bigoted parliament 
 of Toulouse, dared not openly avow their faith. 
 
 Toulouse had from the time the troubles first began distin- 
 guished itself for the ferocity with which it had persecuted 
 the Huguenots, yielding obedience to the various royal edicts 
 of toleration most reluctantly, and sometimes openly disobey- 
 ing them. Thus for many miles round the city those of the 
 Reformed faith lived in continual dread, conducting their 
 worship with extreme secrecy when some pastor in disguise 
 visited the neighbourhood, and outwardly conforming to the 
 rites of the Catholic church. Many, however, only needed 
 the approach of a Huguenot army to throw off the mask and 
 take up arms, and it was with these that D'Arblay was spe- 
 cially charged to communicate. Great caution was needed in 
 doing this, as the visit of a party of Huguenots would, if 
 denounced, have called down upon them the vengeance of 
 the parliament, who were animated not only by hatred of the 
 Huguenots, but by the desire of enriching themselves by the 
 confiscation of the estates and goods of those they persecuted. 
 
 The visits,, consequently, were generally made after night- 
 fall, the men-at-arms being left a mile or two away. D'Arblay 
 found everywhere a fierce desire to join in the struggle, re- 
 strained only by the fear of the consequences to wives and 
 families during absence. "Send an army capable of besieg- 
 ing and capturing Toulouse and there is not one of us who 
 will not rise and give his blood for the cause, putting into the 
 field every man he can raise and spending his last crown; but 
 
THE BATTLE OF ST. DENIS 109 
 
 unless such a force approaches we dare not move. We know 
 that we are strictly watched, and that on the smallest pretext 
 we and our families would be dragged to prison. Tell the 
 Admiral that our hearts and our prayers are with him, and that 
 nothing in the world would please us so much as to be fighting 
 under his banner; but until there is a hope of capturing Tou- 
 louse we dare not move." 
 
 Such was the answer at every castle, chateau, and farmhouse 
 where they called. Many of the Huguenots contributed not 
 only the money they had in their houses but their plate and 
 jewels, for money was above all things needed to fulfil the 
 engagements the Admiral had made with the German merce- 
 naries who were on their march to join him. Sometimes 
 Philip and Francois both accompanied their leader on his 
 visits; sometimes they went separately, for they were always 
 able to obtain from the leading men the names of neighbours 
 who were favourable to the cause. In the way of money they 
 succeeded beyond their expectations, for as the gentlemen in 
 the district had not, like those where the parties were more 
 equally divided, impoverished themselves by placing their 
 retainers in the field, they were able to contribute compara- 
 tively large sums to the cause they had at heart. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 A RESCUE 
 
 TYARBLAY and his two companions had been engaged for 
 LJ ten days in visiting the Huguenots within a circuit of 
 four or five leagues round Toulouse when they learned that 
 their movements had been reported to the authorities there. 
 They had one day halted as usual in a wood, when the soldier 
 on the look-out ran in and reported that a body of horsemen, 
 some forty or fifty strong, were approaching at a gallop by the 
 road from the city. 
 
 " They may not be after us," D'Arblay said, " but at any rate 
 they shall not catch us napping." 
 
 Girths were hastily tightened, armour buckled on, and all 
 took their places in their saddles. It was too late to retreat, 
 for the wood was a small one, and the country around open. 
 As the horsemen approached the wood they slackened speed 
 and presently halted facing it. 
 
 "Some spy has tracked us here," D'Arblay said, "but it is 
 one thing to track the game, another to capture it. Let us see 
 what these gentlemen of Toulouse are going to do. I have no 
 doubt that they know our number accurately enough, and if 
 they divide, as I hope they will, we shall be able to give them 
 a lesson." 
 
 This was evidently the intention of the Catholics. After a 
 short pause an officer trotted off with half the troop, making a 
 circuit to come down behind the wood and cut off all retreat. 
 As they moved off the Huguenots could count that there were 
 twenty-five men in each section. 
 
 HO 
 
A RESCUE 111 
 
 "The odds are only great enough to be agreeable," D'Arblay 
 laughed. " It is not as it was outside Paris, where they were 
 ten to one against us. Counting our servants we muster 
 twenty-two, while that party in front are only four stronger, 
 for that gentleman with the long robe is probably an official 
 of their parliament or a city councillor, and need not be 
 counted. We will wait a couple of minutes longer until the 
 other party is fairly out of sight, and then we will begin the 
 dance." 
 
 A minute or two later he gave the word, and the little troop 
 moved through the trees until nearly at the edge of the wood. 
 
 "Now, gentlemen, forward," D'Arblay said, "and God aid 
 the right." 
 
 As in a compact body, headed by the three gentlemen, they 
 burst suddenly from the wood, there was a shout of dismay, 
 and then loud orders from the officer of the troop, halted a 
 hundred and fifty yards away. The men were sitting care- 
 lessly on their horses; they had confidently anticipated taking 
 the Huguenots alive, and thought of nothing less than that the 
 latter should take the offensive. Scarcely had they got their 
 horses into motion before the Huguenots were upon them. 
 The conflict lasted but a minute. Half the Catholics were cut 
 down, the rest turning their horses rode off at full speed. The 
 Huguenots would have followed them, but D'Arblay shouted 
 to them to halt. 
 
 "You have only done half your work yet," he said, "we 
 have the other party to deal with." 
 
 Only one of his Huguenots had fallen, shot through the head 
 by a pistol discharged by the officer, who had himself been a 
 moment later run through by D'Arblay, at whom the shot had 
 been aimed. Gathering his men together the Huguenot 
 leader rode back, and when half-way through the wood they 
 encountered the other party, whose officer had at once ridden 
 to join the party he had left, when he heard the pistol-shot 
 that told him they were engaged with the Huguenots. Al- 
 though not expecting an attack from an enemy they deemed 
 overmatched by their comrades, the troop, encouraged by their 
 officer, met the Huguenots stoutly. The fight was for a short 
 time obstinate. Broken up by the trees, it resolved itself into 
 
112 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 a series of single combats. The Huguenot men-at-arms, how- 
 ever, were all tried soldiers, while their opponents were rather 
 accustomed to the slaughter of defenceless men and women 
 than to a combat with men-at-arms. Coolness and discipline 
 soon asserted themselves. Francois and Philip both held their 
 ground abreast of their leader, and Philip by cutting down the 
 lieutenant brought the combat to a close. His followers on 
 seeing their officer fall at once lost heart, and those who could 
 do so turned their horses and rode off. They were hotly pur- 
 sued, and six were overtaken and cut down; eight had fallen 
 in the conflict in the wood. 
 
 "That has been a pretty sharp lesson," D'Arblay said, as 
 leaving the pursuit to his followers he reined in his horse at 
 the edge of the wood. "You both did right gallantly, young 
 sirs. It is no slight advantage in a melee of that kind to be 
 strong in officers. The fellows fought stoutly for a short time. 
 Had it not been for your despatching their officer, Monsieur 
 Fletcher, we should not have finished with them so quickly. 
 It was a right down blow, and heartily given, and fell just at 
 the joint of the gorget." 
 
 "I am sorry that I killed him," Philip replied. "He 
 seemed a brave gentleman, and was not very many years older 
 than I am myself." 
 
 " He drew it upon himself, " D'Arblay said. " If he had not 
 come out to take us he would be alive now. Well, as soon as 
 our fellows return we will move round to Merlincourt on the 
 other side of the town. There are several of our friends there, 
 and it is the last place we have to visit. After this skirmish 
 we shall find the neighbourhood too hot for us. It is sure to 
 make a great noise, and at the first gleam of the sun on helm 
 or breast-plate some Catholic or other will hurry off to Tou- 
 louse with the news. In future we had best take some of the 
 men-at-arms with us when we pay our visits, or we may be 
 c. night like rats in a trap." 
 
 Making a circuit of twenty miles they approached Merlin- 
 co irt that evening, and establishing themselves as usual in a 
 wood, remained quiet there next day. After nightfall D'Arblay 
 rode off, taking with him Francois and five of his own men, 
 and leaving Philip in command of the rest. The gold and 
 
A RESCUE 113 
 
 jewels they had gathered had been divided into three portions, 
 and the bags placed in the holsters of the saddles of the three 
 lackeys, as these were less likely to be taken than their masters, 
 and if one were captured a portion only of the contributions 
 would be lost. D'Arblay had arranged that he would not 
 return that night, but would sleep at the chateau of the gentle- 
 man he was going to visit. 
 
 " I will get him to send around to our other friends in the 
 morning. The men will return when they see that all is 
 clear. Send them back to meet us at the chateau to-morrow 
 night." 
 
 The five men returned an hour after they set out and reported 
 that all was quiet at Merlincourt/and that the Sieur D'Arblay 
 had sent a message to Philip to move a few miles farther away 
 before morning, and to return to the wood soon after nightfall. 
 Philip gave the men six hours to rest themselves and their 
 horses, they then mounted and rode eight miles farther from 
 Toulouse, halting before daybreak in a thick copse standing 
 on high ground, commanding a view of a wide tract of coun- 
 try. Two of the troopers were sent off to buy provisions in a 
 village half a mile away, two were placed on watch, some of 
 the others lay down for another sleep, while Pierre redressed 
 the wounds that five of the men had received in the fight. 
 At twelve o'clock one of the look-outs reported that he could 
 see away out on the plain a body of horsemen. Philip at once 
 went to examine them for himself. 
 
 " There must be some two hundred of them I should say by 
 the size of the clump," he remarked to the soldier. 
 
 "About that I should say, sir." 
 
 "I expect they are hunting for us," Philip said. "They 
 must have heard from some villager that we were seen to ride 
 round this way the day before yesterday, or they would hardly 
 be hunting in this neighbourhood for us. It is well we moved 
 in the night. I wish the Sieur D'Arblay and the Count de 
 Laville were with us. No doubt they were hidden away as soon 
 as the troop was seen, but one is never secure against treachery." 
 
 Philip was restless and uncomfortable all day, and walked 
 about the wood impatiently longing for night to come. As 
 soon as it was dark they mounted and rode back to the wood 
 
114 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 near Merlincourt. The five men were at once sent off to the 
 chateau where they had left their leaders. 
 
 "That is a pistol-shot!" Pierre exclaimed some twenty 
 minutes after they had left. 
 
 "I did not hear it. Are you sure, Pierre? " 
 
 "Quite sure, sir. At least I will not swear that it was a 
 pistol, it might have been an arquebus, but I will swear it was 
 a shot." 
 
 "To your saddle, men," Philip said. "A pistol-shot has 
 been heard, and it may be that your comrades have fallen into 
 an ambush. Advance to the edge of the wood, and be ready 
 to dash out to support them should they come." 
 
 But a quarter of an hour passed and there was no sound to 
 break the stillness of the evening. 
 
 " Shall I go into the village and find out what has taken 
 place, Monsieur Fletcher? I will leave my iron cap and breast 
 and back pieces here. I shall not want to fight but to run, 
 and a hare could not run in these iron pots." 
 
 " Do, Pierre. We shall be ready to support you if you are 
 chased." 
 
 "If I am chased by half a dozen men I may run here, sir; 
 if by a strong force I shall strike across the country. Trust 
 me to double and throw them off the scent. If I am not back 
 here in an hour, it will be that I am taken or have had to trust 
 to my heels, and you will find me in the last case to-morrow 
 morning at the wood where we halted to-day. If I do not 
 come soon after daybreak, you will know that I am either 
 captured or killed. Do not delay for me longer, but act as 
 seems best to you." 
 
 Pierre took off his armour and sped away in the darkness, 
 going at a trot that would speedily take him to the village. 
 
 "Dismount and stand by your horses," Philip ordered. 
 "We may want all their strength." 
 
 Half an hour later Pierre returned panting. 
 
 " I have bad news, sir. I have prowled about the village, 
 which is full of soldiers, and listened to their talk through 
 open windows. The Sieur D'Arblay, Monsieur Frangois, and 
 the owner of the chateau and his wife were seized and carried 
 off to Toulouse this morning soon after daybreak. By what I 
 
A RESCUE 115 
 
 heard, one of the servants of the chateau was a spy set by the 
 council of Toulouse to watch the doings of its owner, and as 
 soon as Monsieur D'Arblay arrived there last night, he stole 
 out and sent a messenger to Toulouse. At daybreak the 
 chateau was surrounded and they were seized before they had 
 time to offer resistance. The troop of horse we saw have all 
 day been searching for us, and went back before nightfall to 
 Merlincourt, thinking that we should be sure to be going there 
 sometime or other to inquire after our captain. The five men 
 you sent away were taken completely by surprise, and all were 
 killed, though not without a tough fight. A strong party are 
 lying in ambush with arquebuses-, making sure that the rest of 
 the troop will follow the five they surprised." 
 
 "You were not noticed, Pierre, or pursued?" 
 
 "No, sir; there were so many men about in the village that 
 one more stranger attracted no attention." 
 
 "Then we can remain here safely for half an hour," Philip 
 said. 
 
 The conversation had taken place a few paces from the 
 troop. Philip now joined his men. 
 
 "The Sieur D'Arblay and Count Francois have been taken 
 prisoners. Your comrades fell into an ambush, and have, I 
 fear, all lost their lives. Dismount for half an hour, men, 
 while I think over what is best to be done. Keep close to your 
 horses, so as to be in readiness to mount instantly if necessary. 
 One of you take my horse. Do you come with me, Pierre. 
 This is a terrible business, lad," he went on as they walked 
 away from the others. " We know what will be the fate of my 
 cousin and Monsieur D'Arblay. They will be burnt or hung 
 as heretics. The first thing is, how are we to get them out, 
 and also if possible the gentleman and his wife Who were taken 
 with them." 
 
 " We have but ten of the men-at-arms left, sir, and four of 
 them are so wounded that they would not count for much in 
 a fight. There are the two other lackeys and myself; so 
 we are but fourteen in all. If we had arrived in time we 
 might have done something, but now they are firmly lodged 
 in the prison at Toulouse I see not that we can accomplish 
 anything." 
 
116 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Philip fell into silence for some minutes, then he said*. 
 " Many of the councillors and members of parliament live, I 
 think, in villas outside the walls, if we seize a dozen of them, 
 appear before the city and threaten to hang or shoot the whole 
 of them if the four captives are not released, we might succeed 
 in getting our friends into our hands, Pierre." 
 
 " That is so, sir. There really seems a hope for us in that 
 way." 
 
 "Then we will lose no time. We will ride at once for Tou- 
 louse. When we get near the suburbs we will seize some 
 countryman and force him to point out to us the houses of the 
 principal councillors and the members of their parliament. 
 These we will pounce upon and carry off, and at daybreak will 
 appear with them before the walls. We will make one of them 
 signify to their friends that if any armed party sallies out 
 through the gates, or approaches us from behind, it will be the 
 signal for the instant death of all of our captives. Now let us 
 be off at once." 
 
 The party mounted without delay and rode towards Tou- 
 louse. This rich and powerful city was surrounded by hand- 
 some villas and chateaux, the abode of wealthy citizens and 
 persons of distinction. At the first house at which they stopped 
 Philip with Pierre and two of the men-at-arms dismounted and 
 entered. It was the abode of a small farmer, who cultivated 
 vegetables for the use of the townsfolk. He had retired to 
 bed with his family, but upon being summoned came down- 
 stairs trembling, fearing that his late visitors were bandits. 
 
 "No harm will be done you if you obey our orders," Philip 
 said, " but if not we shall make short work of you. I suppose 
 you know the houses of most of the principal persons who live 
 outside the walls?" 
 
 "Assuredly I do, my lord. There is the President of the 
 Parliament and three or four of the principal councillors, and 
 the Judge of the High Court and many others, all living within 
 a short mile of this spot." 
 
 "Well, I require you to guide us to their houses. There 
 will be no occasion for you to show yourself, nor will any one 
 know that you have had aught to do with the matter. If you 
 attempt to escape or to give the alarm, you will without scruple 
 
A RESCUE 117 
 
 be shot; if on the other hand we are satisfied with your work, 
 you will have a couple of crowns for your trouble." 
 
 The man seeing that he had no choice put a good face on 
 it. " I am ready to do as your lordship commands," he said. 
 " I have no reason for good-will towards any of these person- 
 ages, who rule us harshly and regard us as if we were dirt under 
 their feet. Shall we go first to the nearest of them? " 
 
 " No, we will first call on the President of the Parliament, 
 and then the Judge of the High Court, then the councillors in 
 the order of their rank. We will visit ten in all, and see that 
 you choose the most important. Pierre, you will take charge 
 of this man and ride in front of us. Keep your pistol in your 
 hand, and shoot him through the head if he shows signs of 
 trying to escape. You will remain with him when we enter 
 the houses. Have you any rope, my man? " 
 
 " Yes, my lord, I have several long ropes with which I bind 
 the vegetables on my cart when I go to market." 
 
 "That will do, bring them at once." 
 
 Pierre accompanied the man when he went to his shed. 
 On his return with the ropes Philip told the men-at-arms to 
 cut them into lengths of eight feet, and to make a running 
 noose at one end of each. When this was done they again 
 mounted and moved on. 
 
 "When we enter the houses," he said to the two other 
 lackeys, "you will remain without with Pierre, and will take 
 charge of the first four prisoners we bring out. Put the nooses 
 round their necks and draw them tight enough to let the men 
 feel that they are there. Fasten the other ends to your sad- 
 dles, and warn them if they put up their hands to throw off 
 the nooses you will spur your horses into a gallop. That 
 threat will keep them quiet enough." 
 
 In a quarter of an hour they arrived at the gate of a large 
 and handsome villa. Philip ordered his men to dismount 
 and fasten up their horses. 
 
 "You will remain here in charge of the horses," he said to 
 the lackeys, and then with the men-at-arms he went up to the 
 house. Two of them were posted at the back entrance, two 
 at the front, with orders to let no one issue out. Then with 
 his dagger he opened the shutters of one of the windows, and 
 
118 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 followed by the other six men entered. The door was soon 
 found, and opening it they found themselves in a hall where 
 a hanging light was burning. Several servants were asleep on 
 the floor. These started up with exclamations of alarm at 
 seeing seven men with drawn swords. 
 
 "Silence!" Philip said sternly, "or this will be your last 
 moment. Roger and Jules, do you take each one of these 
 lackeys by the collar. That is right. Now put your pistols 
 to their heads. Now, my men, lead us at once to your mas- 
 ter's chamber. Eustace, light one of these torches on the 
 wall at the lamp and bring it along with you. Henri, do you 
 also come with us, the rest of you stay here and guard these 
 lackeys. Make them sit down. If any of them move run 
 him through without hesitation." 
 
 At this moment an angry voice was heard shouting above. 
 
 "What is all this disturbance about? If I hear another 
 sound I will discharge you all in the morning." 
 
 Philip gave a loud and derisive laugh, which had the effect 
 he had anticipated, for directly afterwards a man in a loose 
 dressing-gown ran into the hall. 
 
 "What does this mean, you rascals?" he shouted angrily 
 as he entered. Then he stopped petrified with astonishment. 
 
 "It means this," Philip said, levelling a pistol at him, 
 "that if you move a step you are a dead man." 
 
 "You must be mad," the president gasped. "Do you know 
 who I am?" 
 
 " Perfectly, sir. You are president of the infamous parlia- 
 ment of Toulouse. I am a Huguenot officer, and you are my 
 prisoner. You need not look so indignant; better men than 
 you have been dragged from their homes to prison and death 
 by your orders. Now it is your turn to be a prisoner. I 
 might, if I chose, set fire to this chateau and cut the throats 
 of all in it, but we do not murder in the name of God, we 
 leave that to you. Take this man away with you, Eustace. 
 I give him into your charge; if he struggles or offers the least 
 resistance stab him to the heart." 
 
 "You will at least give me time to dress, sir?" the presi- 
 dent said. 
 
 "Not a moment," Philip replied. "The night is warm, 
 
A RESCUE 119 
 
 and you will do very well as you are. As for you," he went 
 on turning to the servants, " you will remain quiet until morn- 
 ing, and if any of you dare to leave the house you will be 
 slain without mercy. You can assure your mistress that she 
 will not be long without the society of your master, for in all 
 probability he will be returned safe and sound before mid- 
 day to-morrow. One of you may fetch your master's cloak, 
 since he seems to fear the night air." 
 
 The doors were opened and they issued out, Philip bidding 
 the servants close and bar them behind them. When they 
 reached the horses the prisoner was handed over to D'Ar- 
 blay's lackey, who placed the noose" round his neck and gave 
 him warning as Philip had instructed him. Then they set off, 
 Pierre with the guide again leading the way. Before morn- 
 ing they had ten prisoners in their hands. In one or two 
 cases the servants had attempted opposition, but they were 
 speedily overpowered, and the captures were all effected with- 
 out loss of life. The party then moved away about a mile, 
 and the prisoners were allowed to sit down. Several of them 
 were elderly men, and Philip picked these out by the light of 
 two torches they had brought from the last house, and ordered 
 the ropes to be removed from their necks. 
 
 "I should regret, gentlemen," he said, "the indignity that 
 I have been forced to place upon you had you been other than 
 you are. It is well, however, that you should have felt, 
 though in a very slight degree, something of the treatment that 
 you have all been instrumental in inflicting upon blameless 
 men and women, whose only fault was that they chose to wor- 
 ship God in their own way. You may thank your good fort- 
 une at having fallen into the hands of one who has had no 
 dear friends murdered in the prisons of Toulouse. There are 
 scores of men who would have strung you up without mercy, 
 thinking it a righteous retribution for the pitiless cruelties of 
 which the parliament of Toulouse has been guilty. 
 
 " Happily for you, though I regard you with loathing as 
 pitiless persecutors, I have no personal wrongs to avenge. 
 Your conscience will tell you that, fallen as you have into the 
 hands of Huguenots, you could only expect death; but it is 
 not for the purpose of punishment that you have been cap- 
 
20 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 tured; you are taken as hostages. My friends the Count de 
 Laville and the Sieur D'Arblay were yesterday carried pris- 
 oners into Toulouse, and with them Monseiur de Merouville, 
 whose only fault was that he had afforded them a night's shel- 
 ter. His innocent wife was also dragged away with him. 
 You sir," he said to one of the prisoners, "appear to me to 
 be the oldest of the party. At daybreak you will be released, 
 and will bear to your colleagues in the city the news that these 
 nine persons are prisoners in my hands. You will state that 
 if any body of men approaches this place from any quarter 
 these nine persons will at once be hung up to the branches 
 above us. You will say that I hold them as hostages for the 
 four prisoners, and that I demand that these shall be sent out 
 here with their horses and the arms of my two friends and 
 under the escort of two unarmed troopers. These gentlemen 
 here will, before, you start, sign a document ordering the said 
 prisoners at once to be released, and will also sign a solemn 
 undertaking, which will be handed over to Monsieur de 
 Merouville, pledging themselves that should he and his wife 
 choose to return to their chateau no harm shall ever happen to 
 them, and no accusation of any sort in the future be brought 
 against them. 
 
 " I may add that should at any time this guarantee be broken, 
 I shall consider it my duty the moment I hear of the event to 
 return to this neighbourhood, and assuredly I will hang the 
 signatories of the guarantee over their own door-posts and will 
 burn their villas to the ground. I know the value of oaths 
 sworn to Huguenots; but in this case I think they will be kept, 
 for I swear to you and I am in the habit of keeping my oaths 
 that if you break your undertaking I will not break mine." 
 
 As soon as it was daylight Pierre produced from his saddle- 
 bag an ink-horn, paper, and pens, and the ten prisoners 
 signed their name to an order for the release of the four cap- 
 tives. They then wrote another document to be handed by 
 their representative to the governor, begging him to see that 
 the order was executed, informing him of the position they 
 were in, and that their lives would certainly be forfeited un- 
 less the prisoners were released without delay; they also ear- 
 nestly begged him to send out orders to the armed forces who 
 
A RESCUE 121 
 
 were searching for the Huguenots, bidding them make no 
 movement whatever until after mid-day. 
 
 The councillor was then mounted on a horse and escorted 
 by two of the men-at-arms to within a quarter of a mile of the 
 nearest gate of the city. The men were to return with his 
 horse. The councillor was informed that ten o'clock was the 
 limit given for the return of the prisoners, and that unless they 
 had by that hour arrived it would be supposed that the order 
 for their release would not be respected, and in that case the 
 nine hostages would be hung forthwith, and that in the course 
 of a night or two. another batch would be carried off. Philip 
 had little fear, however, that there would be any hesitation 
 upon the part of those in the town in acting upon the order 
 signed by so many important persons, for the death of the 
 president and several of the leading members of the parlia- 
 ment would create such an outcry against the governor by 
 their friends and relatives, that he would not venture to refuse 
 the release of four prisoners of minor importance in order to 
 save their lives. 
 
 After the messenger had departed Philip had the guarantee 
 for the safety of Monsieur de Merouville and his wife drawn 
 up and signed in duplicate. 
 
 "One of these documents," he said, "I shall give to Mon- 
 sieur de Merouville, the other I shall keep myself, so that if 
 this solemn guarantee is broken I shall have this as a justifica- 
 tion for the execution of the perjured men who signed it." 
 
 The time passed slowly. Some of the prisoners walked 
 anxiously and impatiently to and fro, looking continually 
 towards the town; others sat in gloomy silence, too humili- 
 ated at their present position even to talk to one another. 
 The soldiers on the contrary were in high spirits; they re- 
 joiced at the prospect of the return of their two leaders, and 
 they felt proud of having taken part in such an exploit as the 
 capture of the chief men of the dreaded parliament of Tou- 
 louse. Four of them kept a vigilant guard over the prisoners, 
 the rest ate their breakfast with great gusto and laughed and 
 joked at the angry faces of some of their prisoners. It was 
 just nine o'clock when a small group of horsemen were seen 
 in the distance. 
 
122 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "I think there are six of them, sir," Eustace said. 
 
 "That is the right number, Eustace. The lady is doubtless 
 riding behind her husband, two men are the escort, and the 
 other is no doubt the councillor we released, who is now act- 
 ing as guide to this spot. Bring my horse, Pierre," and 
 mounting Philip rode off to meet the party. He was soon 
 able to make out the figures of Francois and D'Arblay, and 
 putting his horse to a gallop was speedily alongside of them. 
 
 "What miracle is this?" Monsieur D'Arblay asked after 
 the first greeting was over. " At present we are all in a maze. 
 We were in separate dungeons, and the prospect looked as 
 hopeless as it could well do, when the doors opened and an 
 officer followed by two soldiers bearing our armour and arms 
 entered and told us to attire ourselves. What was meant we 
 could not imagine. We supposed we were going to be led 
 before some tribunal, but why they should arm us before tak- 
 ing us there was more than we could imagine. We met in 
 the courtyard of the prison, and were stupefied at seeing our 
 horses saddled and bridled there, and Monsieur de Merou- 
 ville and his wife already mounted. Two unarmed troopers 
 were also there, and this gentleman, who said sourly, ' Mount, 
 sirs, I am going to lead you to your friends. ' We looked at 
 each other to see if we were dreaming, but you may imagine 
 we were not long in leaping into our saddles. This gentleman 
 has not been communicative. In fact by his manner I should 
 say he is deeply disgusted at the singular mission with which 
 he was charged, and on the ride here Francois, Monsieur de 
 Merouville, and myself have exhausted ourselves in conject- 
 ures as to how this miracle has come about." 
 
 " Wait two or three minutes longer, " Philip said with a smile. 
 " When you get to yonder trees you will receive an explana- 
 tion." 
 
 Francois and Monsieur D'Arblay gazed in surprise at the 
 figures of nine men, all in scanty raiments, wrapped up in 
 cloaks, and evidently guarded by the men-at-arms, who set up 
 a joyous shout as they rode in. Monsieur de Merouville 
 uttered an exclamation of astonishment as he recognized the 
 dreaded personages collected together in such a plight. 
 
 "Monsieur de Merouville," Philip said, "I believe you 
 
A RESCUE 123 
 
 know these gentlemen by sight. Monsieur D'Arblay and 
 Francois, you are not so fortunate as to be acquainted with 
 them, and I have pleasure in introducing to you the President 
 of the Parliament of Toulouse, the Judge of the High Court, 
 and other councillors, all gentlemen of consideration. It has 
 been my misfortune to have had to treat these gentlemen with 
 scant courtesy, but the circumstances left me no choice. 
 Monsieur de Merouville, here is a document, signed by these 
 nine gentlemen, giving a solemn undertaking that you and 
 Madame shall be in future permitted to reside in your chateau 
 without the slightest let or hindrance, and that you shall suffer 
 no molestation whatever, either on account of this affair or 
 on the question of religion. I have a duplicate of this docu- 
 ment, and have on my part given an undertaking that if its 
 terms are broken I will at whatever inconvenience to myself 
 return to this neighbourhood, hang these ten gentlemen if I 
 can catch them, and at any rate burn their chateaux to the 
 ground. Therefore, I think as you have their undertaking 
 and mine you can without fear return home; but this, of 
 course, I leave to yourself to decide. Gentlemen, you are 
 now free to return to your homes, and I trust this lesson 
 that we on our part can strike if necessary will have some 
 effect in moderating your zeal for persecution." 
 
 Without a word the president and his companions walked 
 away in a body. The troopers began to jeer and laugh, but 
 Philip held up his hand for silence. 
 
 "There need be no extra scorn," he said, "these gentle- 
 men have been sufficiently humiliated." 
 
 "And you really fetched all these good gentlemen from 
 their beds," D'Arblay said, bursting into a fit of laughter. 
 "Why, it was worth being taken prisoner were it only for the 
 sake of seeing them. They looked like a number of old owls 
 suddenly disturbed by daylight some of them round-eyed 
 with astonishment, some of them hissing menacingly. By 
 my faith, Philip, it will go hard with you if you ever fall into 
 the hands of those worthies. But a truce to jokes. W T e owe 
 you our lives, Philip; of that there is not a shadow of doubt. 
 Though I have no more fear than another of death in battle, 
 I own that I have a dread of being tortured and burned. It 
 
124 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 was a bold stroke thus to carry off the men who have been the 
 leaders of the persecution against us." 
 
 "There was nothing in the feat, if it can be called a feat," 
 Philip said. " Of course directly we heard that you had been 
 seized and carried into Toulouse, I cast about for the best 
 means to save you. To attempt it by force would have been 
 simple madness, and any other plan would have required 
 time, powerful friends, and a knowledge of the city; and 
 even then we should probably have failed to get you out of 
 prison. This being so, it was evident that the best plan was 
 to seize some of the citizens of importance, who might serve 
 as hostages. There was no difficulty in finding out from a 
 small cultivator who were the principal men living outside 
 the walls, and their capture was as easy a business. Scarcely 
 a blow was struck and no lives lost in capturing the whole of 
 them." 
 
 "But some of the men are missing," D'Arblay said. 
 
 "Yes; five of your men, I am sorry to say. On getting 
 back to the wood after dark I sent them, as you ordered, to 
 fetch you from Monsieur de Merouville's; but of course you 
 had been captured before that, and they fell into an ambush 
 that was laid for them and were all killed." 
 
 " That is a bad business, Philip. Well, M. de Merouville, 
 will you go with us or will you trust in this safeguard? " 
 
 "In the first place, you have not given me a moment's op- 
 portunity of thanking this gentleman, not only for having 
 saved the lives of my wife and myself, but for the forethought 
 and consideration with which he has, in the midst of his anxi- 
 ety for you and Monsieur de Laville, shown for us who were 
 entire strangers to him. Be assured, Monsieur Fletcher, that 
 we are deeply grateful. I hope that some time in the future, 
 should peace ever again be restored to France, we may be 
 able to meet you again and express more warmly the obliga- 
 tions we feel towards you." 
 
 Madame de Merouville added a few words of gratitude, and 
 then D'Arblay broke in with 
 
 " De Merouville, you must settle at once whether to go with 
 us or stay on the faith of this safeguard. We have no such 
 protection, and if we linger here we shall be having half a 
 
A RESCUE 125 
 
 dozen troops of horse after us. You may be sure they will be 
 sent off as soon as the president and his friends reach the city, 
 and if we were caught again we should be in an even worse 
 plight than before. Do you talk it over with Madame, and 
 while you are doing so Francois and I will drink a flask of 
 wine, and eat anything we can find here, for they forgot to 
 give us breakfast before they sent us off, and it is likely we 
 shall not have another opportunity for some hours." 
 
 "What do you think, Monsieur Fletcher?" M. de Merou- 
 ville said after speaking for a few minutes with his wife; "will 
 they respect this pledge ? If not we must go, but we are both 
 past the age when we can take up life anew. My property 
 would, of course, be confiscated, and we should be penniless 
 anong strangers." 
 
 "I think they will respect the pledge," Philip replied. "I 
 assured them so solemnly that any breach of their promises 
 would be followed by prompt vengeance upon themselves and 
 their homes, that I feel sure they will not run the risk. Two 
 or three among them might possibly do so, but the others would 
 restrain them. I believe that you can safely return, and that, 
 for a long time, at any rate, you will be unmolested. Still, if 
 I might advise, I should say sell your property as soon as you 
 can find a purchaser at any reasonable price, and then remove 
 either to La Rochelle or cross the sea to England. You may 
 be sure that there will be a deep and bitter hatred against you 
 by those whose humiliation you have witnessed." 
 
 "Thank you, I will follow your advice, M. Fletcher, and I 
 hope that I may ere long have the pleasure of seeing you, and 
 of worthily expressing our deep sense of the debt of gratitude 
 we owe you." 
 
 Five minutes later the troop mounted and rode away, while 
 M. de Merouville, with his wife behind him, started for home. 
 
 " I hope, Frangois," D'Arblay said as they galloped off from 
 the wood, " that the next time I ride on an expedition your 
 kinsman may again be with me, for he has wit and resources 
 that render him a valuable companion indeed." 
 
 " I had great hopes, even when I was in prison, and things 
 looked almost as bad as they could be," Frangois said, "that 
 Philip would do something to help us. I had much faith in 
 
126 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 his long-headedness, and so has the countess, my mother. She 
 said to me when we started, 'You are older than Philip, Fran- 
 cois, but you will act wisely if in cases of difficulty you defer 
 your opinions to his; his training has given him self-reliance 
 and judgment, and he has been more in the habit of thinking 
 for himself than you have,' and certainly he has fully justified 
 her opinion. Where do you propose to ride next, D'Arblay? " 
 
 "For La Rochelle; I shall not feel safe until I am within 
 the walls. Presidents of Parliament, judges of High Court, 
 and dignified functionaries are not to be dragged from their 
 beds with impunity. Happily it will take them an hour and 
 a half to walk back to the town, or longer perhaps, for they 
 will doubtless go first to their own homes. They will never 
 show themselves in such sorry plight in the streets of the city 
 where they are accustomed to lord it; so we may count on at 
 least two hours before they can take any steps. After that they 
 will move heaven and earth to capture us. They will send out 
 troops of horse after us, and messengers to every city in the 
 province calling upon the governors to take every means to 
 seize us. We have collected a good sum of money, and car- 
 ried out the greater portion of our mission. We shall only 
 risk its loss, as well as the loss of our own lives, by going 
 forward. The horses are fresh, and we will put as many miles 
 between us and Toulouse as they can carry us before nightfall." 
 
 The return journey was accomplished without misadventure. 
 They made no more halts than were required to rest their 
 horses, and travelling principally at night they reached La 
 Rochelle without having encountered any body of the enemy. 
 
 While they had been absent the army of Cond and the 
 Admiral had marched into Lorraine, and eluding the forces that 
 barrqd his march, effected a junction with the German men-at- 
 arms who had been brought to their aid by the Duke Casimir, 
 the second son of the Elector Palatine. However, the Ger- 
 mans refused to march a step farther unless they received the 
 pay that had been agreed upon before they started. Condi's 
 treasury was empty, and he had no means whatever of satisfying 
 their demand. In vain Duke Casimir himself tried to persuade 
 his soldiers to defer their claims and to trust their French 
 co-religionists to satisfy their demands later on. They were 
 
A RESCUE 127 
 
 unanimous in their refusal to march a step until they obtained 
 their money. 
 
 The Admiral then addressed himself to his officers and sol- 
 diers. He pointed out to them that at the present moment 
 everything depended upon their obtaining the assistance of 
 the Germans, who were indeed only demanding their rights 
 according to the agreement that had been made with them, and 
 he implored them to come to the assistance of the Prince and 
 himself at this crisis. So great was his influence among his 
 soldiers that his appeal was promptly and generally acceded 
 to, and officers and men alike stripped themselves of their 
 chains, jewels, money, and valuables of all kinds, and so made 
 up the sum required to satisfy the Germans. 
 
 As soon as this important affair had been settled, the united 
 army turned its face again westward, with the intention of 
 giving battle anew under the walls of Paris. It was, however, 
 terribly deficient in artillery, powder, and stores of all kinds, 
 and the military chest being empty, and the soldiers without 
 pay, it was necessary on the march to exact contributions from 
 the small Catholic towns and villages through which the army 
 marched, and in spite of the orders of the Admiral a certain 
 amount of pillage was carried on by the soldiers. Having 
 recruited the strength of his troops by a short stay at Orleans, 
 the Admiral moved towards Paris. Since the commencement 
 of the war negotiations had been going on fitfully. When the 
 court thought that the Huguenots were formidable they pushed 
 on the negotiations in earnest. Whenever, upon the contrary, 
 they believed that the royal forces would be able to crush those 
 of the Admiral, the negotiations at once came to a stand-still. 
 
 During the Admiral's long march to the east they would 
 grant no terms whatever that could possibly be accepted, but 
 as soon as the junction was effected with Duke Casimir and 
 his Germans, and the Huguenot army again turned its face to 
 Paris, the court became eager to conclude peace. When the 
 Prince of Condi's army arrived before Chartres the negotiators 
 met, and the king professed a readiness to grant so many con- 
 cessions that it seemed as if the objects of the Huguenots 
 could be attained without further fighting, and the Cardinal 
 of Chatillon and some Huguenot nobles went forward to have 
 
128 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 a personal conference with the royal commissioners at Lon- 
 jumeau. 
 
 After much discussion the points most insisted upon by the 
 Huguenots were conceded and the articles of a treaty drawn 
 up, copies of which were sent to Paris and Chartres. The 
 Admiral and Conde both perceived that, in the absence of any 
 guarantees for the observance of the conditions to which the 
 other side bound themselves, the treaty would be of little avail, 
 as it could be broken as soon as the army now menacing Paris 
 was scattered. The feeling among the great portion of the 
 nobles and their followers was, however, strongly in favour of 
 the conditions being accepted. The nobles were becoming 
 beggared by the continuance of the war, the expenses of which 
 had, for the most part, to be paid from their private means. 
 Their followers, indeed, received no pay, but they had to be 
 fed, and their estates were lying untilled for want of hands. 
 Their men were eager to return to their farms and families, 
 and so strong and general was the desire for peace that the 
 Admiral and Cond bowed to it. 
 
 They agreed to the terms, and pending their ratification 
 raised the siege of Chartres. Already their force was dwindling 
 rapidly; large numbers marched away to their homes without 
 even asking for leave, and their leaders soon ceased to be in a 
 position to make any demands for guarantees, and the peace 
 of Lonjumeau was therefore signed. Its provisions gave very 
 little more to the Huguenots than that of the preceding arrange- 
 ment of the same kind, and the campaign left the parties in 
 much the same position as they had occupied before the 
 Huguenots took up arms. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE THIRD HUGUENOT WAR 
 
 BEFORE the treaty of Lonjumeau had been signed many 
 weeks, the Huguenots were sensible of the folly they had 
 committed in throwing away all the advantages they had gained 
 in the war by laying down their arms upon the terms of a 
 treaty made by a perfidious woman, and a weak and unstable 
 king, with advisers bent upon destroying the reformed religion. 
 They had seen former edicts of toleration first modified and 
 then revoked, and they had no reason even to hope that the 
 new treaty, which had been wrung from the court by its fears, 
 would be respected by it. The Huguenots were not surprised 
 to find, therefore, that as soon as they had sent back their 
 German auxiliaries and returned to their homes the ink, 
 indeed, was scarcely dry on the paper upon which the treaty- 
 was written its conditions were virtually annulled. 
 
 From the pulpit of every Catholic church in France the 
 treaty was denounced in the most violent language, and it was 
 openly declared that there could be no peace with the Hugue- 
 nots. These, as they returned home, were murdered in great 
 numbers, and in many of the cities the mobs rose and massa- 
 cred the defenceless Protestants. Heavy as had been the 
 persecutions before the outbreak of the war, they were exceeded 
 by those that followed it. Some of the governors of the 
 provinces openly refused to carry out the conditions of the 
 treaty. Charles issued a proclamation that the edict was not 
 intended to include any of the districts that were appanages 
 of his mother or of any of the royal or Bourbon princes. In 
 
 129 
 
130 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 the towns the soldiers were quartered upon the Huguenots, 
 whom they robbed and ill-treated at their pleasure; and during 
 the six months that this nominal peace lasted no less than ten 
 thousand Huguenots were slaughtered in various parts of 
 France. 
 
 " The Prince of Conde", the Admiral, his brothers, and our 
 other leaders, may be skilful generals and brave men," the 
 Countess de Laville said indignantly to Francois, when with 
 the troop, reduced by war, fever, and hardship to one-third of 
 its number, he had returned to the chateau, "but they cannot 
 have had their senses about them when they permitted them- 
 selves to be cozened into laying down their arms without 
 receiving a single guarantee that the terms of the treaty 
 should be observed. Far better never to have taken up arms 
 at all. The king has come to regard us as enemies; the 
 Catholics hate us more than ever for our successful resistance. 
 Instead of being in a better position than we were before, we 
 shall be in a worse. We have given up all the towns we had 
 captured, thrown away every advantage we had gained, and 
 when we are again driven to take up arms we shall be in a 
 worse position than before, for they no longer despise us, and 
 will in future be on their guard. There will be no repeating 
 the surprise of last September. I am disappointed above all 
 in the Admiral, D'Andelot, La Rochefoucauld, and Genlis. 
 Cond I have never trusted as one to be relied upon in an 
 extremity. He is a royal prince, has been brought up in 
 courts, and loves gaiety and ease; and although I say not that 
 he is untrue to the Huguenot cause, yet he would gladly accom- 
 modate matters; and as we see even in this treaty, the great 
 bulk of the Huguenots all over the country have been utterly 
 deserted, their liberty of worship denied, and their very lives 
 are at the mercy of the bigots. What do you think, Philip? 
 Have you had enough of fighting for a party who wilfully throw 
 away all that they have won by their sacrifices? Are you 
 thinking of returning home, or will you wait for a while to 
 see how matters go on? " 
 
 "I will, with your permission, wait," Philip said. "I 
 lament this peace, which seems to me to leave us in a worse 
 position than before the war; but I agree with you that it 
 
THE THIRD HUGUENOT WAR 131 
 
 cannot last, and that ere long the Huguenots will be driven 
 again to take up arms. Frangois and I have become as 
 brothers, and until the cause is either lost or won I would fain 
 remain." 
 
 "That is well, Philip; I will be glad to have you with us, 
 my nephew. La Noiie wrote to me a month since saying that 
 both my son and you had borne yourselves very gallantly, that 
 he was well pleased to have had you with him, and that he 
 thought that if these wars of religion continued, which they 
 might well do for a long time, as in Germany and Holland as 
 well as in France the reformed religion is battling for freedom, 
 you would both rise to eminence., as soldiers. However, now 
 that peace is made we must make the best of it. I should 
 think it will not be broken until after the harvest and vintage, 
 for until then all will be employed, and the Catholics as well 
 as the Huguenots must repair their losses and gather funds 
 before they can again take the field with their retainers. 
 Therefore until then I think that there will be peace." 
 
 The summer passed quietly at Laville. The tales of massa- 
 cre and outrage that came from all parts of France filled them 
 with horror and indignation, but in their own neighbourhood 
 all was quiet. Rochelle had refused to open her gates to the 
 royal troops, and as in all that district the Huguenots were too 
 numerous to be interfered with by their neighbours, the quiet 
 was unbroken. Nevertheless it was certain that hostilities 
 would not be long delayed. The Catholics, seeing the advan- 
 tage that the perfect organization of the Huguenots had given 
 them at the commencement of the war, had established leagues 
 in almost every province. These were organized by the clergy 
 and the party that looked upon the Guises as their leaders, and 
 by the terms of their constitution were evidently determined 
 to carry out the extirpation of the reformed religion with or 
 without the royal authority, and were, indeed, bent upon form- 
 ing a third party in the state, looking to Philip of Spain rather 
 than to the King of France as their leader. 
 
 So frequent and daring were the outrages in Paris that Condf 
 soon found that his life was not safe there, and retired to 
 Noyers, a small town in Burgundy. Admiral Coligny, who 
 had been saddened by the loss of his brave wife, who had died 
 
132 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 from a disease contracted in attending upon the sick and 
 wounded soldiers at Orleans, had abandoned the chateau at 
 Chatillon-sur-Loing, where he had kept up a princely hospi- 
 tality, and retired to the castle of Tanlay, belonging to his 
 brother D'Andelot, situated within a few miles of Noyers. 
 D'Andelot himself had gone to Brittany, after writing a remon- 
 strance to Catherine de Medici upon the ruin and desolation 
 that the breaches of the treaty and the persecution of a section 
 of the population were bringing upon France. 
 
 The Chancellor L'Hopital had in vain urged toleration. 
 His adversaries in the royal council were too strong for him. 
 The Cardinal of Lorraine had regained his old influence. The 
 king appointed as his preachers four of the most violent 
 advocates of persecution. The De Montmorencys for a time 
 struggled successfully against the influence of the Cardinal of 
 Lorraine, who sought supreme power under cover of Henry of 
 Anjou's name. Three of the marshals of France, Montmor- 
 ency, his brother Danville, and Vielleville, supported by Car- 
 dinal Bourbon, demanded of the council that D'Anjou should 
 no longer hold the office of lieutenant-general. Catherine at 
 times aided the Guises, at times the Montmorencys, playing 
 off one party against the other, but chiefly inclining to the 
 Guises, who gradually obtained such an ascendancy that the 
 Chancellor L'Hopital in despair retired from the council, and 
 thus removed the greatest obstacle to the schemes and ambition 
 of the Cardinal of Lorraine. 
 
 At the commencement of August the king despatched to all 
 parts of his dominions copies of an oath that was to be 
 demanded from every Huguenot; it called upon them to swear 
 never to take up arms save by the express command of the 
 king, nor to assist with counsel, money, or food any who did 
 so, and to join their fellow-citizens in the defence of their 
 towns against those who disobeyed this mandate. The Hugue- 
 nots unanimously declined to sign the oath. 
 
 With the removal of the chancellor from the council the 
 party of Lorraine became triumphant, and it was determined 
 to seize the whole of the Huguenot leaders, who were quietly 
 residing upon their estates in distant parts of France. Gas- 
 pard de Tavannes was charged with the arrest of Cond and 
 
THE THIRD HUGUENOT WAR 133 
 
 the Admiral; and fourteen companies of men-at-arms and as 
 many of infantry were placed under his orders, and these were 
 quietly and secretly marched to Noyers. 
 
 Fortunately Conde" received warning just before the blow 
 was going to be struck. He was joined at Noyers by the 
 Admiral with his daughter and sons, and the wife and infant 
 son of D'Andelot. Cond himself had with him his wife and 
 children. They were joined by a few Huguenot noblemen 
 from the neighbourhood, and these with the servants of the 
 Prince and Admiral formed an escort of about a hundred and 
 fifty horse. Escape seemed well-nigh hopeless. Tavannes' 
 troops guarded most of the avenues of escape. There was no 
 place of refuge save La Rochelle, several hundred miles away 
 on the other side of France. Every city was in the hands of 
 their foes, and their movements were encumbered with the 
 presence of women and young children. 
 
 There was but one thing in their favour their enemies 
 naturally supposed that should they attempt to escape they 
 would do so in the direction of Germany, where they would 
 be warmly welcomed by the Protestant princes. Therefore it 
 was upon that line that the greatest vigilance would be dis- 
 played by their enemies. Before starting Coligny sent off a 
 very long and eloquent protest to the king, defending himself 
 for the step that he was about to take, giving a history of the 
 continuous breaches of the treaty, and of the sufferings that 
 had been inflicted upon the Huguenots, and denouncing the 
 Cardinal of Lorraine and his associates as the guilty causes of 
 all the misfortunes that had fallen upon France. 
 
 It was on the 23d of August that the party set out from 
 Noyers. Their march was prompt and rapid. Contrary to 
 expectation they discovered an unguarded ford across the 
 Loire, near the town of Laussonne. This ford was only passa- 
 ble when the river was unusually low, and had therefore es- 
 caped the vigilance of their foes. The weather had been for 
 some time dry, and they were enabled with much difficulty to 
 effect a crossing, a circumstance which was regarded by the 
 Huguenots as a special act of Providence, the more so as 
 heavy rain fell the moment they had crossed, and the river 
 rose so rapidly that when, a few hours later, the cavalry of 
 
134 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Tavannes arrived in pursuit they were unable to effect a 
 passage. 
 
 The party had many other dangers and difficulties to encoun- 
 ter, but by extreme caution and rapidity of movement they 
 succeeded in baffling their foes and in making their way across 
 France. 
 
 On the evening of the i6th of September a watchman on a 
 tower of the chateau of Laville shouted to those in the court- 
 yard that he perceived a considerable body of horsemen in 
 the distance. A vigilant watch had been kept up for some 
 time, for an army had for some weeks been collected with the 
 ostensible motive of capturing Rochelle and compelling it to 
 receive a royal garrison; and as on its approach parties would 
 probably be sent out to capture and plunder the chateaux and 
 castles of the Huguenot nobles, everything had been prepared 
 for a siege. The alarm-bell was at once rung to warn the 
 neighbourhood of approaching danger. The vacancies caused 
 in the garrison during the war had been lately filled up, and 
 the gates were now closed and the walls manned, the countess 
 herself, accompanied by her son Philip, taking her place on 
 the tower by the gateway. 
 
 The party halted three or four hundred yards from the gate, 
 and then two gentlemen rode forward. 
 
 " The party look to me more like Huguenots than Catholics, 
 mother," Francois had said. "I see no banners; but their 
 dresses look sombre and dark, and I think that I can see 
 women among them." 
 
 A minute later Philip exclaimed, "Surely, Francois, those 
 gentlemen who are approaching are Conde and the Admiral? " 
 
 "Impossible!" the countess said; "they are in Burgundy, 
 full three hundred miles away." 
 
 " Philip is right, mother," Francois said eagerly. " I recog- 
 nize them now; they are, beyond doubt, the Prince and Ad- 
 miral Coligny. Lower the drawbridge and open the gates," 
 he called down to the warders. 
 
 The countess hastened down the stairs to the courtyard 
 followed by Frangois and Philip, and received her two unex- 
 pected visitors as they rode across the drawbridge. 
 
 "Madame," Conde" said as he doffed his cap courteously, 
 
THE THIRD HUGUENOT WAR 135 
 
 "we are fugitives who come to ask for a night's shelter. I 
 have my wife and children with me, and the Admiral has also 
 his family. We have ridden across France from Noyers by 
 devious roads and with many turnings and windings, have 
 been hunted like rabid beasts, and are sorely in need of rest." 
 
 "You are welcome indeed, Prince," the countess said. " I 
 esteem it a high honour to entertain such guests as yourself 
 and Admiral Coligny. Pray enter at once; my son will ride 
 out to welcome the princess and the rest of your party." 
 
 Frangois at once leapt on to a horse and galloped off, and 
 in a few minutes the party arrived. Their numbers had been 
 considerably increased since they left Noyers, as they had 
 been joined by many Huguenot gentlemen on the way, and 
 they now numbered nearly four hundred men. 
 
 "We have grown like a snowball since we started," the 
 Prince said, " and I am ashamed to invade your chateau with 
 such an army." 
 
 "It is a great honour, Prince. We had heard a rumour 
 that an attempt had been made to seize you and that you had 
 disappeared no one knew whither, and men thought that you 
 were directing your course towards Germany; but little did 
 we dream of seeing you here in the west." 
 
 It was not until evening that the tale of the journey across 
 France with its many hazards and adventures was told, for 
 the countess was fully occupied in seeing to the comforts of 
 her guests of higher degree, while Francois saw that the men- 
 at-arms and others were bestowed as comfortably as might be. 
 Then oxen and sheep were killed, casks of wine broached, 
 forage issued for the horses; while messengers were sent off 
 to the nearest farms for chickens and ducks, and with orders 
 for the women to come up to assist the domestics at the cha- 
 teau to meet this unexpected strain. 
 
 " It is good to sit down in peace and comfort again," Conde" 
 said, as, supper over, they strolled in the garden enjoying the 
 cool air of the evening. "This is the first halt that we have 
 made at any save small villages since we left Noyers. In the 
 first place our object was concealment, and in the second, 
 though many of our friends have invited us to their castles, 
 we would not expose them to the risk of destruction for hav- 
 
136 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 ing shown us hospitality. Here, however, we have entered 
 the stronghold of our faith, for from this place to La Rochelle 
 the Huguenots can hold their own against their neighbours, 
 and need fear nothing save the approach of a large army, in 
 which case, countess, your plight could scarcely be worse for 
 having sheltered us. The royal commissioners of the prov- 
 ince must long have had your name down as the most stiff- 
 necked of the Huguenots of this corner of Poitou, as one who 
 defies the ordinances and maintains public worship in her 
 chateau. Your son and nephew fought at St. Denis, and you 
 sent a troop across France at the first signal to join me. The 
 cup of your offences is so full that this last drop can make but 
 little difference one way or the other." 
 
 " I should have felt it as a grievous slight had you passed 
 near Laville without halting here," the countess said. "As 
 for danger, for the last twenty years we have been living in 
 danger, and indeed during the last year I have felt safer than 
 ever; for now that La Rochelle has declared for us, there is a 
 place of refuge for all of the reformed religion in the prov- 
 inces round such as we have not before possessed. During 
 the last few months I have sent most of my valuables in there 
 for safety, and if the tide of war comes this way, and I am 
 threatened by a force against which it would be hopeless to 
 contend, I shall make my way thither. But against anything 
 short of an army I shall hold the chateau. It forms a place 
 of refuge to which, at the approach of danger, all of our relig- 
 ion for many miles round would flock in, and as long as there 
 is a hope of successful resistance I would not abandon them 
 to the tender mercies of Anjou's soldiers." 
 
 "I fear, countess," the Admiral said, "that our arrival at 
 La Rochelle will bring trouble upon all the country round it. 
 We had no choice between that and exile. Had we consulted 
 our own peace and safety only we should have betaken our- 
 selves to Germany; but had we done that it would have been 
 a desertion of our brethren, who look to us for leading and 
 guidance. Here at La Rochelle we shall be in communica- 
 tion with Navarre and Gascony, and doubt not that we shall 
 ere very long be again at the head of an army with which we 
 can take the field even more strongly than before; for after 
 
THE THIRD HUGUENOT WAR 137 
 
 the breaches of the last treaty, and the fresh persecutions and 
 murders throughout the land, the Huguenots everywhere must 
 clearly perceive that there is no option between destruction 
 and winning our rights at the point of the sword. Neverthe- 
 less, as the court will see that it is to their interest to strike at 
 once before we have had time to organize an army, I think it 
 certain that the whole Catholic forces will march without loss 
 of time against La Rochelle. Our only hope is that, as on 
 the last occasion, they will deceive themselves as to our 
 strength. The evil advisers of the king, when persuading 
 him to issue fresh ordinances against us, have assured him 
 that with strong garrisons in all the great towns in France, and 
 with his army of Swiss and Germans still on foot, we are alto- 
 gether powerless, and are no longer to be feared in the slight- 
 est degree. We know that even now, while they deem us but 
 a handful of fugitives, our brethren throughout France will be 
 everywhere banding themselves in arms. Before we left 
 Noyers we sent out a summons calling the Huguenots in all 
 parts of France to take up arms again. Their organization is 
 perfect in every district. Our brethren have appointed places 
 where they are to assemble in case of need; and by this time 
 I doubt not that, although there is no regular army yet in the 
 field, there are scores of bands ready to march as soon as they 
 receive orders. 
 
 " It is true that the Catholics are far better prepared than 
 before. They have endeavoured by means of these leagues to 
 organize themselves in our manner; but there is one vital 
 difference. We know that we are fighting for our lives and 
 our faith, and that those who hang back run the risk of mas- 
 sacre in their own homes. The Catholics have no such im- 
 pulse. Our persecutions have been the work of the mobs in 
 the towns excited by the priests, and these ruffians, though 
 ardent when it is a question of slaying defenceless women and 
 children, are contemptible in the field against our men. We 
 saw how the Parisians fled like a flock of sheep at St. Denis. 
 Thus, outnumbered as we are, methinks we shall take up arms 
 far more quickly than our foes, and that, except from the 
 troops of Anjou and the levies of the great Catholic nobles, 
 we shall have little to fear. Even in the towns the massacres 
 
138 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 have ever been during what is called peace, and there was far 
 less persecution during the last two wars than in the intervals 
 between them." 
 
 The next morning the Prince and Admiral with their escort 
 rode on towards La Rochelle, which they entered on the i8th 
 September. The countess with a hundred of her retainers and 
 tenants accompanied them on the first day's journey, and re- 
 turned the next day to the chateau. 
 
 The news of the escape, and the reports that the Huguenots 
 were arming, took the court by surprise, and a declaration was 
 at once published by the king guaranteeing his royal protec- 
 tion to all adherents of the reformed faith who stayed at home, 
 and promising a gracious hearing to their grievances. As 
 soon, however, as the Catholic forces began to assemble in 
 large numbers the mask of conciliation was thrown off, all 
 edicts of toleration were repealed, and the king prohibited 
 his subjects in all parts of his dominions of whatever rank 
 from the exercise of all religious rites other than those of the 
 Catholic faith, on pain of confiscation and death. 
 
 Nothing could have been more opportune for the Huguenot 
 leaders than this decree. It convinced even the most reluc- 
 tant that their only hope lay in resistance, and enabled Condi's 
 agents at foreign courts to show that the King of France was 
 bent upon exterminating the reformed faith, and that its ad- 
 herents had been forced to take up arms in self-preservation. 
 The fanatical populations of the towns rejoiced in the new 
 decree. Leagues for the extermination of heresy were formed 
 in Toulouse and other towns under the name of Crusades, and 
 high masses were celebrated in the churches everywhere in 
 honour of the great victory over heresy. 
 
 The countess had offered to send her son with fifty men-at- 
 arms to swell the gathering at La Rochelle, but the Admiral 
 declined the offer. Niort was but a day's march from the 
 chateau, and although its population were of mixed religion, 
 the Catholics might, under the influence of the present ex- 
 citement, march against Laville. He thought it would be 
 better, therefore, that the chateau should be maintained with 
 all its fighting force as a centre to which the Huguenots of 
 the neighbourhood might rally. 
 
THE THIRD HUGUENOT WAR 139 
 
 "I think," he said, "that you might for some time sustain 
 a siege against all the forces that could be brought from 
 Niort, and if you are attacked I will at once send a force 
 from the city to your assistance. I have no doubt that the 
 Queen of Navarre will join us, and that I shall be able to take 
 the offensive very shortly." 
 
 Encouraged by the presence of the Admiral at La Rochelle, 
 the whole of the Huguenots of the district prepared to take 
 the field immediately. Laville was the natural centre, and 
 two hundred and fifty men were ready to gather there directly 
 an alarm was given. 
 
 Three days later a man arrive^ at the chateau from Niort 
 soon after daybreak. He reported that on the previous day 
 the populace had massacred thirty or forty Huguenots, and 
 that all the rest they could lay hands on, amounting in num- 
 ber to nearly two hundred, had been dragged from their 
 homes and thrown into prison. He said that in all the vil- 
 lages round, the priests were preaching the extermination of 
 the Huguenots, and it was feared that at any moment those 
 of the religion would be attacked there, especially as it was 
 likely that the populace of the town would flock out and 
 themselves undertake the work of massacre should the peas- 
 ants, who had hitherto lived on friendly terms with the Hugue- 
 nots, hang back from it. 
 
 "We must try to assist our brethren," the countess said 
 when she heard the news. "Francois, take what force you 
 can get together in an hour and ride over towards Niort. 
 You will get there by mid-day. If these ruffians come out 
 from the town do you give them a lesson, and ride round to 
 the villages and bring off all of our religion there. Assure 
 them that they shall have protection here until the troubles 
 are over, or until matters so change that they can return safely 
 to their homes. We cannot sit quietly and hear of murder so- 
 close at hand. I see no prospect of rescuing the unfortunates 
 from the prison at Niort, and it would be madness with our 
 small force to attack a walled city; but I leave you free to do 
 what may seem best to you, warning you only against under- 
 taking any desperate enterprise. Philip will of course ride 
 with you." 
 
140 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "Shall we ring the alarm-bell, mother?" 
 
 "No; it is better not to disturb the tenantry unless on very 
 grave occasion. Take the fifty men-at-arms, your own men, 
 and Philip's. Sixty will be ample for dispersing disorderly 
 mobs, while a hundred would be of no use to you against the 
 armed forces of the town and the garrison of two hundred men." 
 
 In a quarter of an hour the troop started. All knew the 
 errand on which they were bent, and the journey was per- 
 formed at the highest speed of which the horses were capable. 
 
 "They can have a good long rest when they get there," 
 Francois said to Philip, "and half an hour earlier or later 
 may mean the saving or losing of fifty lives. The mob will 
 have been feasting and exulting over the slaying of so many 
 Huguenots until late last night, and will not be astir early 
 this morning. Probably too they will, before they think of 
 sallying out, attend the churches, where the priests will stir 
 them up to fury before they lead them out on a crusade into 
 the country. I would that we knew where they are likely to 
 begin. There are a dozen villages round the town." 
 
 "What do you say to dividing our force, Francois? As we 
 near the town, you with one party could ride round to the left, 
 I with the other to the right, and searching each village as we 
 go, could join forces again on the other side of the town. If 
 Montpace had been with us, of course he would have taken the 
 command of one of the parties. It is unfortunate that he is 
 laid up with that wound he got at St. Denis." 
 
 " I am afraid he will never be fit for active service again, 
 Philip. But I am not sorry that he is not here. He might 
 have objected to our dividing the troop, and besides I am glad 
 that you should command, putting aside everything else. We 
 understand each other. You will, of course, cut down the 
 ruffians from the towns without mercy if you find them engaged 
 in massacre. If not, you will warn the Huguenots of the 
 villages as you pass through to leave their homes at once and 
 make for Laville, giving a sharp intimation to the village 
 maires that if the Protestants are interfered with in any way, 
 or hindered from taking their goods and setting out, we will 
 on our return burn the village about their ears and hang up any 
 who have interfered with our people." 
 
THE THIRD HUGUENOT WAR 141 
 
 " I should say, Francois, that we should take prisoners and 
 hold as hostages any citizens of importance, or priests, whom 
 we may find encouraging the townsfolk to massacre. I would 
 take the village priests, and maire too, so as to carry out the 
 same plan that acted so well at Toulouse. We could then 
 summon Niort, and say that unless the Huguenots in prison 
 are released, and they and all the Huguenots in the town 
 allowed to come out and join us, we will in the first place burn 
 and destroy all the Catholic villages round the town, and the 
 pleasure-houses and gardens of the citizens, and that in the 
 second place we will carry off the prisoners in our hands and 
 hang them at once if we hear of a single Huguenot being 
 further ill-treated." 
 
 " That would be a capital plan, Philip, if we could get hold 
 of anyone of real importance. It is likely some of the prin- 
 cipal citizens, and perhaps Catholic nobles of the neighbour- 
 hood, will be with those who sally out, so that they can claim 
 credit and praise from the court party for their zeal in the 
 cause. I wish our parties had been a little stronger, for after 
 we have entered a village or two we shall have to look after the 
 prisoners." 
 
 "I do not think it matters, Francois; a dozen stout men-at- 
 arms like ours would drive a mob of these wretches before 
 them. They will come out expecting to murder unresisting 
 people, and the sight of our men-at-arms in their white scarves 
 will set them off running like hares." 
 
 "Let it be understood," Philip continued, "that if when 
 one of us gets round to the other side of the town he should 
 not meet the other party, and can hear no tidings of it, he 
 shall gallop on till he meets it ; for it is just possible, although 
 I think it unlikely, that one or other of us may meet with so 
 strong a party of the enemy as to be forced to stand on the 
 defensive until the other arrives." 
 
 "I think there is little chance of that, Philip; still it is as 
 well that we should make that arrangement." 
 
 As they neared Niort they met several fugitives. From 
 them they learned that, so far, the townspeople had not come 
 out, but that the Catholics in the villages were boasting that 
 an end would be made of the Huguenots that day, and that 
 
142 ST. LARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 many of them were in consequence deserting their homes, and 
 making their escape as secretly as they could across the coun- 
 try. When within two miles of Niort, a column of smoke was 
 seen to arise on the left of the town. 
 
 " They have begun the work ! " Frangois exclaimed. " That 
 is my side ! " and he placed himself at the head of half the 
 troop, giving them orders that they were to spare none whom 
 they found engaged in massacring Huguenots, save priests and 
 other persons acting as leaders. These were to be taken as 
 hostages for the safety of their brethren in the town. " You 
 need not be over-careful with them," he said. "Throw a 
 picket-rope round their necks and make them trot beside you. 
 They came out for a little excitement, let them have enough 
 of it." 
 
 As Francois rode off one way, Philip led his party the other. 
 
 "You have heard these orders," he said, "they will do for 
 you also." 
 
 The first place they rode into they found the Catholic 
 inhabitants in the streets, while the houses of the Huguenots 
 were closed and the shutters barred. The men fled as the 
 troop dashed in. 
 
 "Pursue them," Philip cried, "and thrash them back with 
 the flat of your swords, but wound no one." 
 
 Most of the men were soon brought back. By this time the 
 Huguenots had opened their doors, and with shouts of joy 
 were welcoming their deliverers. 
 
 "Have they threatened you with harm? " Philip asked. 
 
 "Yes; there has been mass in the church this morning, and 
 the priest has told them to prepare to join in the good work as 
 soon as the townspeople arrive." 
 
 The priest had already been fetched from his house guarded 
 by two troopers. The maire was next pointed out and seized. 
 Two horses were brought out, and the prisoners placed on them. 
 
 "Put a rope round each of their necks," Philip ordered. 
 "Fasten it firmly." 
 
 Two troopers took the other ends. 
 
 "Now you will come along with us," Philip went on, "and 
 if you try to escape so much the worse for you. Now," he 
 said to the villagers, "we shall return here shortly, and then 
 
THE THIRD HUGUENOT WAR 143 
 
 woe betide you if our orders are not executed. Every house 
 in the village shall be burned to the ground, every man we lay 
 hold of shall be hung. You will at once place every horse and 
 cart here at the disposal of your Huguenot brethren; you will 
 assist them to put their household goods in them, and will at 
 once start with them for Laville. Those who do so will be 
 allowed to return unharmed with their animals and carts. 
 Eustace, you will remain here with two men and see that this 
 order is carried out. Shoot down without hesitation any man 
 who murmurs. If there is any trouble whatever before our 
 return, the priest and the maire shall dangle from the church 
 tower." 
 
 The next two villages they entered the same scene was 
 enacted. As they approached the fourth village they heard 
 cries and screams. 
 
 " Lower your lances, my friends. Forward ! " And at a 
 gallop the little band dashed into the village. 
 
 It was full of people. Several bodies of men and women 
 lay in the road. Pistol-shots rang out here and there, showing 
 that some of the Huguenots were making a stout defence of 
 their homes. Through and through the crowd the horsemen 
 rode, those in front clearing their way with their lances, those 
 behind thrusting and cutting with their swords. The Catholics 
 were for the most part roughly armed. Some had pikes, some 
 had swords, others axes, choppers, or clubs, but none now 
 thought of defence. The arms that had been brought out for 
 the work of murder were thrown away, and there wns no 
 thought save of flight. The doors of the Huguenot houses 
 were thrown open, and the men issuing out fell upon those 
 who were just before their assailants. Philip saw some horse- 
 men and others collected round a cross in the centre of the 
 village, and calling upon the men near him to follow, dashed 
 forward and surrounded the party before they apprehended the 
 meaning of this sudden tumult. Two or three of the men 
 drew their swords as if to resist, but seeing that their friends 
 were completely routed, they surrendered. The party consisted 
 of three men, who were by their dresses persons of rank, four 
 or five citizens, also on horseback, four priests, and a dozen 
 acolytes with banners and censers. 
 
144 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 " Tie their hands behind them," Philip ordered. " Not the 
 boys; let them go." 
 
 "I protest against this indignity," one of the gentlemen 
 said; "I am a nobleman." 
 
 " If you were a prince of the blood, sir, and I found you en- 
 gaged in the massacre of innocent people, I would tie you up 
 and set you swinging from the nearest tree without compunc- 
 tion." 
 
 Their arms were all tightly bound behind them. 
 
 "Would you touch a servant of the Lord?" the leading 
 priest said. 
 
 "Your clothing is that of a servant of the Lord," Philip 
 replied; "but as I find you engaged upon the work of the 
 devil, I can only suppose that you have stolen the clothes. 
 Four of you take these priests behind you," he said to his men; 
 "tie them tightly with their backs to yours, that will leave 
 you the use of your arms. Pierre, do you ride beside the 
 other prisoners, and if you see any attempt at escape shoot 
 them at once. Quick, my lads; there may be more of this 
 work going on ahead." 
 
 He then gave similar instructions for the carriage of the 
 Huguenot goods as he had at the preceding places. At the 
 next village they were in time to prevent the work of massacre 
 from commencing. A party of horsemen and some priests, 
 followed by a mob, were just entering it as they rode up. 
 The horsemen were overthrown by their onset, the mob sent 
 flying back towards the town, the Huguenots charging almost 
 up to the gates. The horsemen and priests were made pris- 
 oners as before, and when the rest of the band returned from 
 their pursuit they again rode on. They had now made half a 
 circuit of Niort, and presently saw Francois and his party 
 galloping towards them. 
 
 "I had begun to be afraid that something had happened," 
 Francois said as he rode up. " I waited a quarter of an hour 
 and then rode on, as we agreed. Well, I see you have got a 
 good batch of prisoners." 
 
 "We have lost no time," Philip said. "We have been 
 through five villages. At one we were just in time, for they 
 had begun the work of massacre before we got up; at another 
 
THE THIRD HUGUENOT WAR 145 
 
 we met them as they arrived; but at the other three, although 
 the villagers were prepared for the work, the townsmen had 
 not arrived." 
 
 "There were only three villages on my side," Francois said. 
 "At the first they had nearly finished their work before we 
 arrived. That was where we saw the smoke rising. But we 
 paid them for it handsomely, for we must have cut down more 
 than a hundred of the scoundrels. At one of the others the 
 Huguenots were defending themselves well, and there too we 
 gave the townspeople a lesson. At the third all was quiet. 
 We have taken six or eight burghers, as many gentlemen, and 
 ten priests." 
 
 Philip told him the orders he had given for the Catholics to 
 place their horses and carts at the disposal of their Huguenot 
 fellow-villagers. 
 
 " I wish I had thought of it," Francois said. " But it is not 
 too late; I will ride back with my party and see all our friends 
 well on their way from the villages. I left four men at each 
 tok eep the Catholics from interfering. If you will go back 
 the way you came we will meet again on the main road on the 
 other side of the town. I don't think there is any fear of their 
 making a sortie. Our strength is sure to be greatly exagger- 
 ated, and the fugitives pouring in from each side of the town 
 with their tales will spread a report that Conde" himself, with 
 a whole host of horsemen, is around them." 
 
 Philip found all going on well as he returned through the 
 villages, the scare being so great that none thought of disobey- 
 ing the orders, and in a couple of hours he rejoined Francois, 
 having seen the whole of the Huguenot population of the 
 villages well on their way. 
 
 "Now, Philip, we will go and summon the town. First of 
 all, though, let us get a complete list of the names of our 
 prisoners." 
 
 These were all written down, and then the two leaders with 
 their eight men-at-arms rode towards the gates of Niort, a 
 white flag being raised on one of the lances. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 AN IMPORTANT MISSION 
 
 WE have made an excellent haul," Francois said, as, while 
 awaiting the answer to their signal, they looked down the 
 list of names. " Among the gentlemen are several connected 
 with some of the most important Catholic families of Poitou. 
 The more shame to them for being engaged in so rascally a 
 business; though when the court and the king, Lorraine and 
 the Guises, set the example of perscution, one can scarcely 
 blame the lesser gentry, who wish to ingratiate themselves with 
 the authorities, for doing the same. Of the citizens we have 
 got one of the magistrates, and four or five other prominent 
 men, whom I know by reputation as having been among the 
 foremost to stir up the people against the Huguenots. These 
 fellows I could hang up with pleasure, and would do so were 
 it not that we need them to exchange for our friends. 
 
 "Then we have got thirty priests. The names of two of 
 them I know as popular preachers, who, after the last peace 
 was made, denounced the king and his mother as Ahab and 
 Jezebel for making terms with us. They, too, were it not for 
 their sacred office, I could string up without having any weight 
 upon my conscience. Ah ! there is the white flag, let us ride 
 forward." 
 
 The gates remained closed, and they rode up to within a 
 hundred yards of them. In a few minutes several persons 
 made their appearance on the wall over the gateway, and they 
 then advanced to within twenty paces of the gate. 
 
 Then one from the wall said: "I am John De Luc, royal 
 
 146 
 
AN IMPORTANT MISSION 147 
 
 commissioner of this town, this is the reverend bishop of the 
 town, this is the maire, and these the magistrates; to whom 
 am I speaking?" 
 
 "I am the Count Francois de Laville," Francois replied; 
 " and I now represent the gentlemen who have come hither, 
 with a large body of troops, to protect those of our faith from 
 persecution and massacre. We arrived too late to save all, 
 but not to punish, as the ruffians of your town have learned to 
 their cost. Some two or three hundred of them came out to 
 slay and have been slain. The following persons are in our 
 hands," and he read the list of the prisoners. "I now give 
 you notice that, unless within one., hour of the present time, all 
 those of the reformed faith whom you have thrown into prison, 
 together with all others who wish to leave, are permitted to 
 issue from this gate free and unharmed, and carrying with 
 them what portion of their worldly goods they may wish to 
 take, I will hang up the whole of the prisoners in my hands 
 gentlemen, citizens, and priests to the trees of that wood a 
 quarter of a mile away. Let it be understood that the terms 
 are to be carried out to the letter. Proclamation must be 
 made through your streets that all of the reformed faith are free 
 to depart, taking with them their wives and families, and such 
 valuables and goods as they may choose. I shall question 
 those who come out, and if I find that any have been detained 
 against their will, or if the news has not been so proclaimed 
 that all can take advantage of it, I shall not release the pris- 
 oners. If these terms are not accepted, my officers will first 
 hang the prisoners, then they will ravage the country round, 
 and will then proceed to besiege the city, and when they cap- 
 ture it, take vengeance for the innocent blood that has been 
 shed within its walls. You best know what is the strength of 
 your garrison, and whether you can successfully resist an assault 
 by the troops of the Admiral. I will give you ten minutes to 
 deliberate. Unless by the end of that time you accept the 
 conditions offered, it will go hard with those in our hands." 
 
 "Impious youth," the bishop, who was in full pontificals, 
 said, "you would never dare to hang priests." 
 
 " As the gentlemen of your party have thought it no sin to 
 put to death scores of our ministers, and as I found these most 
 
148 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 holy persons hounding on a mob to massacre, I shall certainly 
 feel no compunction whatever in executing the orders of my 
 leader, to hang them with the other malefactors," Francois 
 replied; "and methinks that you will benefit these holy men 
 more by advising those with you to agree to the conditions 
 which I offer than by wasting your breath in controversy with 
 me." 
 
 There was a hasty conversation between those on the wall, 
 and it was not long before they came to an agreement. De 
 Luc feared that he should incur the enmity of several powerful 
 families if he left their relatives for execution. The citizens 
 were equally anxious to save their fellows, and were, moreover, 
 scared at the threat of the neighbourhood being laid waste and 
 the town attacked by this unknown force that had appeared 
 before it. They had heard vague rumours of the arrival of the 
 Prince and Admiral with a large force at La Rochelle, but it 
 might well be that he had turned aside on his journey at the 
 news of the occurrences at Niort. 
 
 The bishop was equally anxious to rescue the priests, for he 
 felt that he might be blamed for their death by his ecclesi- 
 astical superiors. Their consultation over, De Luc turned to 
 the Count. 
 
 " Do you give me your solemn assurance and word as a noble 
 of France that upon our performing our part of the condition 
 the prisoners in your hands shall be restored unharmed? " 
 
 "I do," Francois replied. "I pledge my honour, that as 
 soon as I find that the whole of those of our religion have left 
 the town peaceably, the prisoners shall be permitted to return 
 unharmed in any way." 
 
 "Then we accept the terms. All those of the reformed 
 religion in the town, whether at present in prison or in their 
 homes, who may desire to leave, will be permitted to pass. 
 As soon as you retire the gate shall be opened." 
 
 Francois and his party fell back a quarter of a mile. In a 
 short time people began to issue in twos and threes from the 
 gate. Many bore heavy bundles on their backs, and were 
 accompanied by women and children all similarly laden. A 
 few had with them carts piled up with household goods. 
 From the first who came Frangois learned that the conditions 
 
AN IMPORTANT MISSION 149 
 
 had been carried out, the proclamation being made in every 
 street at the sound of the trumpet that all who held the reformed 
 religion were free to depart, and that they might take with 
 them such goods as they could carry or take in carts. 
 
 At first it had been thought that this was but a trap to get 
 the Huguenots to reveal themselves, but the reports of those 
 who had returned discomfited to the town that there was a 
 great Huguenot force outside, and that many people of con- 
 sideration had been taken prisoners, gave them courage, and 
 some of the leading citizens went round to every house where 
 persons suspected of being Huguenots were living, to urge 
 them to leave, telling them that a treaty had been made secur- 
 ing them their safety. Before the hour had passed more than 
 five hundred men, women, and children had left the town. 
 As all agreed that no impediment had been placed in their 
 way, but that upon the contrary every person even suspected as 
 having Huguenot leanings had been urged to go, Francois and 
 Philip felt assured that at any rate all who wished to leave had 
 had the opportunity of doing so. They waited ten minutes 
 over the hour, and then seeing that no more came forth they 
 ordered the prisoners to be unbound and allowed to depart for 
 the city. 
 
 As the fugitives had come along they were told that the 
 Prince of Conde" with a strong force had entered La Rochelle, 
 and were advised to make for that city, where they would find 
 safety and welcome. Those, however, who preferred to go 
 to Laville, were assured that they would be welcomed and 
 cared for there until an opportunity arose for their being sent 
 under escort to La Rochelle. The greater portion decided to 
 make at once for the Huguenot city. 
 
 " I think, Philip, you had better take forty of the men to 
 act as a rear-guard to these poor people till you are within 
 sight of La Rochelle. The fellows whom we have let free will 
 tell on their return to the town that we are but a small party, 
 and it is possible they may send out parties in pursuit." 
 
 "I don't think it is likely; the townspeople have been too 
 roughly handled to care about running any risks. They have 
 no very large body of men-at-arms in the town. Still, if they 
 do pursue, it will be by the road to La Rochelle, for that is 
 
150 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 the one they will think that most of the fugitives will take. 
 Had we not better divide the troop equally, Francois?" 
 
 " No, I think not. They will imagine we shall all be going 
 by that road, and that, moreover, some of the other gentlemen 
 of our faith may be coming to meet us with their retainers. 
 Twenty will be ample for me, do you take the rest." 
 
 Two hours later Philip saw a cloud of dust rising from the 
 road in his rear. He hurried on with the fugitives in front 
 of him until, half an hour later, they came to a bridge over a 
 stream. This was only wide enough for four horsemen to 
 cross abreast, and here he took up his station. In a few 
 minutes a number of horsemen approached. They were riding 
 without order or regularity, intent only on overtaking their 
 prey. Seeing the disorder in which they came Philip 
 advanced from the bridge, formed up his men in two lines, 
 and then charged at full gallop. The men-at-arms tried to 
 rein in their horses and form in order, but before they could 
 do so the Huguenots burst down upon them. The horses of 
 the Catholics, exhausted with the speed at which they had 
 been ridden, were unable to withstand the shock, and they and 
 their riders went down before it. A panic seized those in 
 the rear, and turning quickly they fled in all directions, leav- 
 ing some thirty of their number dead on the ground. Philip 
 would not permit his followers to pursue. 
 
 "They outnumber us four times," he said, "and if we scatter 
 they may turn and fall upon us. Our horses have done a long 
 day's work, and deserve rest. We will halt here at the bridge. 
 They are not likely to disturb us, but if they do we can make a 
 stout resistance here. Do you ride on, Jacques, and tell the 
 fugitives that they can press forward as far as they like, and 
 then halt for the night. We will take care that they are 
 not molested, and will ride on and overtake them in the 
 morning." 
 
 The night passed quietly, and late the following evening the 
 party were in sight of La Rochelle. Philip had intended to 
 turn at this point, where all danger to the fugitives was over, 
 and to start on his journey back. But the hour was late, and 
 he would have found it difficult to obtain food and forage 
 without pressing the horses. He therefore determined to pass 
 
AN IMPORTANT MISSION 151 
 
 the night at La Rochelle, as he could take the last news thence 
 back to Laville. 
 
 The streets of the town presented a busy aspect; parties of 
 Huguenot gentlemen and their retainers were constantly arriv- 
 ing, and fugitive villagers had come in from a wide extent of 
 country. 
 
 Large numbers of men were working at the walls of the 
 town; the harbour was full of small craft; lines of carts brought 
 in provisions from the surrounding country, and large numbers 
 of oxen, sheep, and goats were being driven in. 
 
 "As we shall start for Laville in the morning," Philip said 
 to his men, "it is not worth while to trouble to get quarters; 
 and, indeed, I should say from the appearance of the place 
 that every house is already crowded from basement to roof. 
 Therefore we will bivouac down by the shore, where I see 
 there are many companies already bestowed." 
 
 As soon as they had picketed their horses a party were sent 
 off to purchase provisions for the troop and forage for their 
 horses, and when he had seen that the arrangements were com- 
 plete, Philip told Pierre to follow him, and went up to the 
 castle, where Cond and Coligny with their families were 
 lodged. 
 
 He was greeted warmly by several of the gentlemen who had 
 stopped at the chateau a few days before. The story of the 
 fugitives from Niort had already spread through the town, and 
 Philip was eagerly questioned about it. Just as he was about 
 to tell the story, Cond and the Admiral came out from an 
 inner room into the large ante-room where they were talking. 
 
 "Ah ! here is the young Count's cousin, Monsieur Fletcher," 
 the Admiral said; "now we shall hear about this affair of 
 Niort, of which we have received half a dozen different ver- 
 sions in the last hour. Is the Count himself here? " 
 
 " No, sir; he returned to Laville, escorting the fugitives who 
 went thither, while he sent me with the larger portion of the 
 troop to protect the passage hither of the main body." 
 
 " But it was reported to me that the troop with which you 
 entered was but forty strong. I hear you fought a battle on 
 the way; did you lose many men there? " 
 
 " None, sir. Indeed I am glad to say, that beyond a few 
 
152 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 trifling wounds the whole matter has been carried out without 
 any loss to the party that rode from Laville." 
 
 "How strong were they altogether, monsieur? " 
 
 "Sixty, sir." 
 
 "Then where did you join the force that, as we hear, cut up 
 the townspeople of Niort as they were massacring our people 
 in the villages round, and afterwards obtained from the town 
 the freedom of those who had been cast into prison, and per- 
 mission for all Huguenots to leave the town?" 
 
 "There was no other force, sir; we had just the sixty men 
 from Laville, commanded by my cousin Francois. When the 
 news arrived of the doings at Niort there was no time to send 
 round to gather our friends, so we mounted the men-at-arms at 
 the chateau and rode with all speed, and were but just in time. 
 Had we delayed another half hour to gather a larger force we 
 should have been too late." 
 
 "Tell us all about it," the Prince said. "This seems to 
 have been a gallant and well-managed affair, Admiral." 
 
 Philip related the whole circumstances of the affair; how 
 the townspeople had been heavily punished and the chief men 
 taken as hostages, and the peasants compelled to assist to cgn- 
 vey the property of the Huguenots to Laville; also the subse- 
 quent negotiations and the escape of all the Huguenots from 
 Niort, and how the troop under him had smartly repulsed, with 
 the loss of over thirty men, the men-at-arms from the city. 
 
 "A gallant enterprise," the Prince said. "What think you, 
 Admiral?" 
 
 " I think, indeed, that this young gentleman and his cousin, 
 the young Count of Laville, have shown singular prudence and 
 forethought, as well as courage. The matter could not have 
 been better managed had it been planned by any of our oldest 
 heads. That they should at the head of their little bodies of 
 men-at-arms have dispersed the cowardly mob of Niort, is 
 what we may believe that any brave gentleman would have 
 done; but their device of taking the priests and the other 
 leaders as hostages, their boldness in summoning the authori- 
 ties of Niort under the threat of hanging the hostages and 
 capturing the town, is indeed most excellent and commend- 
 able. I heard that the number of fugitives from Niort was 
 
AN IMPORTANT MISSION 153 
 
 nearly six hundred, and besides these there were, I suppose, 
 those from the villages." 
 
 "About two hundred set out from the villages, sir." 
 
 "Eight hundred souls. You hear that, gentlemen; eight 
 hundred souls have been rescued from torture and death by the 
 bravery and prudence of these two young gentlemen, who are 
 in years but youths. Let it be a lesson to us all of what can 
 be done by men engaged in a good work, and placing their 
 trust in God. There is not one of us but might have felt proud 
 to have been the means of doing so great and good a work with 
 so small a force, and to have saved eight hundred lives without 
 the loss of a single one, to say nothing of the sharp lesson 
 given to the city mobs that the work of massacre may some- 
 times recoil upon those who undertake it. Our good friend 
 De la Nolle has more than once spoken very highly to the 
 Prince and myself respecting the young Count and this young 
 English gentleman, and they certainly have more than borne 
 out his commendations." 
 
 "And more than that," the Prince put in, "I myself in no 
 small degree owe my life to them; for when I was pinned 
 down by my horse at St. Denis they were among the foremost 
 of those who rushed to my rescue. Busy as I was I had time 
 to mark well how stoutly and valiantly they fought. Moreover, 
 Monsieur D'Arblay has spoken to me in the highest terms of 
 both of them, but especially of Monsieur Fletcher, who, as he 
 declared, saved his life and that of the Count de Laville by 
 obtaining their release from the dungeons of Toulouse by 
 some such device as that he has used at Niort. And now, 
 gentlemen, supper is served. Let us go in at once; we must 
 have already tried the patience of our good hosts, who are 
 doing their best to entertain us right royally, and whom I hope 
 to relieve of part of the burden in a very few days. Monsieur 
 Fletcher, you shall sit between the Admiral and myself, for you 
 have told us your story but briefly, and afterwards I would fain 
 question you farther as to that affair at Toulouse." 
 
 The two nobles, indeed, inquired very minutely into all the 
 incidents of the fight. By closely questioning him they 
 learned that the idea of forcing the peasants to lend their 
 horses and carts to convey the Huguenot villagers' goods to 
 
154 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Laville was his own, and occurred to him just as he was about 
 to start from the first village he entered. 
 
 "The success of military operations," the Admiral said, 
 " depends greatly upon details. It is one thing to lay out a 
 general plan, another to think amid the bustle and excitement 
 of action of the details, upon which success so largely de- 
 pends; and your thought of making the men who were about 
 to join in the slaughter of their fellow-villagers the means of 
 conveying their goods and chattels to a place of safety is one 
 that shows that your head is cool, and able to think and plan 
 in moments when most men would be carried away by the 
 excitement of the occasion. I am pleased with you, sir, and 
 shall feel that if I have any matter on hand demanding discre- 
 tion and prudence, as well as bravery, I can, in spite of your 
 years, confidently intrust you with it. Are you thinking of 
 returning to-morrow to Laville? " 
 
 " I was intending to do so, sir. It may be that the people 
 of Niort may endeavour to revenge the stroke that we have 
 dealt them, and the forty men with me are necessary for the 
 defence of the chateau." 
 
 "I do not think there is any fear of an attack from Niort," 
 the Admiral said. "They will know well enough that our 
 people are flocking here from all parts, and will be thinking 
 of defence rather than of attack, knowing that while we are 
 almost within striking distance the royal army is not in a 
 condition as yet to march from Paris. Where are you resting 
 for the night?" 
 
 "My troops are down by the shore, sir. Seeing how full 
 the town was I thought it was not worth while to look for 
 quarters, and intended to sleep down there among them, in 
 readiness for an early start." 
 
 " Then after supper I would that you go down to them and 
 tell them not to be surprised if you do not join them till 
 morning, then return hither for the night; it may be that we 
 may want to speak to you again." 
 
 Late in the evening a page came to Philip, and saying that 
 the Prince wished to speak with him, conducted him to a small 
 apartment, where he found Conde" and the Admiral. 
 
 " We have a mission with which we would intrust you, if you 
 
AN IMPORTANT MISSION 155 
 
 are willing to undertake it," the Admiral said; "it is a dan- 
 gerous one, and demands prudence and resource, as well as 
 courage. It seems to the Prince and myself that you possess 
 these qualities, and your youth may enable you to carry out the 
 mission perhaps more easily than another would do. It is no 
 less than to carry a letter from the Prince and myself to the 
 Queen of Navarre. She is at present at Ne"rac. Agents of 
 Catharine have been trying to persuade her to go with her son 
 to Paris, but fortunately she discovered that there was a plot 
 to seize her and the young Prince her son at the same time 
 that we were to be entrapped in Burgundy. De Lossy, who 
 was charged with the mission of seizing her at Tarbes, was 
 fortunately taken ill, and she has made her way safely up to 
 Nerac. 
 
 " All Guyenne swarms with her enemies. D'Escars and four 
 thousand Catholics lie scattered along from Perigueux to Bor- 
 deaux, and other bands lie beween Perigueux and Tulle. If 
 once past those dangers her course is barred at Angouleme, 
 Cognac, and Saintes. I want her to know that I will meet 
 her on the Charente. I do not say that I shall be able to take 
 those three towns, but I will besiege them; and she will find 
 me outside one of them if I cannot get inside. It is all im- 
 portant that she should know this, so that she may judge 
 whither to direct her course, when once safely across the river 
 Dronne and out of Guyenne. 
 
 " I dare not send a written despatch, for were it to fall into 
 the hands of the Catholics they would at once strengthen the 
 garrisons of the town on the Charente, and would keep so 
 keen a watch in that direction that it would be impossible for 
 the queen to pass. I will give you a ring, a gift from the 
 queen herself, in token that you are my messenger, and that 
 she can place every confidence in you. I will leave to you 
 the choice of how you will proceed. You can take some of 
 your men-at-arms with you, and try to make your way through 
 with a sudden dash; but as the bridges and fords will be 
 strongly watched, I think that it will be much wiser for you 
 to go in disguise, either with or without a companion. Cer- 
 tainty is of more importance than speed. I found a commu- 
 nication here, sent by the queen before she started, to the 
 
156 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 authorities of the town, saying that she should try to make her 
 way to them, and she knew that the Prince and myself would 
 also come here if we found our personal safety menaced in 
 Burgundy. 
 
 "She foresaw that her difficulties would be great, and re- 
 quested that if we arrived here we would send her word as to 
 our movements, in order that she might accommodate hers to 
 them. I have chosen you for several reasons, one being, as 
 I have told you, that I see you are quick at forming a judg- 
 ment and cool in danger. The second is that you will not be 
 known to any of the enemy whom you may meet on your way. 
 Most of the Huguenots here come from the neighbouring 
 provinces, and would almost certainly be recognized by Cath- 
 olics from the same neighbourhood. Of course you under- 
 stand that if suspicion should fall upon you of being a mes- 
 senger from this place, you will have but a short shrift." 
 
 " I am quite ready to do my best, sir, to carry out your 
 mission. Personally I would rather ride fast with half a dozen 
 men-at-arms; but, doubtless, as you say, the other would be 
 the surest way. I will take with me my servant, who is shrewd 
 and full of resources, and, being a native of these parts, could 
 pass as a countryman anywhere. My horses and my four men 
 I will leave here until my return. The troop will of course 
 start in the morning for Laville." 
 
 "We have another destination for them," the Prince said. 
 "A messenger rode yesterday to Laville, to bid the young 
 Count start the day after to-morrow with every man he can 
 raise to join me before Niort, for which place I set out to- 
 morrow at mid-day. Of course we had no idea that he had 
 already come to blows with that city, but we resolved to make 
 its capture our first enterprise, seeing that it blocks the prin- 
 cipal road from Paris hither, and is indeed a natural outpost 
 of La Rochelle. Niort taken, we shall push on and capture 
 Parthenay, which still further blocks the road, and whose pos- 
 session will keep a door open for our friends from Brittany, 
 Normandy, and the north. When those places are secured 
 and garrisoned, we can then set about clearing out the Catho- 
 lics from the towns to the south." 
 
 " Very well, sir. Then I will give orders to them that they 
 
AN IMPORTANT MISSION 157 
 
 are to accompany your force to-morrow, and join the Count 
 before Niort." 
 
 " Here is a large map of the country you will have to trav- 
 erse. You had best take it into the next room and study it 
 carefully, especially the course and direction of the rivers 
 and the points of crossing. It would be shorter, perhaps, if 
 you could have gone by boat south to Arcachon and thence 
 made your way to Nerac; but there are wide dunes to be 
 crossed, and pine-forests to be travesed, where a stranger 
 might well die of hunger and thirst; the people too are wild 
 and savage, and look upon strangers with great suspicion, and 
 would probably have no compunction in cutting your throat. 
 Moreover, the Catholics have a flotilla at the mouth of the 
 Gironde, and there would be difficulty and danger in passing. 
 
 " You will, of course, make all speed that you can. I shall 
 presently see some of the council of the town, and if they tell 
 me that a boat can take you down the coast as far as the 
 Seudre, some ten miles north of the mouth of the Gironde, 
 you will avoid the difficulty of crossing the Boutonne at St. 
 Jean d'Angely, and the Charente at Saintes or Cognac. It 
 would save you a quarter of your journey. I expect them 
 shortly, so that by the time you have studied the map I shall 
 be able to tell you more." 
 
 An hour later Philip was again summoned. To his surprise 
 he found Maitre Bertram with the Prince. 
 
 " Our good friend here tells me that he is already acquainted 
 with you, Monsieur Fletcher. He will house you for to- 
 night, and at daybreak put you on board a small coasting- 
 vessel, which will carry you down to the mouth of the Seudre. 
 He will also procure for you whatever disguises you may re- 
 quire for yourself and your attendant. He has relations with 
 traders in many of the towns. Some of these are openly of 
 our faith, others are time-servers, or are not yet sufficiently 
 convinced to dare persecution and death for its sake. He 
 will give you the names of some of these, and you may at a 
 push be able to find shelter with them, obtain a guide, or 
 receive other assistance. Here is the ring. Hide it care- 
 fully on the way, for were you searched a ring of this value 
 would be considered a proof that you were 3ot what you 
 
158 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 seemed. You quite understand my message. I pray the 
 queen to trust to no promises, but using all care to avoid 
 those who would stop her, to come north as speedily as pos- 
 sible before the toils close round her; and you will assure her 
 that she will find me on the Charente, and that I shall have 
 either taken Cognac or be occupied in besieging it." 
 
 " If I fail, sir, it shall be from no lack of prudence on my 
 part, and I hope to prove myself worthy of the high honour 
 that the Prince and yourself have done me in selecting me 
 for the mission." 
 
 "Farewell then," the Admiral said. "I trust that in ten 
 days' time I shall meet you at Cognac. I have arranged with 
 Maitre Bertram, who will furnish you with the funds neces- 
 sary for your expedition." 
 
 Philip bowed deeply to the two nobles, and retired with the 
 merchant. He had directed Pierre to remain among the 
 lackeys at the foot of the grand staircase, as he would be 
 required presently, and as he passed through he beckoned to 
 him to follow. 
 
 "You have seen my horses comfortably stabled, Pierre?" 
 
 "It was done an hour since, monsieur." 
 
 " And my four men understand that they are to remain here 
 in charge of them until I return? " 
 
 "Yes, sir. Their own horses are also bestowed here, and 
 mine." 
 
 "Very well. We sleep to-night at Maitre Bertram's." 
 
 "I am right glad to hear it, sir; for truly this castle is full 
 from the top to the bottom, and I love not to sleep in a 
 crowd." 
 
 "You still have Pierre with you?" the merchant said. 
 
 "Yes; and he has turned out an excellent servant. It was 
 a fortunate day for me when I insisted on taking him in spite 
 of your warning. He is a merry varlet, and yet knows when 
 to joke and when to hold his peace. He is an excellent 
 forager," "Ah! that I warrant he is," Maitre Bertram put 
 in, "and can cook a dinner or a supper with any man in the 
 army. I would not part with him on any consideration." 
 
 " A fellow of that sort, Master Fletcher, is sure to turn out 
 either a rogue or a handy fellow. I am glad to hear that he 
 
AN IMPORTANT MISSION 159 
 
 has proved the latter. Here we are at the house. At ordi- 
 nary times we should all be abed and asleep at this hour, but 
 the place is turned upside down since the Prince and the 
 Admiral arrived; for every citizen has taken in as many men 
 as his house will hold. I have four gentlemen and twenty of 
 their retainers lodging here; but I will take you to my own 
 den, where we can talk undisturbed, for there is much to 
 say and to arrange as to this expedition of yours, in which 
 there is more peril than I should like to encounter. How- 
 ever, that is your affair. You have undertaken it, and there 
 is nought for me to do save to try and make it as successful 
 as possible. You have already been studying the map, I 
 hear, and know something of the route. I have a good map 
 myself, and we will follow the way together upon it. It would 
 be as well to see whether your rascal knows anything of the 
 country. In some of his wanderings he may have gone 
 south." 
 
 "I will question him," Philip said; and reopening the 
 door of the room he told Pierre, whom he had bidden follow 
 him upstairs, to enter. "I am going down into Gascony, 
 Pierre; it matters not at present upon what venture. I am 
 going to start to-morrow at daylight in a craft of Maitre Ber- 
 tram's, which will land me ten miles this side the mouth of 
 the Gironde, by which, as you will see, I avoid having to cross 
 the Charente, where the bridges are all in the hands of the 
 Catholics. I am going in disguise, and I propose taking you 
 with me." 
 
 "It is all one to me, sir. Where you go I am ready to 
 follow you. I have been at Bordeaux, but no farther south. 
 I don't know whether you think that three would be too many. 
 Your men are all Gascons, and one or other of them might 
 know the part of the country you wish to travel." 
 
 "I had not thought of it," Philip said; "but the idea is a 
 good one. It would depend greatly upon our disguises." 
 
 " Do you travel as a man-at-arms, or as a countryman, or a 
 pedlar, or maybe as a priest, sir? " 
 
 "Not as a priest, assuredly," Philip laughed. "I am too 
 young for that." 
 
 " Too young to be in full orders, but not too young to be a 
 
160 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 theological student: one going from a theological seminary 
 at Bordeuax to be initiated at Perigueux, or further south to 
 Agen." 
 
 Philip shook his head. " I should be found out by the first 
 priest who questioned me." 
 
 " Then, sir, we might go with sacks of ware on our backs 
 as travelling pedlars; or, on the other hand, we might be on 
 our way to take service under the Catholic leaders. If so we 
 might carry steel caps and swords, which methinks would suit 
 you better than either a priest's cowl or a pedlar's pack. In 
 that case there might well be three of us, or even four. Two 
 of your men-at-arms would go as old soldiers, and you and I 
 as young relations of theirs, anxious to turn our hands to 
 soldiering. Once in Gascony their dialect would help us 
 rarely, and our story should pass without difficulty; and even 
 on the way it would not be without its use, for the story that 
 they have been living near La Rochelle, but owing to the con- 
 course of Huguenots could no longer stay there, and were 
 therefore making south to see in the first place their friends 
 at home and then to take service under some Catholic lord, 
 would sound likely enough." 
 
 "I don't know that we can contrive a better scheme than 
 that, Maitre Bertram. What do you think? " 
 
 "It promises well," the trader agreed. "Do you know 
 what part of Gascony these men come from, Pierre? " 
 
 "They come from near Dax." 
 
 "That matters little," Philip said, "seeing that it is only 
 to the south of Guyenne that we are bound. Still, they will 
 probably have traversed the province often, and in any case 
 there should be no trouble in finding our way, seeing that 
 Agen lies on the Garonne, and we shall only have to keep 
 near the river all the way from the point where we are landed. 
 Our great difficulty will be in crossing the Dordogne, the 
 Dronne, and the Lot, all of which we *are likely to find 
 guarded." 
 
 " If you can manage to cross the Garonne here, near Lan- 
 gon," the merchant said, placing his finger on the map, "you 
 would avoid the two last rivers, and by keeping west of Bazas 
 you would be able to reach Ne"rac without difficulty. You 
 
AN IMPORTANT MISSION 161 
 
 have to cross somewhere, and it might be as easy there as at 
 Agen." 
 
 "That is so," Philip agreed; "at any rate we will try there 
 first. I don't know which of the men I had best take with 
 me. They are all shrewd fellows, as Gascons generally are, 
 so I don't know how to make my choice." 
 
 "I don't think there is much difference, sir," Pierre said. 
 " I have seen enough of them to know at least that they are 
 all honest fellows." 
 
 "I would let them decide the matter for themselves," 
 Philip said. "Some might like to go, and some to stay 
 behind. If I chose two the others might consider themselves 
 slighted. Do you know where "they have bestowed them- 
 selves, Pierre? " 
 
 " Down in the stables with the horses, sir. I could pretty 
 well put my hand on them in the dark." 
 
 " Well, go and fetch them hither, then. Say nothing about 
 the business on which they are required." 
 
 In a quarter of an hour Pierre returned with the four men. 
 Philip explained to them briefly that he wanted two of them 
 to journey with him on a mission of some danger through 
 Guyenne. 
 
 "I have sent for you all," he said, "in order that you 
 might arrange among yourselves which two shall go; there- 
 fore do you settle the matter, and if you cannot agree then 
 cast lots and leave it to fortune. Only, as you are two sets of 
 brothers, these had best either go or stay together; therefore 
 if you cast lots do it not singly, but two against two." 
 
 "We may as well do it at once, Monsieur Philip," Eustace 
 said. " I know beforehand that we would all choose to follow 
 you; therefore if you will put two papers into my steel cap, 
 one with my name, and one with Jacques', Pierre shall draw. 
 If he takes out the one with my name, then I and Henri will 
 go with you; if he draws Jacques', then he and Roger shall 
 go." 
 
 This was done, and Jacques and Roger won. 
 
 "You will have plenty to do while we are away," Philip said 
 to Eustace. "There will be seven horses to look after, in- 
 cluding my chargers." 
 
162 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "How long are you likely to be away, sir? " 
 
 "I may return in ten days, I may be away three weeks. 
 Should any evil chance befall us you will take the horses ovei 
 to Laville, and hand them over to my cousin, who will, I am 
 sure, gladly take you and Henri into his service. As we 
 leave here at daybreak, you, Jacques, arid your brother Roger 
 had better wrap yourselves up in your cloaks and lie down in 
 the hall below. I would that we could in the morning pro- 
 cure clothes for you, older and more worn than those you have 
 on. You are going as men who have formerly served, but 
 have since been living in a village tilling the land, just as 
 you were when you first joined me." 
 
 "Then we have the very clothes ready to hand," Jacques 
 said. "When we joined you we left ours with a friend in the 
 town to hold for us. There is no saying how long military 
 service may last, and as our clothes were serviceable we laid 
 them by. We can go round and get them the first thing in 
 the morning, leaving these we wear in his care until we 
 return." 
 
 " That will do well ; but you must be up early, for it is im- 
 portant we should make our start as soon as possible." 
 
 " I also have my old clothes held in keeping for me by one 
 who worked in the stable with me," Pierre said. "A man 
 who is going to the war can always find others ready to take 
 charge of whatever he may leave behind, knowing full well 
 that the chances are that he will never return to claim them." 
 
 "That simplifies matters," Maitre Bertram said. "There 
 remains only your dress, Monsieur Philip; and I shall have 
 no difficulty in getting from my own knaves a doublet, cloak, 
 and other things to suit you. I have plenty of steel caps and 
 swords in my warehouse." 
 
 "You had best leave your breast-pieces here," Philip said 
 to the men; "the number of those who carry them is small, 
 and it will be enough to have steel caps and swords. We are 
 going to walk fast and far, and the less weight we carry the 
 better." 
 
PHILIP AND HIS FOLLOWERS EMBARKING. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 THE QUEEN OF,. NAVARRE 
 
 THE sun had just risen, when Maitre Bertram, accompanied 
 by four men in the attire of peasants, went down to the 
 port. Two of them wore steel caps, and had the appearance 
 of discharged soldiers, the other two looked like fresh country- 
 men, and wore the low caps in use by the peasantry on their 
 heads, carrying steel caps slung by cords from their shoulder; 
 all four had swords stuck into their leathern belts. Similar 
 groups might have been seen in hundreds all over France, 
 making their way to join the forces of the contending parties. 
 The craft upon which the trader led them was a small one of 
 four or five tons burden, manned by three men and a boy. 
 
 "You understand, Johan, if you meet with no interruption 
 you will land your passengers at the mouth of the Seudre; 
 but if you should come across any of the craft that have been 
 hovering about the coast, and find that they are too fast for 
 you, put them ashore wherever they may direct. If you are 
 too hotly chased to escape after landing them, you had best 
 also disembark and make your way back by land as best you 
 can, leaving them to do what they will with the boat. As like 
 as not they would cut your throats did they take you, and if 
 not, would want to know whom you had landed and other 
 matters. I do not want to lose the craft, which has done me 
 good service in her time, and is a handy little coaster, but I 
 would rather lose it than that you should fall into the hands of 
 the Bordeaux boats and get into trouble. The fact that you 
 made for shore to land passengers would be sufficient to show 
 
 163 
 
164 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 that those passengers were of some importance. Now good 
 luck to you, Master Philip; I trust to see you back here again 
 before long." 
 
 They kept straight out from La Rochelle to the Isle of 
 Ole"ron, and held along close to its shore, lest boats coming 
 out from the Charente might overhaul them. From the 
 southern end of the island it was only a run of some eight 
 miles into the mouth of the Seudre. A brisk wind had blown, 
 and they made the forty miles voyage in seven hours. They 
 could see several white sails far to the south as they ran in, 
 but had met with nothing to disquiet them on the way. 
 They were rowed ashore in the little boat the craft carried, 
 and landed among some sand-hills, among which they at once 
 struck off and walked briskly for a mile inland, so as to avoid 
 any questionings from persons they might meet as to where 
 they had come from. Jacques and his brother carried bags 
 slung over their shoulders, and in these was a store of food with 
 which the merchant had provided them, and two or three flasks 
 of good wine, so that they might make a day's journey at least 
 without having to stop to purchase food. 
 
 It was two o'clock when they landed, and they had therefore 
 some five hours of daylight, and before this had faded they 
 had passed Royan, situated on the Gironde. They did not 
 approach the town, but keeping behind it came down upon 
 the road running along the shore three miles beyond it, and 
 walked along it until about ten o'clock, by which time all were 
 thoroughly tired with their unaccustomed exercise. Leaving 
 the road, they found a sheltered spot among the sand-hills, ate 
 a hearty meal, and then lay down to sleep. They were afoot 
 again at daylight. The country was sparsely populated. They 
 passed through a few small villages, but no place of any 
 importance, until, late in the afternoon, they approached 
 Blaye, after a long day's tramp. As they thought that here 
 they might learn something of the movements of the large 
 body of Catholic troops Philip had heard of as guarding the 
 passages of the Dordogne, they determined to enter the town. 
 They passed through the gates half an hour before they were 
 closed, and entered a small cabaret. Here, calling for some 
 bread and common wine, they sat down in a corner, and lis- 
 
THE QUEEN OF NAVARRE 165 
 
 tened to the talk of the men who were drinking there. It was 
 all about the movements of troops, and the scraps of news that 
 had come in from all quarters. 
 
 "I don't know who they can be all arming against," one 
 said. "The Queen of Navarre has no troops, and even if a 
 few hundreds of Huguenots joined her, what could she do? 
 As to Cond and the Admiral, they have been hunted all over 
 France ever since they left Noyers. They say they hadn't fifty 
 men with them. It seems to me they are making a great fuss 
 about nothing." 
 
 "I have just heard a report," a man who had two or three 
 minutes before entered the roonvsaid, " to the effect that they 
 arrived four days since at La Rochelle, with some five or six 
 hundred men who joined them on the way." 
 
 An exclamation of surprise broke from his hearers. 
 
 "Then we shall have trouble," one exclaimed. "La Ro- 
 chelle is a hard nut to crack in itself, and if the Prince and 
 the Admiral have got in the Huguenots from all the country 
 round will rally there, and may give a good deal of trouble 
 after all. What can the Catholic lords have been about that 
 they managed to let them slip through their hands in that way? 
 They must have seen for some time that they were making for 
 the one place where they would be safe, unless indeed they 
 were making down for Navarre. That would account for the 
 way in which all the bridges and fords across the rivers are 
 being watched." 
 
 "I expect they are watching both ways," another jaid. 
 " These Huguenots always seem to know what is going on, and 
 it is likely enough, that while our people all thought that 
 Cond was making for Germany, there was not a Huguenot 
 throughout France who did not know he was coming west to 
 La Rochelle, and if so, they will be moving in all directions 
 to join him there, and that is why D'Escars has got such a 
 force at all the bridges. I heard from a man who came in 
 yesterday that the Lot is watched just as sharply from the 
 Garonne through Cahors right on to Espalion, and he had 
 heard that at Agen and along the Aveyron the troops hold the 
 bridges and fords as if they expected an enemy. No doubt, 
 as soon as they hear that Cond and his party are in La 
 
166 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Rochelle they will close round them and catch them in a trap. 
 That will be as good as any other way, and save much trouble. 
 It is a long chase to catch a pack of wolves scattered all over 
 the country, but one can make short work of them all when 
 you get them penned up in an inclosure." 
 
 Philip cast a warning glance at his companions, for he felt 
 so inclined to retort himself that he feared they might give 
 way to a similar impulse. Jacques and his brother, however, 
 were munching their bread stolidly, while Pierre was looking 
 at the speaker, with a face so full of admiring assent to his 
 remark that Philip had to struggle hard to repress a laugh. 
 
 "It must be owned," another of the group said, "that these 
 wolves bite hard. I was in Paris last year with the Count de 
 Caussac. Well, we laughed when we saw the three parties of 
 white wolves ride out from St. Denis; but I tell you there was 
 no laughing when they got among us. We were in the Con- 
 stable's troop, and though, as far as I know, we were all pretty 
 stout men-at-arms, and were four to one against them at least, 
 we had little to boast of when the fight was over. At any rate, 
 I got a mark of the wolves' teeth, which has put a stop to my 
 hunting, as you see," and he held out his arm. "I left my 
 right hand on the field of battle. It was in the fight round 
 Conde*. A young Huguenot for he was smooth-faced, and 
 but a youth shred it off with a sweeping back-handed blow 
 as if it had been a twig. So there is no more wolf-hunting for 
 me ; but even if I had my right hand back again I should not 
 care for any more such rough sport as that." 
 
 Philip congratulated himself that he was sitting with his 
 back to the speaker, for he remembered the incident well, and 
 it was his arm that had struck the blow. His visor had been 
 up, but as his face was shaded by the helmet and cheek-pieces, 
 and the man could have obtained but a passing glance at him, 
 he felt sure on reflection that he would not be recognized. 
 
 "Ah! well, we shall do better this time," the first speaker 
 said. " We are better prepared than we were then, and except 
 La Rochelle and four or five small towns, every place in France 
 is in our hands. I expect the next news will be that the 
 Prince and Coligny and the others have taken ship for England. 
 Then when that pestilent Queen of Navarre and her boy are in 
 
THE QUEEN OF NAVARRE 167 
 
 our hands the whole thing will be over, and the last edict will 
 be carried out, and each Huguenot will have the choice 
 between the mass and the gallows. Well, I will have one more 
 stoup of wine, and then I will be off, for we march at day- 
 break." 
 
 "How many ride out with you? " the man who had lost his 
 hand asked. 
 
 " A hundred. The town has voted the funds, and we march 
 to join D'Escars to-morrow. I believe we are not going to 
 Perigueux, but are to be stationed somewhere on the lower 
 Dordogne to prevent any of the Huguenots from the south 
 making their way towards La Rochelle." 
 
 The frequenters of the cabaret presently dropped off. 
 Jacques, who acted as spokesman, had on entering asked the 
 landlord if they could sleep there, and he said there was 
 plenty of good hay in the loft over the stable. As his duties 
 were now over, he came across to them. 
 
 "Which way are you going, lads?" he asked. "Are you 
 bound like the others to join one of the lords on the Dor- 
 dogne?" 
 
 "No," Jacques said, "we are bound for Agen. We come 
 from near there." 
 
 "I thought your tongue had a smack of Gascon in it." 
 
 "Yes, we come from across the border. We are tired of 
 hard work in the vineyards, and are going to take up with our 
 own trade, for my comrade here and I served under De Brissac 
 in Italy; we would rather enlist under our own lord than under 
 a stranger." 
 
 "Yes, that I can understand," the landlord said; "but you 
 will find it no easy work travelling at present, when every 
 bridge and ford across the rivers is watched by armed men, 
 and all who pass are questioned sharply as to their business." 
 
 "Well, if they won't let us pass," Jacques said carelessly, 
 "we must join some leader here; though I should like to have 
 had a few days at home first." 
 
 " Your best plan would have been to have gone by boat to 
 Bordeaux. There has been a strong wind from the west for 
 the last three days, and it would save you many a mile of 
 weary tramping." 
 
168 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "That it would," Jacques said; "but could one get a pas- 
 sage?" 
 
 " There will be no difficulty about that. There is not a day 
 passes, now that the wind is fair, that three or four boats do 
 not go off to Bordeaux with produce from the farms and vine- 
 yards. Of course you wouldn't get up without paying; but I 
 suppose you are not without something in your pockets. 
 There is a cousin of mine, a farmer, who is starting in the 
 morning, and has chartered a boat to carry his produce. If I 
 say a word to him I have no doubt he would give the four of 
 you a passage for a crown." 
 
 "What do you say, comrades ?" Jacques said. "It would 
 save us some thirty or forty miles walking, and perhaps some 
 expense for ferrys, to say nought of trouble with the troops, 
 who are apt enough moreover to search the pockets of those 
 who pass." 
 
 "I think it would be a good plan," his brother replied; 
 and the other two also assented. 
 
 "Very well then," the landlord said; "my cousin will be 
 here in the morning, for he is going to leave two or three 
 barrels of last year's vintage with me. By the way, I daresay 
 he will be easy with you as to the passage-money, if you agree 
 to help him carry up his barrels to the magasins of the mer- 
 chant he deals with, and aid him with his other goods. It 
 will save him from having to employ men there, and those 
 porters of Bordeaux know how to charge pretty high for their 
 services. I will make you up a basket for your journey. Shall 
 I say a bottle of wine each and some bread, and a couple of 
 dozen eggs, which I will get boiled hard for you? " 
 
 "That will do well, landlord," Jacques said, "and we thank 
 you for having put us in the way of saving our legs to-morrow. 
 What time do you think your cousin will be in? " 
 
 " He will have his carts at the gates by the time they open 
 them. He is not one to waste time; besides, every minute is 
 of importance; for with this wind he may well hope to arrive 
 in Bordeaux in time to get his cargo discharged by nightfall." 
 
 "That was a lucky stroke indeed," Philip said when they 
 had gained the loft, and the landlord, having hung up a lan- 
 tern, had left them alone. " Half our difficulties will be over 
 
THE QUEEN OF NAVARRE 169 
 
 when we get to Bordeaux. I had began to fear, from what we 
 heard of the watch they are keeping at the bridges, that we 
 should have found it a very difficult matter crossing the rivers. 
 Once out of Bordeaux the Ciron is the only stream we shall 
 have to cross, and that is but a small river, and is not likely 
 to be watched, for no one making his way from the south to 
 La Rochelle would keep to the west of the Garonne." 
 
 They were downstairs by six, had a meal of bread and spiced 
 wine, and soon after seven there was a rumble of carts outside, 
 and two of them stopped at the cabaret. They were laden 
 principally with barrels of wine; but in one the farmer's wife 
 was sitting surrounded by baskets of eggs, fowls, and ducks, 
 and several casks of butter. Three of the casks of wine were 
 taken down and carried into the house. The landlord had a 
 chat apart with his cousin, who then came forward to where 
 they were sitting at a table. 
 
 " My cousin tells me you want to go to Bordeaux, and are 
 willing to help load my boat, and to carry the barrels to the 
 warehouse at Bordeaux in return for a passage. Well, I agree 
 to the bargain ; the warehouse is not very far from the wharf, 
 but the men there charge an extortionate price." 
 
 "We will do your work," Jacques said. 
 
 " But how am to I know that when you land you will not slip 
 away without fulfilling your share of the bargain? " the farmer 
 asked. " You look honest fellows, but soldiers are not gentry 
 to be always depended upon. I mean no offence, but business 
 is business, you know." 
 
 Jacques put his hand in his pocket. "Here is a crown," 
 he said. " I will hand it over to you as earnest; if we do not 
 do your work, you can keep that to pay the hire of the men to 
 carry your barrels." 
 
 "That is fair enough," the farmer said, pocketing the coin. 
 "Now let us go without delay." 
 
 The landlord had already been paid for the supper of the 
 night before, the lodging, and the contents of the basket, and 
 without more words they set out with the cart to the river side. 
 Here the boat was in waiting, and they at once set to work 
 with the drivers of the two carts to transfer their contents to 
 it. As they were as anxious as the farmer that no time should 
 
170 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 be lost, they worked hard, and in a quarter of an hour all was 
 on board. They took their places in the bow, the farmer, his 
 wife, and the two boatmen being separated from them by the 
 pile of barrels. The sail was at once hoisted, and as the west 
 wind was still blowing strongly Blaye was soon left behind. 
 
 "This is better than walking by a long way," Philip said. 
 " We are out of practice, and my feet are tender from the tramp 
 from the coast. It would have taken us two days to get to 
 Bordeaux even if we had no trouble in crossing the Dordogne, 
 and every hour is of importance. I hope we may get out of 
 the city before the gates close, then we shall be able to push 
 on all night." 
 
 They passed several islands on their way, and after four 
 hours' run saw the walls and spires of Bourg, where the Dor- 
 dogne unites with the Garonne to form the great estuary known 
 as the Gironde. At three o'clock they were alongside the 
 wharves of Bordeaux. They stowed away their steel caps and 
 swords, and at once prepared to carry up the barrels. 
 
 "Do you make an excuse to move off, master," Pierre said; 
 "we three will soon get these barrels into the store, and it is 
 no fitting work for you." 
 
 "Honest work is fitting work, Pierre; and methinks that 
 my shoulders are stronger than yours. I have had my sail, and 
 I am going to pay for it by my share of the work." 
 
 The store was nearer than Philip had expected to find it. 
 A wide road ran along by the river bank, and upon the 
 other side of this was a line of low warehouses, all occupied 
 by the wine merchants, who purchased the produce of their 
 vineyards from the growers, and, after keeping it until it 
 matured, supplied France and foreign countries with it. Sev- 
 eral ships lay by the wharves. Some were bound for England, 
 others for Holland; some were freighted for the northern ports 
 of France, and some of smaller size for Paris itself. Several 
 men came up to offer their services as soon as the boat was 
 alongside; and these, when they saw that the owner of the 
 wines had brought men with them who would transport the 
 wine to the warehouses, indulged in some rough jeers before 
 moving away. In the first place Philip and his companions, 
 aided by the boatmen, carried the cargo ashore, while the 
 
THE QUEEN OF NAVARRE 171 
 
 farmer crossed the road to the merchant with whom he dealt. 
 His store was not more than fifty yards from the place of 
 landing, and as soon as he returned the work began. In an 
 hour and a half the whole of the barrels were carried over. 
 The farmer's wife had seen to the carriage of her portion of 
 the cargo to the inn her husband frequented on these occa- 
 sions. It was close to the market-place, and there she would, 
 as soon as the market opened in the morning, dispose of 
 them, and by nine o'clock they would be on board again. 
 When the last barrel was carried into the store, the farmer 
 handed Jacques the crown he had taken as pledge for the per- 
 formance of the bargain. 
 
 "You are smart fellows," he said, "and nimble. The same 
 number of these towns-fellows would have taken double the 
 time that you have done, and I must have had six at least to 
 have got the wine safely stored before nightfall." 
 
 "We are well contented with our bargain," Jacques said; 
 " it is better to work hard for two hours than to walk for two 
 days. So good-day to you, master, for we shall get on our 
 way at once, and do not want to spend our money in the wine- 
 shops here." 
 
 Possessing themselves of their steel caps and swords again, 
 they made their way through the busy town to the south gates, 
 through which a stream of peasants with carts, horses, and 
 donkeys was passing out, having disposed of the produce they 
 had brought in. 
 
 "Where are you bound to, you two with steel caps? '' the 
 officer at the gate asked. 
 
 Jacques and his brother paused, while Philip and Pierre, 
 who had stowed their caps in the bundles they carried, went 
 on without stopping, as it had previously been agreed that in 
 case of one or more of his followers being stopped, Philip 
 should continue his way, as it was urgent that he should not 
 suffer anything to delay him in the delivery of his message. 
 He waited, however, a quarter of a mile from the gates, and 
 the two men then rejoined him. 
 
 "We had no difficulty, sir," Jacques said. "We said that 
 we once had served and were going to do so again, having 
 grown sick working in the vineyards, and that we had come 
 
172 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 up from Blaye with a cargo of wine and had taken our dis- 
 charge, and were now bound for Agen to see our families be- 
 fore joining the force that the Viscount de Rouillac, under 
 whom our father held a farm, would no doubt be putting in 
 the field. That was sufficient, and he let us go on without 
 further question, except that he said that we should have done 
 better by going up to Saintes or Cognac and taking service 
 with the force there, instead of making this long journey up 
 to Agen." 
 
 They walked steadily on until, when it was nearly mid- 
 night, they arrived at a small village on the banks of the 
 Ciron. As the inhabitants would have been in bed hours 
 before, they made up their minds not to attempt to find a 
 shelter there, but to cross by the bridge and sleep in the first 
 clump of trees they came to. As they approached the bridge, 
 however, they saw a fire burning in the centre of the road. 
 Two men were sitting beside it, and several others lay round. 
 
 " Soldiers ! " Philip said. " It would not do to try to cross 
 at this time of night. We will retire beyond the village and 
 wait until morning." 
 
 They turned off into a vineyard as soon as they were out- 
 side the village and lay down among the vines that had some 
 weeks before been cleared of their grapes. 
 
 " How far does this river run before it becomes fordable, 
 Jacques? " 
 
 " I do not know, sir. There are hills run along in a line 
 with the Garonne some ten or twelve miles back, and I should 
 say that when we get there we shall certanly find points at 
 which we might cross this stream." 
 
 "That would waste nearly a day, and time is too precious 
 for that. We will go straight on in the morning. Our story 
 has been good enough thus far, there is no reason why it 
 should not carry us through." 
 
 Accordingly, as soon as the sun was up they entered the vil- 
 lage and went into a cabaret and called for wine and bread. 
 
 "You are travelling early," the landlord said. 
 
 " Yes, we have a long tramp before us, so we thought we 
 had better perform part of it before breakfast." 
 
 "These are busy times; folks are passing through one way 
 
THE QUEEN OF NAVARRE 173 
 
 or the other all day. It is not for us innkeepers to grumble, 
 but peace and quiet are all we want about here; these con- 
 stant wars and troubles are our ruin. The growers are all 
 afraid to send their wine to market, for many of these armed 
 bands are no better than brigands, and think much more of 
 robbing and plundering than they do of fighting. I suppose 
 by your looks you are going to take service with some lord or 
 other?" 
 
 Jacques repeated the usual tale. 
 
 "Well, well, every man to his liking," the landlord said; 
 "but for my part I can't think what Frenchmen want to fly at 
 each others' throats for. We" have got thirty soldiers quar- 
 tered in the village now, though what they are doing here is 
 more than I can imagine. We shall be glad when they are 
 gone, for they are a rough lot, and their leader gives himself 
 as many airs as if he had conquered the place. I believe they 
 belong to a force that is lying at Bazas, some five leagues 
 away. One would think that the Queen of Navarre had got 
 a big Huguenot army together and was marching north." 
 
 "I should not think she could raise an army," Philip said 
 carelessly; "and if she is wise she will stop quietly down in 
 Beam." 
 
 "There is a rumour here," the landlord said, "that she is 
 at Ne"rac, with only a small party of gentlemen, and that she 
 is on her way to Paris to assure the king that she has no part 
 in these troubles. I don't know whether that has anything to 
 do with the troops, who, as I hear, are swarming all over the 
 country. They say that there are fifteen hundred men at Agen. " 
 
 "I am afraid we shall have trouble at this bridge," Philip 
 said, as the landlord left them; "they seem to be a rough lot, 
 and this truculent lieutenant may not be satisfied with a story 
 that his betters would accept without question. We will ask 
 our host if there is any place where the river can be forded 
 without going too far up. We can all swim, and as the river 
 is no great width we can make a shift to get across even if the 
 ford is a bad one." 
 
 The landlord presently returned. Jacques put the question : 
 "By your account of those fellows at the bridge, we might 
 have trouble with them? " 
 
174 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "As like as not," the landlord said; ' they worry and vex 
 all who come past, insult quiet people, and have seized several 
 who have happened to have no papers of domicile about them 
 and sent them off to Bazas. They killed a man who resented 
 their rough usage two days ago. There has been a talk in the 
 village of sending a complaint of their conduct to the officer 
 at Bazas; but perhaps he might do nothing, and if he didn't 
 it would only make it the worse for us here." 
 
 "We don't want troubles," Jacques said, "and therefore if 
 we could pass the river without having to make too wide a 
 detour we would do so. Do you know of any fords? " 
 
 " Yes, there are two or three places where it can be crossed 
 when the water is low, and as there has been no rain for some 
 weeks past you will be able to cross now easily enough. There 
 is one four miles higher up. You will see a clump of willow- 
 trees on this side of the river, and there is a pile of stones 
 some five feet high on the other. You enter the river close 
 by the trees and then keep straight for the pile of stones, 
 which is some fifty yards higher up, for the ford crosses the 
 river at an angle." 
 
 "Well, we will take that way then," Jacques said; "it is 
 better to lose an hour than to have trouble here." 
 
 An hour later the party arrived at the ford and crossed it 
 without difficulty, the water being little above their waists. 
 Some miles farther they saw ahead of them the towers of 
 Bazas, and struck off from the road they were traversing to 
 pass to the east of it. They presently came upon a wide road. 
 
 " This must be the road to Ne"rac," Philip said. " There are 
 neither rivers nor places of any size to be passed now, the 
 only danger is from bodies of horse watching the road." 
 
 "And if I mistake not, sir, there is one of them approach- 
 ing now," Pierre said, pointing ahead. As he spoke the 
 heads and shoulders of a body of horsemen were seen as they 
 rode up from a dip the road made into a hollow, half a mile 
 away. Philip glanced round. The country was flat, and it 
 was too late to think of concealment. 
 
 "We will go quietly on," he said. "We must hope they 
 will not interfere with us." 
 
 The troop consisted of some twenty men, two gentlemen 
 
THE QUEEN OF NAVARRE 175 
 
 riding at their head, and as they came up they checked their 
 horses. 
 
 "Whither come you, and where are you bound, my men? " 
 
 "We come from Bordeaux, sir, and we are bound for 
 Agen," Jacques replied. "My comrade and I served under 
 De Brissac when we were mere lads, and we have a fancy to 
 try the old trade again; and our young cousins also want to 
 try their metal." 
 
 "You are a Gascon, by your tongue?" 
 
 "That is so," Jacques said; "and it is for that reason we 
 are going south. We would rather fight in a company of our 
 own people than with strangers"" 
 
 "Whom have you been serving at Bordeaux? I am from 
 the city, and know most of those in and round it." 
 
 " We have not been working there, sir. We come fro m 
 near Blaye, and made the journey thence to Bordeaux by a 
 boat with our master, Jacques Blazin, who was bringing to 
 Bordeaux a cargo of his wines." 
 
 "Why waste time, Raoul?" the other gentleman said im- 
 patiently. "What matter if they came from Bordeaux or 
 Blaye, these are not of those whom we are here to arrest. 
 Anyhow they are not Huguenot lords, but look what they say 
 they are; but whether men-at-arms or peasants they concern 
 us not. Maybe while we are questioning them a party of 
 those we are in search of may be traversing some other road. 
 Let us be riding forward." 
 
 He roughly pricked his horse with his spur, and the troop 
 rode on. 
 
 "I think you are wrong to be so impatient, Louis," the one 
 who had acted as interrogator said. " Anyone could see with 
 half an eye that those two fellows were, as they said, old men- 
 at-arms. There is a straightness and a stiffness about men 
 who have been under the hands of the drill-sergeant there is 
 no mistaking, and I could swear that fellow is a Gascon as he 
 said. But I am not so sure as to one of the young fellows 
 with them. I was about to question him when you broke in. 
 He did not look to me like a young peasant, and I should not 
 be at all surprised if he is some Huguenot gentleman making 
 his way to N^rac with three of his followers." 
 
176 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "Well, if it was so, Raoul, he will not swell the queen's 
 army to any dangerous extent. I am glad that you didn't ask 
 him any questions, for if he declared himself a Huguenot, and 
 to do them justice the Huguenots will never deny their faith, 
 I suppose it would have been our duty to have fallen upon 
 them and slaughtered them; and though I am willing enough 
 to draw when numbers are nearly equal and it is a fair fight, 
 I will take no part in the slaughter of men when we are twenty 
 to one against them. Three or four men more or less at Ne"rac 
 will make no difference. The Queen of Navarre has but some 
 fifty men in all, and whenever the orders come to seize her 
 and her son, it may be done easily enough whether she has 
 fifty or a hundred with her. War is all well enough, Raoul, 
 but the slaughtering of solitary men is not an occupation that 
 suits me. I am a good Catholic, I hope, but I abhor these 
 massacres of defenceless people only because they want to 
 worship in their own way. I look to the pope as the head of 
 my religion on earth, but why should I treat as a mortal enemy 
 a man who does not recognize the pope's authority? " 
 
 "That is dangerous doctrine, Louis." 
 
 " Yes, but why should it be ? You and I were both at the 
 colloquy at Poissy, and we saw that the Cardinal of Lorraine 
 and all the bishops failed totally to answer the arguments of 
 the Huguenot minister Beza. The matter was utterly beyond 
 me, and had Beza argued ten times as strongly as he did it 
 would in no way have shaken my faith; but I contend that if 
 Lorraine himself and the bishops could not show this man to 
 be wrong, there can be nothing in these people's interpreta- 
 tion of Scripture that can be so terrible as to deserve death. 
 If they become dangerous to the state, I am ready to fight 
 against them as against any other enemies of France, but I 
 can see nothing that can excuse the persecutions and massa- 
 cres. And if these men be enemies of France, of which as 
 yet no proof has been shown, it is because they have been 
 driven to it by persecution." 
 
 "Louis, my cousin," the other said, "it is dangerous, 
 indeed, in these days to form an opinion. You must remem- 
 ber our greatest statesman, L'Hopital, has fallen into some 
 disgrace, and has been deprived of rank and dignity, because 
 he has been an advocate of toleration." 
 
THE QUEEN OF NAVARRE 177 
 
 " I know that, Raoul ; but I also know there are numbers 
 of our nobles and gentlemen, who, although staunch Catho- 
 lics, are sickened at~seeing the king acting as the tool of 
 Philip of Spain and the pope, and who shudder as I do at be- 
 holding France stained with blood from end to end simply 
 because people choose to worship God in their own way. 
 You must remember that these people are not the ignorant 
 scum of our towns, but that among them are a large number 
 of our best and wisest heads. I shall fight no less staunchly 
 when fighting has to be done because ( I am convinced that it 
 is all wrong. If they are in arms against the king, I must be 
 in arms for him ; but I hope none the less that when arms are 
 laid down there will be a cessation of persecution, at anyrate 
 a cessation of massacre. It is bringing disgrace on us in the 
 eyes of all Europe, and I trust that there may be a league 
 made among us to withstand the Guises, and to insist that 
 there shall be in France no repetition of the atrocities by 
 which Philip of Spain and the Duke of Alva are trying to 
 stamp out the reformed religion in the Netherlands." 
 
 "Well, I hope at anyrate, Louis," his cousin said impa- 
 tiently, "that you will keep these opinions to yourself, for 
 assuredly they will bring you into disgrace, and may even cost 
 you your possessions and your head if they are uttered in the 
 presence of any friend of the Guises." 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 JEANNE OF NAVARRE 
 
 IT is lucky," Philip said to Jacques as they proceeded on 
 their way after the troop had ridden on, " that he did not 
 think of asking us if we were Huguenots." 
 
 "I was expecting it myself, sir," Jacques said; "and I was 
 just turning it over in my conscience how I could answer." 
 
 " There could be but one answer, Jacques, though no doubt 
 it would have cost us our lives." 
 
 "I should not deny my faith, even to save my life, sir, if 
 the question were put to me, Are you a Huguenot? But I 
 think that when four lives are at stake it is lawful to take any 
 opening there may be to get out of it." 
 
 "But how would there have been an opening, Jacques? " 
 
 "Well, sir, you see, if he had asked, 'Are you Huguenots? ' 
 I think I could have said 'No ' with a clear conscience, seeing 
 that you are an Englishman; your religion may be like ours 
 but you are not a Huguenot, and although Pierre does not 
 seem to me to have quite made up his mind as to what he is, 
 assuredly I should not call him a Huguenot. So you see, sir, 
 that as only two out of the four are Huguenots, there would 
 have been no lie to my saying 'no ' to that question. But if 
 he had said 'Are you Catholics? ' I must have answered 'No,' 
 seeing that none of us go to mass." 
 
 "It is a nice question," Philip said; "but seeing that the 
 Catholics never keep their oaths and their promises to what 
 they call heretics, I think that one would be justified, not in 
 telling a lie, for nothing can justify that, but in availing one's 
 
 178 
 
JEANNE OF NAVARRE 179 
 
 self of a loophole such as one would scorn to use to others. I 
 should be sorry to have the question asked me, though seeing 
 I am not myself a Huguenot, although I am fighting with 
 them, I think that I could reply 'no,' especially as it is not a 
 question of my own life only, but one involving the whole 
 cause of the Huguenots. If I were in your place I don't know 
 that I should do so; but as you say that you could do it with- 
 out your conscience pricking you, I certainly should not put 
 pressure upon you to say yes. However, I hope you may never 
 be asked the question, and that we shall meet with no more 
 interruptions until we get to Nerac. There can be little doubt 
 that at present the Catholics have received no orders to seize 
 the queen and her son at Ne"rac, although they have orders to 
 prevent her at all costs from going forward to Paris except 
 under escort, and are keeping a sharp look-out to prevent her 
 from being joined by parties of Huguenots who would render 
 her force formidable. I should hope that by this time we are 
 past the last of their bands. Those we met just now doubtless 
 belonged to the force gathered in Bazas, and it is in the direc- 
 tion of the north rather than the west that the Catholics are 
 most vigilant. If she succeeds in making her way through 
 them, it will be well-nigh a miracle. Now that we are well past 
 Bazas we will leave the road and make our way across the fields, 
 for it is upon the roads that any watch there may be will be set." 
 
 It was a long day's journey, and at eight o'clock in the 
 evening they lay down in a wood ten miles from Ne"rac, having 
 walked fully fifty miles since crossing the river Ciron. 
 
 "I am very glad, Monsieur Philip, that we were not here 
 four hours earlier." 
 
 "Why, Pierre?" 
 
 " Because, sir, in that case you would have insisted on push- 
 ing on to Ne"rac so as to enter it before the gate is closed, and 
 in that case I doubt whether with the best will I could have 
 got that far, and I am sure that Jacques and Roger could not 
 have done so." 
 
 "No, indeed," Jacques said, "I have done my last inch. 
 For the last four hours I felt as if walking upon hot irons, so 
 sore are my feet; and indeed I could not have travelled at all 
 if I had not taken your advice and gone barefoot." 
 
180 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 They had bought some wine and bread in a little village 
 through which they had passed, and as soon as they had 
 finished their supper they lay down to sleep. They were up 
 next morning long before daybreak, and were at the gates of 
 Ne"rac before they opened. A group of countrymen were 
 gathered there, and as soon as the drawbridge was lowered 
 they entered the town with them. They observed that there 
 were sentries all round the walls, and that a keen watch was 
 kept. As Philip was aware, the majority of the inhabitants 
 there were Huguenots, and the governor was a nobleman of 
 Barn; and it was doubtless for this reason that the Queen of 
 Navarre had halted here, as Nerac was a strong town, and not 
 to be taken without a regular siege. 
 
 They had no difficulty in ascertaining where the queen was 
 lodged. Early as it was, several Huguenot gentlemen, armed 
 to the teeth, were gathered round the door. Philip, leaving 
 his companions behind him, went up to the group, and address- 
 ing one of them said : 
 
 "I am the bearer of a message for the queen; it is impor- 
 tant. May I pray you, sir, to cause this ring to be conveyed 
 to her. It is a token that she will recognize." 
 
 The gentleman glanced at the ring. 
 
 "She may well do that," he said, "seeing that it bears her 
 own cognizance. The queen is already up, and I will cause 
 it to be sent in to her at once." 
 
 Two minutes later another gentleman came out. 
 
 "Her majesty will at once see the messenger who has 
 brought the ring," he said, and Philip at once followed him 
 into the house. He was conducted to a room, where a lady 
 was sitting, whom he recognized by the descriptions he had 
 read of her as the Queen of Navarre. Beside her stood a lad 
 of fifteen. 
 
 "You come from the Admiral?" she said. "Have you 
 despatches for me? " 
 
 " I have a paper sewn up in my boot, your majesty, but it 
 was read over to me several times in case either water or wear 
 should render it illegible." 
 
 " He has reached La Rochelle safely, as I heard three days 
 since," the queen said, "with but a small following?" 
 
JEANNE OF NAVARRE 181 
 
 " He and the Prince had over five hundred with them when 
 they rode in, your majesty, and parties were arriving hourly 
 to swell his force. On the day I left he was going out to 
 attack Niort, and that captured he was going to move south. 
 That was the message I was charged to deliver. You will find 
 him either in Cognac or in front of that town." 
 
 "That is good news, indeed," the queen said, "for I should 
 have had to make a wide detour to pass round the Charente, 
 all the towns and bridges being held by our enemies. It will 
 be difficult enough to cross the intervening rivers. Indeed as 
 the news that I had started hence would arrive long before I 
 did myself, it would be hopeless -to elude their vigilance, and 
 I should have had to make a long bend to the east, and might 
 well have been cut off before I could reach him. And who 
 are you, sir, that the Admiral should think fit to intrust so 
 important a message to you? " 
 
 "I am English born, madam, and my name is Philip 
 Fletcher. My mother was French, being the daughter of the 
 Count de Moulins, and she sent me over to reside with her 
 sister the Countess of Laville, in order that I might fight for 
 the cause of the religion by the side of my cousin Francois. 
 I rode with him through the last campaign in the train of 
 Francois de la Noiie, and having had the good fortune to 
 attract the notice of the Prince of Conde" and the Admiral, they 
 selected me to bear this message to you, thinking that, being 
 but a lad, I should better escape suspicion and question than 
 a French gentleman would do, especially as he would risk 
 being recognized, while my face would be altogether unknown. 
 Now, if your majesty will permit me, I will open the lining of 
 my shoe. You will find, however, that the despatch contains 
 but a few words. At first the Admiral thought only to give me 
 a message, but he afterwards wrote what he had said, in order 
 that should any evil befall me by the way, one of the three 
 men who accompanied me should take my shoe and bring it 
 to your majesty." 
 
 By this time he had slit open the lining of his shoe with his 
 knife, and handed the little piece of paper to the queen. It 
 contained only the words, 
 
 " All goes well. Am hoping to see you. You will find me in 
 or near Cognac " 
 
182 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 There was no signature. 
 
 "You have done good service to the cause, Monsieur 
 Fletcher," the queen said. "How did you manage to pass 
 south, for I hear that every bridge and ford is guarded by the 
 Catholics?" 
 
 Philip gave a brief account of his journey. 
 
 "You have acted prudently and well, young sir, and fully 
 justified the Admiral's confidence in your prudence. What 
 are your orders now? " 
 
 "They are simply to accompany your majesty on your way 
 north, if it be your pleasure to permit me to ride in your 
 train." 
 
 " I shall do that right willingly, sir, and it will be a pleasure 
 for my son to hear from your lips a full account of your jour- 
 ney hither, and something of your native land, in which it may 
 be that he will be some day compelled to take refuge." 
 
 "You shall ride by my side. Monsieur Philip," the young 
 Prince said. "You look as if you could laugh and joke. 
 These Huguenot lords are brave and faithful, but they have 
 ever serious faces." 
 
 " Hush, Henri ! it is not fitting to speak so. They are brave 
 and good men." 
 
 "They may be that, mother, but they weary me dreadfully; 
 and I am sure it would be much more cheerful having this 
 English gentleman as my companion." 
 
 The young Prince was tall for his age, active and sinewy. 
 His mother had brought him up as if he had been a peasant 
 boy. As a child he had run about barefoot, and as he grew 
 had spent much of his time among the mountains, sometimes 
 with shepherds, sometimes engaged in the chase. Jeanne her- 
 self had a horror of the corruption of the French court, and 
 strove to make her son hardy and robust, with simple tastes 
 and appetites, and preferring exercise, hard work, and hunter's 
 food to the life of the town. He had practised constantly in 
 arms, and his mother regretted nothing so much as the fact 
 that, next to the king and his brothers, he stood in succession 
 to the French throne, and would have been far happier that he 
 should rule some day over the simple and hardy people of 
 Navarre. 
 
JEANNE OF NAVARRE 183 
 
 "The first thing to do, Monsieur Fletcher," the queen said, 
 "is to obtain more suitable garments for yourself and your 
 followers. This my chamberlain shall see about without delay. 
 I will then present you to the gentlemen who accompany me. 
 They are but a small party, but we have received promises 
 from many others, who will join us on our way. I may tell 
 you it is already arranged that I shall set forward this evening. 
 Monsieur D'Escars has, I hear, some four thousand gentlemen 
 under arms; but these are widely scattered, and I hope to have 
 a sufficient force to overcome them at any point we may make 
 for. Some friends have secretly collected two or three boats 
 near Tonneins, where there is but^a small part of the Catholics 
 assembled. Once past the Garonne we shall feel safe for a 
 time." 
 
 "Would it please you that I should ride on first to Ton- 
 neins, your majesty, and ascertain if the garrison there are not 
 alert, and have no suspicion that you are about to cross so 
 close to them? Being a stranger here I could pass unsus- 
 pected, while were any of the gentlemen with you seen near 
 Tonneins it would create suspicion that you yourself were 
 about to cross in the neighbourhood." 
 
 " I thank you for that offer," the queen said, " and will speak 
 to you about it later on." 
 
 As Philip had been furnished with money he did not trouble 
 the queen's chamberlain, but at once purchased clothes for 
 himself and his three followers, together with breast and back 
 piece for Jacques and Roger. On his return to the queen 
 after an hour's absence, he was informed that Prince Henri 
 had made inquiries for him, and was shown into a room where 
 the young Prince was sitting down to his breakfast, the queen 
 being engaged in business with some of her councillors. 
 
 "That is right, Monsieur Fletcher; I have been waiting 
 breakfast for you for half an hour. Come, sit you down with 
 me. I warrant you have been too busy since you arrived at 
 Ne"rac to think of a meal." 
 
 "I don't think, Prince," Philip began, "that it would be 
 seemly that I " 
 
 "Nonsense," the Prince interrupted, "we are not at the 
 court of France, thank goodness, and we have no ceremony at 
 
184 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Beam. Besides, a simple gentleman may dine with the king 
 any day. So sit down without any more delay, and let me 
 hear all your adventures." 
 
 Philip still hesitated, and the Prince said : 
 
 " I told my mother that I was going to have you to breakfast 
 with me, and I believe she was well satisfied that I should for 
 a time be out of her way." 
 
 This removed any doubt from Philip's mind, and he at once 
 sat down with the Prince and ate a hearty meal, after which he 
 chatted with him for an hour, telling him about the journey 
 from La Rochelle, the rescue of the Huguenots near Niort, and 
 some of the adventures in the last war. 
 
 " And you were with my cousin Conde" and the Admiral in 
 the battle of St. Denis. What luck you have had, Monsieur 
 Fletcher; I hope the day will come when I too shall take a 
 part in war and be a great leader like the Admiral, but I would 
 rather that it was against Spaniards or others than against 
 Frenchmen." 
 
 The door opened and the queen entered. Philip rose hastily, 
 but she motioned him to be seated. " No ceremony, I beg of 
 you, Master Philip. I am glad to find you here with my son. 
 I have spoken to some of my friends of your offer to go to 
 Tonneins, but they think not well of it. It is a small place, 
 and a stranger would be sure to be questioned, but it was 
 agreed that if you would ride through Agen you might do us 
 great service. Five leagues from Tonneins, Fontarailles, the 
 seneschal of Armagnac, will be waiting for me in the morning 
 with a troop of horse and a regiment of infantry. If the 
 governor of Agen has news of his coming he may send out a 
 force to attack him, or should he not feel strong enough for 
 that, he may at least think that I am intending to join the 
 seneschal, and in that case he may send out troops to bar the 
 roads leading thither from the river. As many will be passing 
 through Agen on their way to join D'Escars, the passage of a 
 gentleman and two men-at-arms will excite no attention, and 
 if you put up for a short time at an inn you may be able to 
 gather whether there has been any movement of the troops, or 
 whether there is any talk of the departure of any this evening. 
 Should all be quiet you can join me on the road, or ride direct 
 
JEANNE OF NAVARRE 185 
 
 to the village of Villeneuve d'Agenois, where the seneschal 
 will arrive some time to-night. If you should hear of any 
 movements of troops ride down on the other side of the river 
 till within two miles of Tonneins, then, if you place your men 
 at intervals of three or four hundred yards apart, you will be 
 sure to see us cross, and can give us warning of danger, and 
 such indications as you may gather as to the points where the 
 troops are likely to be posted. We shall cross about midnight." 
 
 " I will gladly undertake the mission," Philip said. " I will 
 go out and procure some horses at once." 
 
 "That is unnecessary," the queen said; "we have brought 
 several spare horses with us, and I have already ordered four 
 to be saddled for you. You have no armour, I see." 
 
 "I would rather ride without it, your majesty, especially on 
 such a mission as the present; besides, if in full armour I 
 might well be accosted and asked to whose party I belong, 
 while riding in as I am unarmed, save for my sword, I should 
 have the air of a gentleman of the neighbourhood, who had 
 merely ridden in on business or to learn the latest news." 
 
 The queen smiled approvingly. 
 
 " You see, Henri, this gentleman, although about to under- 
 take a dangerous business, does not proceed rashly or hastily, 
 but thinks coolly as to the most prudent course to pursue. 
 You will understand, Monsieur Fletcher, that several of the 
 gentlemen with me have volunteered for this duty, and that we 
 have accepted your offer solely because they could scarcely 
 enter Agen without meeting some who know them, while you, 
 being a stranger, do not run this risk." 
 
 " Moreover, madam, I have another advantage. Were any 
 of them questioned, and asked directly, Are you a Huguenot? 
 they could not but answer yes; whereas were that question put 
 to me I could reply no, seeing that I am an English Protestant, 
 and in no way, save in my sympathies, a Huguenot." 
 
 "That is an advantage, certainly; but it may be the ques- 
 tion will be put, Are you a Catholic? " 
 
 "In that case, your majesty, I could only reply 'no; ' but 
 methinks the other question is the most likely one." 
 
 "I wish I were going to ride with Monsieur Fletcher, 
 mother." 
 
186 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 " That is impossible, Henri, for scarce a Gascon gentleman 
 but has been down at one time or other to Beam. Do not be 
 anxious for adventures; they will come in time, my son, and 
 plenty of them. Would that you could pass your life without 
 one; but in these troubled times, and with France divided 
 against itself, that is too much to hope. Should you by any 
 chance, Monsieur Fletcher, fail to rejoin us at Villeneuve 
 d'Agenois, you may overtake us farther on. But run no risk 
 to do so. You know whither we are bound, and I trust that 
 when we arrive there we may find you before us. I myself 
 will retain the ring that you brought me, and will return it to 
 the Admiral, but wear this in remembrance of one in whose 
 service you risked your life," and she handed him a diamond 
 ring, which he knew enough of gems to be aware was of con- 
 siderable value. 
 
 "And take this dagger," the Prince said, taking a small 
 and beautifully tempered weapon from his belt. " It is but a 
 bodkin, but it is of famous steel. It was sent me by Philip 
 of Spain at a time when he was trying to cajole my mother, 
 and is of the best workmanship of Toledo." 
 
 Philip expressed his thanks for the gifts in suitable words, 
 and then taking leave of the queen and Prince went down to 
 the courtyard. Here he found Pierre and the two men-at- 
 arms standing at the head of three powerful horses, while one 
 of the queen's retainers held a very handsome animal in readi- 
 ness for himself. 
 
 "Her majesty begs you to accept these horses, sir, as a 
 slight token of her good-will." In five minutes the party had 
 issued from Ne"rac, Pierre as usual keeping close behind Philip, 
 and the two men-at-arms riding a few lengths behind. 
 
 "This is truly a change for the better, Monsieur Philip," 
 Pierre said; "we entered Nerac as tillers of the soil, we ride 
 out in knightly fashion." 
 
 "Yes, Pierre, it is good to be on the back of a fine horse 
 again, and this one I am riding is worthy of a place beside 
 Victor and Robin." 
 
 "Yes, he is as good as either of them, sir; I am not sure 
 that he is not better. We, too, are well content with the 
 Queen of Navarre's generosity, for her steward gave us, before 
 
JEANNE OF NAVARRE 187 
 
 we started, each a purse of twenty crowns, which has been a 
 wonderful salve to our sore feet. I trust there will be no more 
 occasion to use them for a time." 
 
 " I hope not. It was a long journey, but it was fortunate 
 that we pushed on as we did, for had we been twelve hours 
 later we should not have found the queen at Ne"rac." 
 
 "And why does not your honour stay to ride with her?" 
 Pierre asked. 
 
 " I hope to join her again to-night. We are going through 
 Agen, where I hope to gather such news of the movements of 
 the Catholic troops as may be of use to her." 
 
 Agen was about fifteen miles^distance from Ne"rac, and as 
 there was no occasion for haste, and Philip did not wish the 
 horses to have the appearance of being ridden fast, they took 
 three hours in traversing the distance. When they neared the 
 town he said to Pierre, "I shall not take you with me. If 
 there should be trouble though I do not see how this can well 
 come about four men could do no more than one. There- 
 fore, Pierre, do you follow me no nearer than is sufficient to 
 keep me in sight, the other two will follow you at an equal 
 distance, together or separately. Should any accident befall 
 me you are on no account to ride up or to meddle in the busi- 
 ness. I have told you what my instructions are, and it will 
 be your duty to carry them out if I am taken. You will put 
 up your horse, and mingling with the soldiers and townspeople 
 find out if there is any movement in the wind, or whether any 
 troops have already gone forward. Jacques and Roger will do 
 the same, and you will meet and exchange news. If you find 
 that anything has been done, or is going to be done, towards 
 putting more guards on the river, or despatching a force that 
 might interfere with the passage of the queen from Tonneins 
 to Villeneuve d'Agenois, Roger and Jacques will ride to the 
 point where I told you the crossing is to be made, and will 
 warn the queen of the danger. I leave you free to ride with 
 them, or to stay in the town till you learn what has happened 
 to me. If you should find that there is no movement of 
 troops, you and the others will be free either to ride to Pontier 
 or to make your way back to Cognac, and to join my cousin 
 and give him news of what has happened to me. If I am only 
 
188 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 held as a prisoner the Admiral will doubtless exchange a Catho- 
 lic gentleman for me; he is sure to take many prisoners at the 
 capture of the towns." 
 
 He then called the two men-at-arms up, and repeated the 
 instructions relating to them. 
 
 "But may we not strike in should you get into trouble, 
 master? Roger and I would far rather share whatever may 
 befall you." 
 
 "No, Jacques, it would be worse in every way; force could 
 be of no avail, and it would lessen my chance of escape were 
 you beside me. Single-handed I might get through and trust 
 to the speed of my horse, if taken I might plan some mode of 
 escape. In either case it would hamper me were you there. 
 Above all it is important that my mission should be fulfilled, 
 therefore my commands on that head are strict. I do not 
 apprehend trouble in any way; but if it should occur you will 
 at once turn your horses down the first street you come to, so 
 that you may in no way be connected with me. Pierre will 
 of course turn first. You will follow him, see where he stables 
 his horse, then go on to some other cabaret, and having put 
 up your horses go back to the place where he has stopped, 
 wait till he joins you outside, then arrange for the hour at 
 which you are to meet again, and then go off in different 
 directions to gather the news of which we are in search. 
 Take no further thought about me at all; give your whole 
 minds to the safety of the queen. Upon that depends greatly 
 the issue of this war. Were she and her son to fall into the 
 hands of the Catholics, it would be a fatal blow to the cause." 
 
 So saying, he rode on again at the head of the party. 
 When within a quarter of a mile of the town he again called 
 Pierre up to him. 
 
 " Pierre, do you take this ring and dagger. Should I be 
 taken I shall assuredly be searched to see whether I am the 
 bearer of despatches. I should grieve to lose these gifts as 
 much as I should to fall into the hands of the Catholics. 
 Keep them for me until you learn that there is no chance of 
 my ever returning to claim them, and then give them to my 
 cousin, and beg him in my name to return the ring to the 
 Queen of Navarre, and the dagger to the young Prince." 
 
JEANNE OF NAVARRE 189 
 
 "I like not all these provisions," Pierre said to himself. 
 " Hitherto the master has never, since I first knew him, given 
 any commands to me as to what was to be done in case he 
 were captured or killed. It seems to me that the danger here 
 is as nothing to that he has often run before, and yet he must 
 have some sort of foreboding of evil. If I were not a Hugue- 
 not, I would vow a score of pounds of candles to be burnt at 
 the shrine of the Holy Virgin if the master gets safe out of 
 yonder town." 
 
 Philip rode on across the bridge and entered the gates with- 
 out question. Up to this time his followers had kept close 
 behind him, but now, in accordance with his instructions, 
 they dropped behind. He continued his way to the princi- 
 pal square, rode up to an inn, entered the courtyard, and gave 
 his horse to the stableman. 
 
 "Give it a feed," he said, "and put it in the stable. I 
 shall not require it until the afternoon." 
 
 Then he went into the public room, called for food and 
 wine, and sat down. The tables were well nigh full, for there 
 were many strangers in the town. After a first glance at the 
 newcomer none paid him any attention. Pierre and the two 
 men had, in accordance with his instructions, passed the inn 
 they had seen him enter, and put up at other places. There was 
 a loud buzz of conversation, and Philip listened attentively to 
 that between four gentlemen who had just sat down at the next 
 table to him. Three of them had come in together, and the 
 fourth joined them just as Philip's meal was brought to him. 
 
 "Well, have you heard any news at the governor's, Maig- 
 nan? " one of them asked the last comer. 
 
 "Bad news. Cond and the Admiral are not letting the 
 grass grow under their feet. They have captured not only 
 Niort, as we heard yesterday, but Parthenay." 
 
 " Peste! that is bad news indeed. What a blunder it was 
 to let them slip through their fingers, when they might have 
 seized them with two or three hundred men in Burgundy." 
 
 " It seems to me that they are making just the same mistake 
 here," another put in. "As Jeanne of Navarre is welmigh 
 as dangerous as the Admiral himself, why don't they seize her 
 and her cub and carry them to Paris? " 
 
190 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 " Because they hope that she will go willingly of her own 
 accord, St. Amand. La Motte-Fenelon has been negotiating 
 with her for the last fortnight on behalf of the court. It is 
 clearly far better that she should go there of her own will than 
 that she should be taken there a prisoner. Her doing so 
 would seem a desertion of the Huguenot cause, and would be 
 a tremendous blow to them. On the other hand, if she were 
 taken there as a prisoner, it would drive many a Huguenot to 
 take up arms who is now content to rest quiet. And more- 
 over, the Protestant princes of Germany and Elizabeth of 
 England would protest; for whatever the court may say of the 
 Admiral, they can hardly affirm that Jeanne of Navarre is 
 thinking of making war against Charles for any other reason 
 than the defence of her faith. Besides, she can do no harm 
 at Nrac, and we can always lay hands on her when we like. 
 At anyrate there is no fear of her getting farther north, the 
 rivers are too well guarded for that." 
 
 "I don't know," another said, "after the way in which 
 Cond^ and the Admiral, though hampered with women and 
 children, made their way across France, I should never be 
 surprised at anything. You see there is not a place where she 
 has not friends; these pestilent Huguenots are everywhere. 
 She will get warning of danger, and guides across the country 
 peasants who know every by-road through the fields and 
 every shallow in the rivers. It would be far better to make 
 sure of her and her son by seizing them at Ne"rac." 
 
 "Besides," St. Amand said, "there are reports of move- 
 ments of Huguenots all over Guyenne ; and I heard a rumour 
 last night that the Seneschal of Armagnac has got a considera- 
 ble gathering together. These Huguenots seem to spring out 
 of the ground. Six weeks ago no one believed that there was 
 a corner of France where they could gather a hundred men 
 together, and now they are everywhere in arms." 
 
 "I think," Maignan said, "that you need not be uneasy 
 about the Queen of Navarre. I am not at liberty to say what 
 I have heard, but I fancy that before many hours she will be 
 on her way to Paris, willingly or unwillingly. As for the sen- 
 eschal, he and the others will be hunted down as soon as this 
 matter is settled. A day or two sooner or later will make no 
 
JEANNE OF NAVARRE 191 
 
 difference there, and until the queen is taken the troops will 
 have to stay in their present stations. My only fear is that, 
 seeing she can have no hope of making her way north, she 
 will slip away back to Navarre again. Once there, she could 
 not be taken without a deal of trouble. Whatever is to be 
 done must be done promptly. Without direct orders from 
 the court no step can be taken in so important a matter. But 
 the orders may arrive any hour; and I think you will see that 
 there will be no loss of time in executing them." 
 
 " And Ne"rac could not stand a long siege even if it were 
 strongly garrisoned, and the handful of men she has got with 
 her could not defend the walls for an hour. I hope she may 
 not take the alarm too soon; for as you say, once back in 
 Navarre it would be difficult indeed to take her. It is no 
 joke hunting a bear among the mountains; and as her people 
 are devoted to her, she could play hide-and-seek among the 
 valleys and hills for weeks ay, or months before she could 
 be laid hold of. It is well for our cause, Maignan, that she 
 is not a man. She would be as formidable a foe as the Ad- 
 miral himself. Huguenot as she is, one can't help respecting 
 her. Her husband was a poor creature beside her; he was 
 ready to swallow any bait offered him; while even if it would 
 seat her son on the throne of France, she would not stir a 
 hand's-breadth from what she thinks right." 
 
 Philip finished his meal and then went out into the square. 
 The news was satisfactory. No order had yet arrived for the 
 seizure of the queen; and though one was evidently looked 
 for to arrive in the course of a few hours, it would then be 
 too late to take any steps until nightfall at the earliest, and 
 by nine o'clock the queen would have left Ne"rac. No move- 
 ment was intended at present against the seneschal, nor did 
 the idea that the queen might attempt to join him seem to be 
 entertained. It was possible, however, that such a suspicion 
 might have occurred to the governor, and that some troops 
 might secretly be sent off later. He must try to learn some- 
 thing more. 
 
 Confident that he could not be suspected of being aught 
 but what he appeared, a Catholic gentleman for his garments 
 were of much brighter hue than those affected by the Hugue- 
 
192 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 nots, he strolled quietly along, pausing and looking into 
 shops when he happened to pass near groups of soldiers or 
 gentlemen talking together. So he spent two or three hours. 
 No word had reached his ear indicating that any of the 
 speakers were anticipating a sudden call to horse. He saw 
 that Pierre was following him, keeping at some distance away, 
 and pausing whenever he paused. He saw no signs of the 
 other two men, and doubted not that they were, as he had 
 ordered, spending their time in wine-shops frequented by the 
 soldiers, and listening to their talk. 
 
 Feeling convinced that no orders had been given for the 
 assembly of any body of troops, he sat down for a time at a 
 small table in front of one of the principal wine-shops, and 
 called for a bottle of the best wine, thinking that the fact that 
 he was alone would be less noticeable so than if he continued 
 to walk the streets. Presently a party of four or five gentle- 
 men sat down at a table a short distance off. He did not 
 particularly notice them at first, but presently glancing that 
 way saw one of them looking hard at him; and a thrill of 
 dismay ran through him as he recognized the gentleman ad- 
 dressed as Raoul, the leader of the party that had stopped 
 him near Bazas. He had, however, presence of mind enough 
 to look indifferently at him, and then to continue sipping his 
 wine. 
 
 The possibility that this gentleman with his troop should 
 have come to Agen had never entered his mind ; and though 
 the encounter was a most unfortunate one, he trusted that the 
 complete change in his appearance would be sufficient to 
 prevent recognition, although it was evident by the gaze fixed 
 on him that the gentleman had an idea that his face was 
 familiar. To move now would heighten suspicion if any 
 existed, and he therefore sat quiet, watching the people who 
 passed in front of him, and revolving in his mind the best 
 course to be taken should Raoul address him. The latter 
 had just spoken to his cousin, who was sitting next to 
 him. 
 
 "Do you know that young gentleman, Louis?" he asked. 
 " I seem to know his face well, and yet he does not know me, 
 for he just now glanced at me without recognizing me. You 
 
JEANNE OF NAVARRE 193 
 
 know most of the gentry in this neighbourhood, do you know 
 him?" 
 
 " No, I cannot say that I do, Raoul ; though I too seem to 
 have a recollection of his face. It is a sort of face one re- 
 members too. I should think his family must belong to the 
 north, for you do not often see men of that complexion about 
 here. He looks very young, not above nineteen or twenty; 
 but there is a look of earnestness and resolution about his face 
 that would point to his being some years older." 
 
 Dismissing the matter from his mind Raoul joined in the 
 conversation round him. Presently he grasped his cousin's 
 arm. 
 
 "I know where we saw the face now, Louis; he was one of 
 the four fellows we stopped two days since near Bazas." 
 
 "Impossible, Raoul! Those men were peasants, though 
 two of them had served for a time in the army; the others " 
 and he stopped. 
 
 " You see it yourself, Louis. One of the others was a dark 
 active man, the other was but a lad a tall, well-built young 
 fellow with fair complexion and gray eyes. I thought of it 
 afterwards, and wondered where he got that skin and hair 
 from. I put it down that it was a trace of English blood, of 
 which there is a good deal still left in Guyenne and some of 
 the other provinces they held long ago." 
 
 " I certainly see the likeness now you mention it, Raoul, 
 but it can hardly be the same. This is a gentleman; he is 
 certainly that, whoever he may be. How could a gentleman 
 be masquerading about as a peasant? " 
 
 "That is what I am going to find out, Louis. He may 
 have been a Huguenot making his way down to join the 
 Queen of Navarre at Ne" rac ; he may be one of her train there, 
 who had gone out in disguise to reconnoitre the country and 
 see what forces of ours were in the neighbourhood, and where 
 posted. That may be his mission here, but this time he has 
 chosen to come in his proper attire." 
 
 " That can hardly be his attire if he is one of Jeanne of 
 Navarre's followers. He may have got a suit for the pur- 
 pose, but assuredly the colours are too gay for a Huguenot 
 in her train. For my part, I see nothing suspicious about 
 
194 
 
 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 There, he is paying his reckoning and 
 
 his appearance, 
 going." 
 
 "And I am going after him," Raoul said rising. "There 
 is something strange about the affair, and there may be some 
 plot. Do you come with me, Louis. Monsieur D'Estanges, 
 I have a little matter of business on hand, will you come with 
 me?" 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON 
 
 /^LANCING half round as he turned away from the wine- 
 VJ shop, Philip saw Raoul and two of his companions rising. 
 He walked off in a leisurely manner, and a few paces farther 
 turned down a side street. He heard steps following him, and 
 then a voice said : 
 
 "Hold, young sir; I would have a word with you." Philip 
 turned with an expression of angry surprise. 
 
 "Are you addressing me, sir? I would have you know that 
 I am not accustomed to be spoken to in that fashion, and that 
 I bear an ins'ult from no one." 
 
 Raoul laughed. "Are you equally particular, sir, when 
 you are going about in peasant's clothes? " 
 
 "I am not good at riddles, sir," Philip said haughtily, 
 "and can only suppose that your object is to pick a quarrel 
 with me; though I am not conscious of having given you 
 offence. However, that matters little. I suppose you are one 
 of those gallants who air their bravery when they think they 
 can do so with impunity. On the present occasion you may 
 perchance find that you are mistaken. I am a stranger here, 
 and know of no place where this matter can be settled, nor 
 am I provided with a second; but I am quite content to place 
 myself in the hands of one of these gentlemen, if they will 
 act for me." 
 
 "I am sure, Raoul, there is some mistake," Louis began, 
 putting his hand on his cousin's shoulder. But the other 
 shook it off angrily. He was of a passionate and overbear- 
 
 195 
 
196 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 ing temper, and Philip's coolness, and the manner in which 
 he had turned the tables upon him and challenged him to a 
 duel, inflamed him to the utmost. 
 
 "Hands off, Louis," he said. "Do you think that I, Raoul 
 de Fontaine, am to be crowed over by this youth? He has 
 challenged me to fight, and fight he shall." 
 
 "You provoked him," Louis said firmly. "You gave him 
 provocation such as no gentleman of honour could suffer. It 
 was not for this that I came out with you, but because you 
 said that you wished to unravel what may be a plot." 
 
 "I will cut it, which will be easier than unravelling it," 
 Raoul replied. " It is shorter and easier work to finish the 
 matter with a sword-thrust than to provide for his being swung 
 at the end of a rope." 
 
 "We had best waste no time in empty braggadocio," Philip 
 said coldly, " but proceed at once to some quiet spot where 
 this matter can be settled undisturbed." 
 
 "I think the young gentleman is right," M. D'Estanges, a 
 gentleman of the court, said gravely. " The matter has gone 
 too far for anything else now, and I am bound to say that your 
 adversary, of whose name I am ignorant, has borne himself in 
 a manner to merit my esteem, and that as your cousin will of 
 course act for you, I shall be happy to place my services at 
 his disposal." 
 
 "Let us get beyond the gates," Raoul said abruptly, turning 
 on his heel and retracing his steps up the lane to the main 
 street. 
 
 " I thank you, sir, for offering to stand by one of whose very 
 name you are ignorant," Philip said, as, accompanied by Mon- 
 sieur D'Estanges, he followed the others. "It is, however, 
 right that you should know it. It is Philip Fletcher; on my 
 father's side I am English, on my mother's I am of noble 
 French blood, being cousin to Francois de Laville, whose 
 mother and mine were daughters of the Count de Moulins." 
 
 "Two distinguished families of Poitou," M. D'Estanges said 
 courteously. " It needed not that to tell me that you were of 
 good blood. I regret much that this encounter is going to 
 take place. Monsieur Raoul de Fontaine was in the wrong in 
 so rudely hailing you, and I cannot blame you for taking it up 
 
AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON 197 
 
 sharply; although, seeing your age and his, and that he is a 
 good swordsman, it might have been more prudent to have 
 overlooked his manner. Unless, indeed," and he smiled, 
 " Monsieur Raoul was right, and that you are engaged on some 
 weighty matter here, and preferred to run the risk of getting 
 yourself killed rather than have it inquired into. The Coun- 
 tess of Laville and her son are both staunch Huguenots, and 
 you may well be on business here that you Avould not care to 
 have investigated. You have not asked my name, sir; it is 
 Charles D'Estanges. I am a cousin of the Due de Guise, and 
 am naturally of the court party; but I can esteem a brave 
 enemy, and regret to see one engaged in an encounter in 
 which he must needs be overmatched." 
 
 "I am a fair swordsman, sir," Philip said, "though my arm 
 may lack somewhat of the strength it will have a few years 
 later. But had it been otherwise I should have still taken the 
 course I have. I do not say your conjecture is a correct one, 
 but at anyrate I would prefer the most unequal fight to being 
 seized and questioned. One can but be killed once, and it 
 were better that it should be by a thrust in the open air than 
 a long imprisonment, ending perhaps with death at the stake." 
 
 Monsieur D'Estanges said no more. In spite of his rela- 
 tionship with the Guises he, like many other French Catholic 
 nobles, disapproved of the persecutions of the Huguenots, and 
 especially of the massacres perpetrated by the lower orders in 
 the towns, men for whom he had the profoundest contempt. 
 He felt sorry for his companion, whose youth and fearless 
 demeanour moved him in his favour, and who, he doubted 
 not, had come to Agen to confer with some of the Huguenots, 
 who were to be found in every town. 
 
 Issuing from the gates, they went for a quarter of a mile 
 along the road, and then Raoul led the way into a small wood. 
 Here, without a word being spoken, Raoul and Philip threw 
 aside their cloaks and doublets. 
 
 "Gentlemen," M. D'Estanges said, "surely this quarrel 
 might be arranged without fighting. Monsieur de Fontaine 
 addressed my principal, doubtless under a misapprehension, 
 with some roughness, which was not unnaturally resented. If 
 Monsieur de Fontaine will express his regret, which he cer- 
 
198 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 tainly could do without loss of dignity, for the manner in 
 which he spoke, my principal would, I am sure, gladly accept 
 his apology." 
 
 "That is my opinion also," Louis de Fontaine said, "and I 
 have already expressed it to my cousin." 
 
 "And I have already said that I will do nothing of the sort," 
 Raoul said. " I am fighting not only in my own quarrel, but 
 in that of the king, being well assured in my mind that this 
 young man, whether he be, as he now appears, a gentleman of 
 birth, or whether, as I saw him last, a peasant-boy, is engaged 
 in some plot hostile to his majesty." 
 
 "Then there is nothing more to be said," Monsieur 
 D'Estanges said gravely; "but before you begin I may tell 
 you, Monsieur de Fontaine, that this gentleman belongs to a 
 family no less noble than your own. He has confided to me 
 his name and position, which I think it as well not to 
 divulge. Now, Louis, we may as well stand aside. We have 
 done our best to stop this quarrel, and to prevent what I can- 
 not but consider a most unequal contest from taking place." 
 
 The last words were galling in the extreme to Raoul de 
 Fontaine. Monsieur D'Estanges stood high at court, was a 
 gentleman of unblemished reputation, and often appealed to 
 on questions of honour, and this declaration that he consid- 
 ered the combat to be an unequal one was the more irritating 
 since he was himself conscious of the fact. However, he 
 could not recoil now, but with an angry expression of face 
 drew his sword and stood on guard. Philip was no less ready. 
 The easy attitude he assumed, with his weight for the most 
 part on his left leg, differed so widely from the forward atti- 
 tude then in fashion among French duellists, that Monsieur 
 D'Estanges, convinced that he knew nothing of sword-play, 
 shrugged his shoulders pityingly. The moment, however, that 
 the swords grated against each other, and Philip put aside with 
 a sharp turn of the wrist a lunge with which his opponent 
 intended at once to finish the combat, the expression of his 
 face changed. 
 
 "The lad did not speak boastfully when he said he was a 
 fair swordsman," he muttered to himself. " He does not fight 
 in our fashion, but at least he knows what he is about." 
 
AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON 199 
 
 For some minutes the fight continued, Raoul's temper rising 
 higher and higher as he found every attack baffled by a foe he 
 had despised, and who refused to fall back even an inch, 
 however hotly he pressed him. He had at first intended either 
 to wound or disarm him, but he soon fought to kill. At last there 
 was a fierce rally, ending by Philip parrying a home-thrust and 
 returning it with lightning swiftness, running Raoul de Fon- 
 taine through the body with such force that the hilt of his sword 
 struck against his chest, and he sank lifeless to the ground. 
 
 "By our Lady, young gentleman, " M. D'Estanges exclaimed, 
 " but you have done well ! You said that you were a fair 
 swordsman; truly you are of the highest class. Raoul's temper 
 has led him into many a duel, and he has always wounded or 
 killed his man. Who could have thought that he would receive 
 his death-blow at the hands of a youth ? But whom have we 
 here? Peste ! this is awkward." As he spoke, Count Darbois, 
 the governor of Agen, with a body of troopers, rode up. He 
 had ridden to within a mile or two of Ne"rac, and questioning 
 persons from the town learned that everything was quiet there, 
 and that no fresh body of Huguenots had arrived. He was 
 on his way back when, hearing the clash of swords, he had 
 ridden into the wood to inquire into its meaning. 
 
 "What is this?" he exclaimed. "Why, what is this, Mon- 
 sieur de Fontaine? Your cousin, Count Raoul, dead ! " 
 
 Louis, who was leaning over his cousin, looked up. 
 
 " Alas ! I fear that it is so, Monsieur le Comte. My poor 
 cousin has fallen in a duel." 
 
 "What a misfortune, and at such a moment! Is it not 
 scandalous that at a time like this, when every gentleman's 
 sword is needed in defence of our king and faith, they should 
 indulge in private quarrels? And is it you, Monsieur D'Es- 
 tanges, who has done his majesty this bad service?" for by 
 this time Philip had resumed his doublet and cloak. 
 
 "No. I only stood as second to his opponent, who has 
 behaved fairly and honourably in the matter, as I am sure 
 Count Louis will testify." 
 
 "Your word is quite sufficient, Monsieur D'Estanges. And 
 who is this gentleman who has thus slain one who had no 
 mean reputation as a swordsman? " 
 
200 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "A young gentleman passing through Agen. The quarrel 
 arose through a rencontre in the street. Count Raoul was, as 
 was his nature, hasty, and put himself in the wrong. The 
 gentleman resented his language, and a meeting was at once 
 arranged. Count Louis and myself were with Raoul, and as 
 his opponent was alone, and it was not desirable to draw others 
 into the matter, I offered to act as his second, and he accepted 
 it at once. We came here. Count Louis and I made a final 
 effort to persuade Raoul to apologize for his language. He 
 refused to do so and they fought, and you see the conse- 
 quence." 
 
 "But who is this stranger? " the governor asked again. 
 
 "Count Raoul did not feel it necessary to ask, Count; and 
 I think, as he waived the point, and the affair is now 
 terminated, it would be well that his opponent should be 
 permitted to withdraw without questions." 
 
 "That is all very well for you, Monsieur D'Estanges, as a 
 party in a private quarrel, but as governor of Agen it is my 
 duty to satisfy myself as to who this stranger who has killed an 
 officer of the king may be." 
 
 He turned his horse, and for the first time obtained a view 
 of Philip, who, seeing the impossibility of escape, had been 
 standing quietly by. 
 
 "Why, it is but a youth!" he exclaimed. "You say he 
 slew Count Raoul in fair fight, Monsieur D'Estanges? " 
 
 "In as fair a fight as ever I saw, Monsieur le Comte." 
 
 "Who are you, sir? " the governor asked Philip. 
 
 " I am a stranger travelling through Agen on private busi- 
 ness," Philip said quietly. 
 
 "But what is your name and family, sir? " 
 
 "I am English," Philip replied. "My name is Philip 
 Fletcher." 
 
 "A Huguenot, I will be bound? " the governor said angrily. 
 
 " Not at all, Count. I am of the religion of my nation a 
 Protestant." 
 
 "It is the same thing," the governor said. "It is clear 
 that, for whatever purpose you may be in Agen, you are here 
 for no good. This is a serious matter, Monsieur D'Estanges." 
 
 " As I have said, I know nothing of this gentleman, Count. 
 
AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON 201 
 
 I saw him for the first time a little over half an hour ago, and 
 on every account I wish that I had not seen him. He has 
 killed my friend Raoul, deprived his majesty of a staunch 
 adherent, and has got himself into trouble. But for all that, 
 I am assured by his conduct and bearing in this business that 
 he is an honourable gentleman, and I intreat you, as a personal 
 favour, Count, that you allow him to go free." 
 
 "I would do much to oblige you, Monsieur D'Estanges, but 
 he is an Englishman, and a Protestant by his own confession, 
 and therefore can only be here to aid the men who have risen 
 in rebellion, and to conspire with the king's enemies. He 
 will be placed in close charge, and when the present pressing 
 affairs have been put out of Hand, I doubt not we shall find 
 means of learning a good deal more about this mysterious 
 person, who claims to be English but who yet speaks our 
 language like a Frenchman." 
 
 "As to that matter, I can satisfy you at once," Philip said. 
 " My mother was a French lady, a daughter of the Count de 
 Moulins of Poitou." 
 
 "A Huguenot family, if I mistake not," the governor said 
 coldly. " Well, we have other things to think of now. Cap- 
 tain Carton, place two troopers one on each side of this 
 person. I authorize you to cut him down if he tries to escape. 
 Let four others dismount and carry the body of the Count de 
 Fontaine into the city. You will, of course, take the com- 
 mand of his troop, Count Louis, seeing that, if I mistake not, 
 you are his nearest relative and the heir to his possessions." 
 
 As Philip was led through the streets he caught sight of 
 Pierre, who made no sign of recognition as he passed. He 
 was taken to the castle, and confined in a room in a turret 
 looking down upon the river. The window was closely barred, 
 but otherwise the room though small was not uncomfortable. 
 It contained a chair, a table, and a couch. When the door 
 was barred and bolted behind him, Philip walked to the win- 
 dow and stood looking out at the river. 
 
 The prospect seemed dark; the governor was unfavourably 
 disposed towards him now, and when the news came on the 
 morrow that the Queen of Navarre had slipped through his 
 fingers his exasperation would no doubt be vented on him. 
 
202 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 What was now but a mere suspicion would then become 
 almost a certainty, and it would, as a matter of course, be 
 assumed that he was there on matters connected with her 
 flight. That he was a Protestant was alone sufficient to con- 
 demn him to death, but his connection with the queen's flight 
 would, beyond all question, seal his fate. Pierre, he felt sure, 
 would do all that he could for him; but that could amount 
 to almost nothing. Even if he had the means of filing through 
 or removing the bars, it would need a long stout rope to enable 
 him to descend to the water's edge, a hundred feet below him; 
 and that he could obtain possession of either file or rope 
 seemed to him as absolutely impossible. 
 
 "Nevertheless," he said to himself, "I will let Pierre know 
 where I am confined. I do not see that it can do any good. 
 But he is a fellow of resource; I have great faith in him, and 
 though I can see no possible plan of escape, he, being without, 
 may try something. I have no doubt that his first endeavour 
 will be to find out where I am confined. I warrant he will 
 know my cap if he sees it. He has an eye like a hawk, and 
 if he sees anything outside one of the windows he will suspect 
 at once that it is a signal, and when he once looks closely at 
 it he will make out its orange tint and these three long cock's 
 feathers." 
 
 So saying he thrust one of his arms through the bars with 
 the cap, which he allowed to hang down against the wall 
 below. There he stood for two hours, closely examining every 
 boat that came along. At last he saw one rowed by two men 
 with a third sitting in the stern, and had no difficulty in mak- 
 ing out, as it came closer, that this was Pierre, who was gazing 
 at the castle. Presently he saw him suddenly clap his hands 
 and speak to the rowers. These did not look up but con- 
 tinued to row on in the same leisurely way as before, nor did 
 Pierre again glance at the castle. Satisfied that his signal had 
 been observed, Philip withdrew it but continued to watch the 
 boat. It went half a mile higher up, then turned and floated 
 quietly down the stream again. When he had seen it pass the 
 bridge he threw himself down on the couch. 
 
 "There is nothing more for me to do," he said; "the matter 
 is in Pierre's hands now." 
 
PHILIP IN PRISON. 
 
AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON 203 
 
 He listened for a time to the tramp of a sentry backwards 
 and forwards outside his door and then fell off to sleep, from 
 which he did not awake until he heard the bars withdrawn and 
 the key turned in the lock. Then a man accompanied by two 
 soldiers entered, and placed a chicken, a bottle of wine, and 
 a loaf of bread on the table. "Monsieur D'Estanges sends 
 this with his compliments," he said; and then Philip was 
 again left alone. 
 
 Two hours after it became dark he thought he heard a con- 
 fused sound as of the trampling of a number of horsemen in 
 the courtyard of the castle. He went to the door and placing 
 his ear against it was convinced that he was not mistaken. 
 
 "That looks as if an expedition were about to start some- 
 where," he said; " if they are bound for Nerac they will arrive 
 there too late, for the queen will by this time be setting out. 
 They cannot intend to scale the walls to-night, and the gates 
 will have been shut long ago; they are probably going into 
 ambush somewhere near so as to ride in in the morning. I 
 wish I could be certain they are bound in that direction. 
 There was certainly no idea of an expedition this morning, but 
 it is possible that the messenger with the order for the arrest 
 of the queen and prince may have arrived this afternoon, and 
 the governor is losing no time. I trust it is so, and not that 
 news has come from some spy at Ne"rac that she will leave the 
 place to-night. If it is so this party may be setting out to 
 strengthen the guards on the river, or to occupy the roads by 
 which she would travel were her purpose to join the seneschal. 
 I trust that Pierre and the others are on the alert and not wast- 
 ing, their time in thinking about me, and that if this troop 
 make along the river they will ride to warn the queen in time. 
 Hearing nothing she will assume that the road is clear, and 
 that she can go on fearlessly. It is enough to drive one mad 
 being cooped up here when the whole success of the cause is 
 at stake." 
 
 The character of the sentry's walk had changed. He had 
 been relieved some four hours before, and his walk at times 
 ceased as if he were leaning against the wall to rest himself, 
 while at times he gave an impatient stamp with his feet. 
 
 " I expect they have forgotten to relieve him," Philip said to 
 
204 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 himself; "if a strong body has gone out that might very well 
 be." 
 
 Another half-hour passed, and then he heard steps ascend- 
 ing the stone staircase and the sentry exclaimed angrily, " Sa- 
 pristie, comrade, I began to think I was going to be kept all 
 night at my post, and that every one had ridden out with that 
 party that started half an hour ago. Now, then; the orders 
 are, 'Permit no one to approach, refuse even to allow officers to 
 visit the prisoner without a special order of the governor.' 
 That is all. Now I am off for a tankard of spiced wine, 
 which I think I have earned well, for it is a good hour after 
 my time of relief." 
 
 Then Philip heard his footsteps descending the stairs, while 
 the man who had relieved him walked briskly up and down in 
 front of the door. In a minute or two he stopped, then 
 Philip turned with a start from the window at which he was 
 standing, as he heard through the keyhole a loud whisper, 
 "Monsieur Philip, are you asleep? It is I ! " 
 
 "Why, Pierre!" he exclaimed, running to the door and 
 putting his mouth to the keyhole; "how did you come here? " 
 
 " I will tell you that later, master, the thing is now to get 
 you out; the bolts here are easy enough to draw, but this lock 
 puzzles me. I have brought up two thin saws and an auger, 
 and thought to cut round it, but there is a plate of iron out- 
 side." 
 
 "And there is one inside too, Pierre. How about the 
 hinges, Pierre?" 
 
 " There is no doing anything with them, master, the iron- 
 work goes right across the door. There is nothing for it but 
 to cut right round the iron plate." 
 
 "That won't take very long if the saws are good, Pierre." 
 
 Philip heard a rasping sound, and in a short time the auger 
 passed through the woodwork. Two other holes adjoining 
 the first were soon made, and then the end of a saw was pushecS 
 through. 
 
 " If you can make a hole large enough at the bottom of the 
 plate, Pierre, and pass me the other saw through, I can work 
 that way to meet you." 
 
 " It would take too long to make, sir. I have plenty of oil, 
 
AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON 205 
 
 and it won't take me long to saw round the plate. I only 
 brought the second saw in case the first should break. But 
 this oak is pretty nearly as hard as iron." 
 
 It took over an hour's work before the cut was complete. 
 When it was nearly finished Pierre said, " Be ready to seize 
 the piece that is cut out as soon as I am through with it, mas- 
 ter, otherwise it may fall down as the door opens and make a 
 clatter that will be heard all over the castle." 
 
 As the last piece was sawn through Philip pressed the 
 door, and as it opened seized the portion cut out, drew it 
 backward, and laid it gently on the stone floor, then he rose 
 and grasped Pierre's hand. 
 
 " My brave Pierre, you have accomplished what I thought 
 was an impossibility. Now, what is the next thing to be 
 done?" 
 
 " The next thing is to unwind this rope from my body. It 
 is lucky I am so lean that it did not make me look bulky. It 
 is not very thick, but it is new and strong, and there are 
 knots every two feet. Roger is waiting for us below in a boat. " 
 
 "Where is Jacques?" 
 
 "Jacques has ridden off. He learned before sunset that 
 orders had been issued for the troops to assemble; he and 
 Roger had taken the four horses beyond the walls an hour 
 after you were arrested, and had left them at a farmer's a mile 
 away. So he arranged with me that he should follow the 
 troop on foot, which he could do, as there are footmen as well 
 as horse in the party that has gone out. Then as soon as he 
 discovered which way they were going he would slip off and 
 make for the farmhouse and mount. If they were bound for 
 Ne"rac he will wait for us at the point on the other side of the 
 river. If they follow the river down, he will ride at full 
 speed, make a circuit, and warn the queen of the danger. 
 He will have plenty of time to do that, as the column will 
 bave to move at the pace of the infantry." 
 
 "That is a load off my mind, Pierre." While they were 
 speaking they had unwound the rope, fastened one end to the 
 battlement and lowered the other down. 
 
 "I will go first, master; I am the lightest, and will stead;/ 
 the rope for you from below." 
 
206 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 In two or three minutes Philip felt that the rope was no 
 longer tight, and at once swung himself over and lowered 
 himself down. The water washed the foot of the wall, and 
 he stepped directly into the boat, which Roger was keeping 
 in its place with a pole while Pierre held the rope. An ex- 
 clamation of thankfulness broke from the two men as his feet 
 touched the gunwale of the boat, and then without a word 
 Roger began to pole the boat along against the tide, keeping 
 close to the foot of the wall. Once fairly beyond the castle 
 the pole was laid in and the two men took the oars, and the 
 boat shot across the river. Then they rowed up under the 
 opposite bank, until a voice from above them said : 
 
 "Is all well is Monsieur Philip with you? " 
 
 "All is well, Jacques," Philip exclaimed delighted, for the 
 fact that his follower was there showed that the troops had 
 gone in the direction that did not threaten the safety of the 
 queen. They leapt ashore and pushed the boat off to allow 
 it to float down with the stream. 
 
 It was a mile to the spot where the horses had been left. 
 On the way Philip heard how his escape had been effected. 
 
 " I saw you go out from the town, monsieur, and could not 
 for the life of me make out what was going to happen. I did 
 not know the gentleman you were walking with, but I recog- 
 nized the two in front of you as the officers of the troop that 
 had questioned us near Bazas. One of them was talking 
 angrily to the other. As it seemed to me that you were going 
 willingly and not as a prisoner, and especially as you were 
 going out of the town, I thought that it was my business to 
 wait until you returned. I saw half an hour later some horse- 
 men coming up the street, and some one said that it was the 
 governor, who had been out with a party. It gave me a bad 
 turn when I saw you walking as a prisoner in the middle of 
 them. I saw you glance at me but of course made no sign, 
 and I followed until you entered the castle. When I was 
 walking away I saw a crowd. Pushing forward I found they 
 were surrounding four soldiers who were carrying a body on 
 their shoulders, and made out at once it was the officer who 
 had been talking so angrily to his companion. Then I un- 
 derstood what had puzzled me before, and what you had gone 
 
AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON 207 
 
 outside the walls for; the rest was easy to guess. The gov- 
 ernor had come along, you had been questioned, and had 
 been arrested as a Huguenot. It was evident that no time 
 was to be lost, and that if you were to be got out it must be 
 done quickly. 
 
 " I hurried away to the cabaret where Jacques and Roger 
 were drinking. We talked the matter over, and agreed that 
 the first thing was to get the four horses out of the town. So 
 I went to the inn where you had put up, said I was your ser- 
 vant, paid the reckoning, and took away the horse. Then I 
 got my own and joined the other two, who were mounted and 
 ready. They each took a horse^and rode off, settling to leave 
 them at some farmhouse a short distance away, explaining 
 there that the town was so full they could find no room for 
 them. Directly they had started I set off to have a look round 
 the castle. The great thing was to know where they had 
 lodged you. If it was in a cell looking outward, I thought 
 that, knowing I should be searching for you, you would make 
 a signal. If I could see nothing I determined to accost some 
 servant coming out from the castle, to make acquaintance with 
 him, and over a bottle of wine to find out in what part of the 
 castle you were lodged. 
 
 " On the land side I could see nothing, and then went back 
 and waited till Jacques and Roger returned. Then we took 
 a boat, and as you know rowed up, and I soon made out your 
 cap outside the wall. Then as we rowed back we arranged 
 matters. Jacques was to carry out your former orders : find 
 out about the movement of troops, and warn the queen if 
 danger threatened. Roger was to be at the foot of the wall 
 with a boat as soon as it became dark; I was to undertake to 
 get you out. The first thing to do was to get a rope. This 
 I carried to a quiet place on the wall, knotted it and put it 
 round me under my doublet; then there was nothing to do but 
 to wait. I went several times to hear if Jacques had any 
 news, and was glad when he told me that most of the troops 
 were ordered to be under arms at eight o'clock. This would 
 make matters simpler for me, for with numbers of people 
 going in and coming out of the castle it would be easy to slip 
 in unnoticed. 
 
208 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 " As soon as it was dark Jacques and I went down a lane, 
 and he gave me his steel cap and breast-piece and took my 
 cap in exchange. Then I went up towards the castle. The 
 gates were open, and I was told that they would not be closed 
 until midnight as so many were coming out and going in, and 
 there was no hostile force anywhere in these parts. Presently 
 numbers of gentlemen began to arrive with their retainers, 
 and I soon went in with a party of footmen. The courtyard 
 was full of men, and I was not long before I found the stair- 
 case leading up to the top of the wall on the river side. I 
 went boldly up, and half-way found a door partly open. 
 Looking in I saw that it was evidently used by some gentle- 
 men who had gone down in haste to join the party below, so 
 I shut the door and waited. I heard the troops start, and 
 guessed from the quiet that followed that the greater portion 
 of the garrison had left. I felt pretty sure that there would 
 be a sentry at your door, and waited until the time I thought 
 he would be expecting a relief; then I went up. He was in 
 a mighty hurry to get down, and did not stop to see who I 
 was, or to ask any questions; which was well for him, for I 
 had my knife in my hand, and should have stabbed him be- 
 fore he could utter a cry. Everything went off well, and you 
 know the rest, sir." 
 
 "You managed wonderfully, Pierre. I thought over every 
 plan by which you might aid me to escape, but I never thought 
 of anything so simple as this. Nor, indeed, did I see any 
 possible way of your freeing me. How are we going to get 
 our horses? The farmer will think that we are a party of 
 thieves." 
 
 "They are in an open shed," Jacques said. "I told the 
 farmer that our reason for bringing them out of the town was 
 that you might have to start with orders any time in the night, 
 and that it would be troublesome getting them out from town 
 stables and having the gates opened for them to pass out, 
 while on foot you could issue from the postern without 
 trouble. I paid him for the corn when I left them." 
 
 The horses, indeed, were got out without any stir in the 
 house indicating that its occupants were awakened. 
 
 "Give me your sword, Pierre," Philip said as he mounted. 
 
AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON 209 
 
 "I trust that we shall meet with no enemies on the road; still 
 we may do so, and I should not like to be unarmed. You 
 have your arquebus." 
 
 This had been brought in the boat by Roger, and on land- 
 ing Pierre had exchanged the steel cap and breast-piece for 
 his own cap. The road to Villeneuve D'Agenois was a cross- 
 country one, and would be impossible to follow in the dark. 
 Consequently, after keeping on the main road for half an 
 hour, they turned off a road to the right, rode until they came 
 to a wood, and there alighted. 
 
 "Shall I light a fire, sir?" Pierre asked. 
 
 "It is not worth while, Pierre; it must be getting on for 
 midnight now, and we must be in the saddle again at day- 
 break. By this time they have no doubt found that I have 
 escaped. The first time they send up a man to relieve you 
 the open door will be noticed. They will certainly make no 
 search to-night, and to-morrow they will have something else 
 to think about; for doubtless some spy at Ne"rac will, as soon 
 as the gates are open, take the news to the governor's party 
 that the queen has left." 
 
 Two hours' brisk ride in the morning took them within 
 sight of Villeneuve D'Agenois. Riding across the bridge over 
 the river Lot he entered the town. The street was full of 
 troops, and three gentlemen standing at the door of an inn 
 looked with suspicion on the gay colouring of Philip's cos- 
 tume, and as he alighted they stepped forward to accost him. 
 
 "May I ask who you are, sir?" one said advancing; "and 
 what is your business here? " 
 
 "Certainly you may," Philip said, as he dismounted. 
 " My name is Philip Fletcher. I am here at the order of her 
 majesty the Queen of Navarre, who, I trust, has arrived here 
 safely." 
 
 "The queen arrived here three hours since, Monsieur 
 Fletcher; and I may say that she did you the honour to in- 
 quire at once if a gentleman of your name had arrived." 
 
 " I should have met her at the river near Tonneins; but the 
 governor of Agen laid an embargo on me, yet thanks to these 
 three faithful fellows I got safely out of his clutches." 
 
 "We shall march in an hour, Monsieur Fletcher, and as 
 
210 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 soon as the queen is up I will see that she is acquainted with 
 your coming. Allow me to introduce myself first, Gaston de 
 Rebers. Breakfast is ready in this cottage, and we were 
 about to sit down when we saw you riding up. I shall be 
 glad if you will share it with us. These are my comrades, 
 Messieurs Duvivier, Harcourt, and Parolles." He then 
 called a sergeant. 
 
 "Sergeant, see that Monsieur Fletcher's servant and men- 
 at-arms have a good meal." 
 
 "I think they must want it," Philip said. "They have 
 been so busy in my service that I doubt if they have eaten 
 since breakfast yesterday. I myself supped well, thanks to 
 the courtesy of Monsieur D'Estanges, who was good enough to 
 send up an excellent capon and a bottle of wine to my cell." 
 
 "You know Monsieur D'Estanges?" Gaston de Rebers 
 asked courteously. " He is a gentleman of high repute, and 
 though connected with the Guises he is said to be opposed 
 to them in their crusade against us." 
 
 "I had only the honour of meeting him yesterday," Philip 
 said, as they sat down to table; "but he behaved like a true 
 gentleman, and did me the honour of being my second in an 
 unfortunate affair into which I was forced." 
 
 "Who was your opponent, may I ask, sir? " 
 
 "Count Raoul de Fontaine." 
 
 "A doughty swordsman! Gaston de Rebers exclaimed; 
 "but- one of our bitterest opponents in this province. You 
 are fortunate indeed to have escaped without a serious wound, 
 for he has been engaged in many duels, and but few of his 
 opponents have escaped with their lives." 
 
 "He will neither persecute you nor fight more duels," Philip 
 said quietly; "for I had the misfortune to kill him." 
 
 The others looked at him with astonishment. 
 
 " Do I understand rightly, Monsieur Fletcher, that you have 
 slain Raoul de Fontaine in a duel? " 
 
 "That is the case," Philip replied. "Monsieur D'Estanges, 
 as I have said, acted as my second, Count Louis de Fontaine 
 acted for his cousin." 
 
 "You will pardon my having asked you the question again," 
 De Rebers said; "but really it seemed well-nigh impossible 
 
AN ESCAPE FROM PRISON 211 
 
 that a gentleman, who, as I take it, can yet be scarcely of age, 
 should have slain Raoul de Fontaine." 
 
 "I lack four years yet of being of age," Philip said; "for 
 it will be another month before I am seventeen. But I have 
 had good teachers, both English and French, and our games 
 and exercises at school, naturally bring us forward in point of 
 strength and stature in comparison with your countrymen of 
 the same age. Still, doubtless, it was as much due to good 
 fortune as to skill that I gained my success. I assuredly had 
 no desire to kill him; the less so because, to a certain extent, 
 the duel was of my making. There was, as it seemed to me, 
 no choice between fighting hinTand being denounced by him 
 as a spy. Therefore when he accosted me roughly, I took the 
 matter up hotly, and there was nothing for it but an encounter. 
 As I have said, I meant only to wound him, but his skill 
 and his impetuosity were so great that I was forced in self- 
 defence to run him through. After all I gained nothing by 
 the duel, for the governor with a troop of horse came up just 
 as it concluded, and as I could give no satisfactory account 
 of myself, I was hauled off a prisoner to the castle." 
 
 "And how did you escape thence? " Gaston asked. 
 
 Philip gave an account of the manner in which his servant 
 had rescued him. 
 
 " Parbleul you are fortunate in your servant. I would that 
 so shrewd a knave . But there, the trumpets are sounding. 
 I will take you at once to the queen, who is doubtless ready to 
 mount." 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 AT LAVILLE 
 
 THE queen was standing at the door of the house where she 
 had lain down for a few hours' rest after her arrival; the 
 Prince was standing beside her. 
 
 "Here is our English friend, mother," he exclaimed, run- 
 ning forward to meet Philip. " Welcome, Monsieur Fletcher. 
 When we found that you were not here on our arrival last night 
 we feared that some evil had befallen you." 
 
 "Monsieur Fletcher is well able to take care of himself, 
 Prince; he has been having adventures enough," Gaston de 
 Rebers said. 
 
 "You must tell me about them as we ride," the Prince said. 
 "I love adventures, M. Fletcher." 
 
 They had now reached the queen. " I am glad to see you, 
 Monsieur Fletcher. Of course it was in one way a relief to 
 us when we crossed the river and did not find you there, for I 
 was sure you would have been there to give us warning had 
 there been danger on the way; but I thought you might come 
 in any case, and when we found that you had not arrived here 
 before us I was afraid that something might have befallen you." 
 
 "I have had some slight troubles, your majesty, and to my 
 great regret I was unable to meet you at the passage of the 
 river. I should have been here long before daylight, but we 
 were unable to find the road in the dark, and had to wait until 
 we could inquire the way." 
 
 " Monsieur Fletcher is pleased to say that he has had some 
 slight troubles, madame," Gaston said; "but as the troubles 
 
 212 
 
AT LAVILLE 213 
 
 included the slaying in a duel of Raoul de Fontaine, one of the 
 bitterest enemies of our faith, and moreover a noted duellist, 
 and an escape from the castle of Agen, where he was confined 
 as a suspected Huguenot and spy, the term slight does not very 
 aptly describe them." 
 
 " What ! " a tall soldierly old man standing next to the queen 
 exclaimed. " Do you mean to say, De Rebers, that Monsieur 
 Fletcher has killed Raoul de Fontaine in a duel? If so, I 
 congratulate your majesty. He was a bitter persecutor of the 
 Huguenots, and one of the hottest-headed and most trouble- 
 some nobles in the province. Moreover, he can put a hundred 
 and fifty men into the field; and although his cousin Louis, 
 who is his heir, is also Catholic," he is a man of very different 
 kind, and is honoured by Huguenot and Catholic? alike. But 
 how this gentleman could have killed so notable a swordsman 
 is more than I can understand; he looks, if you will pardon 
 my saying so, a mere youth." 
 
 " He rode beside Francois de la Noiie in the battle of St. 
 Denis, seneschal," the queen said; "and as he was chosen by 
 my cousin Conde" and Admiral Coligny for the difficult and 
 dangerous enterprise of carrying a communication to me, it is 
 clear that whatever his years he is well fitted to act a man's 
 part." 
 
 "That is so," the seneschal said heartily. "I shall be glad 
 to talk to you again, sir; but at present, madame, it is time to 
 mount. The troops are mustering, and we have a long ride 
 before us. If you will lead the way with the infantry at once, 
 Monsieur de Rebers, we will follow as soon as we are mounted. 
 We must go your pace, but as soon as we start I will send a 
 party to ride a mile ahead of you, and see that the roads are 
 clear." 
 
 At starting the queen rode with the Prince and the seneschal 
 at the head of the mounted party, some two hundred and fifty 
 strong, and behind followed the noblemen and gentlemen who 
 had come with her, and those who had accompanied the 
 seneschal. 
 
 Philip, who knew no one, rode near the rear of this train, 
 behind which followed the armed retainers. In a short time 
 a gentleman rode back through the party. "Monsieur 
 
214 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Fletcher," he said when he reached Philip, "the Prince has 
 asked me to say that it is his wish that you shall ride forward 
 and accompany him." 
 
 Philip turned into the field, and rode to the head of the 
 party. The Prince, who was looking round, at once reined in 
 his horse and took his place beside him. 
 
 " Now, Monsieur Philip, you must tell me all about it. I 
 am tired of hearing consultations about roads and Catholic 
 forces. I want to hear a full account of your adventures, just 
 as you told me the tale of your journey to Ne"rac." 
 
 During the course of the day several parties of gentlemen 
 joined the little force. So well organized were the Huguenots, 
 that during the last two or three days the news had passed 
 from mouth to mouth throughout the province for all to 
 assemble, if possible, at points indicated to them; and all 
 knew the day on which the seneschal would march north from 
 Villeneuve. Yet so well was the secret kept, that the Catholics 
 remained in total ignorance of the movement. Consequently 
 at every village there were accessions of force awaiting the 
 seneschal, and parties of from ten to a hundred rode up and 
 joined them on the march. After marching twenty miles they 
 halted at the foot of a chain of hills, their numbers having 
 been increased during the day to over twelve hundred men. 
 The queen and her son found rough accommodation in a small 
 village, the rest bivouacked round it. 
 
 At midnight three hundred cavalry and two hundred foot- 
 men started across the hills, so as to come down upon Bergerac 
 and seize the bridge across the Dordogne; then at daylight the 
 rest of the force marched. On reaching the river they found 
 that the bridge had been seized without resistance. Three 
 hundred gentlemen and their retainers, of the province of 
 Perigord, had assembled within half a mile of the other side 
 of the bridge, and had joined the party as they came down. 
 A Catholic force of two hundred men in the town had been 
 taken by surprise and captured, for the most part in their beds. 
 
 The queen had issued most stringent orders that there was 
 to be no unnecessary bloodshed, and the Catholic soldiers, 
 having been stripped of their arms and armour, which were 
 divided among those of the Huguenots who were ill-provided, 
 
AT LAVILLE 215 
 
 were allowed to depart unharmed the next morning, some fif- 
 teen gentlemen being retained as prisoners. Three hundred 
 more Huguenots rode into Bergerac in the course of the day. 
 The footmen marched forward in the afternoon, and were 
 directed to stop at a village twelve miles on. As the next 
 day's journey would be a long one, the start was again made 
 early, and late in the afternoon the little army, which had been 
 joined by two hundred more in the course of the day, arrived 
 within sight of Pe"rigueux. Five hundred horsemen had ridden 
 forward two hours before to secure the bridge. 
 
 The seneschal had, after occupying Bergerac, placed horse- 
 men on all the roads leading north to prevent the news from 
 spreading, and Pe"rigueux, a large and important town, was 
 utterly unprepared for the advent of an enemy. A few of the 
 troops took up arms and made a hasty resistance, but were 
 speedily dispersed; the greater portion fled at the first alarm 
 to the castle, where D'Escars himself was staying. He had 
 only two days before sent off a despatch to the court declaring 
 that he had taken his measures so well that not a Huguenot in 
 the province would take up arms. His force was still superior 
 to that of the horsemen, but his troops were disorganized, and 
 many in their flight had left their arms behind them, and he 
 was therefore obliged to remain inactive in the citadel; and 
 his mortification and fury were complete when the seneschal's 
 main body marched through the town and halted for the night 
 a league beyond it. 
 
 The next day they crossed the Dronne at Brantome, and 
 then turned to the west. The way was now open to them, and 
 with two thousand men the seneschal felt capable of coping 
 with any force that could be got together to attack them. A 
 halt was made for a day to rest the men and horses, and four 
 days later, after crossing the Perigord hills, and keeping ten 
 miles south of Angouleme, they came within sight of Cognac. 
 Messages had already been sent on to announce their coming, 
 and five miles from the town they were niet by the Prince of 
 Cond and the Admiral. 
 
 "Your first message lifted a load from our minds, madame," 
 the Admiral said; "the last news I received of you was that 
 you were still at Ne"rac, and as an intercepted despatch 
 
216 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 informed us that orders had been sent from the court for your 
 immediate arrest, we were in great uneasiness about you." 
 
 "We left Nrac just in time," the queen said; "for, as we 
 have learned, the governor of Agen with a strong force left 
 that city to effect our capture at the very hour that we started 
 on our flight." 
 
 "Did you know where you would find us, madame? We 
 sent off a message by trusty hands, but whether the gentleman 
 reached you we know not." 
 
 "Indeed he did, and has since rendered us good service; 
 and Henri here has taken so great a fancy to him that since 
 we left Villeneuve he has always ridden by his side." 
 
 After Cond had presented the gentlemen who had ridden 
 out with him to the queen, and the seneschal in turn had 
 introduced the most important nobles and gentlemen to the 
 prince and Admiral, they proceeded on their way. 
 
 " Have you taken Cognac, cousin? " the queen asked Conde". 
 
 " No, madame ; the place still holds out. We have captured 
 St. Jean d'Angely, but Cognac is obstinate, and we have no 
 cannon with which to batter its walls." 
 
 As soon, however, as the queen arrived at the camp a sum- 
 mons was sent in in her name, and, influenced by this and by 
 the sight of the reinforcements she had brought with her, 
 Cognac at once surrendered. As soon as Philip rode into 
 camp he was greeted joyously by his cousin Frangois. 
 
 "We did not think when we parted outside Niort that we 
 were going to be separated so long," he said, after they had 
 shaken hands heartily. " I was astonished indeed, when two 
 days later I met the Admiral outside the walls of the town 
 again, to hear that you had gone off to make your way through 
 to Ne"rac. I want to hear all your adventures. We have not 
 had much fighting; Niort made but a poor resistance, and 
 Parthenay surrendered without striking a blow; then I went 
 with the party that occupied Fontenay. The Catholics fought 
 stoutly there, but we were too strong for them. Those three 
 places have given La Rochelle three bulwarks to the north. 
 Then we started again from La Rochelle and marched to St. 
 Jean d'Angely, which we carried by storm. Then we came on 
 here, and I believe we shall have a try at Saintes or Angou- 
 
AT LAVILLE 217 
 
 leme. When we have captured them we shall have a complete 
 cordon of strong places round La Rochelle. We expect La 
 Noiie down from Brittany every hour, with a force he has 
 raised there and in Normandy; and we have heard that a 
 large force has gathered in Languedoc, and is advancing to 
 join us; and all is going so well that I fancy if Monsieur 
 d'Anjou does not come to us before long we shall set out in 
 search of him. So much for our doings; now sit down com- 
 fortably in my tent and tell me all about your journey. I see 
 you have brought Pierre and your two men back with you." 
 
 "You would be nearer the truth if you said that Pierre and 
 the two men had brought me back," Philip laughed; "for if 
 it had not been for them I should probably have lost my head 
 the day after the queen left Ne"rac." 
 
 "That is a good beginning to the story, Philip; but tell me 
 the whole in proper order as it happened." 
 
 Philip told his story at length, and his cousin was greatly 
 pleased at the manner in which he had got through his various 
 dangers and difficulties. 
 
 The queen remained but a few hours with the army after 
 Cognac had opened its gates. After a long conference with 
 the Prince of Conde", the Admiral, and the other leaders, she 
 left under a strong escort for La Rochelle, leaving the young 
 prince with the army, of which he was given the nominal 
 command, as his near connection with the royal family, and 
 the fact that he was there as the representative of his mother, 
 strengthened the Huguenot cause, which could no longer be 
 described by the agents of the French court with foreign powers 
 as a mere rising of slight importance, the work only of Conde*, 
 Coligny, and a few other ambitious and turbulent nobles. 
 
 " I asked my mother to appoint you as one of the gentlemen 
 who are to ride with me, Monsieur Fletcher," the young prince 
 said to Philip when he saw him on the day after the queen's 
 departure; "but she and the Admiral both said no. It is not 
 because they do not like you, you know; and the Admiral said 
 that he could very well trust me with you. But when my 
 mother told him that I had ridden with you for the last four 
 days, he said that it would cause jealousy, when there were so 
 many young French nobles and gentlemen in the camp, if I 
 
218 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 were to choose you in preference to them as my companion, 
 you being only French on your mother's side and having an 
 English name. I begged them to let me tell you this, for I 
 would rather ride with you than with any of them; and I 
 should not like you to think that I did not care to have you 
 with me any more. I think it hard. They call me the com- 
 mander of this army, and I can't have my own way even in a 
 little thing like this. Some day, Monsieur Fletcher, I shall 
 be able to do as I please, and then I hope to have you near 
 me." 
 
 " I am greatly obliged to your Highness," Philip said; "but 
 I am sure the counsel that has been given you is right, and that 
 it is far better for you to be in the company of French gentle- 
 men. I have come over here solely to do what little I can to 
 aid my mother's relations, and those oppressed for their faith; 
 and though I am nattered by your wish that I should be near 
 you, I would rather be taking an active share in the work that 
 has to be done." 
 
 "Yes, the Admiral said that. He said that while many a 
 youth would be most gratified at being selected to be- my 
 companion, he was sure that you would far rather ride with 
 your cousin M. De Naville, and that it would be a pity to keep 
 one who bids fair to be a great soldier acting the part of nurse 
 to me. It was not quite civil of the Admiral, for I don't want 
 a nurse of that kind, and would a thousand times rather ride 
 as an esquire to you and take share in your adventures. But 
 the Admiral is always plain-spoken; still as I know well that he 
 is good and wise, and the greatest soldier in France, I do not 
 mind what he says." 
 
 Angouleme and Saintes were both captured without much 
 difficulty, and then moving south from Angouleme the army 
 captured Pons and Blaye, and thus possessed themselves of a 
 complete semicircle of towns round La Rochelle. A short 
 time afterwards they were joined by a strong force of Hugue- 
 nots from Languedoc and Provence. These had marched 
 north without meeting with any enemy strong enough to give 
 them battle, and when they joined the force under the Admiral 
 they raised its strength to a total of three thousand cavalry and 
 twenty thousand infantry. By this time the royal army of the 
 
AT LAVILLE 219 
 
 Prince d'Anjou, having united with that raised by the Guises, 
 had advanced to Poitiers. The season was now far advanced; 
 indeed winter had already set in. Both armies were anxious 
 to fight; but the royalist leaders, bearing in mind the desper- 
 ate valour that the Huguenots had displayed at St. Denis, were 
 unwilling to give battle unless in a position that afforded them 
 every advantage for the movements of their cavalry, in which 
 they were greatly superior in strength to the Huguenots. 
 
 The Admiral was equally determined not to throw away the 
 advantage he possessed in his large force of infantry; and 
 after being in sight of each other for some time, and several 
 skirmishes having taken place, both armies fell back into 
 winter quarters the severity of the weather being too great to 
 keep the soldiers without tents or other shelter in the field. 
 
 During these operations Philip and his cousin had again 
 ridden with Francois de la Nolle, who had rejoined the army 
 after a most perilous march, in which he and the small body 
 of troops he had brought from Brittany had succeeded in 
 making their way through the hostile country, and in crossing 
 the fords of the intervening rivers after hard fighting and 
 considerable loss. 
 
 As soon as the intense cold had driven both armies to the 
 shelter of the towns, the count said to Francois: "You and 
 Philip had better march at once with your troop to Laville. 
 It will cost far less to maintain them at the chateau than else- 
 where ; indeed the men can for the most part return to their 
 farms. But you must be watchful, Francois, now that a por- 
 tion of Anjou's army is lying at Poitiers. They may, should 
 the weather break, make raids into our country; and as Laville 
 is the nearest point to Poitiers held for us, they might well 
 make a dash at it." 
 
 The countess welcomed them back heartily, but expressed 
 great disappointment that the season should have passed with- 
 out the armies meeting. 
 
 " It was the same last time, it was the delay that ruined us. 
 With the best will in the world there are few who can afford to 
 keep their retainers in the field for month after month, and 
 the men themselves are longing to be back to their farms and 
 families. We shall have to keep a keen look-out through the 
 
220 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 winter. Fortunately our harvest here is a good one and the 
 granaries are all full, so that we shall be able to keep the men- 
 at-arms on through the winter without much expense. I feel 
 more anxious about the tenants than about ourselves." 
 
 " Yes, mother, there is no doubt there is considerable risk 
 of the enemy trying to beat us up ; and we must arrange for 
 signals, so that our people may have time to fall back here. 
 Philip and I will think it over. We ought to be able to con- 
 trive some scheme between us." 
 
 "Do so, Francois. I feel safe against surprise here; but 
 I never retire to rest without wondering whether the night will 
 pass without the tenants' farms and stacks being set ablaze, 
 and they and their families slaughtered on their own hearth- 
 stones." 
 
 "I suppose, Francois," Philip said to him as they stood at 
 the look-out next morning, " there is not much doubt which 
 way they would cross the hills coming from Poitiers. They 
 would be almost sure to come by that road that we travelled 
 by when we went to Chatillon. It comes down over the hills 
 two miles to the west. There it is, you see; you just catch 
 sight of it as it crosses that shoulder. Your land does not go 
 as far as that, does it? " 
 
 " No, it only extends a mile in that direction and four miles 
 in the other, and five miles out into the plain." 
 
 "Are there many Huguenots on the other side of the hill? " 
 
 "Yes, there are some; but, as you know, our strength is in 
 the other direction. What are you thinking of? " 
 
 " I was thinking that we might make an arrangement with 
 someone in a village some seven or eight miles beyond the 
 hills, to keep a boy on watch night and day, so that directly a 
 body of Catholic troops were seen coming along he should 
 start at full speed to some place a quarter of a mile away, and 
 there set light to a beacon piled in readiness. 
 
 " We on our part would have a watch set on the top of this 
 hill behind us, at a spot where the hill on which the beacon 
 was placed would be visible. Then at night the fire and by 
 day the smoke would serve as a warning. Our watchman 
 would at once fire an arquebus and light another beacon, which 
 would be the signal for all within reach to come here as quickly 
 
AT LAVILLE 221 
 
 as possible. At each farmhouse a look-out must, of course, 
 be kept night and day. I should advise the tenants to send 
 up as much of their corn and hay as possible at once, and that 
 the cattle should be driven up close to the chateau at night." 
 
 "I think that would be a very good plan, Philip. I am 
 sure that among our men-at-arms must be some who have 
 acquaintances and friends on the other side of the hill. It 
 will be best that they should make the arrangements for the 
 firing of the signal beacon. We might even station one of 
 them in a village there, under the pretence that he had been 
 knocked up with the cold and hardship and was desirous of 
 staying quietly with his friends. He would watch at night 
 and could sleep by day, as his friends would waken him at 
 once if any troops passed along." 
 
 The same afternoon one of the men-at-arms prepared to 
 start for a village eight miles beyond the hill. 
 
 "There is no rising ground near it," he said to Francois, 
 "that could well be seen from the top of the hill here; but 
 about half a mile away from the village there is an old tower. 
 It is in ruins, and has been so ever since I can remeirdMr. 
 I have often climbed to its top when I was a boy. At this 
 time of year there is no chance of anyone visiting the place. 
 I could collect wood and pile it ready for a fire without any 
 risk whatever. I can point out the exact direction of the 
 tower from the top of the hill, so that the watchers would 
 know where to keep their attention fixed." 
 
 " Well, you had better go up with us at once then, so that I 
 shall be able to instruct the men who will keep watch. We 
 will build a hut up there for them and keep three men on 
 guard, so that they will watch four hours apiece day and 
 night." 
 
 The distance was too great to make out the tower; but as 
 the soldier knew its exact position, he drove two stakes into 
 the ground three feet apart. 
 
 "Now," he said, "a man looking along the line of the tops 
 of these stakes will be looking as near as may be at the tower." 
 
 The tenants were all visited, and were warned to keep a 
 member of their family always on the watch for fire or smoke 
 from the little hut at the top of the hill. As soon as the 
 
222 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 signal was seen night or day, they were to make their way to 
 the chateau, driving their horses and most valuable stock 
 before them, and taking such goods as they could remove. 
 
 " You had better let two horses remain with their harness 
 on night and day, and have a cart in readiness close to your 
 house. Then, when the signal is given, the women will only 
 have to bundle their goods and children into the cart, while 
 the men get their arms and prepare to drive in their cattle. 
 
 "The Catholics will show no mercy to any of the faith they 
 may find, while as to the chateau it can make a stout resist- 
 ance, and you may be sure that it will not be long before help 
 arrives from Niort or La Rochelle." 
 
 Arrangements were also made with the Huguenot gentry in 
 the neighbourhood that they should keep a look-out for the 
 signal, and on observing it light other beacons, so that the 
 news could be spread rapidly over that part of the country. 
 As soon as the fires were seen the women and children were to 
 take to the hills, the cattle to be driven off by the boys, and 
 the men to arm themselves and mount. 
 
 "Of course," the countess said, at a council where all these 
 arrangements were made, "we must be guided by the number 
 sent against us. If by uniting your bands together you think 
 you can raise the siege, we will sally out as soon as you attack 
 and join you, but do not attack unless you think that our 
 united forces can defeat them. If we could defeat them we 
 should save your chateaux and farms from fire and ruin. If 
 you find they are too strong to attack, you might harass parties 
 sent out to plunder, and so save your houses, while you despatch 
 men to ask for help from the Admiral. If, however, they are 
 so strong in cavalry that you could not keep the field against 
 them, I should say it were best that you should ride away and 
 join any party advancing to our assistance." 
 
 A month passed quietly. Every day a soldier carrying wine 
 and provisions rode to the hut that had been built on the crest 
 of the hill three miles away. Eight o'clock one evening 
 towards the end of January the alarm-bell rang from the look- 
 out tower. Philip and his cousin ran up. 
 
 "There is the beacon alight at the hut, count," the look-out 
 said. 
 
AT LAVILLE 223 
 
 "Light this bonfire then, Jules, and keep the alarm-bell 
 going. To horse, men ! " he cried looking over the parapet. 
 "Bring out our horses with your own." 
 
 The men had been previously told off in twos and threes to 
 the various farmhouses to aid in driving in the cattle, and as 
 soon as they were mounted each party dashed off to its desti- 
 nation. From the watch-tower four or five fires could be seen 
 blazing in the distance, showing that the look-outs had every- 
 where been vigilant, and that the news had already been 
 carried far and wide. Francois and Philip rode up to the hut 
 on the hill. 
 
 "There is no mistake, I hope.? " Francois said as, a quarter 
 of a mile before they reached it, they met the three men-at- 
 arms coming down. 
 
 " No, count, it was exactly in a line with the two stakes, and 
 I should think about the distance away that you told us the 
 tower was. It has died down now." 
 
 The beacon-fire near the hut had been placed fifty yards 
 below the crest of the hill, so that its flame should not be seen 
 from the other side. This had been at Philip's suggestion. 
 "If it is put where they can see it," he said, "they will feel 
 sure that it is in answer to that fire behind them, and will ride 
 at full speed so as to get here before the news spreads. If 
 they see no answering fire, they may suppose that the first was 
 but an accident. They may even halt at the village, and send 
 off some men to see what has caused the fire, or if they ride 
 straight through they will be at some little distance before 
 Simon has got to the fire and lighted it, and may not care to 
 waste time sending back. At any rate it is better that they 
 should see no flame up here." 
 
 They had often talked the matter over, and had agreed that 
 even if the column was composed only of cavalry, it would be 
 from an hour and a half to two hours before it arrived at the 
 chateau, as it would doubtless have performed a long journey, 
 while if there were infantry with them they would take double 
 that time. Directly an alarm had been given two of the 
 youngest and most active of the men-at-arms had set off to take 
 post at the point where the road crossed the hill. Their orders 
 were to lie still till all had passed, and then to make their way 
 
224 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 back along the hill at full speed to inform the garrison of the 
 strength and composition of the attacking force. 
 
 When they returned to the chateau people were already 
 pouring in from the neighbouring farms; the women stagger- 
 ing under heavy burdens, and the men driving their cattle 
 before them or leading strings of horses. The seneschal and 
 the retainers were at work trying to keep some sort of order, 
 directing the men to drive the cattle into the countess's gar- 
 den, and the women to put down their belongings in the court- 
 yard where they would be out of the way; while the countess 
 saw that her maids spread rushes thickly along by the walls of 
 the rooms that were to be given up to the use of the women 
 and children. Cressets had been lighted in the courtyard, 
 but the bonfire was now extinguished so that the enemy on 
 reaching the top of the hill should see nothing to lead them to 
 suppose that their coming was known. The alarm-bell had 
 ceased sending its loud summons into the air; but there was 
 still a variety of noises that were almost deafening, the lowing 
 of cattle disturbed and angered at the unaccustomed move- 
 ment, mingled with the shouts of men, the barking of dogs, 
 and the crying of frightened children. 
 
 " I will aid the seneschal in getting things into order down 
 here, Francois," Philip said, "while you see to the defence of 
 the walls, posting the men, and getting everything in readiness 
 to give them a reception. I will look after the postern doors, 
 and see that the planks across the moats are removed and the 
 bolts and bars in place." 
 
 Francois nodded, and bidding the men-at-arms, who had 
 already returned, stable their horses and follow him, he pro- 
 ceeded to the walls. 
 
 "This is enough to make one weep," Pierre said as the oxen 
 poured into the courtyard, and then through the archway that 
 led to the countess's garden. 
 
 "What is enough, Pierre? to see all these poor women and 
 children who are likely to behold their homesteads in flames 
 before many hours? " 
 
 "Well, I did not mean that, master, though I don't say that 
 is not sad enough in its way; but that is the fortune of war, 
 as it were. I meant the countess's garden being destroyed. 
 
AT LAVILLE 225 
 
 The beasts will trample down all the shrubs, and in a week it 
 will be no better than a farmyard." 
 
 Philip laughed. " That is of very little consequence, Pierre. 
 A week's work with plenty of hands will set that right again. 
 Still, no doubt it will vex the countess, who is very fond of her 
 garden." 
 
 "A week! " Pierre said. "Why, sir, it will take years and 
 years before those yew hedges grow again." 
 
 "Ah well, Pierre, if the countess keeps a roof over her head 
 she may be well content in these stormy times. You had 
 better go and see if she and her maids have got those cham- 
 bers ready for the women. If they have, get them all in as 
 quickly as you can. These beasts come into the courtyard 
 with such a rush that some of the people will be trampled upon 
 if we do not get them out of the way." 
 
 " Most of them have gone into the hall, sir. The countess 
 gave orders that all were to go in as they came, but I suppose 
 the servants have been too busy to tell the late-comers. I will 
 get the rest in at once." 
 
 As soon as the farmers and their men had driven the animals 
 into the garden they went up to the walls, all having brought 
 their arms in with them. The boys were left below to look 
 after the cattle. 
 
 "Nothing can be done to-night," Philip said to some of the 
 men. "The cattle will come to no harm, and as the boys 
 cannot keep them from breaking down the shrubs they had 
 best leave them alone; or they will run the risk of getting 
 hurt. The boys will do more good by taking charge of the 
 more valuable horses as they come in, and fastening them up 
 to the rings round the wall here. The cart horses must go in 
 with the cattle." 
 
 Several gentlemen with their wives and families came in 
 among the fugitives. Their houses were not in a condition to 
 withstand a siege, and it had long been settled that they should 
 come into the chateau if danger threatened. The ladies were 
 taken to the countess's apartments, while the gentlemen went 
 to aid Francois in the defence. 
 
 An hour and a half after the lads returned to the castle, the 
 men-at-arms who had been sent to watch the road came in. 
 
226 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 They reported that the column approaching consisted of about 
 three hundred mounted men and fifteen hundred infantry. 
 Roger had all this time been standing by the side of his 
 saddled horse. Philip hurried to him as soon as the men 
 came in. 
 
 " Three hundred horsemen and fifteen hundred foot ! Ride 
 at full speed to La Rochelle. Tell the Admiral the numbers, 
 and request him in the name of the countess to come to her 
 assistance. Beg him to use all speed, for no doubt they 
 will attack hotly, knowing that aid will soon be forthcoming 
 to us." 
 
 Roger leapt to his saddle and galloped out through the gate. 
 A man had been placed there to mark off the names of all who 
 entered, from the list that had been furnished him. Philip 
 took it and saw that a cross had been placed against every 
 name. He therefore went up to the top of the wall. 
 "The tenants are all in, Francois?" 
 
 " Very well, then, I will have the drawbridge raised and the 
 gates closed; I am glad indeed that we have had time given 
 us for them all to enter. My mother would have been very 
 grieved if harm had come to any of them. I have everything 
 in readiness here. I have posted men at every window and 
 loophole where the house rises from the side of the moat; all 
 the rest are on the walls. I will take command here by the 
 gate and along the wall. Do you take charge of the defence 
 of the house itself. However, you may as well stay here with 
 me until we have had our first talk with them. Pass the word 
 along the walls for perfect silence." 
 
 In another half-hour they heard a dull sound. Presently it 
 became louder, and they could distinguish, above the tramp- 
 ling of horses, the clash of steel. It came nearer and nearer 
 until within two or three hundred yards of the chateau, then 
 it ceased. Presently a figure could be made out creeping 
 quietly forward until it reached the edge of the moat. It 
 paused a moment and then retired. 
 
 " He has been sent to find out whether the drawbridge is 
 down," Francois whispered to Philip. "We shall see what 
 they will do now." There was a pause for ten minutes, then 
 a heavy mass of men could be seen approaching. 
 
AT LAVILLE 227 
 
 " Doubtless they will have planks with them to push across 
 the moat," Philip said. 
 
 "We will let them come within twenty yards," Francois 
 replied, "then I think we shall astonish them." 
 
 Believing that all in the chateau were asleep, and that even 
 the precaution of keeping a watchman on the walls had been 
 neglected, the assailants advanced eagerly. Suddenly the 
 silence on the walls was broken by a voice shouting, " Give 
 fire ! " and then from along the whole face of the battlement 
 a deadly fire from arquebuses was poured into them. A 
 moment later half a dozen fire-balls were flung into the col- 
 umn, and a rain of cross-bolts followed. 
 
 Shouts of astonishment, rage, and pain broke from the mass, 
 and breaking up they recoiled in confusion, while the shouts 
 of the officers urging them forward could be heard. The 
 heavy fire from the walls was, however, too much for men who 
 had expected no resistance, but had moved forward believing 
 that they had but to sack and plunder, and in two or three 
 minutes from the first shot being fired all who were able to 
 do so had retired, though a number of dark figures dotting 
 the ground showed how deadly had been the fire of the be- 
 sieged. 
 
 "They will do nothing more to-night, I fancy," one of the 
 Huguenot gentleman standing by the two friends remarked. 
 " They expected to take you entirely by surprise. Now that 
 they have failed in doing so they will wait until morning to 
 reconnoitre and decide on the best points of attack. Besides, 
 no doubt they have marched far, and are in need of rest before 
 renewing the assault." 
 
 "Well, gentlemen," Francois said, "it would be needless 
 for you all to remain here, and when they once begin in ear- 
 nest there will be but slight opportunity of rest until relief 
 reaches us, therefore I beg you to go below. You will find a 
 table laid in the hall and two chambers roughly prepared for 
 you, and you can get a few hours' sleep. I myself with my 
 own men will keep watch. Should they muster for another 
 attack my horn will summon you again to the wall. Philip, 
 will you go down and see that these gentlemen have all that 
 they require? You can dismiss all save our own men from 
 
228 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 guard on the other side of the house. The tenants and their 
 men will all sleep in the hall." 
 
 Philip went down and presided at the long table. The 
 gentlemen were seated near him, while below them the tenants 
 and other followers took their places. There was enough cold 
 meat, game, and pies for all, and when they had finished, the 
 defenders of the wall came down half at a time for a meal. 
 When the gentlemen had retired to their apartments, and the 
 farmers and their men had thrown themselves down upon the 
 rushes strewn on each side of the hall, Philip went up to join 
 Francois. 
 
 "Any sign of them, Francois?" 
 
 " None at all. I expect they are thoroughly tired out, and 
 are lying down just as they halted. There is no fear that we 
 shall hear any more of them to-night." 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 THE ASSAULT ON THE CHATEAU 
 
 'THE night passed quietly. Just as the sun rose a trumpet 
 1 sounded, calling for a truce, and two knights in armour 
 rode forward, followed by an esquire carrying a white flag. 
 They halted thirty or forty yards from the gate ; and the coun- 
 tess herself came up on to the wall, when the knight raised 
 his vizor. 
 
 " Countess Amelie de Laville, I summon you in the name 
 of his majesty the king to surrender. I have with me an 
 ample force to overcome all resistance, but his gracious 
 majesty in his clemency has empowered me to offer to all 
 within the walls their lives, save only that you and your son 
 shall accompany me to Paris, there to be dealt with according 
 to the law, under the accusation of having taken up arms 
 against his most sacred majesty." 
 
 "Methinks, sir," the countess said in a loud clear voice, 
 " that it would have been better had you delayed until this 
 morning instead of attempting like a band of midnight thieves 
 to break into my chateau. I fancy we should have heard but 
 little of his majesty's clemency had you succeeded in your 
 attempt. I am in arms, not against the king, but against his 
 evil counsellors, the men who persuade him to break his 
 pledged word, and to treat his unoffending subjects as if they 
 were the worst of malefactors. Assuredly their royal high- 
 nesses the Princes of Conde" and Navarre have no thought of 
 opposing his majesty, but desire above all things that he 
 should be able to act without pressure from Lorraine or Guise, 
 
 229 
 
230 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 from pope or King of Spain, and when they lay down their 
 arms I shall be glad to do so. Did I know that the king him- 
 self of his own mind had sent you here to summons me, I 
 would willingly accompany you to Paris to clear myself from 
 any charges brought against me; but as your base attempt 
 without summons or demand to break into my chateau last 
 night shows that you can have no authority from his majesty 
 to enter here, I refuse to open my gates, and shall defend 
 this place until the last against all who may attack it." 
 
 The knights rode away. They had, after the rough recep- 
 tion on their arrival, perceived that the countess was deter- 
 mined to defend the chateau, and had only summoned her to 
 surrender as a matter of form. 
 
 " I would we had never entered upon this expedition, De 
 Brissac. They told us that the house was but poorly fortified, 
 and we thought we should assuredly carry it last night by sur- 
 prise, and that by taking this obstinate dame prisoner, burn- 
 ing her chateau, and sweeping all the country round, we 
 should give a much-needed lesson to the Huguenots of the 
 district. One could not have expected to find the place 
 crowded with men, and everyone ready with lighted matches 
 and drawn cross-bows to receive us. I believe now that that 
 fire we saw two or three miles in our rear as we came along 
 was a signal ; but even if it were, one would not have given 
 them credit for gathering so promptly to withstand us. As 
 for the place itself, it is, as we heard, of no great strength. 
 'Tis but a modern house, inclosed on three sides with a wall 
 some twenty feet high, and surrounded by a moat of the same 
 width. With our force we should carry it in half an hour. 
 We know that the garrison consists of only fifty men besides a 
 score or so of grooms and servants." 
 
 "So we heard; but I am mistaken if there were not more 
 than double that number engaged on the wall. Still, as you 
 say, there will be no great difficulty in carrying the place. 
 The ladders will be ready in a couple of hours, and De Beau- 
 voir will bring in from the farmhouses plenty of planks and 
 beams for throwing bridges across the moat. It is two hours 
 since he set out with the horsemen, so as to catch the Hugue- 
 not farmers asleep." 
 
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHATEAU 231 
 
 As they returned to the spot where the men were engaged 
 in cooking their breakfast, while some were occupied in con- 
 structing ladders from young trees that had been felled for the 
 purpose, a gentleman rode in. 
 
 "What is your news, De Villette? " 
 
 "The news is bad. De Beauvoir asked me to ride in to 
 tell you that we find the farmhouses completely deserted, and 
 the whole of the cattle and horses have disappeared, as well 
 as the inhabitants. Save for some pigs and poultry we have 
 not seen a living thing." 
 
 " Sapristie! The Huguenot dogs must have slept with one 
 eye open. Either they heard the firing last night and at 
 once made off, or they must have learned we were coming 
 and must have gathered in the chateau. Their measures must 
 have been indeed well planned and carried out for them all to 
 have got the alarm in time to gather here before our arrival. 
 I hope that is what they have done, for we reckoned upon 
 carrying off at least a thousand head of cattle for the use of 
 the army. It was for that as much as to capture the countess 
 and strike a blow at this hive of Huguenots that the expedi- 
 tion was arranged. However, if they are all in there it will 
 save us the trouble of driving them in." 
 
 " In that case though, De Brissac, the fifty men will have 
 been reinforced by as many more at least." 
 
 " Ay, maybe by a hundred and fifty with the farmers and all 
 their hands; but what are a hundred and fifty rustics and fifty 
 men-at-arms against our force? " 
 
 De Brissac had guessed pretty accurately the number of 
 fighting men that could be mustered among the tenants of the 
 countess. The training that they had undergone had, how- 
 ever, made them more formidable opponents than he sup- 
 posed, and each man was animated by hatred of their perse- 
 cutors and a stern determination to fight until the last in 
 defence of their lives and freedom of worship. They had 
 been mustered at the first dawn of day in the courtyard, their 
 arms inspected, and all deficiencies made up from the 
 armoury. Fifty men were placed under Philip's orders for 
 the defence of that portion of the house that rose directly 
 from the edge of the moat. The lower windows were small 
 
232 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 and strongly barred, and there was little fear of an entrance 
 being forced. The postern gate here had during the night 
 been strengthened with stones, and articles of heavy furniture 
 piled against it. A few men were placed at the lower win- 
 dows, the main body on the first floor, where the casements 
 were large, and the rest distributed at the upper windows to 
 vex the enemy by their fire as they approached. 
 
 Philip appointed Eustace to take the command of the men 
 at the lower windows, and Roger of those on the upper floor, 
 he with Jacques posting himself on the first floor, against 
 which the enemy would attempt to fix their ladders. Great 
 fires were lighted in all the rooms, and cauldrons of water 
 placed over them, and boys with pails stood by these in readi- 
 ness to bring boiling water to the windows when required. 
 
 The walls round the courtyard and garden were not of suffi- 
 cient thickness for fires to be lighted along the narrow path 
 on which the defenders were posted, but fires were lighted in 
 the courtyard, and boiling water prepared there in readiness 
 to carry up when the assault began. The Huguenot gentle- 
 men were placed in command at the various points along the 
 wall most likely to be assailed. 
 
 Had the besiegers been provided with cannon the defence 
 could not have lasted long, for the walls would not have re- 
 sisted battering by shot, but cannon in those times were rare, 
 and were too clumsy and heavy to accompany an expedition 
 requiring to move with speed. For a time the men-at-arms 
 alone garrisoned the wall, the farmers and their men being 
 occupied in pumping water from the wells and carrying it to 
 the cattle, of which some eight hundred had been driven in. 
 The granaries were opened, and a plentiful supply of food 
 placed in large troughs. At ten o'clock a trumpet called all 
 the defenders to their posts. The enemy were drawn up in 
 order and moved towards the house in six columns, two tak- 
 ing their way towards the rear to attack the house on that side, 
 while the others advanced toward different points on the 
 wall. 
 
 Ladders and long planks were carried at the head of each 
 column. As they approached the assailants halted, and the 
 arquebusiers came forward and took their post in line to cover 
 
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHATEAU 233 
 
 by their fire the advance of the storming parties. As soon 
 as these advanced a heavy fire was opened by the besieged 
 with cross-bow and arquebus. The parapet was high, and 
 while they exposed only their heads to fire, and were alto- 
 gether sheltered while loading, the assailants were completely 
 exposed. Orders were given that the defenders should entirely 
 disregard the fire of the matchlock men, and should direct 
 their aim upon the storming parties. These suffered heavily, 
 but, urged forward by their officers, they gained the edge of 
 the moat, pushed the planks across, and placed the ladders; 
 but as fast as these were put into position they were hurled 
 down again by the defenders, who, with long forked sticks, 
 thrust them out from the wall "and hurled them backwards, 
 sometimes allowing them to remain until a line of men had 
 climbed up, and then pouring a pail of boiling water over the 
 wall upon them. 
 
 The farmers vied with the men-at-arms in the steadiness of 
 the defence, being furious at the sight of columns of smoke 
 which rose in many directions, showing that the cavalry of the 
 besiegers were occupied in destroying their homesteads. 
 Sometimes, when four or five ladders were planted together, 
 the assailants managed to climb up to the level of the para- 
 pet, but only to be thrust backward with pikes, and cut down 
 with swords and axes. For two hours the assault continued, 
 and then De Brissac, seeing how heavy was the loss, and how 
 vain the efforts to scale the wall at any point, ordered the 
 trumpeters to sound the retreat, when the besiegers drew off, 
 galled by the fire of the defenders until they were out of 
 range. The attempts of the two columns which had attacked 
 the house itself were attended with no greater success than 
 those of their fellows, their efforts to gain a footing in any of 
 the rooms on the first floor having been defeated with heavy 
 loss. 
 
 The leaders of the assailants held a consultation after their 
 troops had drawn off. 
 
 "It is of no use," De Brissac said, "to repeat the attack 
 on the walls, they are too stoutly defended. It is out of the 
 question for us to think of returning to Poitiers. We under- 
 took to capture the place, to harry the farms, to destroy all 
 
234 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 the Huguenots, and to return driving in all the cattle for the 
 use of the army. Of all this we have only so far burned the 
 farmhouses, and we have lost something like a couple of hun- 
 dred men. This time we must try by fire. The men must 
 gather bundles of firewood, and must attack in three columns, 
 the principal against the great gate, the others against the 
 two posterns, the one at the back of the house itself, the other 
 nearest the angle where the wall joins it. If we had time to 
 construct machines for battering the walls it would be an easy 
 business, but that is out of the question. In a couple of days 
 at the latest we shall have them coming out like a swarm of 
 hornets from La Rochelle. It is not likely, when they had all 
 their measures so well prepared, that they omitted to send off 
 word at once to Coligny, and by to-morrow at noon we may 
 have Conde and the Admiral upon us. Therefore we must 
 make an end of this by nightfall. Have you any better plans 
 to suggest, gentlemen?" 
 
 There was no reply. Several of those present had been 
 wounded more or less severely, and some terribly bruised by 
 being hurled back from the ladders as they led the troops to 
 the assault. Five or six of the young nobles who had joined 
 what they regarded as an expedition likely to meet with but 
 slight resistance had been killed, and all regretted that they 
 had embarked upon an affair that could bring them but small 
 credit, while they were unprovided with the necessary means 
 for attacking a place so stoutly defended. De Brissac at once 
 issued orders, and strong parties of soldiers scattered and 
 proceeded to cut down fences and bushes and to form large 
 faggots. Their movements were observed by the men placed 
 on the summit of the tower, and no doubt was entertained of 
 the intentions of the enemy. 
 
 "What do you think we had better do, Philip?" Francois 
 asked as they stood together at the top of the tower watching 
 the Catholics at work. " We may shoot a number of them, 
 but if they are determined they will certainly be able to lay 
 their faggots, and in that case we shall be open to attack at 
 three points, and likely enough they will at the same time 
 renew their attack on the walls." 
 
 "That is the most dangerous part of it," Philip said. "We 
 
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHATEAU 235 
 
 ought to have no difficulty in holding the three entrances. 
 The posterns are narrow, and forty men at each should be able 
 to keep back a host, and this would leave you a hundred and 
 twenty to hold the main gates; but if we have to man the 
 walls too the matter would be serious. If we had time we 
 might pull down one of the outbuildings and build a thick 
 wall behind the gates, but in an hour they will be attacking 
 us again." He stood thinking for a minute or two, and then 
 exclaimed : " I have it, Francois. Let us at once kill a num- 
 ber of the cattle and pile their carcasses up two deep against 
 the gates. They may burn them down if they like then, but 
 they can do nothing against that pile of flesh; the weight of 
 the carcasses will keep them in a solid mass. At any rate, we 
 might do that at the two posterns; the great gates are perhaps 
 too wide and lofty, but if we formed a barricade inside them of 
 say three bodies high a hundred men ought to be able to de- 
 fend it, and that will leave a hundred for the walls and house." 
 
 " That is a capital idea, Philip. We will not lose a moment 
 in carrying it out." 
 
 Two of the principal tenants were called up and told to see 
 to the slaughtering instantly of sufficient cattle to pile two deep 
 against the posterns. Calling a number of men together, these 
 at once set about the business. 
 
 " We will see to the other barricade ourselves, Philip. That 
 is where the fighting will be." 
 
 The entrance behind the gateway was some twenty-five feet 
 in width and as much in depth before it entered the court- 
 yard. The bullocks were brought up to the spot and slaughtered 
 there. The first line were about to be dragged into place 
 when Philip suggested that they should be skinned. 
 
 "What on earth do you want to skin them for, Philip?" 
 Francois asked. 
 
 " When they are arranged in a row I would throw the skins 
 over them again, inside out. The weight of the next row will 
 keep the skins in their places, and it will be impossible for 
 anyone to obtain a footing on that slippery surface, especially 
 if we pour some blood over it." 
 
 Francois at once saw the point of the suggestion. " Excel- 
 lent, Philip. I wish my brain was as full of ideas as yours is." 
 
236 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 The same course was pursued with the other two tiers of 
 carcasses, the hides of the upper row being firmly pegged into 
 the flesh to prevent their being pulled off. The breastwork 
 was about five feet high, and was absolutely unclimbable. 
 
 "It could not be better," Francois said. "A solid work 
 would not be half so difficult to get over. Twenty men here 
 could keep a host at bay." 
 
 Another tier of unskinned carcasses was laid down behind 
 the breastwork for the defenders to stand on, and earth was 
 piled over it to afford a footing. They had but just completed 
 their preparations when the trumpet from above sounded the 
 signal that the enemy were approaching. All took the posts 
 that they had before occupied. The enemy approached as 
 they had expected in three bodies, each preceded by a detach- 
 ment that carried in front of them great faggots which served 
 as a protection against the missiles of the besieged. Among 
 them were men carrying sacks. 
 
 "What can they have there?" Philip asked one of the 
 Huguenot gentlemen. 
 
 "I should say it was earth," he replied. 
 
 " Earth ! " Philip repeated, puzzled. " What can they want 
 that for?" 
 
 "I should think it is to cover the planks thickly before they 
 lay down the faggots, otherwise the planks would burn and 
 perhaps fall bodily in the water before the fire had done its 
 work on the doors." 
 
 "No doubt that is it," Philip agreed. "I did not think of 
 that before." 
 
 As soon as the heads of the columns approached within a 
 hundred yards the men with arquebuses opened fire, and those 
 with cross-bows speedily followed suit. Four hundred men 
 with arquebuses at once ran forward until within a short dis- 
 tance of the moat, and opened so heavy a fire against the 
 defenders of the wall and house that these were compelled to 
 stoop down under shelter. Some of them would have still 
 gone on firing from the windows, but Philip ordered them to 
 draw back.' 
 
 "It is of no use throwing away life," he said. "We cannot 
 hope to prevent them planting their faggots and firing them." 
 
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHATEAU 237 
 
 He himself went up into a small turret partly overhanging 
 the wall, and through a loophole watched the men at work. 
 The contents of the sacks were emptied out upon the planks, 
 the latter having been first soaked with water drawn from the 
 moat by a pail one of the men carried. The earth was levelled 
 a foot deep, and then a score of buckets of water emptied over 
 it. Then the faggots were piled against the door. A torch 
 was applied to them ; and as soon as this was done the assail- 
 ants fell back, the defenders plying them with shot and cross- 
 bolts as soon as they did so. 
 
 Philip now paid a hasty visit to the walls. Here the assail- 
 ants had suffered heavily before they had planted their faggots, 
 the defenders being better able to return their fire than were 
 those at the windows. In both cases, however, they had 
 succeeded in laying and firing the faggots, although much 
 hindered at the work by pails of boiling water emptied upon 
 them. Some ten of the defenders had been shot through the 
 head as they stood up to fire. Attempts were made, by pour- 
 ing water down upon the faggots, to extinguish the flames, but 
 the time taken in conveying the water up from the courtyard 
 enabled the fire to get such hold that the attempt was 
 abandoned. 
 
 " It is just as well, " Frangois said. " If we could extinguish 
 the fire we should lose the benefit of the surprise we have 
 prepared for them." 
 
 In a quarter of an hour light flames began to flicker up at 
 the edges of the great gates. 
 
 "Do you stay here with me, Philip," Francois said. "Our 
 own band will take post here; they are more accustomed to 
 hand-to-hand fighting. The tenants will guard the wall. 
 Montpace will be in command there. Beg De Riblemont to 
 take command at the back of the house. Tell him to send for 
 aid to us if he is pressed. I would put your own three men 
 down at the postern there. I feel sure they can never move 
 that double row of bullocks; but it is as well to make certain, 
 and those three could hold the narrow postern till help reaches 
 them. Place a boy with them to send off for aid if necessary. 
 Bourdou is stationed behind the other postern with three men. 
 It will be half an hour before the gates are down yet." 
 
238 
 
 The two together made a tour of the defences. All was in 
 readiness. The men after their first success felt confident that 
 they should beat off their assailants; and even the women, 
 gathered round the great fires in the house and courtyard, 
 with pails in readiness to carry boiling water to the threatened 
 points, showed no signs of anxiety, the younger ones laughing 
 and chatting together as if engaged in ordinary work. The 
 countess went round with her maids carrying flagons and cups, 
 and gave a draught of wine to each of the defenders. The 
 minister accompanied her. As yet there were no wounded 
 needing their care, for all who had been hit had been struck 
 in the head, and death had in each case been instantaneous. 
 
 At last the great gates fell with a crash, and a shout of exul- 
 tation arose from the Catholics, answered by the Huguenots on 
 the wall by one of defiance. In half an hour the assailants 
 again formed up. The strongest column advanced towards 
 the great gate, others against the posterns; and four separate 
 bodies, with planks and ladders, moved forward to bridge the 
 moat and to attack at other points. The defenders on the 
 walls and at the windows were soon at work, and the assailants 
 suffered heavily from the fire as they advanced. The fifty 
 men-at-arms behind the barricade remained quiet and silent, 
 a dozen of them with arquebuses lining the barricade. With 
 loud shouts the Catholics came on, deeming the chateau as 
 good as won. The arquebusiers poured their fire into them 
 as they crossed the moat, and then fell back behind their 
 comrades, who were armed with pike and sword. As they 
 passed through the still smoking gateway the assailants saw 
 the barricade in front of them, but this did not appear for- 
 midable, and, led by a number of gentlemen in complete 
 armour, they rushed forward. 
 
 For a moment those in front recoiled as they reached the 
 wall of slippery hides; then, pressed forward from behind, 
 they made desperate attempts to climb it. It would have 
 been as easy to try to mount a wall of ice; their hands and 
 feet alike failed to obtain a hold, and from above the defenders 
 with pike and sword thrust and cut at them; while the arque- 
 busiers, as fast as possible, discharged their pieces into the 
 crowd, loaded each time with three or four balls. 
 
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHATEAU 239 
 
 For half an hour the efforts to force the barricade continued. 
 So many had fallen that the wall was now no higher than their 
 waist, but even this could not be surmounted in face of the 
 double line of pikemen; and at last the assailants fell back, 
 baffled. At the two posterns they had failed to make any 
 impression upon the carcasses that blocked their way. In 
 vain they strove, by striking the curved points of their halberts 
 into the carcasses, to drag them from their place; but the 
 pressure of the weight above, and of the interior line of car- 
 casses that were piled on the legs of the outside tiers, prevented 
 the enemy from moving them in the slightest degree. While 
 so engaged, those at work were xposed to the boiling water 
 poured from above, and the soldiers standing behind in readi- 
 ness to advance when the entrance was won were also exposed 
 to the fire of the defenders. 
 
 The assaults on the walls and at the windows were far less 
 obstinate than those in the previous attack, as they were 
 intended only as diversions to the main assaults on the pos- 
 terns and gate; and when the assailants at these points fell 
 back, the storming parties also retreated. They had lost in 
 all nearly four hundred men in the second attack, of whom 
 more than a hundred and fifty had fallen in the assault upon 
 the barricade. The instant they retreated Frangois and Philip 
 led out their men, cleared the earth from the planks, and threw 
 these into the water. They were not a moment too soon, for 
 just as they completed their task the Catholic cavalry thundered 
 down to the edge of the moat, regardless of the fire from the 
 walls, which emptied many saddles. Finding themselves 
 unable to cross, they turned and galloped off after the 
 infantry. 
 
 "We were just in time, Philip," Francois said. "If they 
 had crossed the moat it would have gone hard with us, for, 
 with that bank of bodies lying against the breastwork, they 
 might have been able to leap it. At any rate, their long lances 
 would have driven us back, and some would have dismounted 
 and climbed over. As it is, I think we have done with them. 
 After two such repulses as they have had, and losing pretty 
 nearly half their infantry, they will never get the men to try 
 another attack." 
 
240 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 An hour later, indeed, the whole Catholic force, horse and 
 foot, were seen to march away by the road along which they 
 had come. As soon as they did so a trumpet summoned the 
 defenders from the walls and house; the women and children 
 also poured out into the courtyard; and the minister taking 
 his place by the side of the countess on the steps of the 
 chateau, a solemn service of thanksgiving to God, for their 
 preservation from the danger that had threatened them, was 
 held. It was now five o'clock and the short winter day was 
 nearly over. Many of the tenants would have started off to 
 their farms, but Frangois begged them to remain until next 
 morning. 
 
 "The smoke told you what to expect," he said. "You will 
 find nothing but the ruins of your houses, and in this weather 
 it would be madness to take your wives and families out. In 
 the morning you can go and view your homes. If there are 
 still any sheds standing that you can turn into houses for the 
 time, you can come back for your wives and families; if not, 
 they must remain here till you can get up shelter for them. 
 In this bitter cold weather you could not think of rebuilding 
 your houses regularly, nor would it be any use to do so until 
 we get to the end of these troubles. But you can fell and saw 
 wood, and erect cottages that will suffice for present use and 
 serve as sheds when better times return. The first thing to do 
 is to attend to those who have fallen. The dead must be 
 removed and buried, but there must be many wounded, and 
 these must be brought in and attended to. There is an empty 
 granary that we will convert into a hospital." 
 
 "Before we do anything else, Francois, we must fish the 
 planks from the moat, to serve until a fresh drawbridge is 
 constructed. Eustace, do you get two heavy beams thrust over 
 and lay the planks across them; then with Roger, mount, cross 
 the moat as soon as it is bridged, and follow the road after 
 the Catholics. They may not have gone far, and might halt 
 and return to attack us when we shall be off our guard. Fol- 
 low them about five miles; then, if they are still marching, 
 you had both better come back to us. If they halt before that, 
 do you remain and watch them, and send Roger back with the 
 
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHATEAU 241 
 
 A hundred and thirty wounded men were brought in, some 
 wounded by shot or crossbow bolt, some terribly scalded, 
 others with broken limbs from being hurled backwards with 
 the ladders. The countess with her maids and many of the 
 women attended to them as they were brought in, and applied 
 salves and bandages to the wounds. Among the mass that had 
 fallen inside the gate seven gentlemen who still lived were 
 discovered. These were brought into the chateau and placed 
 in a room together. The task was carried on by torch-light 
 and occupied some hours. Towards midnight the trampling 
 of a large body of horse was heard. Arms were hastily 
 snatched up and steel caps thrust on, and pike in hand they 
 thronged to defend the entrance. " Francois ran to the battle- 
 ments. 
 
 "Who comes there?" he shouted. "Halt and declare 
 yourselves or we fire." 
 
 The horsemen halted, and a voice cried, "Is that you, 
 Francois? " 
 
 "Yes, it is I, De la Noiie," Francois shouted back joyously. 
 
 "Is all well? Where are the enemy?" was asked in the 
 Admiral's well-known voice. 
 
 "All is well, sir; they retreated just before nightfall, leaving 
 seven hundred of their infantry wounded or dead behind 
 them." 
 
 A shout of satisfaction rose from the horsemen. 
 
 "Take torches across the bridge," Francois ordered; "it is 
 the Admiral come to our rescue." 
 
 A minute later the head of the column crossed the temporary 
 bridge. Francois had run down and received them in the 
 gateway. 
 
 "What is this? " the Admiral asked; "have they burnt your 
 drawbridge and gate? " 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " How was it, then, they did not succeed in capturing the 
 place? Ah, I see, you formed a barricade here." Two or 
 three of the carcasses had been dragged aside to permit the 
 men carrying the wounded to enter. 
 
 "Why, what is it, Francois skins of freshly-slain oxen?" 
 
 "Yes, sir, and the barricade is formed of their bodies. We 
 
242 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 had neither time nor materials at hand, and my cousin sug- 
 gested bringing the oxen up and slaughtering them here. In 
 that way we soon made a barricade. But we should have had 
 hard work in holding it against such numbers had he not also 
 suggested our skinning them and letting the hides hang as 
 you see with the raw sides outwards. Then we smeared them 
 thickly with blood, and though the Catholics strove their 
 hardest not one of them managed to get a footing on the top." 
 
 "A rare thought indeed," the Admiral said warmly. "De 
 la Noiie, these cousins of yours are truly apt scholars in war; 
 the oldest soldier could not have thought of a better device. 
 And you say you killed seven hundred of them, Laville?" 
 
 " That is the number, sir, counting in a hundred and thirty 
 wounded who are now lying in a granary here." 
 
 "They must have fought stoutly. But what was your 
 strength?" 
 
 " We had fifty men-at-arms, sir, five or six Huguenot gentle- 
 men with their retainers, and a hundred and fifty men from 
 our own estate, all of whom fought as doughtily as old soldiers 
 could have done. The enemy thought to take us by surprise 
 yesterday evening, but we were ready for them, and our dis- 
 charge killed over fifty. Then they drew off and left us until 
 this morning. They made two great attacks, the first by 
 throwing planks across the moat and placing ladders at three 
 places, the second by trying again to storm with ladders, while 
 other bands tried to force their way in at this gateway and at 
 the two posterns. Of course they have burned all the farms 
 to the ground, but the cattle were all safely driven in here 
 before they arrived. Now, if you will enter, sir, we will 
 endeavour to provide for your wants. No one is yet in bed, 
 we have been too busy carrying out the dead and collecting 
 the wounded to think of sleep." 
 
 The countess was at the steps of the chateau to receive the 
 Admiral as he dismounted. 
 
 " Accept my heartiest thanks for the speed with which you 
 have come to our aid, Admiral, we did not expect you before 
 to-morrow morning at the earliest." 
 
 "It has been a long ride truly," the Admiral said. "Your 
 messenger arrived at daybreak, having walked the last five 
 
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHATEAU 243 
 
 miles, for his horse had foundered. I flew to horse the 
 moment I received the news, and with four hundred horse- 
 men, for the most part Huguenot gentlemen, we started at 
 once. We halted for three hours in the middle of the day to 
 rest our horses, and again for an hour just after nightfall. 
 We feared that we should find your chateau in flames, for 
 although your messenger said that your son thought you could 
 hold out against all attacks for two days, It seemed to us that 
 so strong a force as was beleaguering you would carry the 
 place by storm in a few hours. I have to congratulate you 
 on the gallant defence that you have made." 
 
 "I have had nothing to do with it," the countess replied; 
 " but, indeed, all have fought well. Now, if you will follow 
 me in I will do my best to entertain you and the brave gen- 
 tlemen who have ridden so far to my rescue, but I fear the 
 accommodation will be of the roughest." 
 
 The horses were ranged in rows in the courtyard, haltered 
 to ropes stretched across it, and an ample supply of food was 
 given to each; some of the oxen that had done such good 
 service were cut up and were soon roasting over great fires; 
 while the women spread straw thickly in the largest apart- 
 ments for the new-comers to sleep on. 
 
 "Where are the Catholics?" the Admiral asked. 
 
 "They have halted at a village some seven miles away," 
 Francois said. "We sent two mounted men after them to 
 make sure that they had gone well away and did not intend to 
 try to take us by surprise in the night. They returned some 
 hours since with the news." 
 
 "What do you say, De la Noiie," the Admiral exclaimed, 
 "shall we beat them up to-night? They will not be expect- 
 ing us, and after their march here and their day's fighting 
 they will sleep soundly." 
 
 "I should like nothing better, Admiral; but in truth I 
 doubt whether our horses could carry us, they have already 
 made a twenty-league journey." 
 
 "We have at least two hundred horses here, Admiral," 
 Francois said; "we have those of my own troop and fully a 
 hundred and fifty that were driven in by the tenants. My own 
 troop will of course be ready to go, and you could shift your 
 
244 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 saddles on to the other horses. There is not one of our men 
 who would not gladly march with you, for although we have 
 beaten the Catholics well the tenants do not forget that they 
 are homeless, and will, I am sure, gladly follow up the blow." 
 
 "Then so it shall be," the Admiral said; "a hundred and 
 fifty of the gentlemen who came with me shall ride with your 
 troop, the rest of us will march with your tenants. I think 
 we are capable of doing that even after our ride, gentle- 
 men?" 
 
 There was a chorus of assent from those standing round, 
 and De la Noiie added, "After supper, Admiral?" 
 
 "Certainly after supper," Coligny assented with a smile. 
 "Another hour will make no difference. You may be sure 
 they will not be moving before daylight. If we start from 
 here at three, we shall be in ample time." 
 
 Philip at once went out and ordered the attendants and 
 men-at-arms to lie down for two hours, as the Admiral was 
 going to lead them to attack the Catholics at their halting- 
 place, news which was received with grim satisfaction. In 
 the meantime Francois gave a detailed account of the events 
 of the siege, and the Admiral insisted upon going at once to 
 inspect by torchlight the novel manner in which the two pos- 
 terns had been blocked up. 
 
 "Nothing could have been better, De Laville," he said. 
 "Your English cousin is indeed full of resources. Better 
 material than this for blocking up a narrow gateway could 
 hardly be contrived. Fire, as it was proved, was of no avail 
 against it, for it would be impossible to dislodge the carcasses 
 by main force, and even if they had cannon, the balls would 
 not have penetrated this thickness of flesh, which must have 
 been torn to pieces before it yielded. The idea of covering 
 the carcasses at the gates with their own raw hides was an 
 equally happy one. Upon my word, De la Nolle, I do not 
 think that if you or I had been in command here we could 
 have done better than these two young fellows." 
 
 At three o'clock all was ready for a start. De la Noiie took 
 the command of the two hundred horsemen. The Admiral 
 declined to ride, and placed himself at the head of the col- 
 umn of infantry, which was three hundred strong, thirty of 
 
THE ASSAULT ON THE CHATEAU 245 
 
 the original defenders having been either killed or disabled, 
 and twenty being left as a guard at the chateau. 
 
 The surprise of the Catholics was complete. Three hun- 
 dred were killed, two hundred, including their commander, 
 De Brissac, and thirty other gentlemen, were made prisoners, 
 the remaining six hundred escaped in the darkness, their 
 arms, armour, and the whole of the horses falling into the 
 hands of the victors, who halted at the village until morning. 
 
 "Well, De Brissac," the Count de la Noiie said as they 
 started on their return, * the times have changed since you 
 and I fought under your father in Italy, and we little thought 
 then that some day we should be, fighting on opposite sides." 
 
 "Still less that I should be your prisoner, De la Noiie," the 
 other laughed. " Well, we have made a nice business of this. 
 We thought to surprise De Laville's chateau without having 
 to strike a blow, and that we were going to return to Poitiers 
 with at least a thousand head of cattle. We were horribly 
 beaten at the chateau, have now been surprised ourselves, and 
 you are carrying off our horses, to say nothing of ourselves. 
 We marched out with eighteen hundred men horse and foot, 
 and I don't think more than five or six hundred at the out- 
 side have got away and that in the scantiest apparel. Anjou 
 will be furious when he hears the news. When I am ex- 
 changed I expect I shall be ordered to my estates. Had De 
 Laville some older heads to assist him? " 
 
 " No, he and that young cousin of his riding next to him 
 acted entirely by themselves, and the cousin, who is ar Eng- 
 lish lad, is the one who invented that barricade of bullocks 
 that stopped you." 
 
 "That was a rare device," De Brissac said. "I fought my 
 way to it once, but there was no possibility of climbing it. 
 It is rather mortifying to my pride to have been so completely 
 beaten by the device of a lad like that. He ought to make 
 a great soldier some day, De la Noiie." 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 THE BATTLE OF JARNAC 
 
 WHILE the two armies were lying inactive through the 
 winter the agents of both were endeavouring to interest 
 other European powers in the struggle. The pope and Philip 
 of Spain assisted the Guises, while the Due de Deux-Ponts 
 was preparing to lead an army to the assistance of the Hugue- 
 nots from the Protestant states of Germany. The Cardinal 
 Chatillon was in England eloquently supporting the letters of 
 the Queen of Navarre to Elizabeth, asking for aid and muni- 
 tions of war, men, and money the latter being required 
 especially to fulfil the engagements made with the German 
 mercenaries. Elizabeth listened favourably to these requests, 
 while with her usual duplicity she gave the most solemn assur- 
 ances to the court of France that, so far from assisting the 
 Huguenots, she held in horror those who raised the standard 
 of rebellion against their sovereigns. She lent, however, 
 ^7000 to the King of Navarre, taking ample security in the 
 way of jewels for the sum, and ordered Admiral Winter to 
 embark six cannons, three hundred barrels of powder, and 
 four thousand balls, and carry them to La Rochelle. 
 
 The admiral, well aware of the crooked policy of the queen 
 and her readiness to sacrifice any of her subjects in order to 
 justify herself, absolutely refused to sail until he received an 
 order signed by the queen herself. His caution was justified, 
 for upon the French ambassador remonstrating with her upon 
 supplying the king's enemies, she declared that the assistance 
 was wholly involuntary, for that Admiral Winter had entered 
 
 246 
 
THE BATTLE OF JARNAC 247 
 
 the port of La Rochelle simply to purchase wine and other 
 merchandise for some ships that he was convoying. The 
 governor, however, had urged him so strongly to sell to him 
 some guns and ammunition, that he, seeing that his ships 
 were commanded by the guns of the forts, felt himself obliged 
 to comply with the request. 
 
 The court of France professed to be satisfied with this state- 
 ment, although perfectly aware of its absolute untruth, but they 
 did not wish while engaged in the struggle with the Huguenots 
 to be involved in open war with England. As soon as spring 
 commenced both armies again prepared to take the field. 
 The position of the Huguenots was by no means so strong as 
 it had been when winter set in. " Considerable numbers had 
 died from disease, while large bodies had returned to their 
 homes, the nobles and citizens being alike unable to continue 
 any longer in the field owing to the exhaustion of their 
 resources. 
 
 Upon the other hand, although the army of Anjou had suf- 
 fered equally from disease it had not been diminished by 
 desertion, as the troops were paid out of the royal treasury. 
 Two thousand two hundred German horsemen, a portion of 
 the large force sent by the Catholic princes of Germany, had 
 joined him, and the Count de Tende had brought 3000 sol- 
 diers from the south of France. Other nobles came in as the 
 winter broke with bodies of their retainers. The southern 
 Huguenot leaders, known as the Viscounts, remained in Guy- 
 enne to protect the Protestant districts. The plan of Cond6 
 and the Admiral was to effect a junction with them, and then 
 to march and meet the army of the Due de Deux-Ponts. 
 They therefore left Niort, which had for some time been their 
 headquarters, and marched south towards Cognac, while the 
 Due d' Anjou moved in the same direction. 
 
 Both armies reached the river Charente at the same time 
 but upon opposite sides. The Royalists seized the town of 
 Chateau Neuf, half-way between Jarnac and Cognac, and set 
 to work to repair the bridge which had been broken down by 
 the Huguenots. Their main army marched down to Cognac 
 and made a pretence of attacking the town. The Huguenots 
 were spread over a long line, and the Admiral, seeing the 
 
248 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 danger of being attacked while so scattered, sent to Conde", 
 who commanded the most advanced part of the army opposite 
 Chateau Neuf, begging him to retire. Conde", however, with 
 his usual rashness declined to fall back, exclaiming that a 
 Bourbon never fled from a foe. 
 
 The troop of Francois de Laville was with a large body of 
 horse commanded by the the Count de la Noiie. Life had 
 passed quietly at the chateau after the repulse of the attack, 
 for the occupation of Niort by a large force under the Admiral 
 secured Laville from any risk of a repetition of the attack. 
 The garrison and the whole of the tenantry, after they had 
 erected huts for their families, devoted themselves to the 
 work of strengthening the defences. Flanking towers were 
 erected at the angles of the walls. The moat was doubled in 
 width, and a work erected beyond it to guard the approach 
 across the drawbridge. The windows on the unprotected side 
 were all partially closed with brickwork, leaving only loop- 
 holes through which the defenders could fire. The battle- 
 ments of the wall were raised two feet and pierced with loop- 
 holes, so that the defenders would no longer be obliged to 
 raise their heads above its shelter to fire, and the narrow path 
 was widened by the erection of a platform, so as to give more 
 room for the men to use their weapons. A garrison composed 
 of fifty of the younger men on the farms took the place of the 
 troop when it rode away. 
 
 Anjou had prepared several bridges, and suddenly crossed 
 the river on the night of the i2th of March, the movement 
 being so well managed that even the Huguenot divisions in 
 the neighbourhood were unaware until morning of what was 
 taking place. As soon as the Admiral was informed that the 
 enemy had crossed in great force, messengers were sent off in 
 all directions to order the scattered divisions to concentrate. 
 The operation was a slow one. Discipline was lax, and many 
 of the commanders instead of occupying the positions assigned 
 to them had taken up others where better accommodation could 
 be obtained, and much time was lost before the orders reached 
 them. Even then their movements were slow, and it was 
 afternoon before those in the neighbourhood were assembled, 
 and the Admiral prepared to fall back towards the main body 
 
THE BATTLE OF JARNAC 249 
 
 of the army which lay near the position occupied by Conde*. 
 But before this could be done the whole Royalist army were 
 upon him. He had taken part at Bassac, a little village with 
 an abbey, with but De la Noiie's cavalry and a small number 
 of infantry with him, and though the latter fought desperately 
 they could not check the advance of the enemy. 
 
 "This is worse than St. Denis, Francois," De la Noiie said, 
 as he prepared to charge a vastly superior body of the enemy's 
 cavalry advancing against the village. " However, it must be 
 done, for unless Anjou's advance is checked the battle will be 
 lost before Conde" can arrive. You and your cousin had best 
 put yourself at the head of your own troop." 
 
 On reaching his men Francois gave the order. " Now, my 
 men, is the time to show that you have profited by your drill. 
 Keep in a solid body. Do not break up and engage in single 
 conflicts, for if you do we must be overpowered by numbers. 
 Ride boot to boot. Keep your eyes fixed on our plumes, and 
 when we turn do you turn also and follow us closely." 
 
 When De la Noiie's trumpet sounded the charge, the band 
 of horsemen burst down upon the Catholic cavalry, broke 
 their ranks and pierced far into them. Francois and Philip 
 were but a horse's length ahead of their men, and the pres- 
 sure of the enemy soon drove them back into their ranks. 
 Keeping in a close and compact body they fought their way 
 on until Francois perceived that they were separated from the 
 rest of the force. Then he put the horn that he wore slung 
 over his shoulder to his lips and gave the command to wheel 
 round. It was obeyed, and the line, which was four deep, 
 fought their way round until facing the rear, and then putting 
 spurs to their horses they overthrew all opposition and cleft 
 their way out through the enemy, and then galloped back to 
 Bassac. The village was lost, and the defenders were falling 
 back in disorder upon D'Andelot, who with his division was 
 just arriving to their assistance. 
 
 For a moment the fugitive horse and foot broke up his 
 ranks. But he rallied his men, and advancing, drove the 
 Catholics out of the village and retook the abbey. But as a 
 whole army was opposed to him the success was but brief. 
 After a desperate struggle the village was again lost, and the 
 
250 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Huguenots fell back, contesting every foot of the ground, along 
 a raised causeway. The enemy were, however, fast outflank- 
 ing them, and they were on the point of destruction when 
 Conde" arrived with three hundred knights with whom he had 
 ridden forward, leaving the infantry to follow, as soon as 
 Coligny's message for help had reached him. He himself 
 was in no condition for battle. His arm had been broken by 
 a cannon shot, and just as he reached the scene of battle his 
 hip was fractured by the kick of a horse ridden by his brother- 
 in-law, La Rochefoucault; nevertheless he did not hesitate, 
 but calling on his little band to follow him, rode full at a body 
 of eight hundred of the Catholic cavalry. 
 
 For a time the struggle was a desperate one. The Hugue- 
 nots performed prodigies of valour, but the Royalists were re- 
 inforced, and the devoted band melted away. One Huguenot 
 nobleman named La Vergne fought surrounded by twenty-five 
 of his kinsmen whom he brought into the field. He himself 
 and fifteen of his followers fell in a circle. Most of the others 
 were taken prisoners. At last Condi's horse was killed 
 under him and fell, pinning him to the ground. Conde" 
 raised his visor and surrendered to two knights to whom he 
 was known. They raised him from the ground respectfully, 
 but as they did so Montesquieu, captain of Anjou's guards, 
 rode up, and drawing a pistol, shot Conde" in the back, kill- 
 ing him almost instantaneously. Several other Huguenot 
 nobles were killed in cold blood after they had surrendered. 
 
 But Condi's magnificent charge had not been without effect, 
 for it enabled the Admiral to draw off from the field without 
 further loss. The accounts of the number of killed and 
 wounded differ, but numerically it was very small. The 
 Huguenot infantry were not engaged at all, with the exception 
 of a small body of the regiment of Plupiart. But of their 
 cavalry nearly four hundred were killed or taken prisoners, 
 and of these a hundred and forty were nobles and gentlemen, 
 the flower of the Huguenot nobility. Among the prisoners were 
 La Nolle, Soubise, La Loiie, and many others of distinction. 
 
 Coligny's retreat was not interfered with. The satisfaction 
 of the Catholics at the death of Conde" was so great that they 
 were contented to rest upon their success. There were great 
 
THE BATTLE OF JARNAC 251 
 
 rejoicings throughout France and the Catholic countries of 
 Europe over the exaggerated accounts issued by Anjou of his 
 victory, and it was generally considered that the Huguenot 
 cause was lost. However, out of a hundred and twenty-eight 
 troops of cavalry only fifteen had been engaged, and only six 
 out of two hundred companies of infantry. 
 
 The army retired to Cognac, where the brave Queen of 
 Navarre at once hurried on hearing the intelligence, and her- 
 self addressed the army, reminding them that though the Prince 
 of Conde" was dead the good cause was still alive, and that God 
 would provide fresh instruments for carrying on His work. 
 She then hurried away to La Rochelle to make provision for 
 the needs of the army. The young Prince Henri was, at 
 Conde 's death, nominally placed in command of the army as 
 general-in-chief, and he was joined by his cousin, the young 
 Prince of Cond, a lad of about his own age. 
 
 D'Anjou, one of the most despicable of the princes of 
 France, was so intoxicated by the success that he had gained 
 that for a time he made no effort to follow up his advantage. 
 He disgraced himself by having the body of Conde stripped 
 and carried on a donkey to Jarnac, and there exposed for four 
 days by the house where he lodged, while he occupied himself 
 in writing vainglorious despatches to all the Catholic kings and 
 princes. At last he moved forward to the siege of Cognac. 
 Seven thousand infantry, for the most part new levies, had 
 been placed here by Coligny, and these received the royal 
 army with great determination. Not only were the assaults 
 upon the walls repulsed with heavy loss, but the garrison made 
 many sallies, and after wasting a month before the town, 
 Anjou, despairing of its capture, drew off the army, which had 
 suffered heavier losses here than it had done in the battle of 
 Jarnac. He then besieged St. Jean d'Angely, where the gar- 
 rison commanded by Count Montgomery also repulsed all 
 attacks. Angouleme was attacked with an equal want of suc- 
 cess, but Mucidan, a town to the southwest of Perigueux, was 
 captured. The attack upon it, however, cost the life of De 
 Brissac, one of his best officers a loss which Anjou avenged 
 by the murder in cold blood of the garrison, which surrendered 
 on condition that life and property should be spared. 
 
252 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 As a set-off to the success of the Huguenots, they suffered a 
 heavy blow in the death of the gallant D'Andelot, the Admiral's 
 brother an officer of the highest ability, who had, before the 
 outbreak of the troubles, occupied the rank of colonel-general 
 of the French infantry. His death was attributed by both 
 parties to poison, believed to have been administered by an 
 emissary of Catherine de Medici. The fact, however, was not 
 clearly established, and possibly he fell a victim to arduous 
 and unceasing toil and exertion. 
 
 Both Francois de Laville and Philip Fletcher had been 
 severely wounded in the battle of Jarnac, and some twenty of 
 their troop had fallen in the fight. They were able, however, 
 to sit their horses until they reached Cognac. The Admiral 
 visited them as soon as he arrived there. He had noticed the 
 little band as it emerged unbroken from the charge, and at 
 once ranged itself up to aid him in retreating from the village 
 of Bassac, until Condi's charge enabled him to draw off. He 
 praised the cousins highly for their conduct, and as soon as 
 they were able to be about again he bestowed on both the 
 honour of knighthood, and then sent them to La Rochelle to 
 remain there until perfectly cured. The vacancies in the troop 
 were filled up by young men from the estate, who responded to 
 the summons of the countess for men to take the place of those 
 who had fallen, in her son's command. 
 
 The young Prince of Navarre had, while at Cognac, paid 
 frequent visits to Philip, for whom he had taken a great liking, 
 and he again begged Coligny to appoint him as one of the 
 knights told off as his special body-guard. The Admiral, 
 however, repeated the arguments he had before used. 
 
 " He is very young, prince, though he has borne himself so 
 well, and it would create much jealousy among our young 
 nobles were I to choose a foreigner for so honourable a 
 post." 
 
 " But my councillors are all staid men, Admiral, and I want 
 someone I can talk to without ceremony." 
 
 "There are plenty of young Frenchmen, prince. If you 
 must choose one why not take the Count de Laville? You 
 were saying but yesterday that you liked him." 
 
 "Yes, he is something like his cousin; I think being 
 
THE BATTLE OF JARNAC 253 
 
 together has given him Philip's manner. If I cannot have 
 Philip I should like to have him." 
 
 " He would doubtless feel it a great honour, prince, while I 
 doubt, were I to offer the post to the young Englishman, if he 
 would accept it. He has not come here to seek honour, but 
 to fight for our faith. I had a conversation with him one 
 day, and found that it was with that simple purpose he came 
 here, and however honourable the post, I am sure he would 
 prefer one that gave him full opportunity for taking an active 
 part. With De Laville it is different. He is a French noble, 
 and maybe some day you will be king of France. He is of a 
 brave and adventurous spirit, but methinks that the young 
 Englishman has a greater genrus for war. His cousin, al- 
 though older, I observe generally appeals to him for his opin- 
 ion, and has frankly and nobly given him the chief credit in 
 the affairs in which he has been engaged." 
 
 The Admiral was not mistaken. Francois, when asked if he 
 would like to be appointed as one of the gentlemen about the 
 prince's person, at once embraced the offer, which, as he saw, 
 afforded him great openings for advancement in the future. 
 His only regret was that it would separate him from Philip. 
 When he said as much to his cousin, on informing him of 
 the unexpected honour that had befallen him, Philip replied 
 at once, " Do not think of that, Francois. I shall of course 
 be sorry, but I shall see you often, and you would be wrong to 
 refuse such an offer. The King of France has no children. 
 His two brothers are unmarried. Anjou is, from all accounts, 
 reckless and dissolute, and Alencon is sickly. They alone 
 stand between Henri of Navarre and the throne of France, 
 and should he succeed to it his intimates will gain honours, 
 rank, and possessions. There is not a young noble but would 
 feel honoured by being selected for the post. As for fighting, 
 no one can say how long these troubles may last, and I am 
 greatly mistaken if those round Henri of Navarre, when he 
 reaches manhood, will not have their full share of it." 
 
 Therefore, when the two newly-made young knights went to 
 La Rochelle for quiet and sea-air, it was with the understand- 
 ing that as soon as their strength was thoroughly recovered 
 Francois should resign the command of the troop to Philip, 
 
254 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 and would himself ride with the Prince of Navarre and his 
 cousin Conde". Francois had at once written to his mother 
 with the news of his appointment, and a few days after they 
 reached La Rochelle received an answer expressing her grati- 
 fication. 
 
 "I rejoice," she said, "not only because it is a post of high 
 honour, but because it will take you somewhat out of the heat 
 of the fray. I have not hesitated to let you risk your life in 
 the cause; but you are my only son, and were you slain I 
 should be alone in the world, and the title would go to one of 
 your cousins, for whom I care nothing, and it will be a com- 
 fort for me to know in the future you will not be running such 
 fearful risks." 
 
 At La Rochelle they took up their abode at Maitre Bertram's, 
 and were most kindly received by him and his daughter. 
 
 "It is but two years since you landed here with madame, 
 your mother, Monsieur Fletcher. You were but a stripling 
 then, though you gave wonderful promise of size and strength. 
 Now you are a man, and have won the honour of knighthood, 
 and methinks that in thew and sinew there are not many in 
 our army who would overmatch you." 
 
 "Oh, yes, there are, Maitre Bertram," Philip laughed. "I 
 have a big frame like my father's, I will admit, and to look at 
 it may be as you say, but I shall want many another year over 
 my head before my strength matches my size. I am but just 
 eighteen, and men do not come to their full strength till they 
 are five-and-twenty. " 
 
 "You are strong enough for anything now, " the merchant 
 said, "and I should not like to stand a downright blow from 
 you in the best suit of armour ever forged. I was glad to see 
 that rascal Pierre come back with you. He is a merry fellow, 
 though I fear that he causes idleness among my servants for all 
 the grave looks he puts on as he waits on you at dinner. Is 
 he valiant? " 
 
 "He has had no great opportunity of showing valour," 
 Philip replied, "but he is cool, and not easily ruffled, and he 
 fought stoutly in the defence of the Count de Laville's chateau; 
 but of course it is not his business to ride behind me in 
 battle." 
 
THE BATTLE OF JARNAC 255 
 
 Philip had corresponded regularly with his parents, and had 
 received letters in reply from them, and also from his uncle 
 and aunt, though these of course came irregularly, as ships 
 happened to be sailing for La Rochelle. His father wrote but 
 briefly, but his letters expressed satisfaction. 
 
 "I am right glad," he said, "to think that a Fletcher is 
 again cracking the skulls of Frenchmen I mean, of course, 
 of Catholic Frenchmen for I regard the Huguenots, being of 
 our religion, as half English. I don't say take care of yourself, 
 my lad it is not the way of Englishmen to do that on the 
 battlefield but it would be a grievous day for us all here if 
 we heard that aught had befallen you." 
 
 The letters of his mother and aunt were of a different char- 
 acter, and dwelt strongly upon the sacred cause upon which he 
 was engaged, and both rejoiced greatly over the number of 
 Huguenots he and Francois had rescued round Niort. His 
 uncle's letters were more worldly. 
 
 "Your aunt's letters to my wife," he said, "speak very 
 warmly in praise of you. She said you have distinguished 
 yourself highly, that you have attracted the attention of the 
 Prince of Conde" and the Admiral, have rendered service to the 
 Queen of Navarre and her son, and have received tokens of 
 their esteem; also that you stand high in the regard of the 
 Count de la Nolle, who is in all respects a most accomplished 
 gentleman, and that he has told her that he hopes before long 
 you will receive the honour of knighthood. Worldly honours, 
 Philip, are not to be despised, especially when they are won 
 by worthy service, although I know that my wife and your 
 mother think but lightly of them, and that it is the fashion of 
 those of our faith to treat them with contempt. Such is not 
 my opinion. I am gratified to think that the money I have 
 made in trade will descend to one of whom I can be proud, 
 and who in this country may occupy the position that his 
 ancestors on his mother's side did in my own, and to me it 
 will be a matter of extreme gratification if I hear that you have 
 won your spurs, especially at the hand of so great a leader and 
 so worthy a one as Admiral Coligny. I promise you that 
 there shall be feasting among the poor of Canterbury on the 
 day when the news comes. Of late you have drawn but slightly 
 
256 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 upon me, for, as you say, you have few expenses save the pay 
 of your five men when staying at Laville; but do not stint 
 money should there be an occasion." 
 
 Upon rejoining the camp Philip found the time hang some- 
 what heavily upon his hands. Francois was necessarily much 
 with the prince. Captain Montpace looked after the troop, 
 and the Count de la Noiie was in captivity. A few days after 
 he rejoined, however, one of the Admiral's pages came to his 
 tent and requested him to call upon Coligny. 
 
 "The camp will break up to-morrow, Chevalier Fletcher," 
 the latter said. "We are going down to join the Viscounts, 
 and then march to effect a junction with the Due de Deux- 
 Ponts, who we hear has now fairly set out on his forward 
 march. I wish to send a despatch to him, and I know no one 
 to whom I could better intrust it than yourself. It is a 
 mission of honour, but of danger. However, you have already 
 exhibited such tact and discretion as well as bravery, that I 
 believe if anyone can reach the duke through the two royal 
 armies that are trying to intercept him you can do so. Will 
 you undertake the mission? " 
 
 " I am greatly honoured by your intrusting me with it, sir, 
 and will assuredly do my best." 
 
 "I do not propose that you should travel in disguise," the 
 Admiral said, "for disguise means slow motion, and there is 
 need for despatch. Therefore, I should say, take a small body 
 of well-mounted men with you, and ride as speedily as you 
 can. How many to take I leave to your discretion. The 
 despatches will be ready for you by ten o'clock to-night." 
 
 "I shall be ready to start at that hour, sir," and Philip 
 returned to his tent. After sitting thinking for a few minutes 
 he called to Pierre, who was sitting outside. 
 
 "Pierre, I want your advice. I am about to start on a 
 journey to the east of France. I do "not go this time in dis- 
 guise, but ride straight through. What think you? how many 
 men shall I take with me one or fifty?" 
 
 "Not fifty certainly," Pierre said promptly. "There is 
 mighty trouble in feeding fifty men; besides, you may have 
 to pass as a Royalist, and who can answer for the discretion 
 of so many? Besides, if we have to turn and double, there is 
 
THE BATTLE OF JARNAC 257 
 
 no hiding fifty men. If you ride through the smallest village 
 at midnight the noise would wake the inhabitants, and when 
 the enemy came up they would get news of your passage. I 
 do not see that you can do better than take Eustace and Roger 
 and myself. Henri will not be fit to ride for weeks yet, and 
 although Jacques is recovering from the loss of his bridle-arm 
 you settled that he was to go to Laville, where the countess 
 would take him into her service. Jarnac lessened your force 
 by half, but I think that two will be as good as four on a 
 journey like this. Such a party can pass unnoticed. It is 
 but a gentleman with two retainers behind him from a neigh- 
 bouring chateau." 
 
 " That is what I concluded myself, Pierre, but I thought I 
 would ask your opinion about it, for you have shown yourself 
 a shrewd fellow. All your horses are in good condition, and 
 it is well that I exchanged those you rode before for some of 
 the best of the three hundred we captured from the assailants 
 of the chateau. Of course, you will ride one of my horses, 
 changing the saddle every day as your weight is so much less 
 than mine. I shall not take armour with me, the extra weight 
 tells heavily on a long journey; and besides, a knight in full 
 armour would attract more attention than one riding as it 
 would seem for pleasure. Let Eustace and Roger pick the 
 two best horses." 
 
 "When do we start, sir?" 
 
 "We must be saddled and ready to start by ten to-night. 
 See that a bottle of wine, a cold fowl, and a portion of bread 
 for each are brought along with us. We shall have a long 
 night's ride. We will carry no valises, they add to the weight 
 and look like travelling. Let each man make a small canvas 
 bag and place in it a change of linen. It can be rolled up in 
 the cloak and strapped behind the saddle. A dozen charges 
 for each pistol will be more than we shall be likely to require. 
 Tell them to take no more. They must take their breast- 
 pieces and steel caps, of course. They can leave the back- 
 pieces behind them. I will go round to the hospital and say 
 good-bye to Henri and Jacques, they will feel being left 
 behind sorely." 
 
 After visiting his wounded followers he went to the house 
 
258 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 occupied by the Prince of Navarre, where Francois also was 
 lodged. 
 
 "So I hear you are off again, Philip," the latter said, as his 
 cousin entered the salon where two or three of the prince's 
 companions were sitting. " I should feel envious of you were 
 it not that we also are on the point of starting." 
 
 "How did you know I was going off, Francois?" 
 
 " The prince told me half an hour since. He heard it from 
 the Admiral. He told me he wished he was going with you in- 
 stead of with the army. He is always thirsting after adventure. 
 He bade me bring you in to him if you came. I said you would 
 be sure to do so. It was useless my going out to look for you, 
 as I could not tell what you might have to do before starting." 
 
 The young prince threw aside the book he was reading when 
 they entered. 
 
 "Ah, monsieur the Englishman," he said, "so you are off 
 again like a veritable knight-errant of romance in search of 
 fresh adventure." 
 
 "No, sir, my search will be to avoid adventure." 
 
 "Ah, well, you are sure to find some whether or not. 
 Sapristie, but it is annoying to be born a prince." 
 
 "It has its advantages also, sir," Philip said smiling. 
 
 The prince laughed merrily. 
 
 " So I suppose, but for my part I have not discovered them 
 as yet. I must hope for the future, but it appears to me now 
 that it can never be pleasant. One is obliged to do this, that, 
 and the other because one is a prince. One always has to 
 have one's head full of politics, to listen gravely to stupidities, 
 to put up with tiresome people, and never to have one's own 
 way in anything. However, I suppose my turn will come, 
 but at present I would rather be hunting the wild goats in 
 Navarre than pretending to be general-in-chief of an army, 
 when everyone knows that I am not even as free to go my 
 own way as a common soldier. I shall look to see you again, 
 Chevalier Philip, and shall expect you to have some more good 
 stories to tell me." 
 
 Having handed him his despatches, the Admiral pointed 
 out to him the position, as far as he knew by recent report, of 
 the forces under the Dukes of Aumale and Nemours. 
 
THE BATTLE OF JARNAC 259 
 
 "Possibly there will be other enemies," the Admiral said, 
 " for our friends in Paris have sent me word that the Spanish 
 ambassador has at the king's request written to beg the Duke 
 of Alva, and Mansfeld, governor of Luxembourg, to send troops 
 to aid in barring the way to the Due de Deux- Fonts. I hope 
 Alva has his hands full with his own troubles in the Nether- 
 lands, and although Spain is always lavish of promises it gives 
 but little real aid to the king. Then again, on the road you 
 may meet with bands of German mercenaries sent by the 
 Catholic princes to join the royal forces. As you see, the 
 despatches are written small, and at your first halt it will be 
 well if you sew them in the lining of your boot, they will 
 escape observation there however closely you may be searched, 
 for they are but of little bulk, and I have written them on the 
 softest paper I could obtain, so that it will not crackle to the 
 touch. 
 
 " I leave it to yourself to choose the route, but I think that 
 you could not do better than take that one you before followed 
 when you and Laville joined me at Chatillon, thence keep well 
 south through Lorraine. The royal forces are at Metz. I can 
 give you no farther instructions, for I cannot say how rapidly 
 Deux-Ponts may move, or what route he may be obliged to 
 take to avoid the royal forces. And now farewell, lad. Re- 
 member that it is an important service you are rendering to 
 our cause and that much depends on your reaching Deux- 
 Ponts, for the despatches tell him the route by which I intend 
 to move, indicate that which he had best follow in order that 
 he may effect a junction, and give him many details as to 
 roads, fords, and bridges that may be of vital importance to 
 him." 
 
 Philip rode forty miles that night, and put up just as day- 
 light was breaking at the village of Auverge. There they 
 rested for six hours and then rode on to Laville, where he was 
 received with great joy by his aunt, for whom he bore a letter 
 from Francois. After halting here for a few hours they con- 
 tinued their journey. So far they had been riding through a 
 friendly country, but had now to travel with due precautions, 
 journeying fast, and yet taking care that the horses should not 
 be overworked, as sudden occasion might arise for speed or 
 
260 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 endurance, and as the journey was some eight hundred miles 
 long it behoved him to carefully husband the strength of the 
 animals. 
 
 After riding another fifteen miles they stopped for the night 
 at a village, as Philip intended to journey by day, for his 
 arrival at inns early in the morning would excite comment. 
 The three men had been carefully instructed in the story they 
 were to tell at the inns where they halted. Their master was 
 M. de Vibourg, whose estate lay near the place at which they 
 halted on the preceding night, and who was going for a short 
 visit to friends at the next town at which they would arrive. 
 If questioned as to his politics, they were to say that he held 
 aloof from the matter, for he considered that undue violence 
 was exercised towards the Huguenots, who, he believed, if 
 permitted to worship in their own way, would be good and 
 harmless citizens. 
 
 So day by day they journeyed along, avoiding all large towns 
 and riding quietly through small ones where their appearance 
 attracted no attention whatever. On the fourth day, when 
 as usual they had halted to dine and give their horses a couple 
 of hours' rest, Philip heard the trampling of horses outside the 
 inn. Going to the window he saw two gentlemen with eight 
 armed retainers dismounting at the door. The gentlemen 
 wore the Royalist colours. At the same moment Pierre came 
 into the room. 
 
 " I have told Eustace and Roger to finish their meal quickly 
 and then to get the horses saddled, to mount and take ours 
 quietly to the end of the village and wait for us there, sir, so 
 that if there should be trouble we have but to leap through the 
 casement and make a short run of it." 
 
 "That is very well done, Pierre," Philip said, reseating 
 himself at the table, while Pierre took his place behind his 
 chair as if waiting upon him. The door opened and the two 
 gentlemen entered. They did not as usual remove their hats, 
 but seated themselves at a table and began talking noisily. 
 Presently one made a remark in a low tone to the other, who 
 turned round in his chair and stared offensively at Philip. 
 The latter continued his meal without paying any attention to 
 him. 
 
PHILIP STRUCK HIM FULL IN THE FACE." 
 
THE BATTLE OF JARNAC 261 
 
 "And who may you be, young sir?" the man said, rising 
 and walking across the room. 
 
 " I am not in the habit of answering questions addressed to 
 me by strangers," Philip said quietly. 
 
 " Par bleu, custom or no custom, you have to answer them 
 now. This is not a time when men can go about unques- 
 tioned. You do not wear the Royalist colours, and I demand 
 to know who you are." 
 
 " I would wear the Royalist colours if I were on the way to 
 join the Royalist army," Philip replied calmly; "as at present 
 I am not doing so, but am simply travelling as a private gen- 
 tleman, I see no occasion for putting on badges." 
 
 "You have not answered my question. Who are you? " 
 
 "I do not intend to answer the question; my name is a 
 matter which concerns myself only." 
 
 "You insolent young knave," the man said angrily, "I will 
 crop your ears for you." 
 
 Philip rose from the table, and the other was for a moment 
 surprised at the height and proportions of one whom he had 
 taken for a mere lad. 
 
 "I desire to have no words with you," Philip said; "eat 
 your dinner in peace and let me eat mine, for if it comes to 
 cutting off ears you may find that you had better have left the 
 matter alone." 
 
 The gentleman put his hand to the hilt of his sword and 
 was in the act of drawing it when Philip, making a step for- 
 ward, struck him full in the face with all his strength, knock- 
 ing him backwards to the ground. His companion leapt from 
 his seat drawing a pistol from his belt as he did so, when 
 Pierre sent a plate skimming across the room with great force. 
 It struck the man in the mouth, cutting his lips and knocking 
 out some of his front teeth. The pistol exploded harmlessly 
 in the air, while the sudden shock and pain staggered and 
 silenced him, and before he could recover sufficiently to draw 
 his sword or to shout, Philip and Pierre leaped through the 
 open casement and ran down the street. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 A HUGUENOT PRAYER-MEETING 
 
 THAT was a good shot, Pierre," Philip said as they ran, "and 
 has probably saved my life." 
 
 "I am accustomed to throw straight, sir; my dinner has 
 frequently depended on my knocking down a bird with a 
 stone, and it was not often that I had to go without it. They 
 are making a rare hubbub back at the inn." 
 
 Loud shouts were heard behind them. 
 
 "We have plenty of time," Philip said as he moderated the 
 pace at which they had started. " The men will be confused 
 at first, knowing nothing of what it all means. Then they will 
 have to get the horses out of the stables." 
 
 "And then they will have trouble," Pierre added. 
 
 "What trouble, Pierre?" 
 
 "I gave a hint to Eustace," Pierre said with a laugh, "that 
 it would be just as well before he mounted to cut off all the 
 bridles at the rings. A nice way they will be in when they 
 go to mount! " 
 
 "Did you cut their bridles for them, Eustace?" he asked 
 as they came up to the others. 
 
 "Ay, and their stirrup-leathers too, Pierre." 
 
 "Good, indeed! " Philip exclaimed. "Without bridles or 
 stirrup-leathers they can scarce make a start, and it will take 
 them some minutes to patch them up. We will ride hard for 
 a bit, that will put us far enough ahead to be able to take any 
 by-road and throw them off our traces. I have no fear of their 
 catching us by straight riding. The masters' horses may be 
 
A HUGUENOT PRAYER-MEETING 263 
 
 as good as ours, but those of the men can hardly be so; still, 
 they might come up to us wherever we halted for the night." 
 
 They looked back when they were some two miles from the 
 village, and along the long straight road could make out some 
 figures that they doubted not were horsemen just starting in 
 pursuit. 
 
 "They waited to mend their leathers," Pierre remarked. 
 
 "They were right there," Philip said; "for a man can fight 
 but poorly without bridle or stirrups. The horses will not have 
 been fed, so we have an advantage there. I do not think we 
 need trouble ourselves much more about them." 
 
 "There is one thing, sir, they won't mind foundering their 
 horses, and we have to be careful of ours." 
 
 "That is so, Pierre; and besides, at the first place they come 
 to they may send others on in pursuit with fresh horses. No, 
 we must throw them off our track as soon as we can. There is 
 a wood a mile or so ahead; we will leave the road there." 
 
 They were riding on the margin of turf bordering the road 
 on either side so as to avoid the dust that lay thick and white 
 upon it, and they held on at an easy canter till they reached 
 the trees. Then, at Philip's order, they scattered and went at 
 a walk, so as to avoid leaving marks that could be seen at once 
 by anyone following them. A couple of hundred yards farther 
 they came upon a stream running through a wood; it was but 
 a few inches deep. 
 
 "This will do for us," Philip said. "Now follow me in 
 single file, and see that your horses step always in the water." 
 
 He led them across the road and on for half a mile; then 
 they left the stream and soon afterwards emerged from the 
 wood and struck across the country. 
 
 " I should think they will have had pretty well enough of it 
 by the time they get to the wood," Philip said, "and at any 
 rate will lose a lot of time there. They will trace our tracks 
 to the edge of the stream, and will naturally suppose that we 
 will follow it up as we struck it on the other side of the road. 
 It is like enough they will be half an hour searching before 
 they find where we left the stream, and will know well enough 
 then it will be hopeless trying to catch us." 
 
 "They saw we had good horses," Eustace said, "for as we 
 
264 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 led them out one of them made the remark that they were as 
 good-looking a lot of horses as you would often see together. 
 No doubt at first their leaders were so furious that they thought 
 of nothing but mending the leathers and getting off; but when 
 they get a check in the wood it is probable that someone will 
 venture to tell them how well we are mounted, and that pursuit 
 will be hopeless." 
 
 "Nevertheless I think they will pursue, Monsieur Philip," 
 Pierre said. "They did not look like men who would swal- 
 low an injury and think no more of it. As long as there 
 remains a single chance of discovering you they will not give 
 up pursuit. Of course they have no reason for suspicion that 
 you are anything but what you seem to be, a gentleman of the 
 neighbourhood, and will consider that at one or other of the 
 towns or villages ahead of us they are sure to hear of our 
 passing through, and perhaps to learn who you are and where 
 you reside. Doubtless they asked at the inn before starting 
 whether you were known; and as soon as they find they are not 
 likely to catch us by hard riding, they will make straight for- 
 ward, dividing into several parties at the next place they come 
 to, and scattering in order to obtain news of us." 
 
 " Which they will not get," Philip said, " as we will take good 
 care to avoid passing through villages. For to-night we will 
 sleep in the woods, as the weather is warm and pleasant." 
 
 After riding another fifteen miles they halted in a wood. 
 They always carried some food and wine with them, as cir- 
 cumstances might at any time arise that would render it 
 imprudent for them to put up at an inn, and each also carried 
 a feed of corn for his horse. Leaving Pierre to unsaddle and 
 rub down his horse, Philip walked to the farther edge of the 
 wood to view the country beyond. They were, he knew, not 
 far from La Chatre, and he was not surprised to see the town, 
 lying in a valley, to which the ground sloped down from the 
 wood. It was about a mile and a half distant. Nearer the 
 wood, but half a mile to the west, the towers of a fortified 
 chateau rose from a clump of trees. The country was rich 
 and well cultivated, and everything had an aspect of peace and 
 comfort. 
 
 "What a hideous thing it is," Philip said to himself, "that 
 
A HUGUENOT PRAYER-MEETING 265 
 
 in so fair a country people cannot live in peace together, and 
 should fly at each other's throats simply because they cannot 
 agree that each shall worship God after his own fashion ! It 
 might be Canterbury, with the hills rising round it and the 
 little river, save that it lacks the cathedral rising over it; and 
 yet I doubt not there are many there who live in daily peril of 
 their lives, for there is not a town in France that has not its 
 share of Huguenots, and they can never tell when the storm of 
 popular fury may burst upon them." 
 
 The shades of evening were beginning to fall when he 
 rejoined his companions. They had already rubbed down 
 their horses and replaced the saddles, and the animals were 
 contentedly eating their corn. " 
 
 "They look well," Philip said as he walked from one to the 
 other. 
 
 "Yes, sir, they are none the worse for their travel so far, 
 and could carry us on a hard race for our lives. Shall we 
 light a fire?" 
 
 " I do not think it is worth while, Eustace. The evening 
 is warm, and we shall be off at daybreak. Someone passing 
 through the wood might see the flames and carry the news 
 down to La Chatre, which is but a mile and a half away; and 
 it is quite possible that those fellows we had to do with to-day 
 may be there if they are travelling the same way that we are, 
 and may consider it likely we shall halt there for the night. 
 At any rate, as we do not need the fire, we will run no risks." 
 
 They ate their supper, and an hour later wrapped themselves 
 in their cloaks and lay down. Philip was just dropping off to 
 sleep when Pierre touched him. He sat up with a start. 
 
 "There are some people in the wood," Pierre said. 
 
 Philip was wide awake now, and the sound of singing at no 
 great distance came to his ears. 
 
 "It is a Huguenot hymn," he exclaimed. "There must be 
 a meeting in the wood. No doubt it is some of the people 
 from the town who have come out to hold a secret meeting 
 here. I will go and see it. Come with me, Pierre. We will 
 go very quietly, for it would scare them terribly did they hear 
 anyone approaching." 
 
 Making their way noiselessly through the wood they came, 
 
266 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 after walking about three hundred yards, to the edge of an 
 open space among the trees, where they halted. In the centre 
 they could see in the moonlight a body of some seventy or 
 eighty people gathered. Standing upon the trunk of a fallen 
 tree was a minister who was addressing them. 
 
 "My brethren," he was saying when they could catch his 
 words, " this is the last time we shall meet here. We know 
 that suspicions have already arisen that we are holding meet- 
 ings, and that we do so at the peril of our lives. The search 
 for me has been hot for some days; and though I am willing 
 enough to give my life in the cause of our Lord, I would not 
 bring destruction upon you at the present moment. Were the 
 prospects hopeless I should say, let us continue together here 
 to the last; but the sky is clearing, and it may be that ere long 
 freedom of worship may be proclaimed throughout France. 
 Therefore, it is better that for a time we should abstain from 
 gathering ourselves together. Even now the persecutors may 
 be on our track." 
 
 "Pierre," Philip whispered, "do you go over in that direc- 
 tion until you come to the edge of the wood. If you see any 
 signs of men moving about, run quickly to the others and bring 
 the horses up here." 
 
 "I had better go back there first, had I not, Monsieur 
 Philip? and bring the men and horses along with me to the 
 edge of the wood, for I might lose a quarter of an hour in 
 searching for them." 
 
 " That would be the best plan, Pierre. Should you hear a 
 sudden noise here, hurry in this direction, and I will come 
 to meet you. It may well be that, guessing the Huguenots 
 would place someone on watch towards the town, the Catholics 
 may, if they come, approach from the other side. Should you 
 see anyone coming, give a loud shout at once. It will act as 
 a warning to these people, and enable them to scatter and fly 
 before their foes arrive." 
 
 For an hour the preacher continued to address his hearers, 
 exhorting them to stand firm in the faith, and to await with 
 patience the coming of better days. 
 
 They were not more than twenty paces away from the spot 
 where Philip was standing, and in the moonlight he could 
 
A HUGUENOT PRAYER-MEETING 267 
 
 clearly see the faces of the assembly, for the preacher was 
 standing with his back to him. From their dress he judged 
 that most of them belonged to the poorer classes, though three 
 or four were evidently bourgeois of the well-to-do class. 
 Seated on the trunk on which the preacher was standing, and 
 looking up at him so that her profile was clearly visible to 
 Philip, sat a young girl whose face struck Philip as of singular 
 beauty. The hood of the cloak in which she was wrapped had 
 fallen back from her head, and her hair looked golden in the 
 moonlight. She was listening with rapt attention. The moon- 
 light glistened on a brooch which held the cloak together at 
 her throat. A young woman stood by her, and a man, in steel 
 cap and with a sword at his 'side, stood a pace behind her. 
 Philip judged that she belonged to a rank considerably above 
 that of the rest of the gathering. When the address had con- 
 cluded the preacher began a hymn in which all joined. Just 
 as they began Philip heard the crack of a stick among the 
 trees. It was not on the side from which Pierre would be 
 coming. He listened attentively, but the singing was so loud 
 that he could hear nothing, except that once a clash such as 
 would be made by a scabbard or piece of armour striking 
 against a bough came to his ears. Suddenly he heard a shout. 
 
 "That is Pierre ! " he exclaimed to himself, and ran forward 
 into the circle. There was a cry of alarm, and the singing 
 suddenly stopped. 
 
 " I am a friend," he exclaimed. " I have come to warn you 
 of danger. There are men coming in this direction from the 
 town." 
 
 "My brethren, we will separate," the minister said calmly. 
 "But first I will pronounce the benediction." This he did 
 solemnly, and then said : " Now let all make through the wood, 
 and, issuing from the other side, return by a circuit to the 
 town. Mademoiselle Claire, I will accompany you to the 
 chateau." 
 
 At this moment Philip heard horses approaching. 
 
 "This way, Pierre,", he shouted, and ran to meet them. 
 Fifty yards away he came upon them, and leapt into his 
 saddle. "See to your weapons, lads," he said; "I believe 
 there are others in the wood already." 
 
268 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 He was within twenty yards of the clearing when he heard 
 a sudden shout of "Down with the Huguenot dogs! Kill! 
 kill ! " He dashed forward, followed by his men. A mob of 
 armed men, headed by two or three horsemen, had burst 
 from the opposite side of the glade, and were rushing upon 
 the Huguenots, who had just broken up into small groups. 
 They stood as if paralysed at this sudden attack. No cry or 
 scream broke from the women; most of these threw them- 
 selves upon their knees; a few of the men followed their ex- 
 ample, and prepared to die unresistingly. Some sprang away 
 among the trees, and above the din the preacher's voice was 
 heard commencing a Huguenot hymn beginning, " The gates 
 of heaven are opened" in which, without a moment's hesita- 
 tion, those who remained around him joined. 
 
 In a moment, with savage shouts and yells, their assailants 
 were upon them, smiting and thrusting. With a shout Philip 
 spurred forward from the other side. He saw at once that 
 against such numbers he and his three followers could do 
 nothing, but his rage at this massacre of innocent people a 
 scene common enough in France, but which he now for the 
 first time witnessed half-maddened him. One of the horse- 
 men, whom he recognized at once as the man Pierre had 
 knocked down with the plate, rode at the girl Philip had been 
 watching, and who was standing with upturned face joining 
 in the hymn. The man attending her drew his sword, and 
 placed himself in the way of the horsemen, but the latter cut 
 him down, and raised the sword to strike full at the girl, 
 when Philip shot him through the head. Instantly another 
 horseman, with a shout of recognition, rode at him. Philip 
 thrust his still smoking pistol in his holster, and drew his 
 sword. 
 
 "This is more than I hoped for," his assailant said as he 
 dealt a sweeping blow at him. 
 
 "Do not congratulate yourself too soon," Philip replied 
 as he guarded the blow, and, lunging in return, the point 
 glided off his adversary's armour. He parried again, and 
 then with a back-handed sweep he struck his opponent on the 
 neck with his whole force. Coming out to take part in a 
 Huguenot hunt, in which he expected no opposition, the 
 
A HUGUENOT PRAYER-MEETING 269 
 
 knight had left his helmet behind him, and fell from his 
 horse with his head half-severed from his body. In the 
 meantime the two men-at-arms and Pierre had driven back 
 the mob of townsmen, who, however, having massacred most 
 of the unresisting Huguenots, were surging up round them. 
 
 " Give me your hand, mademoiselle, and put your foot on 
 mine," Philip exclaimed to the girl, who was still standing 
 close to him. "Pierre," he shouted, as, bewildered by the 
 uproar, the girl instinctively obeyed the order, "take this 
 woman up behind you." Pierre made his horse plunge and 
 so freed himself from those attacking him, then reining 
 round he rode to Philip's side, and helped the companion 
 of the young lady to the croup of his saddle, Philip dash- 
 ing forward to free his two followers from their numerous 
 assailants. 
 
 "To the left, Eustace; " and cutting their way through the 
 crowd the three horsemen freed themselves, and, as they 
 dashed off, were joined by Pierre. 
 
 "We must work back by the way we came, Monsieur 
 Philip," Pierre said; "there is another body coming up in 
 front to cut off fugitives, and that was why I shouted to you." 
 
 In a minute or two they were out of the wood. Men were 
 seen running across the fields, but these they easily avoided. 
 
 "Now turn again and make straight for La Chatre," Philip 
 said, "we can cross the bridge and ride through the place 
 without danger. Those who would have interfered with us 
 are all behind us." 
 
 As he had expected, the place was perfectly quiet. The 
 better class of the bourgeois were all asleep, either ignorant or 
 disapproving of the action of the mob. As soon as they were 
 through the town Philip checked the speed of his horse. 
 
 "Mademoiselle," he said, "I am as yet in ignorance of 
 your name. I am the Chevalier Philip Fletcher, an English 
 gentleman fighting, for the cause of the reformed religion, 
 under Admiral Coligny. I am on my way east with important 
 despatches, and I was bivouacking with my three followers in 
 the wood when I was attracted by the singing. Judging from 
 the words of the minister that there was danger of an attack I 
 put one of my men on the watch, while I myself remained 
 
270 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 in the wood by your meeting-place. Unfortunately the sound 
 of the last hymn you sang drowned the noise made by the 
 party that assailed you. However, happily we were in time to 
 save you and your servant, and our sudden appearance doubt- 
 less enabled many to escape who would otherwise have been 
 massacred." 
 
 The girl had burst into a fit of sobbing as soon as the danger 
 was over, but she had now recovered. 
 
 "My name is Claire de Valecourt, monsieur," she said. 
 " My father is with the Admiral. He will be deeply grateful 
 to you for saving my life." 
 
 "I have the honour of knowing the Count de Valecourt, 
 mademoiselle, and am glad indeed that I have been able to 
 be of service to his daughter. The count is one of the gentle- 
 men who act as guardians to the Prince of Navarre, whom I 
 have also the honour of knowing. And now, what are your 
 wishes? It is not too late even now, should you desire it, 
 for me to take you back to the chateau." 
 
 "I should be defenceless there, sir," she said. "There 
 are but a score of men-at-arms, and though formerly a place 
 of some strength, it could not be defended now. See, sir, it 
 is too late already." 
 
 Philip looked round and saw a bright light suddenly rising 
 from the clump of trees on which the chateau stood. He 
 gave an exclamation of anger. 
 
 "It cannot be helped," she said quietly; "it is but a small 
 place. It was part of my mother's dower. Our estates, you 
 know, are in Provence. My father thought I should be safer 
 here than remaining there alone while he was away. We have 
 always been on good terms with the townspeople here, and 
 they did not interfere with those of our religion during the 
 last war, so we thought that it would be the same now; but of 
 late some people have been here stirring up the townsmen, 
 and some travelling friars preached in the market-place not 
 long since, upbraiding the people with their slackness in not 
 rooting us out altogether. 
 
 " A month ago one of the persecuted ministers came to the 
 chateau at night, and has been concealed there since. Seeing 
 that there will be no minister here for some time, word was 
 
A HUGUENOT PRAYER-MEETING 271 
 
 sent round secretly to those of our religion in the town, and 
 twice a week we have had meetings in the wood. Many of 
 the servants of the chateau are Catholics, and of the men-at- 
 arms the majority are not of our faith, therefore I used to steal 
 out quietly with my attendant. We heard two days ago that 
 a rumour of the meetings had got about, and to-night's was to 
 have been the last of them." 
 
 "And now, mademoiselle, what are your wishes? Have 
 you any friends with whom I could place you until you could 
 rejoin your father? " 
 
 "None near here, monsieur; I have always lived in the 
 south." 
 
 "I should not have taken -you for a lady of Provence," 
 Philip said. " Your hair is fair, and you have rather the ap- 
 pearance of one of my own countrywomen than of one born 
 in the south of France." 
 
 "I am partly of northern blood," she said. "My mother 
 was the daughter of Sir Allan Ramsay, a Scottish gentleman 
 who took service in France, being driven from home by the 
 feuds that prevailed there. I knew but little about her, for 
 she died when I was a child, and my father, who loved her 
 greatly, seldom speaks to me of her." 
 
 Philip rode for some time in silence. 
 
 " I feel that I am a terrible burden on your hands, mon- 
 sieur," she said quietly at last; "but I will do anything that 
 you think best. If you set us down we will try and find 
 refuge in some peasant's hut, or we can dress ourselves as 
 countrywomen and try to make our way westward to La 
 Rochelle." 
 
 "That is not to be thought of," he replied gravely. "Were 
 it not that my despatches may not be delayed without great 
 danger to our cause the matter would be of no inconvenience, 
 but we must ride fast and far. As to leaving you to shift for 
 yourselves, it is impossible; but if we could find a Huguenot 
 family with whom I could place you it would be different. 
 But, unfortunately, we are all strangers to the country." 
 
 "I can ride well," the girl said, "and, if horses could be 
 procured, would with my maid try to reach La Rochelle, trav- 
 elling by night, and hiding in the woods by day. We could 
 
272 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 carry food with us, so as not to have to enter any place to pur- 
 chase it." 
 
 Philip shook his head. 
 
 "We will halt at yonder clump of trees," he said; "it is 
 not yet midnight, and then we can talk the matter over 
 further." 
 
 As soon as they halted he unrolled his cloak. 
 
 " Do you, mademoiselle, and your attendant lie down here. 
 We shall be but a short distance away, and two of us will keep 
 watch, therefore you can sleep without fear of surprise." 
 
 "This is an unfortunate business, Pierre," he said after the 
 latter had fastened the horses to the trees. 
 
 "I can understand that, monsieur. I have been talking 
 to the maid, and it seems that they have no friends in these 
 parts." 
 
 "That is just it, Pierre. One thing is certain, they cannot 
 ride on with us. We must journey as fast as possible, and 
 delicate women could not support the fatigue, even were it 
 seemly that a young lady of good family should be galloping 
 all over France with a young man like myself." 
 
 "I should not trouble about that, monsieur. At ordinary 
 times, doubtless, it would cause a scandal, but in days like 
 these, when in all parts of France there are women and chil- 
 dren hiding from the persecution or fleeing for their lives, 
 one cannot stand upon niceties; but doubtless, as you say, 
 they would hinder our speed and add to our dangers." 
 
 " I see but two plans, Pierre. The one is that they should 
 journey to La Rochelle in charge of yourself and Eustace. 
 We have now twice crossed the country without difficulty, and 
 as there would be no need of especial speed you could journey 
 quietly, choosing quiet and lonely places for your halts, such 
 as farmhouses, or groups of two or three cottages where there 
 is a tiny inn." 
 
 "What is your other plan, sir?" 
 
 " The other plan is that you should start forward at once so 
 as to enter St. Amboise early. Stable your horse at an inn, 
 and order rooms, saying that you are expecting your master 
 and a party, who are on their way to join the army. You 
 might also order a^mea! to be cooked. Then you could enter 
 
A HUGUENOT PRAYER-MEETING 273 
 
 into conversation with stablemen and others, and find out 
 whether there are any castles in the neighbourhood held for 
 us by Huguenot lords or by their wives in their absence. If 
 not, if there are any Huguenot villages. In fact, try and 
 discover some place where we may leave the young lady in 
 safety. You can have three hours to make your inquiry. 
 
 " At the end of that time, whether successful or not, say that 
 you are going out to meet your master and lead him to the 
 inn. Give the host a crown as an earnest of your return and 
 on account of the meal you have ordered, and then ride to 
 meet us. We shall start from here at daybreak. If you suc- 
 ceed in hearing of some place where, as it seems, she can be 
 bestowed in safety, we will take -her there at once. If not, 
 you and Eustace must start back with them, travelling slowly. 
 The horses will carry double easily enough. Do not forget 
 to get a cold capon or two, some good wine, and a supply of 
 white bread while you are waiting in the town." 
 
 "Which horse shall I take, sir?" 
 
 "You had best take Robin; he is the faster of the two, 
 though not quite so strong as Victor." 
 
 "I understand, monsieur, and will carry out your orders. 
 If there be a place within twenty miles, or within forty if 
 lying on the right road, where the young lady can be left in 
 safety, rely upon it I will hear of it, for there is nought I 
 would not do rather than turn back at the outset of our jour- 
 ney, while you have to journey on with only Roger, who is 
 a stout man-at-arms enough, but would be of little use if you 
 should find yourself in difficulties, for his head is somewhat 
 thick and his wits slow." 
 
 Robin had already finished his scanty ration of food, and 
 when Pierre tightened the girths before mounting looked 
 round in mild surprise at finding himself called upon to start 
 for the second time after he had thought that his work was 
 done. 
 
 "You shall have a good feed at St. Amboise," Pierre said, 
 patting its neck, "and beyond that there will be no occasion, 
 I hope, for such another day's work." 
 
 After seeing Pierre start Philip threw himself down for two 
 hours' sleep, and then went to relieve Eustace, who was keep- 
 
274 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 ing watch at the edge of a clump of trees. As soon as it was 
 broad daylight he went across to where Claire de Valecourt 
 was lying down by the side of her maid, with a cloak thrown 
 over them. She sat up at once as his step approached. 
 
 " I am afraid you have not had much sleep, mademoiselle." 
 
 "No, indeed," she said, "I have scarce closed my eyes. 
 It will be long before I shall sleep quietly. That terrible 
 scene of last night will be before my eyes for a long time. 
 Do you think that the minister escaped, Monsieur Fletcher?" 
 
 " I fear that he did not. I saw him cut down by the fellow 
 I shot just before he turned to ride at you." 
 
 "How many do you think escaped? " 
 
 " A score perhaps, or it may be more. Some fled at once, 
 others I noticed make off as we rode forward." 
 
 " Did not one of your men ride off last night soon after we 
 lay down? " 
 
 "Yes, I sent off my servant." And he told her the mission 
 upon which Pierre had been despatched. 
 
 "That is a good plan," she said. "I would much rather 
 hide anywhere than that you should go forward on your long 
 journey with but half your little force. Does it not seem 
 strange, monsieur, that while but a few hours ago I had never 
 so much as heard your name, now I owe my life to you, and 
 feel that I have to trust to you in everything? I. am quite 
 surprised now I look at you; I scarce saw your face last night, 
 and only noticed as I sat in front of you that you seemed very 
 big and strong; and as you talked of what I must do, just as if 
 you had been my father, I have been thinking of you as a 
 grave man like him; now I see you are quite young, and that 
 you don't look grave at all." 
 
 Philip laughed. 
 
 "I am young, and not very grave, mademoiselle; I am 
 not at all fit to be the protector of a young lady like yourself." 
 
 "There I am sure you are wronging yourself, Monsieur 
 Fletcher. The Admiral would never have sent you so far with 
 important despatches had he not full confidence that you were 
 wise as well as brave. And you said you were a chevalier 
 too. My cousin Antoine looks ever so much older than you 
 do, and he has not been knighted yet. I know young gen- 
 
A HUGUENOT PRAYER-MEETING 275 
 
 tlemen are not made knights unless they have done something 
 particularly brave." 
 
 Philip smiled. 
 
 " I did not do anything particularly brave, mademoiselle, 
 but what I did do happened to attract the Admiral's atten- 
 tion. Now here are the remains of a cold capon, some bread, 
 and wine. You and your attendant had better eat something 
 while we are saddling the horses and preparing for a start." 
 
 Four hours later they halted three miles from St. Amboise, 
 taking refuge in a wood near the road where they could see 
 Pierre as he returned. Half an hour later he rode up. Philip 
 went down the road to meet him. 
 
 "Well, Pierre, what success?" 
 
 " I have heard of a place where I think Mademoiselle de 
 Valecourt would be safe for the present. It is the chateau of 
 Monsieur de Landres. It lies some five-and-twenty miles 
 away, and is in the forest, at a distance from any town or large 
 village. It is a small place, but is strong. M. de Landres is 
 with the army in the west, but he has only taken a few of his 
 men with him, and forty they say have been left to guard the 
 tower. As most of the Catholics round here have obeyed 
 the king's summons, and are either with the royal army in the 
 west or with the two dukes at Metz, there seems no chance of 
 any attack being made upon Landres." 
 
 "That will do excellently, Pierre. No doubt the lady 
 will be happy to receive Mademoiselle de Valecourt, whose 
 father is a well-known nobleman and at present in the same 
 army as the lady's husband. At any rate we will try that to 
 begin with." 
 
 They started without delay, and riding briskly reached 
 Landres in four hours, having had a good deal of difficulty in 
 finding the way. As soon as they issued from the forests into 
 a cleared space, half a mile across, in the the centre of which 
 stood the fortalice, a horn was heard to sound and the draw- 
 bridge was at once raised. Philip saw with satisfaction that 
 Pierre had not been misinformed. The castle was an old one 
 and had not been modernized, and with its solid-looking walls 
 and flanking towers was capable of standing a siege. Halt- 
 ing the others when half-way across to the tower, he rode on 
 
276 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 alone. As he approached a lady appeared on the battlements 
 over the gate, while the parapet was occupied with armed men 
 with spears and cross-bows. Philip removed his cap. 
 
 "Madame," he said, "I am a soldier belonging to the army 
 of the Prince of Navarre, and am riding on the business of 
 Admiral Coligny. On my way hither I had the good fortune 
 to save a Huguenot congregation, and the daughter of the 
 Count de Valecourt, from massacre by the people of La Chatre. 
 My business is urgent, and I am unable to turn back to con- 
 duct her to her father, who is with the army of the prince; 
 hearing that you are of the reformed religion, I have ventured 
 to crave your protection for the young lady until I can return 
 to fetch her, or can notify to her father where he may send 
 for her." 
 
 "The lady is welcome," Madame de Landres said; "in 
 such times as these it is the duty of all of our religion to assist 
 each other, and the daughter of the Count de Valecourt, whom 
 I know by reputation, will be specially welcomed." 
 
 Bowing to the lady Philip rode back to his party. 
 
 "The matter is settled, mademoiselle; the chatelaine will 
 be glad to receive you." 
 
 By the time they reached the castle the drawbridge had been 
 lowered, and Madame de Landres stood at the gate ready to 
 receive her guest. As Philip, leaping off, lifted the girl to 
 the ground, the lady embraced her kindly. 
 
 " I am truly glad to be able to offer you a shelter for a time. 
 You are young indeed to be abroad without a natural protector, 
 for, as I gather, this gentleman, whose name I have not yet 
 learned, rescued you by chance from an attack by the Catho- 
 lics." 
 
 " God sent him to my succour as by a miracle, " Claire said 
 simply. "The Chevalier Fletcher is known to my father. 
 Had he arrived but one minute later I should be one among 
 seventy or eighty who are now lying dead in a wood near La 
 Chatre. My father had a chateau close by, but it was fired 
 after the massacre." 
 
 " And now, mademoiselle, with your permission and that of 
 Madame de Landres we will ride on at once. We must do 
 another thirty miles before sunset." 
 
PIERRE LISTENS AT THE OPEN WINDOW OF THE INN. 
 
A HUGUENOT PRAYER-MEETING 277 
 
 Madame de Landres, however, insisted on Philip and his 
 men stopping to partake of a meal before they rode on, and 
 although they had breakfasted heartily four hours before upon 
 the provisions Pierre had brought back with him from Am- 
 boise, their ride had given them an appetite, and Philip did 
 not refuse the invitation. Madame de Landres expressed 
 much satisfaction on hearing that the Huguenot army was 
 likely to pass somewhere near the neighbourhood of the 
 chateau on its way to effect a junction with the Due de Deux- 
 Ponts, and promised to send one of her retainers with a mes- 
 sage to the count that his daughter was in her keeping. The 
 meal was a short one, and Philip after a halt of half an hour 
 mounted and rode on again. 
 
 "My father will thank you when you meet him, Monsieur 
 Fletcher; as for me I cannot tell you what I feel, but I shall 
 pray for you always, and that God who sent you to my aid will 
 watch over you in all dangers," Claire de Valecourt had said 
 as she bade him good-bye. 
 
 They halted that night at a small village, and as Philip was 
 eating his supper Pierre came in. 
 
 " I think, monsieur, that it would be well for us to move on 
 for a few miles farther." 
 
 "Why, Pierre? We have done a long day's journey, and 
 the horses had but a short rest last night." 
 
 " I should like to rest just as well as the horses," Pierre said, 
 "but I doubt if we should rest well here. I thought when we 
 drew bridle that the landlord eyed us curiously, and that the 
 men who sauntered up regarded us with more attention than 
 they would ordinary travellers. So I told Eustace and Roger 
 as they led the horses to the stable to keep the saddles on for 
 the present, and I slipped away round to the back of the house 
 and got my ear close to the open window of the kitchen. I 
 got there just as the landlord came in saying: l These are the 
 people, wife, that we were told of three hours ago. There 
 are the same number of men, though they have no women with 
 them as I was told might be the case. Their leader is a fine- 
 looking young fellow, and I am sorry for him, but that I can't 
 help. I was told that if they came here I was to send off a 
 messenger at once to Nevers, and that if I failed to do so my 
 
278 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 house should be burnt over my head, and I should be hung 
 from the tree opposite as a traitor to the king. Who he is I 
 don't know, but there can be no doubt he is a Huguenot, and 
 that he has killed two nobles. I daresay they deserved it if 
 they were, as the men said, engaged in what they call the good 
 work of slaying Huguenots, which is a kind of work with which 
 I do not hold. But that is no business of mine; I am not 
 going to risk my life in the matter. Besides, if I don't send 
 off it will make no difference, for they told half-a-dozen men 
 before they started that they would give a gold crown to the 
 first who brought them news of the party, and it is like enough 
 someone has slipped off already to earn the money. So I 
 must make myself safe by sending off Jacques at once. The 
 men said that their lords had powerful friends at Nevers, and 
 I am not going to embroil myself with them for the sake of a 
 stranger. ' 
 
 "'We have nothing to do with the Huguenots one way or 
 other,' the woman said; 'there are no Huguenots in this vil- 
 lage, and it is nothing to us what they do in other parts. Send 
 off Jacques if you like, and perhaps it will be best, but I don't 
 want any fighting or bloodshed here. ' 
 
 "I slipped away then," continued Pierre, "as I thought the 
 landlord would be coming out to look for this Jacques; if it 
 had not been for what he said about the reward offered, and 
 the likelihood that others would already have started with the 
 news, I should have watched for the man and followed him 
 when he started; I don't think he would have carried his 
 message far. As it was I thought it best to let you know at 
 once, so that we could slip out of this trap in time." 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE BATTLE OF MONCONTOUR 
 
 WHEN Pierre left him in order to look after the horses, 
 Philip continued his meal. There could be no hurry, 
 for Nevers was twelve miles away, and it would be four hours 
 at least before a party could arrive. The landlady herself 
 brought in the next course. After placing the dish upon the 
 table she stood looking earnestly at him for a minute and then 
 said: "You spoke of stopping here to-night, sir; the accom- 
 modation is very poor, and if you will take my advice you will 
 ride farther. There have been some men along here this 
 afternoon inquiring for a party like yours, and offering a 
 reward to any who would carry the news to them should you 
 pass through. Methinks their intentions were not friendly." 
 
 "I thank you very much for your counsel," Philip said, 
 "and will take it. I know that there are some who would 
 gladly hinder me in my journey, and if there is, as you say, a 
 risk of there coming here for me, it were as well that I rode 
 farther, although I would gladly have given my horses a night's 
 rest. I thank you warmly for having warned me." 
 
 "Do not let my husband know that I have spoken to you," 
 she said; "he is an honest man but timid, and in these days 
 'tis safest not to meddle with what does not concern one." 
 
 Philip waited for two hours, and then told Pierre to saddle 
 the horses and tell the landlord that he wished to speak to him. 
 
 "I have changed my mind, landlord," he said, "and shall 
 ride forward. The horses will have rested now, and can very 
 well do another fifteen miles, so let me have your reckoning. 
 
 . 279 
 
280 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 You can charge for my bed-room, as doubtless it has been put 
 in order for me." 
 
 Philip saw that the landlord looked pleased though he said 
 nothing, and in a few minutes the horses were brought round, 
 the bill paid, and they started. They struck off from the road 
 three or four miles farther, and halted in a wood which they 
 reached after half an hour's riding. The grain bags had been 
 filled up again at the inn, but as the horses had eaten their fill 
 these were not opened; and after loosening the girths and 
 arranging the order in which they should keep watch the party 
 threw themselves on the ground. Two hours after their arrival 
 Eustace, who was on watch, heard the distant sounds of a body 
 of horsemen galloping along the main road in the direction of 
 the village they had left. 
 
 In the morning at daybreak they started again, directing 
 their way to the south-west and following the course of the 
 Loire, which they crossed at Estre"e, and so entered Burgundy. 
 Crossing the great line of hills they came down on the Saone, 
 which they crossed at a ferry fifteen miles below Dijon. They 
 here obtained news of the position of the Due de Deux-Ponts, 
 and finally rode into his camp near Vesoul. They had been 
 fortunate in avoiding all questioning, it being generally 
 assumed, from their travelling without baggage, that they 
 belonged to the neighbourhood. 
 
 Riding into the camp they were not long in discovering an 
 officer who spoke French, and upon Philip saying that he was 
 the bearer of despatches for the Due from Admiral Coligny he 
 was at once conducted to his pavilion. He had, when the 
 camp was in sight and all dangers at an end, taken his 
 despatches from his boots, and these he at once presented to 
 the duke, who came to the door of his tent on hearing that a 
 gentleman had arrived with letters from Coligny himself. 
 
 "I am glad to get some news direct at last," the Due said, 
 " for I have heard so many rumours since I crossed the frontier 
 that I know not whether the Admiral is a fugitive or at the 
 head of a great army. Which is nearest the truth? " 
 
 "The latter assuredly, sir. The Admiral is at the head of 
 as large a body of men as that with which he offered battle to 
 the Due d'Anjou when winter first set in." 
 
THE BATTLE OF MONCONTOUR 281 
 
 "Come in, monsieur, and sit down while I read the 
 despatches. How many days have you taken in traversing 
 France?" 
 
 "It is the tenth day since I left La Rochelle, sir." 
 
 "And have you ridden the same horses the whole way? " 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " Then they must be good beasts, for you must have done 
 over forty miles a day." 
 
 "We carried no baggage, sir, and, as you see, no armour, 
 and we have husbanded our horses' strength to the best of our 
 power." 
 
 The duke sat down and read the papers of which Philip was 
 the bearer. 
 
 " The Admiral speaks very highly of you, sir, both as regards 
 discretion and bravery, and mentions that he knighted you 
 himself for your conduct in the battle of Jarnac. He need 
 not have said so much, for the fact that he chose you to carry 
 these despatches is the highest proof of his confidence. And 
 now tell me all particulars of your journey, and what news you 
 have gathered on your way as to the movement and positions 
 of the forces of the royal dukes. This will supplement the 
 Admiral's despatches." 
 
 Philip gave a full report of his route, of the state of the 
 roads, the number of cattle in the country through which he 
 had passed, the accounts he had heard of the forces assembled 
 in the cities, and the preparations that had been made to guard 
 the passages across the rivers of Burgundy. 
 
 "I will travel by the route that the Admiral indicates, so 
 far as I can do so undisturbed by the armies of the two French 
 dukes. I have with me some good guides, as many French 
 gentlemen joined me not long since with the Prince of Orange. 
 I had already decided, by their advice, upon following nearly 
 the route commended by the Admiral. I trust that you, sir, 
 will ride among my friends, to whom I will introduce you this 
 evening at supper." 
 
 The Due's army amounted to some fifteen thousand men, of 
 whom seven thousand five hundred were horsemen from the 
 states of Lower Germany, and six thousand infantry from 
 Upper Germany, the remaining fifteen hundred being French 
 
282 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 and Flemish gentlemen, who had joined him with the Prince 
 of Orange. The armies under the French dukes were together 
 considerably superior in force to that of Deux- Fonts, but singly 
 they were not strong enough to attack him, and the mutual 
 jealousies of their commanders prevented their acting in con- 
 cert. Consequently the German force moved across Comt, 
 and on to Autun in the west of Burgundy, without meeting 
 with any opposition. Then they marched rapidly down. The 
 bridges upon the Loire were all held, but one of the French 
 officers who knew the country discovered a ford by which a 
 portion of the army crossed. The main body, laid siege to 
 the town of La Charite", and compelled it to surrender, thus 
 gaining a bridge by which they crossed the Loire. 
 
 As the enemy were now in great force in front of them they 
 turned to the south-west, several messengers being sent off to 
 appoint a fresh meeting-place with Coligny ; and skirting the 
 hills of Bourbonais, Auvergne, and Limousin, they at last 
 arrived within a day's march of Limoges, the journey of five 
 hundred miles through a hostile country being one of the most 
 remarkable in military history. That evening Admiral Coligny 
 and his staff rode into camp, having arrived with his army at 
 Limoges. The Due had been for some time suffering from 
 fever, and had for the last week been carried in a litter, being 
 unable to sit his horse. He was, when the Admiral arrived, 
 unconscious, and died the next morning, being succeeded in 
 his command by the Count of Mansfeldt. Next day the two 
 armies joined with great demonstrations of joy. 
 
 The Due d'Anjou had been closely watching the army of 
 Coligny, his army being somewhat superior in force to that of 
 the allies, who now numbered some twenty-five thousand, for 
 the duke had been recently reinforced by five thousand papal 
 troops, and twelve hundred Florentines. A part of his force 
 under General Strozzi was at La Roche Abeille. They were 
 attacked by the Huguenots. Four hundred Royalists were 
 killed and many taken prisoners, among them their general. 
 There was for a time a pause. The court entered into fresh 
 negotiations with the Admiral, being anxious to delay his 
 operations, as many of the nobles who were with the Due 
 d'Anjou, wearied by the burdens imposed upon them, insisted 
 upon returning for a time to their homes. 
 
THE BATTLE OF MONCONTOUR 283 
 
 The Huguenots were above all things anxious for peace, and 
 allowed themselves to be detained for nearly a month by these 
 negotiations. On the march down after the capture of La 
 Charite", the German force had passed within a few miles of 
 the Chateau de Landres, and Philip rode over to see whether 
 Claire was still there. She received him with the frank 
 pleasure of a girl. 
 
 "We have heard very little of what is going on outside, 
 Monsieur Fletcher," Madame de Landres said, after the first 
 greetings were over, " though the air has been full of rumours. 
 Again and again reports were brought in that the duke's army 
 had been entirely destroyed by the Royalist forces. Then 
 after a day or two we heard of it as still advancing, but in 
 danger hourly of being destroyed. Then came the news that 
 every town commanding a bridge across the Loire was being 
 put in a state of defence, and strong bodies of troops thrown 
 into them, and we heard that as soon as the Germans reached 
 the river, and farther advance was impossible, they would be 
 attacked by the armies of Nemours and Aumale. But by this 
 time we had become so accustomed to these tales that we were 
 not much alarmed. We were, however, surprised when we 
 heard that a strong body of the Germans had forded the river, 
 and had blockaded La Charite" on this side while it had been 
 besieged on the other. I hear that a strong garrison has been 
 left there." 
 
 " Yes, madame, the place is of great importance, as it gives 
 us a means of crossing the Loire at any time. We find, too, 
 that a large part of the population are Huguenot, and the 
 place will certainly be held against any attack the Royalists 
 may make against us." 
 
 "The news will be received with joy, indeed, by all of our 
 religion in this part of France. Hitherto we have had no 
 place of refuge whatever. There was but the choice of dying 
 in our own houses or villages, or taking refuge in the woods 
 until hunted down. It will be to us what La Rochelle is to 
 the Huguenots of the west. Besides, the garrison there will 
 make the Catholics very chary of attacking us. Moreover, 
 having now this passage across the Loire it is likely that our 
 party will largely use it on their marches, and would be able 
 
284 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 to punish heavily any places at which there had been massa- 
 cres. It is by this way, too, the Germans are sure to return, 
 therefore I feel that for a time my young charge will be per- 
 fectly safe here. I sent off a messenger to our army on the 
 day you left us, but have had no reply, and know not whether 
 he reached it in safety. At any rate you cannot be very long 
 before your force joins the Admiral, and as we felt quite sure 
 that you would come to see us as you passed, we have our 
 letters ready to my husband and the Count de Valecourt. You 
 will, I am sure, deliver them as soon as you join the Admiral." 
 
 "That I will assuredly do, madame. I expect that we shall 
 meet him near Limoges, that is the direction in which we are 
 now marching." 
 
 The Count de Valecourt was one of the gentlemen who rode 
 into the Due de Deux-Ponts' camp with the Admiral, and as 
 soon as they dismounted, and Coligny entered the tent of the 
 dying general, Philip made his way to his side. 
 
 " Ah ! Monsieur Fletcher, I am glad to see you again. You 
 accomplished, then, your journey in safety. The Prince of 
 Navarre often spoke of you and wondered how you were 
 faring." 
 
 " I did very well, sir, but I have not thrust myself upon you 
 at the moment of your arrival to speak of my own journey, but 
 to deliver you a letter which I have the honour of being the 
 bearer from your daughter." 
 
 The count stepped backwards a pace with a cry of astonish- 
 ment and pleasure. " From my daughter ! Is it possible, sir? 
 How long is it since you saw her? " 
 
 "It is nigh three weeks back, sir." 
 
 "The Lord be praised!" the count said solemnly, taking 
 off his cap and looking upwards. " He has shown me many 
 mercies, but this is the greatest. For the last two months I 
 have mourned her as dead. News was brought to me by one 
 of my retainers that she was with a congregation who were 
 attacked by the people of La Chatre, and that all had been 
 massacred. My chateau near there was attacked and burnt, 
 and those of the men who were Huguenots slain, save the one 
 who brought me the news." 
 
 "You will see, sir, that your daughter escaped," Philip said, 
 
THE BATTLE OF MONCONTOUR 285 
 
 handing him the letter. " She is now in the safe custody of 
 Madame de Landres." 
 
 The count tore open the letter, and he had read but a few 
 lines when he uttered an exclamation of surprise, and turning 
 towards Philip, who had moved a few paces away, ran to him 
 and threw his arms round his neck. 
 
 " It is you who have, with God's blessing, rescued my daugh- 
 ter from death, "he exclaimed. "She is my only child. Ah, 
 monsieur, what joy have you brought to me, what thankful- 
 ness do I feel, how deeply am I indebted to you! I had 
 thought that there remained to me but to do my duty to God 
 and His cause, and then if I lived to see the end of the war, 
 to live out my days a childless old man. Now I seem to live 
 again. Claire is alive; I have still something to love and 
 care for. I will first run through the rest of the letter, and 
 then you shall tell me in full all the story. But which is your 
 tent? Pray take me there. I would be alone a little while 
 to thank God for this great mercy." 
 
 Half an hour later the count reappeared at the entrance of 
 the tent. Pierre had wine and refreshments ready, and plac- 
 ing them on a box that served as a table retired, leaving his 
 master and the count together. 
 
 "Now, tell me all about it," the count said; "Claire's de- 
 scription is a very vague one, and she bids me get all the 
 details from you. She only knows that a man on horseback 
 rode at her with uplifted sword. She commended her soul 
 to God, and stood expecting the blow, when there was a pistol- 
 shot close to her and the man fell from his horse. Then an- 
 other dashed forward, while you on horseback threw yourself 
 between her and him. There was a terrible clashing of 
 swords, and then he too fell. Then you lifted her on to 
 your horse, and for a short time there was a whirl of conflict. 
 Then you rode off with three men, behind one of whom her 
 maid Annette was sitting. That is all she knows of it except 
 what you told her yourself." 
 
 " That is nearly all there is to know, count. The fray lasted 
 but two minutes in all, and my being upon the spot was due 
 to no forethought of mine, but was of the nature of a pure 
 accident." 
 
286 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 " Nay, sir, you should not say that ; you were led there by 
 the hand of God. But tell me how you came to be in the 
 wood, and pray omit nothing." 
 
 Philip related the whole story, from the time of the inci- 
 dent at the inn to the time when he handed over Claire to the 
 care of Madame de Landres. 
 
 "It was well done, sir," the count said, laying his hand 
 affectionately on his shoulder when he concluded. "The 
 young prince said you would have a story to tell him when 
 you came back, but I little dreamt that it would be one in 
 which I had such interest. Well, Claire cannot do better 
 than remain where she is for the present, until at any rate I 
 can remove her to La Rochelle, which is the only place where 
 she can be said to be absolutely safe; but so long as we hold 
 La Charite* there is, as you say, but slight fear of any fresh 
 trouble there. From all other parts of France we hear the 
 same tales of cruel massacre and executions by fire and 
 sword." 
 
 Frangois de Laville was not with Coligny's army, as he was 
 with the Prince of Navarre, who had remained near La 
 Rochelle, but he was very pleased to find the Count de la Notie, 
 who had just rejoined the army, having been exchanged for a 
 Royalist officer of rank who had fallen into the hands of the 
 Huguenots. 
 
 " You have been doing great things while I have been lying 
 in prison, Philip," the count said warmly. "I hear that the 
 Admiral has made you and my cousin knights, and more than 
 that, I heard half an hour since from De Valecourt that while 
 carrying despatches to the Germans you had time to do a little 
 knight-errant' s work, and had the good fortune to save his 
 daughter from being massacred by the Catholics. By my 
 faith, chevalier, there is no saying what you will come to if 
 you go on thus." 
 
 "I don't want to come to anything, count," Philip said 
 laughing. " I came over here to fight for the Huguenot cause, 
 and with no thought of gaining anything for myself. I am, 
 of course, greatly pleased to receive the honour of knight- 
 hood, and that at the hands of so great and noble a general as 
 Admiral Coligny. I have been singularly fortunate, but I 
 
THE BATTLE OF MONCONTOUR 287 
 
 owe my good fortune in no small degree to you, for I could 
 have had no better introduction than to ride in your train." 
 
 "You deserve all the credit you have obtained, Philip. 
 You have grasped every opportunity that was presented to you, 
 and have always acquitted yourself well. A young man does 
 not gain the esteem and approval of a Coligny, the gratitude 
 of a Valecourt, and the liking of all who know him, includ- 
 ing the Queen of Navarre and her son, unless by unusual 
 merit. I am proud of you as a connection, though distant, 
 of my own, and I sincerely trust you will, at the end of this 
 sad business, return home to your friends none the worse for 
 the perils you have gone through." 
 
 At the end of a month the negotiations were broken off, for 
 the court had no real intention of granting any concessions. 
 The Huguenots again commenced hostilities. Two or three 
 strong fortresses were captured, and a force despatched south 
 under Count Montgomery, who joined the army of the Vis- 
 counts, expelled the Royalists from Be"arn, and restored it to 
 the Queen of Navarre. There was a considerable division 
 among the Huguenot leaders as to the best course to be taken. 
 The Admiral was in favour of marching north and besieging 
 Saumur, which would give them a free passage across the lower 
 Loire to the north of France, as the possession of La Charite" 
 kept open for them a road to the west; but the majority of 
 the leaders were in favour of besieging Poitiers, one of the 
 richest and most important cities in France. 
 
 Unfortunately their opinion prevailed, and they marched 
 against Poitiers, of which the Count de Lude was the gov- 
 ernor. Before they arrived there Henry, Duke of Guise, with 
 his brother the Duke of Mayenne, and other officers, threw 
 themselves into the town. A desperate defence was made, 
 and every assault by the Huguenots was repulsed with great 
 loss. A dam was thrown across a small river by the be- 
 sieged, and its swollen waters inundated the Huguenot camp, 
 and their losses at the breaches were greatly augmented by the 
 ravages of disease. After the siege had lasted for seven weeks 
 the Due d'Anjou laid siege to Chatelherault, which the Hugue- 
 nots had lately captured, and Coligny raised the siege, which 
 had cost him two thousand men, and marched to its assistance. 
 
288 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 The disaster at Poitiers was balanced to a certain extent by 
 a similar repulse which a force of seven thousand Catholics 
 had sustained at La Charite", which for four weeks successfully 
 repelled every assault, the assailants being obliged at last to 
 draw off from the place. In Paris and other places the mur- 
 ders of Huguenots were of constant occurrence, and at Or- 
 leans two hundred and eighty who had been thrown into 
 prison were massacred in a single day. The Parliament of 
 Paris rendered itself infamous by trying the Admiral in his 
 absence for treason, hanging him in effigy, and offering a 
 reward of fifty thousand gold crowns to anyone who should 
 murder him. 
 
 But a serious battle was now on the eve of being fought. 
 The Due d'Anjou had been largely reinforced, and his army 
 amounted to nine thousand cavalry and eighteen thousand 
 infantry, while Coligny's army had been weakened by his 
 losses at Poitiers, and by the retirement of many of the nobles 
 whose resources could no longer bear the expense of keeping 
 their retainers in the field. He had now only some eleven 
 thousand foot and six thousand horse. He was therefore 
 anxious to avoid a battle until joined by Montgomery, with 
 the six thousand troops he had with him at Be"arn. His 
 troops from the south, however, were impatient at the long 
 inaction and anxious to return home, while the Germans 
 threatened to desert unless they were either paid or led against 
 the enemy. La Noiie, who commanded the advance-guard, 
 had captured the town of Moncontour, and the Admiral, ad- 
 vancing in that direction, and ignorant that the enemy were 
 in the neighbourhood, moved towards the town. 
 
 When on the march the rear was attacked by a heavy body 
 of the enemy. De Mouy, who commanded there, held them 
 at bay until the rest of the Huguenot army gained the other 
 side of a marsh through which they were passing, and entered 
 the town in safety. The Admiral would now have retreated, 
 seeing that the whole force of the enemy were in front of him, 
 but the Germans again mutinied, and the delay before they 
 could be pacified enabled the French army to make a detour 
 and overtake the Huguenots soon after they left Moncontour. 
 The Admiral, who commanded the left wing of the army, 
 
THE BATTLE OF MONCONTOUR 289 
 
 Count Louis of Nassau commanding the right, first met them, 
 and his cavalry charged that of the Catholics, which was com- 
 manded by the German Rhinegrave. The latter rode well in 
 advance of his men, while Coligny was equally in front of the 
 Protestants. The two leaders therefore met. The conflict 
 was a short one. Coligny was severely wounded in the face 
 and the Rhinegrave was killed. 
 
 While the cavalry on both sides fought desperately for vic- 
 tory, the infantry was speedily engaged. The combat between 
 the Huguenot foot and the Swiss infantry in the Royalist 
 ranks was long and doubtful. The Due d'Anjou displayed 
 great courage in the fight, while on the other side the Princes 
 of Navarre and Cond, who "had that morning joined the 
 army from Parthenay, fought bravely in the front of the 
 Huguenots. The Catholic line began to give way, in spite 
 of their superiority in numbers, when Marshal Cosse" advanced 
 with fresh troops into the battle, and the Huguenots in turn 
 were driven back. The German cavalry of the Huguenots, 
 in spite of the valour of their leader Louis of Nassau, were 
 seized with a panic and fled from the field, shattering on their 
 way the ranks of the German infantry. 
 
 Before the latter could recover their order the Swiss infantry 
 poured in among them. Many threw down their arms and 
 shouted for quarter, while others defended themselves until 
 the last; but neither submission nor defence availed, and 
 out of the four thousand German infantry but two hundred 
 escaped. Three thousand of the Huguenot infantry wiere cut 
 off by Anjou's cavalry; a thousand were killed, and the rest 
 spared at the Due's command. In all two thousand Hugue- 
 not infantry and three hundred knights perished on the field, 
 besides the German infantry, while on the Catholic side the 
 loss was but a little over five hundred men. 
 
 La Noiie was again among those taken prisoner. Before 
 the battle began he had requested Philip to join his cousin, 
 who had come up with the princes, and to attach himself to 
 their body-guard during the battle. They kept close to the 
 princes during the fight, riding far enough back for them to 
 be seen by the Huguenots, and closing round when the 
 enemy poured down upon them. When the German horse- 
 
290 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 men fled and the infantry were enveloped by the Catholics, 
 they led Henri and Conde from the field, charging right 
 through a body of Catholic horse who had swept round to the 
 rear, and carrying them off to Parthenay. 
 
 Here they found the Admiral, who had been borne off the 
 field grievously wounded. For a moment the lion-hearted 
 general had felt despondency at the crushing defeat, being 
 sorely wounded and weakened by loss of blood, but as he was 
 carried off the field his litter came alongside one in which 
 L' Estrange, a Huguenot gentleman, also sorely wounded, was 
 being borne. Doubtless the Admiral's face expressed the 
 deep depression of his spirit, and L' Estrange, holding out his 
 hand to him, said, "Yet is God very gentle." The words 
 were an echo of those which formed the mainspring of the 
 Admiral's life. His face lit up, and he exclaimed, "Thanks, 
 comrade; truly God is merciful, and we will trust him always." 
 He was much pleased when the two young princes, both un- 
 hurt, rejoined him. He issued orders to his officers to rally 
 their troops as they came in, to evacuate Parthenay, and march 
 at once to Niort. 
 
 The gallant De Mouy was appointed to command the city, 
 and three or four days were spent there in rallying the remains 
 of the army. Scarce had they reached Niort when the Queen 
 of Navarre arrived from La Rochelle, whence she had has- 
 tened as soon as she had heard the news of the defeat. The 
 presence of this heroic woman speedily dispelled the despon- 
 dency among the Huguenots. Going about among them, and 
 addressing the groups of officers and soldiers, she communi- 
 cated to them her own fire and enthusiasm. Nothing was lost 
 yet, she said; tne Germans had failed them, but their own 
 valour had been conspicuous, and with the blessing of God 
 matters would soon be restored. Already the delay of the 
 Catholics in following up their victory had given them time 
 to rally, and they were now in a position to give battle again. 
 
 Leaving a strong garrison at Niort Coligny moved with a 
 portion of his army to Saintes, while the southern troops 
 from Dauphine" and Provence marched to Angouleme. These 
 troops were always difficult to retain long in the field, as they 
 were anxious for the safety of their friends at home. They 
 
THE BATTLE OF MONCONTOUR 291 
 
 now clamoured for permission to depart, urging that the news 
 of the defeat of Moncontour would be the signal for fresh per- 
 secutions and massacres in the south. Finally they marched 
 away without Coligny 's permission, and atfer some fighting 
 reached Dauphine" in safety. 
 
 In the meantime Niort had been attacked. De Mouy de- 
 fended the place stoutly, and sallied out and repulsed the 
 enemy. His bravery, however, was fatal to him. A Catholic 
 named Maurevel, tempted by the fifty thousand crowns that had 
 been offered for the assassination of Coligny, had entered the 
 Protestant camp, pretending that he had been badly treated 
 by the Guises. No opportunity for carrying out his design 
 against the Admiral presented itself, and he remained at Niort 
 with De Mouy, who, believing his protestations of attachment 
 for the cause, had treated him with great friendship. As the 
 Huguenots were returning after their successful sortie he was 
 riding in the rear with De Mouy, and, seizing his opportu- 
 nity, he drew a pistol and shot the Huguenot leader, mortally 
 wounding him. He then galloped off and rejoined the Cath- 
 olics, and was rewarded for the treacherous murder by receiv- 
 ing from the king the order of St. Michael, and a money 
 reward from the city of Paris. 
 
 The garrison of Niort, disheartened at the death of their 
 leader, surrendered shortly after. Several other strong places 
 fell, and all the conquests the Protestants had made were 
 wrested from their hands. The battle of Moncontour was 
 fought on October 3d, on the i4th the southern troops marched 
 away, and four days later Coligny with the remains of the 
 army started from Saintes. He had with him but six thou- 
 sand men, of whom three thousand were cavalry. His plan 
 was an extremely bold one. In the first place he wished to 
 obtain money to pay the German horsemen by the capture of 
 some of the rich Catholic cities in Guyenne, to form a junc- 
 tion with the army of Montgomery, then to march across to 
 the Rhone, and there to meet the forces of the south, which 
 would by that time be ready to take the field again; then to 
 march north to Lorraine, there to gather in the Germans whom 
 William of Orange would have collected to meet him; and 
 then to march upon Paris, and to end the war by giving battle 
 
292 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 under its walls. The Queen of Navarre was to remain in La 
 Rochelle, which city was placed under the command of La 
 Rochefoucault, and the two young princes were to accompany 
 the army, where they were to have small commands. They 
 would thus become inured to the hardships of war, and would 
 win the affection of the soldiers. 
 
 Francois de Laville had with his own troop ridden off to 
 his chateau from Parthenay on the morning after the battle, 
 Coligny advising him to take his mother at once to La 
 Rochelle, as the chateau would speedily be attacked, in re- 
 venge for the sharp repulse that the Catholics had suffered 
 there. On his arrival the countess at once summoned all the 
 tenants, and invited those who chose to accompany her, point- 
 ing out that the Catholics would speedily ravage the land. 
 Accordingly the next day all the valuables in the chateau were 
 packed up in carts, and the place entirely abandoned. The 
 whole of the tenants accompanied her, driving their herds 
 before them, as they would find a market for these in the city. 
 As they moved along they were joined by large numbers of 
 other fugitives, as throughout the whole country the Protes- 
 tants were making for refuge to the city. 
 
 When the Admiral marched away Philip rode with a young 
 French officer, for whom he had a warm friendship, named 
 De Piles. 
 
 The latter had been appointed governor of St. Jean d' Angely, 
 which was now the sole bulwark of La Rochelle, and he had 
 specially requested the Admiral to appoint Philip to accom- 
 pany him. The place was scarcely capable of defence, and 
 the Admiral had only decided to hold it in the hope that the 
 Due d'Anjou, instead of following him with his whole army, 
 would wait to besiege it. This decision was, in fact, adopted 
 by the Royalists, after much discussion among the leaders. 
 Several of them wished to press on at once after Coligny, urg- 
 ing that the destruction of the remnant of his army would be 
 a fatal blow to the Huguenot cause. The majority, however, 
 were of opinion that it was of more importance to reduce La 
 Rochelle, the Huguenots' stronghold in the west, and in order 
 to do this St. Jean d' Angely must first be captured. Their 
 counsel prevailed, and just as the siege of Poitiers had proved 
 
THE BATTLE OF MONCONTOUR 293 
 
 fatal to the plans of Coligny, so that of St. Jean d'Angely went 
 far to neutralize all the advantages gained by the Catholic 
 victory at Moncontour. 
 
 Scarcely had De Piles taken the command than the army of 
 the Due d'Anjou appeared before the walls, and at once 
 opened fire. The garrison was a very small one, but it was 
 aided by the whole of the inhabitants, who were, like those of 
 La Rochelle, zealous Huguenots. Every assault upon the 
 walls was repulsed, and at night the breaches made by the 
 cannon during the day were repaired, the inhabitants, even 
 the women and children, bringing stones to the spot, and the 
 soldiers doing the work of building. On the 26th of October, 
 after the siege had continued for a fortnight, the king himself 
 joined the Catholic army, arid summoned the place to sur- 
 render. De Piles replied that, although he recognized the 
 authority of the king, he was unable to obey his orders, as he 
 had been appointed to hold the city by the Prince of Navarre, 
 the royal governor of Guyenne, his feudal superior, and could 
 only surrender it on receiving his orders to do so. The siege, 
 therefore, recommenced. The walls were so shaken that De 
 Piles himself, after repulsing a furious attack upon them, came 
 to the conclusion that the next assault would probably be 
 successful, and he therefore caused a breach to be made in 
 the wall on the other side of the town, to afford a means of 
 retreat for his troops. His supply of ammunition, too, was 
 almost exhausted. 
 
 "What do you think, Fletcher?" he said gloomily. "If 
 we could but hold out for another ten days or so, the Admiral 
 would have got so fair a start that they would never overtake 
 him. But I feel sure that another twenty-four hours will see 
 the end of it." 
 
 "We might gain some time," Philip replied, "by asking 
 for an armistice. They probably do not know the straits to 
 which we are reduced, and may grant us a few days." 
 
 "They might do so; at any rate it is worth trying," De 
 Piles agreed; and an hour later Philip went with a flag of 
 truce to the royal camp. He was taken before the Due 
 d'Anjou. 
 
 "I am come with proposals from the governor," he said. 
 
294 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "He will not surrender the town without orders from the 
 Prince of Navarre. But if you will grant a fortnight's armis- 
 tice, he will send a messenger to the prince; and if no answer 
 arrives, or if no succour reaches him at the end of that time, 
 he will surrender on condition that the garrison shall be per- 
 mitted to retire with their horses and arms, and that religious 
 liberty shall be granted to all the inhabitants." 
 
 The Due consulted with his generals. The losses in the 
 attacks had been extremely heavy, and disease was raging in 
 the army, and, to Philip's inward surprise and delight, an 
 answer was made that the conditions would be granted, but 
 that only ten days would be given. He returned with the 
 answer to De Piles, and the armistice was at once agreed 
 upon, six hostages for its proper observance being given on 
 both sides. On the ninth day Saint Surin, with forty horse- 
 men, dashed through the enemy's lines and rode into the s town, 
 thus relieving De Piles from the necessity of surrendering. 
 The hostages were returned on both sides and the siege 
 recommenced. 
 
 Attack after attack was repulsed with heavy loss, several of 
 the bravest royalist officers, among them the governor of 
 Brittany, being killed. The town was valiantly defended 
 until the 26. of December, when De Piles, satisfied with having 
 detained the royal army seven weeks before the walls, and 
 seeing no hope of relief, surrendered on the same conditions 
 that had before been agreed on. Its capture had cost the Due 
 d'Anjou 6000 men, about half of whom had fallen by disease, 
 the rest in the assaults, and the delay had entirely defeated 
 the object of the campaign. The gates were opened and the 
 little body of defenders marched out with colours flying. One 
 of the conditions of surrender had been that they should not 
 serve again during the war. 
 
 The Due d'Aumale and other officers endeavoured to ensure 
 the observance of the condition of their safe conduct through 
 the Catholic lines; but the soldiers, furious at seeing the 
 handful of men who had inflicted such loss upon them going 
 off in safety, attacked them, and nearly a hundred were killed 
 a number equal to the loss they had suffered throughout the 
 whole siege. De Piles with the rest were, by their own exer- 
 
THE BATTLE OF MONCONTOUR 295 
 
 tions and those of some of the Catholic leaders, enabled to 
 make their way through, and rode to Angouleme. There De 
 Piles sent a letter demanding the severe punishment of those 
 who had broken the terms of surrender, but no attention having 
 been paid to his demand, he sent a herald to the king to 
 declare that, in consequence of the breach of the conditions, 
 he and those with him considered themselves absolved from 
 their undertaking not to carry arms during the war, and he 
 then rode away with his followers to join the Admiral. 
 
 The French army rapidly fell to pieces. With winter at 
 hand it was in vain to attempt the siege of La Rochelle. 
 Philip of Spain and the pope ordered the troops they had 
 supplied to return home, alleging that the victory of Moncon- 
 tour, of which they had received the most exaggerated reports, 
 had virtually terminated the war. The German and Swiss 
 troops were allowed to leave the service, and the nobles and 
 their retainers were granted permission to do the same until 
 the spring. Thus the whole fruits of the victory of Moncon- 
 tour were annihilated by the heroic defence of St. Jean 
 d'Angely. 
 
 In the meantime the Admiral had been moving south. In 
 order to cross the rivers he had marched westward, and so 
 made a circuit to Montauban, the stronghold of the Huguenots 
 in the south. Moving westward he joined the Count of 
 Montgomery at Aiguillon, and returned with him to Montau- 
 ban, where he received many reinforcements until his army 
 amounted to some twenty-one thousand men, of whom six 
 thousand were cavalry. At the end of January they marched 
 to Toulouse, a city with an evil fame as the centre of perse- 
 cuting bigotry in the south of France. It was too strong to 
 be attacked; but the country round it was ravaged, and all the 
 country residences of the members of its parliament destroyed. 
 Then they marched westward to Nismes, sending marauding 
 expeditions into the Catholic districts, and even into Spain, 
 in revenge for the assistance the king had given the Catholics. 
 De Piles and his party had joined the Admiral at Montauban, 
 and the former commanded the force that penetrated into 
 Spain. Coligny turned north, marched up the Rhone, sur- 
 mounting every obstacle of mountain and river until he reached 
 
296 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Burgundy, arriving at St. Etienne-sur-Loire on the 26th of 
 May. 
 
 Here they were met by messengers from the court, which was 
 in a state of consternation at the steady approach of an enemy 
 they had regarded as crushed, and were ready in their alarm 
 to promise anything. The Admiral fell dangerously ill, and 
 at the news the king at once broke off the negotiations. He 
 recovered, however, and advancing met the royal army, under 
 Marshal Cosse", in the neighbourhood of the town of Arnay de 
 Due. Coligny's army had dwindled away during its terrible 
 march, and it consisted now of only two thousand horsemen 
 and two thousand five hundred arquebusiers, the cannon being 
 all left behind. Cosse" had ten thousand infantry, of whom 
 four thousand were Swiss; three thousand cavalry, and twelve 
 cannon. The armies took post on the hills on opposite sides 
 of a valley through which ran a stream fed by some small 
 ponds. The Royalists commenced the attack, but after fight- 
 ing obstinately for seven hours were compelled to fall back 
 with heavy loss. A fresh body was then directed against an 
 intrenchment the Huguenots had thrown up near the ponds. 
 Here again the fighting was long and obstinate, but at last the 
 Catholics were repulsed. 
 
 The next morning both armies drew up in order of battle; 
 but neither would advance to the attack, as the ground offered 
 such advantages to those who stood on the defensive, and they 
 accordingly returned to their camps. The Admiral being 
 unwilling to fight till he received reinforcements marched 
 away to La Charite", where he was reorganizing his force when 
 a truce of ten days was made. At the end of that time he 
 again marched north, and distributing his soldiers in the 
 neighbourhood of Montargis took up his quarters at his castle 
 of Chatillon-sur-Loing, where he remained while negotiations 
 were going on. 
 
CHAPTER XVIU 
 
 A VISIT HOME 
 
 WHILE Coligny had been accomplishing his wonderful 
 march round France, La Nolle, who had been exchanged 
 for Strozzi, had betaken himself to La Rochelle. He forced 
 the Catholics, who were still languidly blockading that place, 
 to fall back, defeated them near Lucon, and recaptured Fon- 
 tenay, Niort, the Isle of Ole'ron, Brouage, and Saintes. At 
 Fontenay, however, the brave Huguenot leader had his left 
 arm broken, and was obliged to have it amputated. 
 
 Negotiations were now being carried on in earnest. Charles 
 IX. was weary of a war that impoverished the state, diminished 
 his revenues, and forced him to rely upon the Guises, whom 
 he feared and disliked. Over and over again he had been 
 assured that the war was practically at an end and the Hugue- 
 nots crushed, but as often fresh armies rose. The cities that 
 had been taken with so much difficulty had again fallen into 
 their hands, and Paris itself was menaced. 
 
 The princes of Germany wrote begging him to make peace, 
 and although the terms fell far short of what the Huguenots 
 hoped and desired, the concessions were large, and could they 
 have depended upon the good faith of the court their lives 
 would have at least been tolerable. A complete amnesty was 
 granted, and a royal command issued that the Protestants were 
 to be exposed to neither insults nor recriminations, and were 
 to be at liberty to profess their faith openly. Freedom of 
 worship was, however, restricted within very small proportions. 
 The nobles of high rank were permitted to name a place 
 
 297 
 
298 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 belonging to them where religious services could be performed. 
 As long as they or their families were present these services 
 could be attended by all persons in their jurisdiction. 
 
 Other nobles were allowed to have services, but only for 
 their families and friends, not exceeding twelve in number. 
 Twenty-four towns were named, two in each of the principal 
 provinces, in which Protestant services were allowed, the 
 privilege being extended to all the towns of which the Hugue- 
 nots had possession at the signature of the truce. All property, 
 honours, and offices were restored, and judicial decisions 
 against their holders annulled. The four towns, La Rochelle, 
 Montauban, Cognac, and La Charite", were for two years to 
 remain in the hands of the Huguenots to serve as places of 
 refuge. The edict in which the king promulgated the terms 
 of peace stated the conditions to be perpetual and irrevocable. 
 The Huguenots had the more hope that the peace would be 
 preserved, since Montmorency, who was an opponent of the 
 Guises, and had done his best to bring about peace, was high 
 in favour with the king, and, indeed, held the chief power in 
 France. 
 
 There can be little doubt that at the time the king was in 
 earnest. He ordered the parliament of Paris to annul a 
 declaration they had made declaring the Cardinal Chatillon, 
 the Admiral's brother, deprived of his bishopric, and as it 
 hesitated, he ordered its president to bring the records to him, 
 and with his own hand tore out the pages upon which the 
 proceedings were entered. 
 
 The priests throughout France threw every obstacle in the 
 way of the recognition of the edict, and in several places 
 there were popular disturbances and wholesale massacres. 
 Paris, as usual, set the example of turbulence and bigotry. 
 
 As soon as the peace was concluded Philip prepared to 
 return for a while to England. In the three years which had 
 elapsed since he left home he had greatly changed. He had 
 been a lad of sixteen when he landed in France, he was 
 now a tall powerful young fellow. Although still scarcely 
 beyond the age of boyhood, he had acquired the bearing and 
 manners of a man. He stood high in the confidence of Coligny 
 and the other Huguenot leaders, was a special favourite with 
 
A VISIT HOME 299 
 
 the young Prince of Navarre and his cousin Conde", and had 
 received the honour of knighthood at the hands of one of the 
 greatest captains of his a|;e. 
 
 "You had better stay, Philip," his cousin urged. "You 
 may be sure that this peace will be as hollow as those which 
 preceded it. There will never be a lasting one until we have 
 taken Paris, and taught the bloodthirsty mob there that it is 
 not only women and children who profess the reformed relig- 
 ion but men who have swords in their hands and can use 
 them." 
 
 " If the troubles break out again I shall hasten back, Fran- 
 cois; indeed, I think that in any case I shall return for a while 
 ere long. I do not see what I could do at home. My good 
 uncle Gaspard has been purchasing land for me, but I am too 
 young to play the country gentleman." 
 
 "Nonsense, Philip. There have been plenty of young 
 nobles in our ranks, who, if your seniors in years, look no 
 older than you do, and are greatly your inferiors in strength. 
 They are feudal lords on their estates, and none deem them 
 too young." 
 
 "Because they have always been feudal nobles, Francois. 
 I go back to a place where I was, but three years ago, a boy 
 at school. My comrades there are scarcely grown out of 
 boyhood. It will seem to them ridiculous that I should return 
 Sir Philip Fletcher, and were I to set up as a country squire 
 they would laugh in my face. Until I am at least of age I 
 should not dream of this, and five-and-twenty would indeed be 
 quite time for me to settle down there. Here it is altogether 
 different. I was introduced as your cousin, and as a son of 
 one of noble French family, and to our friends here it is no 
 more remarkable that I should ride behind Coligny and talk 
 with the princes of Navarre and Cond6 than that you should 
 do so. But at home it would be different; and I am sure that 
 my father and mother, my uncle and aunt will agree with me 
 that it is best I should not settle down yet. Therefore, I 
 propose in any case to return soon. I agree with you there 
 will be troubles again here before long. If not, there is likely 
 enough to be war with Spain, for they say Philip is furious at 
 toleration having been granted to the Huguenots; and in that 
 
300 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 case there will be opportunities for us, and it will be much 
 pleasanter fighting against Spaniards than against Frenchmen. 
 If there are neither fresh troubles h ere nor war with Spain I 
 shall go and join the Dutch in their struggle against the Span- 
 iards. Prince Louis of Nassau told me that he would willingly 
 have me to ride behind him, and the Prince of Orange, to whom 
 the Admiral presented me, also spoke very kindly. They, like 
 you, are fighting for the reformed faith and freedom of worship, 
 and cruel as are the persecutions you have suffered in France, 
 they are as nothing to the wholesale massacres by Alva." 
 
 "In that case, Philip, I will not try to detain you; but at 
 any rate wait a few months before you take service in Holland, 
 and pay us another visit before you decide upon doing so." 
 
 Philip journeyed quietly across the north of France, and 
 took passage to Dover for himself and his horses. Pierre 
 accompanied him, taking it so greatly to heart when he spoke 
 of leaving him behind that Philip consented to keep him, 
 feeling, indeed, greatly loath to part from one who had for 
 three years served him so well. The two men-at-arms were 
 transferred to Frangois' troop, both being promised that if 
 Philip rode to the wars again in France they and their com- 
 rades now at Laville should accompany him. From Dover 
 Philip rode to Canterbury. He saw in the streets he passed 
 through many faces he knew, among them some of his former 
 schoolfellows, and he wondered to himself that these were so 
 little changed while he was so altered that none recognized in 
 the handsomely-dressed young cavalier the lad they had known, 
 although several stopped to look at and remark on the splendid 
 horses ridden by the gentleman and his attendant. He drew 
 rein in front of Gaspard Vaillant's large establishment, and 
 dismounting, gave his reins to Pierre and entered. He passed 
 straight through the shop into the merchant's counting-house. 
 
 Gaspard looked up in surprise at the entry of a gentleman 
 unannounced, looked hard at his visitor and then uttered his 
 name, and rushing forward embraced him warmly. 
 
 "I can hardly believe it is you," he exclaimed, holding 
 Philip at arm's-length and gazing up in his face. "Why, you 
 have grown a veritable giant, and as fine a man as your father 
 was when I first knew him; and you have returned Sir Philip, 
 
GASPARD VAILLANT GETS A SURPRISE. 
 
A VISIT HOME 301 
 
 too. I don't know that I was ever so pleased as when you sent 
 me the news. I gave a holiday to all the workmen and we 
 had a great fete. But of course you cannot stop now, you will 
 be wanting to go up to your father and mother. Run upstairs 
 and embrace Marie. We will not keep you at present, but in 
 an hour we will be up with you." 
 
 In a minute or two Philip ran down again. 
 
 " Pardieu, but you are well mounted, Philip," the merchant 
 said as he sprang into the saddle. "These are the two horses, 
 I suppose, you told us about in your letters. And is this 
 Pierre, who saved your life when you were captured at 
 Agen?" 
 
 " And a good many other times, uncle, by always managing 
 to get hold of a fat pullet when we were pretty near starving. 
 I was always afraid that sooner or later I should lose him, and 
 that I should find him some morning or other dangling from a 
 tree to which the prevost-marshal had strung him up." 
 
 "Then I shall see you in an hour." And Philip galloped 
 off to the farm. 
 
 The delight of Philip's parents as he rode up to the house 
 was great indeed. Philip saw before he had been at home an 
 hour that they were animated by somewhat different feelings. 
 His mother was full of gratitude at his preservation through 
 many dangers, and was glad that he had been able to do some 
 service to her persecuted co-religionists the fact that he had 
 won great personal credit and had received the honour of 
 knighthood at the hands of Coligny himself weighed as noth- 
 ing in her eyes. It was otherwise with his father; he was very 
 proud that his boy had turned out a worthy descendant of the 
 fighting Kentish stock, and that he had shown, in half-a-dozen 
 fights against heavy odds, a courage as staunch as that which 
 his forefathers had exhibited at Cressy, Poitiers, and Agin- 
 court. 
 
 "Good blood tells, my boy," he said; "and you must have 
 shown them a rare sample of what an Englishman can do, 
 before they knighted you. I would rather you had won it in 
 an English battle, but all admit that there is no more capable 
 chief in Europe than the Huguenot Admiral. Certainly there 
 are no English commanders of fame or repute to compare 
 
302 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 with him, though if we ever get to blows with the Spanish we 
 shall soon find men, I warrant me, who will match the best 
 of them. There was a deal of talk in Canterbury, I can tell 
 you, when the news came home, and many refugees who came 
 through the town declared that they had heard your name 
 among those of the nobles who rode with the Admiral and the 
 brave La Noiie; indeed, there are two families settled here 
 who fled from Niort, and these have told how you and your 
 cousin saved them from the Catholics. 
 
 " I warrant you they have told the tale often enough since 
 they have come here, and it has made quite a stir in Canter- 
 bury, and there is not a week passes without some of your old 
 school friends, who used to come up here with you, running 
 up to ask the last news of you and to hear your letters read; 
 and it has been a pleasure to me to read them, lad, and to see 
 how they opened their eyes when they heard that the Queen 
 of Navarre and her son had given you presents, and that you 
 often rode with the young prince and his cousin Conde\ You 
 have changed, Philip, mightily; not in your face, for I see 
 but little alteration there, but in your manner and air. The 
 boys did not seem to understand how you, whom they looked 
 on as one of themselves, could be riding to battle with nobles 
 and talking with princes, but I think they will understand 
 better when they see you. You look almost too fine for such 
 simple people as we are, Philip, though I do not say your 
 clothes are not of sombre hues, as might be expected from 
 one fighting in the Huguenot ranks." 
 
 "I am sure, father," Philip laughed, "there is nothing fine 
 about me. I have gained knighthood, it is true; but a poorer 
 knight never sat in saddle, seeing that I have neither a square 
 yard of land nor a penny piece of my own, owing everything 
 to the kindness of my good uncle and yourself." 
 
 "I must go out to-morrow morning, Philip, and look at 
 those horses of yours, they must be rare beasts from what you 
 say of them." 
 
 " That are they, father. Methinks I like the one I bought 
 at Rochelle even better than that which the Queen of Navarre 
 bestowed upon me; but I grieved sorely over the death of 
 Victor, the horse Frangois gave me. I was riding him at 
 
A VISIT HOME 303 
 
 the fight of Moncontour, and he was shot through the head 
 with a ball from a German arquebus." 
 
 Pierre had, as soon as they arrived, been welcomed and 
 made much of by Philip's mother, and was speedily seated 
 in the post of honour in the kitchen, where he astonished the 
 French servants with tales of his master's adventures, with 
 many surprising additions which had but slight basis of fact. 
 Gaspard Vaillant and his wife thought that Philip's parents 
 would like to have him for a time to themselves, and did not 
 come up for two or three hours after he had arrived. 
 
 "You will admit, John, that my plan has acted rarely," the 
 merchant said when he was seated, "and that, as I prophe- 
 sied, it has made a man of him. What would he have been 
 if he had stayed here? " 
 
 "He would, I hope, brother Gaspard," Lucie said gravely, 
 "have been what he is now a gentleman." 
 
 "No doubt, Lucie, he promised as much as that before he 
 went, but he is more than that now. He has been the com- 
 panion of nobles and has held his own with them, and if he 
 should go to court now he would do honour to your family 
 and his though he rubbed shoulders with the best of them. 
 And now, what are you thinking of doing next, Philip? You 
 will hardly care to settle down among us here after such a life 
 as you have led for the last three years." 
 
 Philip repeated the views he had expressed to Francois de 
 Laville, and his plans were warmly approved by his uncle and 
 father, though his mother folded her hands and shook her 
 head sadly. 
 
 "The lad is right, Lucie," the merchant said; "he is lord 
 now of the Holford estates for the deeds are completed and 
 signed, Philip, making them over to you. But I agree heart- 
 ily with your feeling that you are too young yet to assume 
 their mastership. I have a good steward there looking after 
 things, seeing that all goes well, and that the house is kept in 
 order. But it is best, as you say, that a few years should pass 
 before you go to reside there. We need not settle for a time 
 whether you shall return to France or go to see service with 
 those sturdy Dutchmen against the Spaniards. But I should 
 say that it is best you should go where you have already made 
 
304 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 a name and gained many friends. There is no saying yet 
 how matters will go there. 
 
 "Charles is but a puppet in the hands of Catherine de 
 Medici; and with the pope, and Philip of Spain, and the 
 Guises always pushing her on, she will in time persuade the 
 king, who at present earnestly wishes for peace, to take fresh 
 measures against the Huguenots. She is never happy unless 
 she is scheming, and you will see she will not be long before 
 she begins to make trouble again." 
 
 The news spread quickly through Canterbury that Philip 
 Fletcher had returned, and the next day many of his old friends 
 came up to see him. At first they were a little awed by the 
 change that had come over him, and one or two of them even 
 addressed him as Sir Philip. But the shout of laughter with 
 which he received this well-meant respect showed them that 
 he was their old school-fellow still, and soon set them at their 
 ease with him. 
 
 "We didn't think, Philip," one of them said, "when you 
 used to take the lead in our fights with the boys of the town, 
 that you would be so soon fighting in earnest in France, and 
 that in three years you would have gained knighthood." 
 
 "I did not think so myself, Archer. You used to call me 
 Frenchie, you know, but I did not think at the time that I was 
 likely ever to see France. I should like to have had my old 
 band behind me in some of the fights we had there. I war- 
 rant you would have given as hard knocks as you got, and 
 would have held your own there as well as you did many a 
 time in the fights in the Cloisters. Let us go and lie down 
 under the shade of that tree there, it used to be our favourite 
 bank, you know, in hot weather, and you shall ask as many 
 questions as you like, and I will answer as best I can." 
 
 "And be sure, Philip, to bring all your friends in to sup- 
 per," John Fletcher said; "I warrant your mother will find 
 plenty for them to eat. She never used to have any difficulty 
 about that in the old times, and I don't suppose their appe- 
 tites are sharper now than they were then." 
 
 Philip spent six months at home. A few days after his re- 
 turn many of the country gentry, who had not known John 
 Fletcher, called on Philip as one who had achieved a reputa- 
 
A VISIT HOME 305 
 
 tion that did honour to the county for every detail of the 
 Huguenot struggle had been closely followed in England, and 
 more than one report had been brought over by emigres of the 
 bravery of a young Englishman who was held in marked 
 consideration by Admiral Coligny, and had won a name for 
 himself even among the nobles and gentlemen who rode with 
 that clashing officer De La Noiie, whose fame was second only 
 to that of the Admiral. Walsingham, the English ambassador 
 at Paris, had heard of him from La Noiie himself when he 
 was a prisoner there, and mentioned him in one of his de- 
 spatches, saying that it was this gentleman who had been 
 chosen by Coligny to carry important despatches both to the 
 Queen of Navarre and the Due de Deux- Fonts, and had suc- 
 ceeded admirably in both these perilous missions; and that 
 he had received knighthood at the hands of the Admiral for 
 the valour with which he had covered the retreat at the battle 
 of Jarnac. 
 
 Philip was at first disposed to meet these advances coldly. 
 
 "They have not recognized you or my mother, father, as 
 being of their own rank." 
 
 " Nor have we been, Philip. I am but a petty land-owner, 
 while it is already known that you are the owner of a consid- 
 erable estate, and have gained consideration and credit, and 
 as a knight have right to precedence over many of them. If 
 you had intended to settle in France you could do as you like 
 as to accepting their courtesies; but as it is, it is as well that 
 you should make the acquaintance of those with whom you 
 will naturally associate when you take up your residence on 
 the estate your uncle has bought for you. 
 
 " Had your mother and I a grievance against them it might 
 be different; but we have none. We Fletchers have been 
 yeomen here for many generations. In our own rank we 
 esteem ourselves as good as the best, but we never thought of 
 pushing ourselves out of our own station; and in the ordinary 
 course of things you would have lived and died as your fathers 
 have done. The change has come about first through my 
 marrying a French wife of noble blood, though with but a 
 small share of this world's goods; secondly through her sis- 
 ter's husband making a large fortune in trade and adopting 
 
306 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 you as his heir; and thirdly, through your going out to your 
 mother ' s relations and distinguishing yourself in the war. Thus 
 you stand in an altogether different position to that which I 
 held. You are a man with an estate; you are noble on your 
 mother's side; you are a knight, and have gained the ap- 
 proval of great captains and princes. Therefore it is only 
 meet and right that you should take your place among the 
 gentry; and it would be not only churlish to refuse to accept 
 their civilities now, but altogether in opposition to the course 
 which your uncle planned for you." 
 
 Philip therefore accepted the civilities offered to him, and 
 was invited to entertainments at many of the great houses in 
 that part of the county; where indeed he was made a good 
 deal of, his fine figure, the ease and courtesy of his bearing, 
 and the reputation he had gained for bravery, rendering him 
 a general favourite. 
 
 At the end of six months he received a letter from his 
 cousin urging him to return. " Spring has now begun, Philip. 
 At present things are going on quietly, and the king seems 
 determined that the peace shall be kept. The Constable 
 Montmorency is still very high in favour, and the Guises are 
 sulking on their estates. The Huguenot nobles are all well 
 received at court, where they go in numbers, to pay their 
 respect to the king and to assure him of their devotion. I 
 have been there with my mother, and the king was mightily 
 civil and congratulated me on having been knighted by 
 Coligny. We were present at his majesty's marriage with 
 the daughter of the Emperor of Germany. The show was a 
 very fine one and everything pleasant. 
 
 " There is a report that, in order to put an end to all further 
 troubles, and to bind both parties in friendship, the king has 
 proposed a marriage between his sister Marguerite and Henri 
 of Navarre. We all trust that it will take place, for it will 
 indeed be a grand thing for us of the reformed faith. It is 
 rumoured that Queen Jeanne is by no means eager for the 
 match, fearing that Henri, once at Paris, will abandon the 
 simple customs in which he has been brought up, and may 
 even be led away by the influence of Marguerite and the court 
 to abandon his faith. Her first fear, I think, is likely enough 
 
A VISIT HOME 307 
 
 to he realized; for it seems to me that he has been brought up 
 somewhat too strictly, and being, I am sure, naturally fond of 
 pleasure, he is likely enough to share in the gaieties of the 
 court of Paris. As to her other fear, I cannot think there 
 is foundation for it. Henri is certainly ambitious and very 
 politic, and he has talked often and freely with me when we 
 have been alone together. He has spoken once or twice of 
 his chances of succeeding to the throne of France. They are 
 not great, seeing that three lives stand between it and him, 
 and now that the king has married they are more remote than 
 before. 
 
 "Still there is the chance; and he once said to me, 'One 
 thing seems to me to be certain, Francois : supposing Charles 
 of Valois and his two brothers died without leaving heirs, 
 France would not accept a Huguenot king. There would be 
 the Guises, and the priests, and the papacy, and Spain all 
 thrown in the scale against him.' 'That is likely enough, 
 prince/ I said; 'and methinks your lot would be preferable 
 as King of Navarre to that of King of France. However, 
 happily there is no reason for supposing that the king and his 
 two brothers will die without heirs. ' He did not speak for 
 some time, but sat there thinking. You know the way he 
 has. Methinks, Philip, that when he comes to man's estate, 
 and is King of Navarre, the Guises will find in him a very 
 different opponent to deal with than the leaders of the Hu- 
 guenots have been so far. 
 
 "The Admiral is so honest and loyal and truthful himself 
 that he is ill fitted to match the subtlety of the queen- mother 
 or the deceit and falsehood of the Guises. The Queen of 
 Navarre is a heroine and saint, but although a wise woman, 
 she is no match for intriguers. Cond was a gallant soldier, 
 but he hated politics. Henri of Navarre will be an opponent 
 of another sort. When I first knew him I thought him the 
 frankest and simplest of young princes, and that is what most 
 think him still. But I am sure he is much more than that. 
 Having been about his person for months, and being the 
 youngest of his companions most of whom were stern, ear- 
 nest Huguenot nobles he was a great deal with me, and talked 
 with me as he did not with the others. It seems to me that 
 
308 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 he has two characters, the one what he seems to be light- 
 hearted, merry, straightforward, and outspoken; the other 
 thoughtful, astute, ambitious, and politic, studying men 
 closely and adapting himself to their moods. 
 
 "I don't pretend to understand him at all he is altogether 
 beyond me; but I am sure he will be a great leader some day. 
 I think you would understand him better than I should, and 
 I know he thinks so too. Of course you had your own duties 
 all through the campaign and saw but little of him, but more 
 than once he said: ' I wish I had your English cousin with 
 me. I like you much, Laville; but your cousin is more like 
 myself, and I should learn much of him. You are brave and 
 merry and good-tempered, and so is he; but he has a longer 
 head than you have,' which I know is quite true 'you would 
 be quite content to spend your life at court, Francois, where 
 you would make a good figure and would take things as they 
 come. He would not. If he did not like things he would 
 intrigue, he would look below the surface, he would join a 
 party, he would be capable of waiting, biding his time. I 
 am only seventeen, Frangois; but it is of all things the most 
 important for a prince to learn to read men and to study their 
 characters, and I am getting on. 
 
 "'Your cousin is not ambitious, he would never conspire 
 for his own advantage; but he would be an invaluable minister 
 and adviser to a prince in difficulties. The Admiral meant 
 well, but he was wrong in refusing to let me have Philip 
 Fletcher. When I am my own master I will have him if I can 
 catch him; but I do not suppose that I shall, because of that 
 very fault of not being ambitious. He has made his own 
 plans, and is bent, as he told me, on returning to England, 
 and nothing that I can offer him will, I am sure, alter his 
 determination. But it is a pity, a great pity. ' By all this 
 you see, Philip, that those who think the Prince of Navarre 
 merely a merry, careless young fellow, who is likely to rule 
 his little kingdom in patriarchal fashion, and to trouble him- 
 self with nothing outside so long as his subjects are contented 
 and allowed to worship in their own way, are likely to find 
 themselves sorely mistaken. However, if you come over soon, 
 you will be able to judge for yourself. 
 
A VISIT HOME 309 
 
 "The Queen of Navarre saw a great deal of the countess, 
 my mother, when they were at La Rochelle together, and has 
 invited her to pay her a visit at Barn, and the prince has 
 requested me to accompany her. Of course if you come 
 over you will go with us, and will be sure of a hearty welcome 
 from Henri. We shall have some good hunting, and there 
 is no court grandeur, and certainly no more state than we 
 have at our chateau. In fact, my good mother is a much more 
 important personage there than is Jeanne of Navarre at Be"arn." 
 
 This letter hastened Philip's departure. The prospect of 
 hunting in the mountains of Navarre was a pleasant one. He 
 liked the young prince, and had, in the short time he had 
 been his companion, perceived that there was much more in 
 him than appeared on the surface, and that, beside his frank 
 bonhomie manner, there was a fund of shrewdness and com- 
 mon sense. Moreover, without being ambitious, it is pleas- 
 ant for a young man to know that one who may some day be 
 a great prince has conceived a good opinion of him. He 
 took Francois' letter down to his uncle Gaspard and read por- 
 tions of it to him. Gaspard sat thoughtful for some time 
 after he had finished. 
 
 " It is new to me," he said at last. " I believed the general 
 report that Henri of Navarre was a frank, careless young 
 fellow, fond of the chase, and, like his mother, averse to all 
 court ceremony; likely enough to make a good soldier, but 
 without ambition and without marked talent. If what Fran- 
 gois says is true and it seems that you are inclined to agree 
 with him it may make a great difference in the future of 
 France. The misfortune of the Huguenots hitherto has been 
 that they have been ready to fall into any trap that the court 
 of France might set for them, and on the strength of a few 
 hollow promises to throw away all the advantages they had 
 gained by their efforts and courage, in spite of their experience 
 that those promises were always broken as soon as they laid 
 down their arms. 
 
 " In such an unequal contest they must always be worsted, 
 and honest and straightforward themselves, they are no match 
 for men who have neither truth nor conscience. If they had 
 but a leader as politic and astute as the queen-mother and the 
 
310 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Guises, they might possibly gain their ends. If Henri of 
 Navarre turns out a wise and politic prince, ready to match 
 his foes with their own weapons, he may win for the Hugue- 
 nots what they will never gain with their own swords. But 
 mind you, they will hardly thank him for it. My wife and 
 your mother would be horrified were I to say that, as a Catho- 
 lic, Henri of Navarre would be able to do vastly more to heal 
 the long open sore and to secure freedom of worship for the 
 Huguenots than he ever could do as a Huguenot. Indeed, 
 I quite agree with what he says, that as a Huguenot he can 
 never hold the throne of France." 
 
 Philip uttered an exclamation of indignation. 
 
 "You cannot think, uncle, that he will ever change his 
 religion?" 
 
 "I know nothing about him beyond what you and your 
 cousin say, Philip. There are Huguenots and Huguenots. 
 There are men who would die at the stake rather than give up 
 one iota of their faith; there are men who think that the 
 reformed faith is better and purer than the Catholic, but who 
 nevertheless would be willing to make considerable concessions 
 in the interest of peace. You must remember that when princes 
 and princesses marry they generally embrace the faith of their 
 husbands, and when lately Queen Elizabeth was talking of 
 marrying the Prince of Anjou, she made it one of the condi- 
 tions that he should turn Protestant, and the demand was not 
 considered to be insurmountable. It may be that the time 
 will come when Henri of Navarre may consider the throne of 
 France, freedom of worship, and a general peace, cheaply 
 purchased at the cost of attending mass. If he does so, 
 doubtless the Huguenots would be grieved and indignant, but 
 so far as they are concerned it would be the best thing. But 
 of course we are only talking now of what he might do should 
 nought but his religion stand between him and the throne of 
 France. As King of Navarre simply his interest would be 
 all the other way, and he would doubtless remain a staunch 
 Huguenot. Of course, Philip, I am speaking without know- 
 ing this young prince. I am simply arguing as to what an 
 astute and politic man in his position, not over-earnest as to 
 matters of faith, would be likely to do." 
 
A VISIT HOME 311 
 
 Three days later Philip rode to London with Pierre and 
 embarked for La Rochelle. His uncle had amply supplied 
 him with funds, but his father insisted upon his taking a 
 handsome sum from him. 
 
 " Although you did not require much money before, Philip 
 and Gaspard told me that you did not draw from his agent 
 at La Rochelle a third of the sum he had placed for you in his 
 hands it will be different now. You had no expenses before 
 save the pay of your men and the cost of their food and your 
 own, but in time of peace there are many expenses, and I 
 would not that you should be in any way short of money. 
 You can place the greater portion of it in the hands of Maitre 
 Bertram, and draw it as you require. At any rate it is better 
 in your hands than lying in that chest in the corner. Your 
 mother and I have no need for it, and it would take away half 
 her pleasure in her work were the earnings not used partly for 
 your advantage." 
 
 The ship made a quick run to La Rochelle, and the next 
 morning Philip rode for Laville. He had not been there since 
 the battle of Moncontour, and although he knew that it had 
 been burnt by the Royalists shortly afterwards, it gave him a 
 shock to see, as he rode through the gate, how great a change 
 had taken place. The central portion had been repaired, but 
 the walls were still blackened with smoke. The wings stood 
 empty and roofless, and the ample stables, storehouses, and 
 buildings for the retainers had disappeared. His aunt re 
 ceived him with great kindness, and Frangois was delighted to 
 see him again. 
 
 "Yes, it is a change, Philip," the countess said, as she saw 
 his eyes glancing round the apartment. "However, I have 
 grown accustomed to it, and scarce notice it now. Fortu- 
 nately I have ample means for rebuilding the chateau, for I 
 have led a quiet life for some years, and as the count my hus- 
 band, being a Huguenot, was not near the court from the time 
 the troubles began, our revenues have for a long time been 
 accumulating, and much of it has been sent to my sister's 
 husband, and has been invested by him in England. There 
 Frangois agrees with me that it should remain. There is at 
 present peace here, but who can say how long it will last? 
 
312 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 One thing is certain, that should war break out again it will 
 centre round La Rochelle, and I might be once more forced 
 to leave the chateau at the mercy of the Royalists; it would, 
 then, be folly to spend a crown upon doing more than is suffi- 
 cient for our necessities. We only keep such retainers as are 
 absolutely necessary for our service; there are but eight horses 
 in the stables, the rest are all out on the farms, and should the 
 troubles recommence we shall soon find riders for them." 
 
 "You have just arrived in time, Philip," Francois said pres- 
 ently, "for we start at the end of this week for Be"arn, and 
 although you could have followed us, I am right glad that you 
 have arrived in time to ride with us. All your men are still 
 here." 
 
 "I saw Eustace and Henri as I rode in," Philip said. 
 
 "The other two work in the garden. Of course their days 
 for fighting are over. They could doubtless strike a blow in 
 defence of the chateau, but they have not recovered sufficiently 
 from their wounds ever to ride as men-at-arms again. How- 
 ever, two will suffice for your needs at present. I shall take 
 four of my own men, for the country is still far from safe for 
 travelling. Many of the disbanded soldiers have turned rob- 
 bers, and although the royal governors hunt down and string 
 up many, they are still so numerous that travellers from one 
 town to another always journey in strong parties for protec- 
 tion. How did Pierre get on in England? " 
 
 "He was glad to return here again, Francois, although he 
 got on well enough, as our house servants are French, as are 
 also many of those on the farm, and he became quite a fa- 
 vourite with every one. But he is of a restless nature, and 
 grew tired of idleness." 
 
 Three days later the party set out from Laville. The coun- 
 tess rode on horseback, and her female attendant en croupe 
 behind one of the troopers. They journeyed by easy stages, 
 stopping sometimes at hostelries in the towns, but more often 
 at chateaux belonging to gentlemen known to the countess or 
 her son. They several times came upon groups of rough- 
 looking men, but the two gentlemen, their servants, and the 
 six fully-armed retainers were a force too formidable to be 
 meddled with, and they arrived safely at B6arn. The royal 
 
A VISIT HOME 313 
 
 abode was a modest building, far less stately than was Laville 
 before its ruin. It stood a short distance out of the town, 
 where they had left the men-at-arms, with instructions to find 
 lodgings for themselves and their horses. As they arrived at 
 the entrance Prince Henri himself ran down the steps in a 
 dress as plain as that which would be worn by an ordinary 
 citizen. 
 
 "Welcome to Be"arn," he said. "It is a modest palace, 
 countess, and I am a much less important person here than 
 when I was supposed to be commanding our army." 
 
 He assisted her to alight, and then rang a bell; a man came 
 round from the back of the house and took the horse from 
 Pierre, who was holding it, while Henri entered the house 
 with the countess. A minute later he ran out from the house 
 again. 
 
 " Now that I have handed over the countess to my mother I 
 can speak to you both," he said heartily. "I am pleased to 
 see you, Francois, and you too, Monsieur Philip." 
 
 " My cousin insisted on my coming with him, prince, and 
 assured me that you would not be displeased at the liberty. 
 But, of course, I intend to quarter myself in the town." 
 
 "You will do no such thing," the prince said. "We are 
 poor in Be"arn, as poor as church mice, but not so poor that 
 we cannot entertain a friend. Your bed-room is prepared for 
 you." 
 
 Philip looked surprised. 
 
 "You don't suppose," the prince said, laughing, "that 
 people can come and go in this kingdom of ours without 
 being noticed. We are weak, and for that very reason we 
 must be on our guard. Half the people who come here come 
 for a purpose; they come from the king, or from Philip of 
 Spain, or from the Guises, and most of them mean mischief 
 of some sort, so you see we like to know beforehand, and 
 unless they fide very fast we are sure to get twenty-four hours' 
 notice before they arrive. Then, you see, if we want a little 
 more time a horse may cast its shoe, or some of the baggage 
 may be missing, or perhaps an important paper somehow gets 
 mislaid. It is curious how often these things happen. Then, 
 when they arrive here they find that I have, as usual, gone off 
 
314 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 for a fortnight's hunting among the mountains, and that, per- 
 haps, my mother has started for Nerac. We heard yesterday 
 morning that you had crossed the frontier, and that the count- 
 ess had with her her son and a big young Englishman, whose 
 identity I had no difficulty in guessing." 
 
 "And we met with no misfortunes by the way, prince," 
 Francois said smiling. 
 
 "No," the prince laughed, "these things do not happen 
 always." 
 
 They had so far stood on the steps chatting; the two ser- 
 vants had followed the lackey with their own and their masters' 
 horses. The prince led the way indoors, and they were heartily 
 welcomed by the queen, who kept no more state at Beam than 
 would be observed by any petty nobleman in France. 
 
 On the following day the two friends started with the prince 
 for the mountains, and were away for three weeks, during which 
 time they hunted the wild boar, killed several wolves, and shot 
 five or six wild goats. They were attended only by two or 
 three huntsmen and their three personal servants. They slept 
 sometimes in the huts of shepherds or charcoal-burners, some- 
 times in the forest, in spite of the cold, which was often severe. 
 
 "What do you say about this marriage which is being 
 arranged for me?" the prince asked suddenly one night as 
 they were sitting by a huge fire in the forest. 
 
 " It ought to be a great thing for the reformed religion, if 
 it is agreeable to your highness," Francois said cautiously. 
 
 "A politic answer, Monsieur de Laville. What say you, 
 Philip?" 
 
 "It is a matter too deep for me to venture an opinion," 
 Philip said. "There is doubtless much to be said on both 
 sides. For example you are a fisherman, prince? " 
 
 "Only moderately so, Philip; but what has that to do with 
 it?" 
 
 " I would say, sir, that when a fisherman hooks an exceed- 
 ingly large fish it is just possible that, instead of landing it, 
 the fish may pull him into the water." 
 
 The prince laughed. 
 
 "You have hit it exactly, Monsieur Philip. That is just 
 the way I look at it. Marguerite of Valois is indeed a very 
 
A VISIT HOME 315 
 
 big fish compared with the Prince of Be"arn, and it is not only 
 she who would pull, but there are others, and even bigger fish, 
 who would pull with her. My good mother has fears that if 
 I once tasted the gaieties of the court of France I should be 
 ruined body and soul. Now I have rather an inclination for 
 the said gaieties, and that prospect does not terrify me as it 
 does her. But there are things which alarm me more than 
 gaieties. There is the king, who, except when he occasionally 
 gets into a rage, and takes his own course, is but a tool in the 
 hands of Catharine de Medici. There is Anjou, who made a 
 jest of the dead body of my uncle Conde". There are Lorraine 
 and the Guises; there are the .priests; and there is the turbu- 
 lent mob of Paris. It seems to me that, instead of being the 
 fisherman, I should be like a very small fish enclosed in a very 
 strong net." And he looked thoughtfully into the fire. "The 
 king is at present with us, but his plighted word is worth 
 nothing." 
 
 "But once married," Frangois said, "you would have the 
 princess on your side, and being then brother-in-law to the 
 king, you would be safe from attack." 
 
 "The king has no great love for his own brothers," Henri 
 said; "but I am not supposing that even Charles would lay 
 hands on me after inviting me to his court to marry his sister. 
 He would not venture upon that before the eyes of all Europe. 
 It is the strain and the pressure that I fear. A girl who is 
 sent to a nunnery, however much she may hate becoming a 
 nun, can no more escape than a fly from the meshes of a 
 spider. I doubt not that it seems to all the Huguenots of 
 France that for me to marry Marguerite of Valois would be 
 more than a great victory won for their cause; but I have my 
 doubts. However, in a matter like this I am not a free agent. 
 The Huguenot lords are all delighted at the prospect. My 
 mother is still undecided. You see I am practically as much 
 in a net here as I shall be at Paris if this marriage is made. 
 I am rather glad the decision does not rest with me. I shall 
 simply go with the stream ; some day perhaps I shall be strong 
 enough to swim against it. I hope that, at any rate, if I ride 
 to Paris to marry Marguerite of Valois, you will both accom- 
 pany me." 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 IN A NET 
 
 A FTER their return from hunting they remained for another 
 f\ fortnight at Be"arn, and then started, the countess and 
 Francois to return home, and Philip to pay a visit to the Count 
 de Valecourt at his chateau in Dauphiny, in accordance with 
 the promise he had given him to visit him on his return to 
 France. Here he remained for a month. The count treated 
 him with the warmest hospitality, and introduced him to all 
 his friends as the saviour of his daughter. Claire had grown 
 much since he had seen her, when he had ridden over with 
 her father to Landres a year before. She was now nearly 
 sixteen, and was fast growing into womanhood. Philip was 
 already acquainted with many of the nobles and gentry of 
 Dauphiny who had joined the Admiral's army, and after leav- 
 ing Valecourt he stayed for a short time at several of their 
 chateaux, and it was autumn before he joined Francois at 
 Laville. 
 
 The inhabited portion of the chateau had been enlarged 
 and made more comfortable, for the king was still firm in his 
 decision that peace should be preserved, and showed marked 
 favour to the section of the court that opposed any persecution 
 of the Huguenots. He had further shown his desire for the 
 friendship of the Protestant powers by the negotiations that 
 had been carried on for the marriage of the Duke of Anjou to 
 Queen Elizabeth. 
 
 "I have news for you," Francois said. "The king has 
 invited the Admiral to visit him. It has, of course, been a 
 
 316 
 
IN A NET 317 
 
 matter of great debate whether Coligny should trust himself at 
 court, many of his friends strongly dissuading him; but he 
 deems it best in the interests of our religion that he should 
 accept the invitation, and he is going to set out next week for 
 Blois, where the king now is with the court. He will take only 
 a few of his friends with him. He is perfectly aware of the 
 risk he runs, but to those who entreat him not to trust himself 
 at court he says his going there may be a benefit to the cause, 
 and that his life is as nothing in the scale. However, he has 
 declined the offers that have been made by many gentlemen to 
 accompany him, and only three or four of his personal friends 
 ride with him," 
 
 "No doubt he acts wisely there," Philip said. "It would 
 be well-nigh destruction to our cause should anything befall 
 him now; and the fewer of our leaders in Charles's hands the 
 less temptation to the court to seize them. But I do* think it 
 possible that good may come of Coligny himself going there. 
 He exercises wonderful influence over all who come in contact 
 with him, and he may be able to counterbalance the intrigues 
 of the Catholic party and confirm the king in his present good 
 intentions towards us." 
 
 "I saw him two days ago, and offered to ride in his train," 
 Francois said, "but he refused decidedly to let me. 'The 
 friends who will accompany me,' he said, 'have, like myself, 
 well-nigh done their work. The future is for you and those 
 who are young. I cannot dream that the king would do wrong 
 to invited guests; but should aught happen, the blow shall fall 
 upon none of those who should be the leaders of the next 
 generation.'" 
 
 The news of the reception of the Admiral at Blois was 
 anxiously awaited by the Huguenots of the west, and there was 
 great joy when they heard that he had been received most 
 graciously by the king, who had embraced him and protested 
 that he regarded it as one of the happiest days in his life, as 
 he saw in his return to his side the end of trouble and an 
 assurance of future tranquillity. Even Catharine de Medici 
 received the Admiral with warmth. The king presented him 
 from his private purse with the large sum of a hundred thou- 
 sand livres to make good some of the great losses he had 
 
318 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 suffered in the war. He also ordered that he should receive 
 for a year the revenues of his brother the cardinal, who had 
 lately died, and appointed him guardian of one of the great 
 estates during the minority of its heir a post which brought 
 with it considerable profits. 
 
 At Coligny's suggestion Charles wrote to the Duke of Savoy 
 interceding for the Waldenses, who were being persecuted 
 cruelly for having assisted the Huguenots of France. So 
 angered were the Guises by the favour with which the king 
 treated the Admiral that they retired from court, and the king 
 was thus left entirely to the influence of Montmorency and 
 Coligny. The ambassador of Spain, who was farther angered 
 by Charles granting interviews to Louis of Nassau, and by his 
 holding out hopes to the Dutch of assistance in their struggle 
 against Alva, also left France in deep dudgeon and with threats 
 of war. The result was naturally to cause a better state of 
 feeling throughout France. Persecutions everywhere ceased, 
 and the Huguenots for the first time for many years were able 
 to live in peace, and without fear of their neighbours. 
 
 The negotiations for the marriage between the Prince of 
 Navarre and Marguerite de Valois continued. The prince 
 was now eighteen and a half, and the princess twenty. The 
 idea of a marriage between them was of old standing, for it 
 had been proposed by Henry II. fifteen years before, but at 
 the outbreak of the Huguenot troubles it had been dropped. 
 Marshal Biron was sent by the king with the royal proposals to 
 the Queen of Navarre, who was now at La Rochelle. The 
 queen expressed her gratitude for the honour offered to her 
 son, but prayed for time before giving a decided answer, in 
 order that she might consult the ministers of her religion as 
 to whether such a marriage might be entered into by one of 
 the reformed religion. 
 
 The news of the proposed marriage, and also of the nego- 
 tiations that had been opened for a marriage between Eliza- 
 beth of England and the Due d'Alengon, created the greatest 
 alarm throughout the Catholic world. A legate was sent to 
 Charles by the pope to protest against it. Sebastian, King of 
 Portugal, who had refused the hand of Marguerite when it had 
 before been offered to him, reopened negotiations for it, while 
 
IN A NET 319 
 
 Philip of Spain did all in his power to throw obstacles in the 
 way of the match. 
 
 The ministers of the reformed religion, consulted by the 
 queen, considered that the marriage of Henri to Marguerite 
 would be of vast benefit to the Huguenot cause, and declared 
 that a mixed marriage was lawful. The English ambassador 
 gave his strongest support to it, and the Queen of Navarre 
 now entered upon the negotiations in earnest and went to 
 Blois for the purpose. 
 
 The differences were entirely religious ones, the court 
 insisting that Henri, while living at Paris with his wife, should 
 consent to be deprived of all means of worshipping according 
 to his own religion, while Marguerite, while in Barn, should 
 be guaranteed permission to have mass celebrated there. 
 
 The king would have been ready to waive both conditions, 
 but Catharine, who, after at first favouring the match now 
 threw every obstacle in its way, was opposed to any conces- 
 sion. She refused to permit the Queen of Navarre to have 
 any interview with either Charles or Marguerite unless she 
 was also present, anfl hesitated at no falsehoods however out- 
 rageous in order to thwart the efforts of Jeanne and her 
 friends. The pious queen, however, was more troubled by 
 the extreme and open profligacy of the court than by the 
 political difficulties she encountered, and in her letters im- 
 plored her son to insist upon residing at Barn with his wife, 
 and on no account to take up his abode at Paris. 
 
 However, at last the difficulties were removed, the court 
 abandoned its demand that Marguerite should be allowed to 
 attend mass at Be"arn, and the Queen of Navarre, on her part, v 
 consented that the marriage should take place at Paris, instead 
 of at Be"arn as she had before desired. She then went to 
 Paris to make preparations for the wedding. The great anxi- 
 ety she had gone through told heavily upon her, and a few 
 days after her arrival at the capital she was seized with a fever, 
 which, in a very short time, terminated her life, not without 
 considerable suspicions being entertained that her illness and 
 death had been caused by poison administered by an agent of 
 Catharine. She was, undoubtedly, one of the noblest women 
 of her own or any other time. She was deeply religious, ready 
 
320 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 to incur all dangers for the sake of her faith, simple in her 
 habits, pure in her life, unconquerable in spirit, calm and 
 confident in defeat and danger, never doubting for a moment 
 that God would give victory to his cause, and capable of 
 communicating her enthusiasm to all around her a Christian 
 heroine, indeed. Her death was a terrible blow to the 
 reformed religion. She died on the Qth of June, and the 
 marriage was, in consequence, deferred until August. 
 
 The Admiral had not been present at Blois during the 
 negotiations for the marriage, for after remaining there for 
 three weeks he had retired to his estate at Chatillon, where 
 he occupied himself with the work of restoring his ruined 
 chateau. The Countess Amelie had accompanied the Queen 
 of Navarre to Blois and also to Paris, and had been with her 
 at the time she died. She had sent a message to Francois 
 and Philip to join her there when she left Blois, accompany- 
 ing her letter with a safe-conduct signed by the king. On 
 the road they were met by the news of the death of the Queen 
 of Navarre. It was a severe blow to both of them, not only 
 from the effect it would have upon the Huguenot cause, but 
 from the affection they personally felt for her. 
 
 The king being grievously harassed by the opposite coun- 
 sels he received, and his doubts as to which of his advisers 
 were honest, wrote to Coligny begging him to come and aid 
 him with his counsel and support. 
 
 The Admiral received many letters imploring him not to go 
 to Paris, where, even if the friendship of the king continued, 
 he would be exposed to the danger of poison, to which, it was 
 generally believed, his brothers and the Queen of Navarre had 
 succumbed; but although fully aware of the danger of the step, 
 he did not hesitate. To one of his advisers he wrote fear- 
 lessly : 
 
 " As a royal officer I cannot in honour refuse to comply with 
 the summons of the king, but will commit myself to the provi- 
 dence of Him who holds in His hands the hearts of kings 
 and princes, and has numbered my years, nay, the very hairs 
 of my head." 
 
 One reason of the king's desire for the counsels of the 
 Admiral was that he had determined to carry out his advice, 
 
IN A NET 321 
 
 and that of Louis of Nassau, to assist the Protestants of Hol- 
 land, and to embark in a struggle against the dangerous 
 predominance of Spain. 
 
 As a first step he had already permitted Louis of Nassau to 
 recruit secretly in France five hundred horse and a thousand 
 infantry from among his Huguenot friends, and to advance 
 with them into the Netherlands, and with these Louis had on 
 the 24th of May captured Mons, the capital of Hainault. The 
 Huguenot leaders did their best to persuade Charles to follow 
 up this stroke by declaring war against Spain; and the king 
 would have done so, had it not been that Elizabeth of England, 
 who had before urged him to this course, promising him her 
 aid, now drew back with her usual vacillation, wishing nothing 
 better than to see France and Spain engaged in hostilities 
 from which she would without trouble or expense gain advan- 
 tage. Meanwhile Catharine, Anjou, and the Guise faction all 
 did their best to counteract the influence of the Huguenots. 
 
 Elizabeth's crafty and hesitating policy was largely respon- 
 sible for the terrible events that followed. Charles saw that 
 she had been fooling him, both in reference to his course 
 towards Spain, and in her negotiations for a marriage with 
 one or other of his brothers. These matters were taken advan- 
 tage of by his Catholic advisers, and disposed him to doubt 
 the wisdom of his having placed himself in the har-s of the 
 Huguenots. While Elizabeth was hesitating ?. blow came that 
 confirmed the king in his doubts as to the prudence of the 
 course he had taken. Alva laid siege to Mons. A Huguenot 
 force of some three thousand men, led by the Sieur de Genlis, 
 marched to its relief, but was surprised and utterly routed 
 within a short distance of the town; 1200 were killed on the 
 field of battle, some 1900 fugitives were slain by the peasantry, 
 barely a hundred reached Mons. 
 
 Coligny, who was preparing a much larger force for the 
 assistance of Louis of Nassau, still strove to induce the king 
 to throw himself heart and soul into the struggle against Spain, 
 and even warned him that he would never be a true king until 
 he could free himself from his mother's control and the influ- 
 ence of his brother Anjou. The queen-mother, who had spies 
 everywhere, was not long in learning that Coligny had given 
 
322 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 this advice, and her hatred against him was proportionately 
 increased. She at once went in tears to Charles, and pointed 
 out to him that it was to her counsel and aid alone that he had 
 owed his success against the Huguenots, that they were now 
 obtaining all the advantages for which they had fought in vain, 
 and that he was endangering the safety of his throne by anger- 
 ing Spain, relying only on the empty promises of the faithless 
 Queen of England. Charles, always weak and irresolute, 
 succumbed at once to her tears and entreaties, and gave 
 himself up altogether to her pernicious counsels. 
 
 After the death of the Queen of Navarre, the countess 
 travelled back to Laville escorted by her son and Philip. The 
 young men made no stay there, but returned at once to Paris, 
 where, now that Coligny was in the king's counsels, there was 
 no ground for fear, and the approaching nuptials of the young 
 King of Navarre would be attended by large numbers of his 
 adherents. They took a lodging near that occupied by the 
 Admiral. De la Noiie was not at court, he being shut up in 
 Mons, having accompanied Louis of Nassau in his expedition. 
 The court was in deep mourning for the Queen of Navarre, 
 and there would be no public gaieties until the wedding. 
 Among the Huguenot lords who had come to Paris were the 
 Count de Valecourt and his daughter, who was now seventeen, 
 and had several suitors for her hand among the young Hugue- 
 not nobles. 
 
 Francois and Philip were both presented to the king by the 
 Admiral. Charles received them graciously, and learning that 
 they had been stopping at Beam with the Prince of Navarre, 
 presented them to his sister Margaret. 
 
 "These gentlemen, Margot, are friends of the King of 
 Navarre, and will be able to tell you more about him than 
 these grave politicians can do." 
 
 The princess, who was one of the most beautiful women of 
 her time, asked them many questions about her future husband, 
 of whom she had seen so little since his childhood, and about 
 the place where she was to live; and after that time when they 
 went to court with the Admiral, who on such occasions was 
 always accompanied by a number of Huguenot gentlemen, the 
 young princess always showed them marked friendliness. As 
 
IN A NET 323 
 
 the time for the marriage approached, the king became more 
 and more estranged from the Admiral. Queen Elizabeth, while 
 professing her friendship for the Netherlands, had forbidden 
 English volunteers to sail to the assistance of the Dutch, and 
 had written to Alva offering in token of her friendship to hand 
 over Flushing to the Spaniards. This proof of her duplicity, 
 and of the impossibility of trusting her as an ally, was made 
 the most of by Catharine, and she easily persuaded the weak- 
 minded king that hostilities with the Spaniards would be fatal 
 to him, and that, should he yield to the Admiral's entreaties, 
 he would fall wholly into the power of the Huguenots. The 
 change in the king's deportment was so visible that the Catho- 
 lics did not conceal their exultation, while a feeling of uneasi- 
 ness spread among some of the Huguenot gentlemen at Paris. 
 
 "What are you doing, Pierre?" Philip said one day when 
 he found his servant occupied in cleaning up the two pairs of 
 heavy pistols they carried in their holsters. 
 
 "I am getting them ready for action, master. I always 
 thought that the Huguenots were fools to put their heads into 
 this cage, and the more I see of it the less I like it." 
 
 " There can be no reason for uneasiness, Pierre. The king 
 himself has over and over declared his determination to 
 maintain the truce, and even did he harbour ill designs against 
 us he would not mar his sister's marriage by fresh steps against 
 the Huguenots. What may follow after we have all left Paris 
 I cannot say." 
 
 "Well, sir, I hope it may be all right, but since I got a 
 sight of the king's face the other day I have no faith in him; 
 he looks like one worried until well-nigh out of his senses 
 and no wonder. These weak men, when they become desper- 
 ate, are capable of the most terrible actions. A month since 
 he would have hung up his mother and Anjou had they ven- 
 tured to oppose him, and there is no saying now upon whom 
 his wrath may fall. At any rate, sir, with your permission I 
 mean to be prepared for the worst, and the first work is to 
 clean these pistols." 
 
 " There can be no harm in that anyhow, Pierre, but I have 
 no shadow of fear of any trouble occurring. The one thing I 
 am afraid of is, that the king will keep Coligny near him, so 
 
324 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 that if war should break out again we shall not have him for 
 our general. With the Queen of Navarre dead, the Admiral a 
 prisoner here, and De la Noiie a captive in the hands of Alva, 
 we should fight under terrible disadvantages, especially as La 
 Rochelle, La Charite', and Montauban have received royal 
 governors in accordance with the conditions of the peace." 
 
 " Well, we shall see, master. I shall feel more comfortable 
 if I have got ready for the worst." 
 
 Although Philip laughed at the fears of Pierre, he was yet 
 impressed by what he had said, for he had come to rely very 
 much upon the shrewdness of observation of his follower. 
 When, however, he went that evening to the Count de Vale- 
 court's, he saw that there was no tinge of such feeling in the 
 minds of the Huguenots present. The only face that had an 
 unusual look was that of Claire. Apparently she was gayer 
 than usual, and laughed and talked more than was her wont; 
 but Philip saw that this mood was not a natural one, and felt 
 sure that something had happened. Presently when he passed 
 near her she made room for him on the settee beside her. 
 
 "You have not heard the news, Monsieur Philip? " 
 
 "No, mademoiselle, I have heard no particular news." 
 
 " I am glad of it. I would rather tell you myself. My father 
 has to-day laid his commands on me to marry the Sieur de 
 Pascal." 
 
 Philip could not trust himself to speak. He had never 
 acknowledged to himself that he loved Claire de Valecourt, 
 and had over and over again endeavoured to impress upon his 
 mind the fact that it would be ridiculous for him even to think 
 of her, for that her father would never dream of giving her, a 
 rich heiress, and the last of one of the proudest families of 
 Dauphiny, to a simple English gentleman. 
 
 As he did not speak the girl went on after a pause. "It is 
 not my wish, Monsieur Philip; but French girls do not choose 
 for themselves. My father stated his wishes to me three 
 months ago in Dauphiny; I then asked for a little time, and 
 now he has told me that it is to be. He is wise and good, and 
 I have nothing to say against the Sieur de Pascal, who, as you 
 know, is our near neighbour, a brave gentleman, and one 
 whom I have known since my childhood. It is only that I do 
 
"YOU HAVE NOT HEARD THE NEWS, MONSIEUR PHILIP?" 
 
IN A NET 325 
 
 not love him. I have told my father so, but he says that it is 
 not to be expected that a young maid should love until after 
 marriage." 
 
 "And you have promised?" Philip asked. 
 
 "Yes, I have promised," she said simply. "It is the duty 
 of a daughter to obey her father, especially when that father is 
 as good and kind as mine has always been to me. There, he 
 is beckoning to me; " and rising, she crossed the room. 
 
 Philip, a few minutes later, took his departure quietly. 
 Francois de Laville came in an hour afterwards to their 
 lodgings. 
 
 "Well, Philip, I did not see you leave the count's. Did 
 you hear the news before you left? The count announced it 
 shortly after you had gone." 
 
 "His daughter told me herself," Philip said. 
 
 "I am sorry, Philip. I had thought, perhaps but it is of 
 no use talking of that now." 
 
 "Not the least in the world, Francois. It is natural that 
 her father should wish her to marry a noble of his own prov- 
 ince. She has consented, and there is no more to be said. 
 When is Henri to arrive ? We are all to ride out to meet him 
 and to follow him into Paris. I hope that it will all pass off 
 well." 
 
 "Why, of course it will. What is to prevent it? The 
 wedding will be the grandest ever known in Paris. I hear 
 that Henri brings with him seven hundred Huguenot gentle- 
 men, and a hundred of us here will join him under the 
 Admiral. It will be a brave sight." 
 
 "I wish it was all over." 
 
 "Why, it is not often you are in low spirits, Philip. Is 
 it the news that has upset you, or have you heard anything 
 else?" 
 
 "No; but Pierre has been croaking and prophesying evil, 
 and although I in no way agree with him, it has still made me 
 uneasy." 
 
 "Why, what is there to fear?" Francois said laughing; 
 "not the mob of Paris; surely they would never venture to 
 brave the king's anger by marring the nuptials by disorder; 
 and if they did, methinks that eight hundred of us, with 
 
326 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Coligny at our head, could cut our way through the mob of 
 Paris from one end of the city to the other." 
 
 The entrance of the King of Navarre into Paris was indeed 
 an imposing sight. Coligny with his train had joined him 
 outside the town, and the Admiral rode on one side of the 
 young king and the Prince of Cond^ on the other. With them 
 rode the Dukes of Anjou and Alencon, who had ridden out 
 with a gay train of nobles to welcome Henri in the king's 
 name, and escort him into the city. The Huguenots were still 
 in mourning for the late queen, but the sumptuous materials 
 of their dress set off by their gold chains and ornaments made 
 a brave show even by the side of the gay costumes of the 
 prince's party. 
 
 The betrothal took place at the Louvre on the iyth of August, 
 and was followed by a supper and a ball; after the conclusion 
 of the festivities Marguerite was, in accordance with the 
 custom of the princesses of the blood, escorted by her brothers 
 and a large retinue to the Bishops' Palace adjoining the 
 Cathedral, to pass the night before her wedding there. The 
 ceremony upon the following day was a most gorgeous one. 
 The king, his two brothers, Henri of Navarre, and Conde were 
 all dressed alike in light yellow satin embroidered with silver, 
 and enriched with precious stones. Marguerite was in a violet 
 velvet dress embroidered with fleurs de Us, and she wore on 
 her head a crown glittering with gems. The queen and the 
 queen-mother were dressed in cloth of gold. 
 
 Upon a lofty platform in front of the Cathedral of Notre 
 Dame, Henri of Navarre with his train of Protestant lords 
 awaited the coming of the bride, who was escorted by the king 
 and all the members of his court. The ceremony was per- 
 formed in sight of an enormous concourse of people by the 
 Cardinal Bourbon, who used a form that had been previously 
 agreed upon by both parties. Henri then led his bride into 
 the Cathedral, and afterwards with his Protestant companions 
 retired to the Episcopal Palace while mass was being said. 
 When this was over the whole party sat down to dinner in the 
 Episcopal Palace. 
 
 In the evening an entertainment was given in the Louvre 
 to the notabilities of Paris, and after supper there was a 
 
IN A NET 327 
 
 masque of the most lavish magnificence. On Tuesday, 
 Wednesday, and Thursday there was a continuation of pag- 
 eants and entertainments. During these festivities the king 
 had shown marked courtesy to the Admiral and the Huguenot 
 lords, and it seemed as if he had again emancipated himself 
 from his mother's influence, and the hopes of the Protestants 
 that he would shortly declare war with Spain were raised to the 
 highest point. 
 
 Although the question was greatly debated at the time, and 
 the belief that the massacre of the Protestants was deliber- 
 ately planned long beforehand by the king and queen-mother 
 is still generally entertained, the balance of evidence is 
 strongly the other way. 
 
 What dark thoughts may have passed through the scheming 
 brain of Catharine de Medici none can say, but it would cer- 
 tainly appear that it was not until after the marriage of Henri 
 and Marguerite that they took form. She was driven to bay. 
 She saw that in the event of a war with Spain the Huguenots 
 would become all-powerful in France. Already the influence 
 of the Admiral was greater than her own, and it had become 
 a battle of life and death with her, for Coligny, in his fearless 
 desire to do what was right, and for the service of France, 
 was imprudent enough over and over again to warn the king 
 against the evil influence of the queen-mother and the Duke 
 d'Anjou, and Charles in his fits of temper did not hesitate to 
 divulge these counsels. The Duke d'Anjou and his mother, 
 therefore, came to the conclusion that Coligny must be put 
 out of the way. The duke afterwards did not scruple to avow 
 his share in the preparations for the massacre of Saint Bar- 
 tholomew. 
 
 The Duchess of Nemours, her son Henry of Guise, and her 
 brother-in-law the Due d'Aumale, were taken into their coun- 
 sels, and the plan was speedily settled. Few as were the 
 conspirators taken into the confidence of the queen-mother, 
 mysterious rumours of danger reached the ears of the Hugue- 
 nots. Some of these taking the alarm left Paris and made for 
 their estates, but by far the greater portion refused to believe 
 that there could be danger to those whom the king had invited 
 to be present upon such an occasion. In another week, 
 
328 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Coligny would be leaving, having, as he hoped, brought the 
 king entirely round to his views, and the vast majority of the 
 Huguenot gentlemen resolved to stay until he left. 
 
 Pierre grew more and more serious. Francois had left the 
 lodgings, being one of the Huguenot gentlemen whom Henri 
 of Navarre had chosen to lodge with him at the Louvre. 
 
 " You are getting quite unbearable, Pierre, with your long 
 face and your grim looks," Philip said to him on the Friday 
 morning, half in joke and half in earnest. "Why, man, 
 in another week we shall be out of Paris and on our way 
 south." 
 
 "I hope so, Monsieur Philip, with all my heart I hope so; 
 but I feel just as I used to do when I was a boy living in the 
 woods, and I saw a thunder-cloud working up overhead. I 
 cannot tell you why I feel so, it is something in the air. I 
 wish sir, oh, so much! that you would leave at once." 
 
 "That I cannot do, Pierre. I have no estates that demand 
 my attention, no excuse whatever for going. I came here 
 with my cousin, and shall leave with him." 
 
 "Well, sir, if it must be, it must." 
 
 " But what is that you fear, Pierre? " 
 
 "When one is in a town, sir, with Catharine de Medici, 
 and her son Anjou, and the Guises, there is always something 
 to fear. Guise is the idol of the mob of Paris, who have always 
 shown themselves ready to attack the Huguenots. He has 
 but to hold up his finger and they would be swarming on us 
 like bees." 
 
 "But there are troops in the town, Pierre, and the king 
 would punish Paris heavily were it to insult his guests." 
 
 "The king is a weathercock and goes whichever way the 
 wind blows, monsieur to-day he is with the Admiral, to- 
 morrow he may be with the Guises. At any rate I have taken 
 my precautions. I quite understand that if the danger is fore- 
 seen you will all rally round the Admiral and try to fight your 
 way out of Paris. But if it comes suddenly there will be no 
 time for this. At any hour the mob may come surging up the 
 streets shouting, as they have often shouted before, 'Death to 
 the Huguenots ! ' Then, monsieur, fighting would not avail 
 you. You would be unable to join your friends, and you 
 
IN A NET 329 
 
 would have to think first of your own life. I have been ex- 
 amining the house, and I find that from an upper window one 
 can gain the roof. I got out yesterday evening after it was 
 dark, and found that I could easily make my way along. 
 The tenth house from here is the one where the Count de Vale- 
 court lodges, and it is easy to gain access to it by a window 
 in the roof. There will be some of your friends there, at any 
 rate. Or we can pass down through any of the intervening 
 houses. In the three before we reach that of the count Hu- 
 guenots are lodged. The others belong to Catholics, but it 
 might be possible to pass down through them and to go into 
 the street unobserved. I have bought for myself some rags 
 such as are worn by the lowest of the mob, and for you a 
 monk's gown and hood. These I have placed securely against 
 a chimney on our roof. I have also, monsieur," and Pierre's 
 eyes twinkled, "bought the dress of a woman of the lower 
 class, thinking that there might be some lady you might be 
 desirous of saving." 
 
 "You frighten me, Pierre, with your roofs and your dis- 
 guises," Philip said, looking with wonder at his follower. 
 "Why, man, this is a nightmare of your own imagination." 
 
 "It may be so, master. If it is, no harm is done; I have 
 laid out a few crowns uselessly, and there is an end of it. But 
 if it should not be a nightmare, but a real positive danger, 
 you would at least be prepared for it, and those few crowns 
 may be the saving of our lives." 
 
 Philip walked up and down the room for some time. 
 
 " At any rate, Pierre, you have acted wisely. As you say 
 the cost is as nothing; and though my reason revolts against 
 a belief in this nightmare of yours, I am not such a fool as to 
 refuse to pay any attention to it. I know that you are no 
 coward, and certainly not one to indulge in wild fancies. 
 Let us go a step farther. Suppose that all this should turn 
 out true, and that you, I, and and some lady are in disguise 
 in the midst of a howling mob shouting, 'Death to the 
 Huguenots ! ' What should we do next ? Where should we 
 go? It seems to me that your disguise for me is a badly 
 chosen one. As a monk, how could I keep with you as a 
 beggar, still less with a woman? " 
 
330 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "When I bought the monk's robe I had not thought of a 
 woman, monsieur; that was an after-thought. But what you 
 say is just. I must get you another disguise. You shall be 
 dressed as a butcher or a smith." 
 
 "Let it be a smith, by all means, Pierre; besides, it would 
 be safer. I would smear my face with dirt. I should get 
 plenty on my hands from climbing over the roofs. Let us 
 suppose ourselves, then, in the mob. What should we do 
 next?" 
 
 "That would all depend, sir, whether the soldiers follow 
 the Guises and take part with the mob in their rising. If so 
 Paris would be in a turmoil from end to end, and the gates 
 closed. I have thought it all over again and again, and while 
 your worship has been attending the entertainments I have 
 been walking about Paris. If it is at night I should say we 
 had best make for the river, take a boat and drift down, or 
 else make for the walls and lower ourselves by a rope from 
 them. If it is in the day we could not do that, and I have 
 found a hovel, at present untenanted, close to the walls, and 
 we could wait there until night." 
 
 "You will end by making me believe this, Pierre," Philip 
 said angrily, as he again walked up and down the room with 
 impatient steps. " If you had a shadow of foundation for 
 what you say, even a rumour that you had picked up in the 
 street, I would go straight to the Admiral. But how could I 
 go and say, 'My servant, who is a faithful fellow, has taken it 
 into his head that there is danger from an attack on us by the 
 mob. ' What think you the Admiral would say to that ? He 
 would say that it was next door to treason to imagine such 
 things, and that if men were to act upon such fancies as these 
 they would be fit only for hospitals for the insane. Moreover, 
 he would say that even if you had evidence, even if you had 
 something to show that treachery was meant, he would still, 
 in the interest of France, stay at his post of duty." 
 
 At this moment the door opened, and Francois de Laville 
 entered hurriedly. 
 
 "What is the matter, Francois?" Philip exclaimed, see- 
 ing that his cousin looked pale and agitated. 
 
 " Have you not heard the news? " 
 
IN A NET 331 
 
 " I have heard nothing. I have not been out this morning." 
 
 "The Admiral has been shot." 
 
 Philip uttered an exclamation of horror. "Not killed, 
 Francois; not killed, I trust?" 
 
 "No; two balls were fired, one took off a finger of his right 
 hand, and another has lodged in his left arm. He had just 
 left the king, who was playing at tennis, and was walking 
 homewards with two or three gentlemen, when an arquebus 
 was fired from a house not far from his own. Two of the 
 gentlemen with him assisted him home, while some of the 
 others burst in the door of the house. They were too late; 
 only a woman and a man-servant were found there. The 
 assassin had fled by the back of the house, where a horse was 
 standing in waiting. It is said that the house belongs to the 
 old Duchess of Guise. It is half an hour since the news 
 reached the palace, and you may imagine the consternation 
 it excited. The king has shut himself up in his room, 
 Navarre and Conde" are in deep grief, for they both regard the 
 Admiral almost as a father; as for the rest of us, we are furi- 
 ous. There is a report that the man who was seen galloping 
 away from the house from which the shot was fired was that 
 villain Maurevel, who so treacherously shot De Mouy, and was 
 rewarded by the king for the deed. It is also said that a 
 groom in the livery of Guise was holding the horse when the 
 assassin issued out. Navarre and Conde" have gone to Coligny; 
 the king's surgeon is dressing his wounds." 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 THE TOCSIN 
 
 AS soon as Francois had finished his account of the at- 
 tempted assassination of the Admiral, he and Philip 
 sallied out, the latter having hastily armed himself. 
 
 "I must go back to the Louvre," Francois said, "and take 
 my place by the King of Navarre. He is going to see the 
 king, and to demand permission to leave Paris at once. 
 Conde" and La Rochefoucault are going to see the king as soon 
 as they return from the Admiral's, for the same purpose, as it 
 is evident their lives are not safe here." 
 
 Philip made his way to the Admiral's house in the Rue de 
 Bethisy. Numbers of Huguenot gentlemen were hurrying in 
 that direction, all, like himself, armed, and deeply moved 
 with grief and indignation, for Coligny was regarded with a 
 deep affection as well as reverence by his followers. Each as 
 he overtook others eagerly inquired the news, for as yet most 
 of them had learned nothing beyond vague rumours of the 
 affair. Philip's account of it increased their indignation. 
 So it was no act of a mere fanatic, but the work of the Guises, 
 and probably of Catharine and Anjou. In a short time 
 between two and three hundred gentlemen were gathered in 
 the courtyard and ante-chamber of Coligny 's house. Some 
 walked up and down silent and stern; others gathered in 
 groups and passionately discussed the matter. This was an 
 attack not only upon the Admiral but upon the Huguenots in 
 general. It was the work of the Guises, ever the deadliest foes 
 of the reformed faith, the authors of every measure taken 
 
 332 
 
THE TOCSIN 333 
 
 against them, the cause of all the blood that had been shed in 
 the civil wars. One thing was certain, all must leave Paris 
 and prepare for a renewal of the war; but it was equally cer- 
 tain they could not leave until the Admiral was fit to be 
 moved. 
 
 "Truly he is a saint," said one of the gentlemen who had 
 come down from the room where Coligny was lying. " He 
 suffered atrociously in the hands of the surgeon, for he had 
 come without his instruments, and amputated Coligny 's fin- 
 gers with a dagger so blunt that it was only on the third 
 attempt that he succeeded. Merlin, his minister, was by his 
 side, with several of his most intimate friends. We were in 
 tears at the sight of our noble chief thus traitorously struck 
 down. He turned to us and said calmly, 'My friends, why do 
 you weep? As for me I deem myself happy at having thus 
 received wounds for the sake of God.' Then he said that 
 most sincerely he forgave the man who wounded him and 
 those who had instigated him to make the attack, knowing for 
 certain that it was beyond their power to hurt him, for even 
 should they kill him death would be a certain passage to life." 
 
 An hour later Frangois arrived. 
 
 " The prince has seen the king, Philip. He is furious, and 
 has sworn that he will inflict the most signal punishment upon 
 the authors and instigators of the crime : Coligny had received 
 the wound, but he himself most felt the smart. The King of 
 Navarre told me he was sure that Charles was deeply in ear- 
 nest. He feels it in a threefold sense : first, because it is the 
 renewal of the troubles that he had hoped had been put an end 
 to; in the second place, because Coligny is his guest; and, 
 lastly, because he has the greatest respect and confidence in 
 him, not only believing in his wisdom, but knowing that his 
 counsel is always sincere and disinterested. He is coming to 
 visit the Admiral himself this afternoon, Philip. It is no 
 use our staying here. There is nothing to be done and no 
 prospect of seeing the Admiral." 
 
 As they moved towards the entrance to the courtyard the 
 Count de Valecourt joined them. 
 
 "I have just left the Admiral," he said; "he is easier, and 
 the king's surgeon is of opinion that he will recover from his 
 
334 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 wounds, and possibly may be fit to travel in a litter in another 
 week." 
 
 "That is good news indeed," Francois said, "for the sooner 
 we are all out of Paris the better." 
 
 "There is no doubt of that," the count agreed; "but as all 
 say that the king is furious at this attack upon the Admiral, 
 I do not think the Guises dare strike another blow for some 
 time. Still, I shall be glad indeed when we can set forth. 
 It is certain we cannot leave the Admiral here. The villains 
 who are responsible for the attempt will be furious at its fail- 
 ure, and next time they may use the weapon to which they are 
 most accustomed poison. Even if the king himself begged 
 him to stay at the Louvre until cured, Catharine de Medici is 
 there, and I would not trust him under the same roof with her 
 for all my estates. We have been talking it over, and all 
 agree that we must wait until he can be moved. Inconstant 
 as Charles is, there can be no fear of a change in his friendly 
 intentions now. He has already closed all the gates of Paris 
 save two, and everyone who goes in or out is closely questioned 
 and has to show his papers." 
 
 By this time they had arrived at the door of the count's 
 dwelling. 
 
 "Come in, monsieur," he said; "my daughter is terribly 
 upset at this attack upon the Admiral, for whom she has a 
 profound reverence, and, were she a Catholic, would, I doubt 
 not, make him her patron saint." 
 
 "How is he, father?" Claire asked eagerly, as they entered 
 the room. 
 
 "He is better, Claire; the king's physician thinks he has 
 every chance of recovering." 
 
 "God be praised!" she said earnestly; "it would indeed 
 have been a terrible day for us all had the assassin taken his 
 life, and it would have seemed a mark of Heaven's anger at 
 this marriage of the Protestant king with a Catholic princess. 
 What says King Charles? " 
 
 " He is as angry as any of us, and declares that the assassin 
 and those who abetted him shall be punished in the severest 
 manner. He has visited the Admiral and expressed his grief 
 and indignation to him." 
 
THE TOCSIN 33- > 
 
 " I shall be glad to be back in Dauphiny, father. This city 
 with its wickedness and its violence is hateful to me." 
 
 " We shall go soon, dear. The doctor hopes that in a week 
 the Admiral will be well enough to be moved in a litter, and 
 we shall all accompany him." 
 
 "A week is a long time, father; so much may happen in a 
 week." 
 
 "There is no fear of anything happening, Claire. You 
 must not let this sad business affect your nerves. The anger 
 of the king is so great that you may be sure none will attempt 
 to repeat this stroke. What think you, Monsieur de Laville ? " 
 
 "I agree with you altogether, count." 
 
 "And you, Monseur Philip? " 
 
 " I see no cause for fear, count, and yet I feel sure that it 
 would be well to take every precaution. I acknowledge that 
 I have no grounds whatever for my fear : I have been infected 
 by my lackey, who is generally the lightest-hearted and most 
 reckless fellow, but who has now turned croaker and fears a 
 sudden rising of the mob of Paris, instigated thereto by the 
 Guises." 
 
 "Has he heard anything to favour such an idea, or is it 
 merely born of to-day's outrage? " 
 
 " No, I think he has heard nothing specific, though he may 
 have caught up vague threats in wandering through the streets." 
 
 "Why, that is not like you," the count said smiling, "who 
 have been through so many fights and dangerous adventures, 
 to be alarmed at a shadow." 
 
 " No, count, I do not think that I am given, any more than 
 is my lackey, to sombre thoughts; but I own that he has 
 infected me, and I would that some precautions could be 
 taken." 
 
 "Precautions of what kind, Monsieur Philip?" 
 
 "I have not thought them out," Philip said; "but were I 
 the next in rank to the Admiral I would enjoin that a third of 
 our number should be under arms night and day, and should 
 at night patrol our quarters; secondly, that a rally ing-place 
 should be appointed, say at the Admiral's, to which all should 
 mount and ride directly an alarm is given." 
 
 "The first part could hardly be managed here," the count 
 
336 ST, BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 said gravely. "It would seem that we doubted the royal 
 assurances of good faith and his promises of protection. We 
 have enemies enough about the king's ear, and such a pro- 
 ceeding would be surely misrepresented to him. You know 
 how wayward are his moods, and that it would need but a 
 slight thing to excite his irritation and undo all the good that 
 the Admiral has effected." 
 
 Two or three other Huguenot gentlemen now entered, and 
 a general conversation on the state of affairs took place. 
 Philip was standing a little apart from the others when Claire 
 came up to him. 
 
 "You really believe in danger, Monsieur Philip?" 
 
 "Frankly I do, mademoiselle. The population hate us. 
 There have been Huguenot massacres over and over again in 
 Paris. The Guises are doubtless the instigators of this attack 
 on the Admiral; they are the idols of the Paris mob, and if 
 they gave the word it would at once rise against us. As I told 
 your father, I have no real reason for uneasiness, but never- 
 theless I am uneasy." 
 
 "Then the danger must be real," the girl said simply. 
 "Have you any advice to give me? " 
 
 "Only this. You have but a week to stay here in Paris. 
 During that time make excuses so as not to stir abroad in the 
 streets more than you can help; and in the second place I 
 would say, lie down in your clothes at night, so as to be in 
 readiness to rise instantly." 
 
 " I will do that," she said. "There is nothing else? " 
 
 "Nothing that I can think of. I hope and trust that the 
 emergency will not come ; but at any rate, until it does come, 
 we can do no more." 
 
 A few minutes later Philip and his cousin took their leave; 
 the former went back to his lodgings, the latter to the Louvre. 
 Philip was surprised at not finding Pierre, and sat up later than 
 usual expecting his return, but it was not till he was rising 
 next morning that the man made his appearance. 
 
 " Why, where have you been all night? " Philip asked angrily, 
 "This is not the time for pleasure." 
 
 " I have been outside the walls, master," Pierre said. 
 
 "What in the world did you go there for, Pierre?" 
 
THE TOCSIN 337 
 
 "Well, sir, I was here when M. de Laville brought in the 
 news of the shooting of the Admiral. This seemed to me to 
 bear out all that I have said to you. You hurried away with- 
 out my having time to speak to you, so I took it upon myself 
 to act." 
 
 " In what way, Pierre? " 
 
 "I went straight to the stables, sir, and took one of your 
 honour's chargers and my horse, and, riding one and leading 
 the other, passed out through the gate before the orders came 
 about closing. I rode them to a village six miles away, and 
 put them up at a small inn there and left them in the land- 
 lord's charge. I did not forget to tell the stable-boy that he 
 should have a crown for himself if on my return I found the 
 horses in as good condition as I left them. Then I walked 
 back to Paris, and found a crowd of people unable to enter, 
 and learned that the gates had been closed by the king's 
 order. I went off to St. Denis, and there bought a long rope 
 and an iron hook; and at two in the morning, when I thought 
 that any sentries there might be on the walls would be drowsy, 
 came back again to Paris, threw up my hook, and climbed 
 into one of the bastions near the hut we had marked. There 
 I slept until the morning, and now you see me. I have taken 
 out the horses, so that, should you be obliged to fly, there 
 would be means of escape. One charger will suffice for your 
 wants here, and to ride away upon if you go out with the 
 Huguenot company, whether peacefully or by force of arms. 
 As for me, I would make my way there on foot, get the horses, 
 and rejoin you." 
 
 " It was a good idea, Pierre, and promptly carried out. But 
 no one here has much thought of danger, and I feel ashamed 
 of myself at being the only one to feel uneasy." 
 
 "The wise man is uneasy while the fool sleeps," Pierre said. 
 " If the Prince of Cond^ had been uneasy the night before 
 Jarnac he would not have lost his life, and we should not have 
 lost a battle. No harm has been done. If danger does come, 
 \ve at least are prepared for it." 
 
 " You are quite right, Pierre. However surely he may count 
 upon victory, a good general always lays his plans in case of 
 defeat. At any rate, we have prepared for everything." 
 
338 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Pierre muttered something to himself. 
 
 "What do you say, Pierre?" 
 
 " I was only saying, master, that I should feel pretty confi- 
 dent of our getting away were there only our two selves to 
 think of. What with our disguises, and what with your hon- 
 our's strong arm and what I can do to back you and what 
 with our being on our guard, it would be hard if we did not 
 make our way safe off. But I foresee that, should there be 
 trouble, it is not of your own safety you will be thinking." 
 
 "Mademoiselle de Valecourt is engaged to the Sieur de 
 Pascal," Philip said gravely. 
 
 "So I heard from one of the count's lackeys; but there is 
 many a slip between the cup and the lip, and in such days as 
 these there is many an engagement that never becomes a mar- 
 riage. I guessed how it would be that night after you had 
 saved Mademoiselle Claire's life, and I thought so still more 
 when we were staying at Valecourt." 
 
 "Then your thoughts ran too fast, Pierre. Mademoiselle 
 de Valecourt is a great heiress, and the count should, of course, 
 give her in marriage to one of his own rank." 
 
 Pierre shrugged his shoulders almost imperceptibly. 
 
 "Your honour is doubtless right," he said humbly; "and 
 therefore, seeing that she has her father and Monsieur de 
 Pascal to protect her, we need not trouble more about those 
 articles of attire stowed away on the roof above, but shall be 
 able to concern ourselves solely with our own safety, which 
 puts a much better complexion on the affair." 
 
 "The whole 'matter is ridiculous, Pierre," Philip said 
 angrily, "and I am a fool to have listened to you. There, 
 go and see about breakfast, or I shall lose my patience with 
 you altogether." 
 
 There were several consultations during the day between 
 the leading Huguenots. There was no apparent ground for 
 suspicion that the attack upon the Admiral had been a part of 
 any general plot, and it was believed that it was but the out- 
 come of the animosity of the Guises and the queen-mother 
 against a man who had long withstood them, who was now 
 higher than themselves in the king's confidence, and who had 
 persuaded him to undertake an enterprise that would range 
 
THE TOCSIN 339 
 
 France on the side of the Protestant powers. The balance of 
 evidence is all in favour of the truth of this supposition, and 
 to the effect that it was only upon the failure of their scheme 
 against the Admiral that the conspirators determined upon a 
 general massacre of the Huguenots. They worked upon the 
 weak king's mind until they persuaded him that Coligny was 
 at the head of a plot against himself, and that nothing short of 
 his death and those of his followers could procure peace and 
 quiet for France. At last, in a sudden access of fury, Charles 
 not only ranged himself on their side, but astonished Catha- 
 rine, Anjou, and their companions by going even farther than 
 they had done, and declaring that every Huguenot should be 
 killed. 
 
 This sudden change, and his subsequent conduct during the 
 few months that remained to him of life, seem to point to the 
 fact that this fresh access of trouble shattered his weak brain, 
 and that he was not fairly responsible for the events that fol- 
 lowed, the guilt of which rests wholly upon Catharine de Medici, 
 Henry of Anjou, and the leaders of the party of the Guises. 
 
 Philip spent a considerable portion of the day at the Louvre 
 with Henri of Navarre, Francois de Laville, and a few of the 
 young king's closest followers. There was no shadow of dis- 
 quiet in the minds of any of them. The doctors reported that 
 the Admiral's state was favourable; and although all would 
 have been glad to be on their way south, they regarded the 
 detention of a few days as a matter of little importance. 
 
 Listening to their talk about the court entertainments and 
 pleasures, Philip quite shook off his uneasiness", and was angry 
 with himself for having listened to Pierre's prognostications 
 of evil. "All these Huguenot lords know France and the 
 Parisians better than I do," he said to himself. " No thought 
 of danger occurs to them. It is not even thought necessary 
 that a few of them should take up their abode at the Admiral's. 
 They have every faith in the king's protestations and pledges 
 for their safety." Philip dined at the Louvre, and it was ten 
 o'clock before he returned to his lodging. He was in excel- 
 lent spirits, and saluted Pierre with the laughing inquiry : 
 
 "Well, bird of ill omen, what fresh plottings have you 
 discovered?" 
 
340 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "You do not believe me, master, when I tell you," Pierre 
 said gravely. 
 
 "Oh, then, there is something new?" Philip said, seating 
 himself on a couch. " Let me kear all about it, Pierre, and I 
 will try not to laugh." 
 
 "Will you descend with me to the door, Monsieur Philip? " 
 
 "Assuredly I will if it will please you, though what you are 
 going to show me there I cannot imagine." 
 
 Pierre led the way downstairs and out through the door. 
 
 "Do you see that, sir?" 
 
 "Yes, I see that, Pierre." 
 
 "What do you take it to be, sir? " 
 
 "Well, it is not too dark to see what it is, Pierre. It is a 
 small white cross that some urchin has chalked on the door." 
 
 "Will you please to walk a little farther, sir? There is a 
 cross on this door. There is none here, neither on the next. 
 Here you see another, and then a door without one. Now, 
 sir, does not that strike you as curious? " 
 
 "Well, I don't know, Pierre. A boy might very well chalk 
 some doors as he went along and leave others untouched." 
 
 "Yes, sir. But there is one very remarkable thing; I have 
 gone on through several streets, and it has always been the 
 same so far as I can discover by questioning the concierges 
 at every house in which Huguenots are lodging there is a 
 white cross on the door, in the houses that are not so marked 
 there are no Huguenots." 
 
 "That is strange, certainly, Pierre," Philip said, struck alike 
 by the fact and by the earnestness with which Pierre expressed 
 it. "Are you quite sure of what you say? " 
 
 "I am quite sure, sir. I returned here at nine o'clock and 
 saw this mark on our door. I did not pay much heed to it, 
 but went upstairs. Then, as I thought it over, I said to 
 myself, Is this a freak of some passer-by, or is it some sort of 
 signal? Then I thought I would see whether our house alone 
 was marked, or whether there were crosses on other doors. I 
 went to the houses of several gentlemen of our party, and on 
 each of their doors was a white cross. Then I looked farther 
 and found that other houses were unmarked. At some of these 
 I knocked and asked for one or other of your friends. In each 
 
THAT CROSS IS PLACED THERE BY DESIGN.' 
 
THE TOCSIN 341 
 
 case I heard that I was mistaken, for that no Huguenots were 
 lodging there. It is evident, sir, that this is not a thing of 
 chance, but that these crosses are placed there by design." 
 
 Philip went down the street and satisfied himself that Pierre 
 had spoken correctly, and then returned to his lodgings, paus- 
 ing, however, before the house of the Count de Valecourt, and 
 erasing the cross upon it. He entered his own door without 
 touching the mark, but Pierre, who followed him in, rubbed 
 the sleeve of his doublet across it unnoticed by his master, and 
 then followed him upstairs. Philip seated himself thought- 
 fully. 
 
 " I like not these marks, Pierre. There may be nothing of 
 importance in them; some fanatic may have taken the trouble 
 to place these crosses upon our doors, cursing us as he did so. 
 But at the same time I cannot deny that they may have been 
 placed there for some set purpose, of which I am ignorant. 
 Hitherto there has been nothing whatever to give any founda- 
 tion to your fancies, but here is at least something tangible, 
 whatever it may mean. What is your own idea? " 
 
 "My own idea is, sir, that they intend to arrest all the 
 Admiral's followers, and that the king, while speaking us fair, 
 is really guided by Catharine, and has consented to her plans 
 for the capture of all the Huguenot lords who have come into 
 this trap." 
 
 " I cannot believe that such an act of black treachery can 
 be contemplated, Pierre. All Europe would cry out against 
 the king who, inviting numbers of his nobles to the marriage 
 of his sister, seized that occasion for imprisoning them." 
 
 " It may not be done by him, sir. It may be the work of 
 the Guises' agents among the mob of Paris, and that they 
 intend to massacre us as they did at Rouen and a score of 
 other places, and as they have done here in Paris more than 
 once." 
 
 "That is as hard to believe as the other, Pierre. My own 
 supposition is by far the most probable, that it is the work of 
 some fanatic ; but at any rate we will be on the watch to-night. 
 It is too late to do anything else, and were I to go round to 
 our friends they would mock at me for paying any attention 
 to such a trifle as a chalk mark on a door. I own that I think 
 
342 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 it serious, because I have come, in spite of my reason, to 
 believe somewhat in your forebodings; but no one else seems 
 to entertain any such fears." Opening the casement, Philip 
 seated himself there. "Do you lie down, Pierre. At two 
 o'clock I will call you, and you shall take my place." 
 
 Pierre went out, but before lying down he again went 
 quietly downstairs, and with a wet cloth entirely eiased the 
 mark from the door, and then placing his sword and his pistols 
 ready at hand lay down on his pallet. At one o'clock Philip 
 aroused him. 
 
 "There is something unusual going on, Pierre. I can see a 
 light in the sky as of many torches, and can hear a confused 
 sound as of the murmur of men. I will sally out and see what 
 it is." 
 
 Placing his pistols in his belt and taking his sword he 
 wrapped himself in his cloak, and followed by Pierre, also 
 armed, went down into the street. As he went along he over- 
 took two men. As he passed under a lamp one of them 
 exclaimed, "Is that you, Monsieur Fletcher?" He turned. 
 It was the Sieur de Pascal. 
 
 " It is I, Monsieur de Pascal. I was going out to learn the 
 meaning of those lights over there." 
 
 "That is just what I am doing myself. As the night is hot, 
 I could not sleep, so I threw open my window and saw those 
 lights, which were, as it appeared so me, somewhere in the 
 neighbourhood of the Admiral's house, and I thought it was as 
 well to see what they meant." 
 
 As they went along they came upon men with lighted torches, 
 and saw that in several of the streets groups of men with 
 torches were silently standing. 
 
 "What is taking place?" the Sieur de Pascal asked one of 
 the men. 
 
 " There is going to be a night masque and a mock combat 
 at the Louvre," the man said. 
 
 "It is strange I heard nothing about it at the Louvre," 
 Philip said as they proceeded on their way. " I was with the 
 King of Navarre up to ten o'clock, and had anything been 
 known of it by him or the gentlemen with him I should have 
 been sure to have heard of it." 
 
THE TOCSIN 343 
 
 They were joined by two or three other Huguenot gentle- 
 men, roused by the unusual light and talking in the street, and 
 they proceeded together to the Louvre. Large numbers of 
 torches were burning in front of the palace, and a body of 
 soldiers was drawn up there. 
 
 "The man was right," the Sieur de Pascal said. "There is 
 evidently some diversion going on here." 
 
 As they approached they saw a movement in front, and then 
 three or four men ran towards them. 
 
 "Why, De Vignes," De Pascal exclaimed as the first ran up, 
 "what is the matter?" 
 
 " That I do not know," De Vignes said. " I was roused half 
 an hour ago by the lights and noise, and came down with De 
 la Riviere, Maurepas, Castellon, and De Vigors, who lodges 
 with me, to see what it was about. As we approached the 
 soldiers they began to jeer at us in a most insolent manner. 
 Naturally we replied, and threatened to report them to their 
 officers, when the insolent varlets drew and ran at us. Maure- 
 pas has, as you see, been wounded by a halbert, and as we five 
 could not give battle to that crowd of soldiers we ran for it. 
 I shall lay the matter before La Rochefoucauld, and request 
 him to make a complaint to the king. What can we do now, 
 gentlemen?" 
 
 " I see not that we can do anything," De Pascal said. "We 
 have heard that these torch-light gatherings are part of a plan 
 for a sham attack on a castle, or something of that sort, for the 
 amusement of the king. Doubtless the soldiers are gathered 
 for that purpose. We cannot arouse La Rochefoucauld at 
 this hour of the night, that is certain; so I see nothing to do 
 but to go home and wait till morning." 
 
 "You do not think," Philip said, "that there is any possi- 
 bility of a general attack upon us being intended." 
 
 " What ! an attack got up at the Louvre under the very eyes 
 of the king, who is our firm friend? You are dreaming, Mon- 
 sieur Fletcher." 
 
 "I have one suspicious fact to go upon," Philip said 
 quietly, and then related the discovery of the crosses upon the 
 doors. 
 
 The others, however, were absolutely incredulous that any 
 
344 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 treachery could be intended, and after talking for a short time 
 longer, they returned to their lodgings. 
 
 "What is to be done now, Pierre? " 
 
 " I should say we had better search farther, sir. If there is 
 any harm intended, the mob of Paris will be stirring. Let us 
 go down towards the Hotel de Ville; that is always the cen- 
 tre of mischief. If all is quiet there, it may be that this story 
 is correct, and that it is really only a court diversion. But 
 that does not explain why the street should be lighted up near 
 the Admiral's." 
 
 "It does not, Pierre." 
 
 After they had passed another group of men with torches, 
 Pierre said, " Did you notice, sir, that each of those men had 
 a piece of white stuff bound round his arm, and that it was the 
 same with those we passed before ? If there is any mischief 
 intended, we should be more likely to learn what it is if we 
 were to put on the same badge." 
 
 "The idea is a good one, Pierre; " and Philip took out his 
 handkerchief, tore it in two, and handing half of it to Pierre, 
 fastened the other round his arm. As they went along they 
 met men with torches or lanterns, moving in the same direc- 
 tion as themselves. All wore white handkerchiefs or scarves 
 round their arms. Philip became more and more anxious as 
 they went on, and regretted that he had not returned to his 
 lodgings and renewed his watch there. However, a few min- 
 utes' walking took them to the Hotel de Ville. The square 
 in front of the building was faintly illuminated by a few 
 torches here and there, and by large cressets that blazed in 
 front of the Hotel. The light, however, was sufficient to show 
 a dense body of men drawn up in the square, and the ruddy 
 light of the flames flashed from helmet, lance-point, and axe. 
 
 "What think you now, Monsieur Philip? There must be 
 eight or ten thousand men here, I should say all the city bands 
 under their captains." 
 
 As they paused a citizen officer came up to them. "All is 
 ready, your excellency. I do not think that a man is absent 
 from his post. The orders remain unchanged, I suppose? " 
 
 "Quite unchanged," Philip said briefly, seeing that in the 
 faint light he was mistaken for someone else. 
 
THE TOCSIN 345 
 
 "And the bell is to be the signal for beginning? " 
 
 "I believe there has been a change in that respect," Philip 
 said ; " but you will hear that later on. I am only here to see 
 that all is in readiness." 
 
 " Everything has been done as ordered, your excellency. 
 The gates are closed, and will not be opened except to one 
 bearing special orders under the king's own seal. The boats 
 have all been removed from the wharves. There will be no 
 escape." 
 
 Philip repressed a strong impulse to run the man through 
 the body, and only said : 
 
 "Good. Your zeal will not be forgotten." 
 
 Then he turned and walked away. They had gone but a 
 few paces when, in the distance, the report of a pistol was 
 heard. 
 
 "Too late!" he exclaimed in passionate regret. "Come, 
 Pierre," and he broke into a rapid run. Several times groups 
 of men came out from bye-streets at the sound of the rapid 
 footsteps, but Philip exclaimed, " Away there ! I am on urgent 
 business for Anjou and Guise." The men fell back at once 
 in each case, not doubting from the badges on the arms, 
 which they could make out in the darkness, that Philip was 
 bearing some important order. 
 
 "To the Admiral's first," he said to Pierre. "It is there 
 they will surely begin." But as they entered the Rue de 
 Bethisy, he saw a number of men pouring out from the Ad- 
 miral's house with drawn swords and waving their torches 
 over their heads. By the light Philip could make out Henry 
 of Guise and Henry of Valois with their attendants and 
 soldiers. 
 
 " We are too late here, Pierre. The Admiral has doubtless 
 been murdered; his confidence in the king's word has un- 
 done him." Coligny, indeed, had refused the offer of many 
 Protestant gentlemen to spend the night in the house, and 
 even Teligny his son-in-law had gone to his own lodgings a 
 short distance away. He had with him only his chaplain 
 Merlin, the king's surgeon, three gentlemen and four or five 
 servants; while in the court below were five of the King of 
 Navarre's Swiss guards. The Admiral had been awakened by 
 
346 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 the increasing noise without, but entertained no alarm what- 
 ever. Suddenly a loud knocking was heard at the outer gate, 
 and a demand for entrance in the king's name. 
 
 The Admiral directed one of the gentlemen named Le 
 Bonne to go down and unbar the gate. As he did so, Cos- 
 seins, an officer of Anjou's household, rushed in, followed by 
 fifty soldiers, and stabbed Le Bonne to the heart. The sol- 
 diers had been despatched by the king himself under pretence 
 of guarding the Huguenots, and twelve hundred arquebusiers 
 had also been posted under the same pretext in the neigh- 
 bourhood. The faithful Swiss defended the inner door, and 
 when driven back, defended for a time a barricade hastily 
 thrown upon the stairs. One of the Huguenot gentlemen 
 rushed into the Admiral's room with the news that the gate 
 had been forced. The Admiral calmly replied, " I have kept 
 myself for a long time in readiness for death. Save yourselves 
 if you can. It would be hopeless for you to attempt to save 
 my life." 
 
 In obedience to his orders, all who were with him, save a 
 German interpreter, fled to the roof and made their escape in 
 the darkness. The barricade was carried, and a German 
 named Besme, a follower of the Duk^ of Guise, was the first 
 to rush into the Admiral's room. Coligny was calmly seated 
 in a chair, and Besme struck him two blows with his sword, 
 while those following despatched him. 
 
 Guise was waiting in the courtyard below; when he heard 
 that the Admiral was killed he ordered the body to be thrown 
 out of the window. When he recognized that it was indeed 
 the body of the Admiral, he gave it a brutal kick, while one 
 of his followers cut off the head, and then Guise called upon 
 the soldiers to follow him, saying, " We have begun well, let 
 us now see to the others, for so the king commands." 
 
 As Philip turned from the spot the bell of the church of 
 Saint Germain 1'Auxerrois peeled forth, and shouts instantly 
 rose from all quarters. As he reached the street in which he 
 lodged Philip saw that it was already half full of armed men, 
 who were shouting "Death to the Huguenots!" and were 
 hammering at many of the doors. He fell at once into a walk 
 and made his way through them unmolested, the white badge 
 
THE TOCSIN 347 
 
 on his arm seeming to guarantee that he was a friend. He 
 passed his own door and made for that of the Count de 
 Valecourt. A combat was going on in front of it, and by 
 the light of the torches Philip saw De Pascal defending him- 
 self bravely against a host of enemies. Sword in hand, Philip 
 sprang forward. But before he could make his way through 
 the soldiers a musket shot rang out and De Pascal fell dead. 
 Philip drew back. 
 
 "To our own house, Pierre," he exclaimed to his lackey, 
 who was keeping close behind him; "we can do nothing here, 
 and the door may resist for a few minutes." There was no 
 one in front of the entrance, though at all the doors marked 
 with a white cross the soldiers were hammering with the butts 
 of their arquebuses. They slipped in, pushed the bars across, 
 ran upstairs and made their way on to the roof and climbed 
 along it until they reached the window of the house in which 
 De Valecourt lodged; felt their way across the room till they 
 discovered the door, issued out, and as soon as they found 
 the staircase ran down. Already there was a turmoil below. 
 A light streamed out from a door of the count's apartments 
 on the first floor. Philip ran in. Claire de Valecourt was 
 standing with one hand resting on the table deadly pale but 
 quiet. She was fully dressed. 
 
 "Where is your father?" Philip exclaimed. 
 
 "He has gone down with the servants to hold the stairs." 
 
 "I will join him," Philip said. "Pierre will take care of 
 you; he knows what to do. We will follow you. Quick, for 
 your own sake and your father's." 
 
 "I cannot go and leave him." 
 
 " You will do him no good by staying, and delay may cost 
 us all our lives. You must go at once, if you do not, at the 
 risk of your displeasure I must carry you." 
 
 "I will go," she said. "You saved me before, and I trust 
 you." 
 
 "Trust Pierre as you would trust me," he said. "Now, 
 Pierre, take her hand and hurry her upstairs." The clash of 
 swords mingled with shouts and oaths were heard below, and 
 Philip, as he saw Pierre turn with Claire de Valecourt, ran 
 down. On the next landing the count with four servjng men 
 
348 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 was defending himself against the assault of a crowd of armed 
 men who were pushing up the staircase. Others behind them 
 held torches, while some of those engaged in the fray held a 
 torch in one hand and a sword in the other. 
 
 "Ah, is it you, Monsieur Fletcher?" the count said as 
 Philip placed himself beside him, felling one of the foremost 
 of the assailants as he did so with a sweeping blow. 
 
 " It is I, count. My house is not attacked, and I have sent 
 off your daughter in charge of my man to gain it along the 
 roofs. We will follow them as soon as we can beat back these 
 villains." 
 
 "The king's troops must arrive shortly," the count said. 
 
 "The king's troops are here," Philip said. "This is done 
 by his orders, and all Paris is in arms. The Admiral has 
 already been murdered." 
 
 The count gave a cry of fury and threw himself upon his 
 assailants. His companions did the same, and step by step 
 drove them backward down the stairs. There was a cry below 
 of "Shoot them down!" and a moment later three or four 
 arquebuses flashed out from the hall. The count, without a 
 word, pitched forward among the soldiers, and two of the 
 retainers also fell. Then the crowd surged up again. Philip 
 fought desperately for a time. Another shot rang out, and he 
 felt a sudden smart across his cheek. He turned and bounded 
 up the stairs, paused a moment at the top and discharged his 
 two pistols at the leaders of the assailants, pulled to the door 
 of the count's chamber, leaving the corridor in darkness, and 
 then sprang up the stairs. When he reached the door of the 
 unused room by which they had entered he fastened it behind 
 him, got through the window and closed it after him, and then 
 rapidly made his way along the roofs until he reached his 
 own. Closing and fastening the casement he ran down to 
 his room. Claire was standing there with Pierre by her side. 
 She gave a low cry as he entered alone. 
 
 "My father! " she exclaimed. 
 
 "God has taken him," Philip said, "as He has taken many 
 others to-night. He died painlessly, mademoiselle, by a shot 
 from below." 
 
 Claire sank into a chair and covered her face with her 
 
THE TOCSIN 349 
 
 hands. "His will be done," she said in a low but firm voice 
 as she looked up a minute later. " We are all in His hands 
 and can die but once. Will they soon come? " 
 
 "I trust not," Philip said; "they may follow along the 
 roof when they cannot find us in any of the rooms, but they 
 will have no clue as to which house we have entered." 
 
 "I will remain here and wait for them," she said. 
 
 "Then, mademoiselle, you will sacrifice our lives as well 
 as your own, for assuredly we shall not leave you. Thus far 
 we have escaped, and if you will follow my directions we may 
 all escape together. Still, if you wish it we can die here 
 together." 
 
 "What is to be done? " she asked, standing up. 
 
 Pierre handed Philip a bundle. 
 
 "I brought them down as I passed," he said. 
 
 "This is a disguise," Philip said, handing it to the girl. 
 " I pray you to put it on at once. We also have disguises, 
 and will return in them in a few minutes." 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 ESCAPE 
 
 THIS is awful, Pierre," Philip said, as he hurriedly assumed 
 the disguise the latter had prepared. The clamour out- 
 side was indeed terrible. The bell of St. Germain 1'Auxerrois 
 was still sounding its signal, but mingled with it were a thou- 
 sand sounds of combat and massacre, the battering of ham- 
 mers and axes upon doors, the discharges of arquebuses and 
 pistols, the shouts of men and the loud screams of women. 
 Pierre glanced out of the window. With the soldiers were 
 mingled a crowd from the slums of Paris, who, scenting car- 
 nage from the movements of the citizen troops, had waited in 
 readiness to gather the spoil, and had arrived on the spot as 
 if by magic as soon as the first signal of alarm told them that 
 the work of slaughter had begun. 
 
 "Can we get out behind, think you, Pierre?" Philip asked 
 as he joined him. 
 
 " I will see, sir. One could scarce sally out here without 
 being at once seized and questioned. Doubtless a watch was 
 placed in the rear at first, but the soldiers would be likely to 
 make off to join in the massacre and get their share of plun- 
 der as soon as the affair began. You will do, sir, as far as 
 the dress goes, but you must smear your face and arms; they 
 are far too white at present, and would be instantly noticed." 
 
 Philip rubbed is hands, blackened by his passage across the 
 roofs, over his face and arms, and then joined Claire, who 
 started as he entered. 
 
 "I did not know you," she said. "Come; are we ready? 
 
 350 
 
PHILIP, CLAIRE, AND PIERRE DISGUISE THEMSELVES. 
 
ESCAPE 351 
 
 it were surely better to die at once than to listen to these 
 dreadful sounds." 
 
 "One moment. Pierre will return directly; he has gone 
 to see whether the lane behind the houses is clear. Once 
 fairly away, and our course will be easier." 
 
 Pierre returned almost immediately. "The way is clear." 
 
 "Let us go, then, mademoiselle." 
 
 "One moment, monsieur. Let us pray before we start; 
 we may have no time there." And standing with upturned 
 face she prayed earnestly for protection. 
 
 " Lead us, O God" she concluded, "through the strife and 
 turmoil, as Thou didst the holy men of old through the dangers 
 of the lions and the furnace. But if it be Thy will that we 
 should die, then do we commend our souls to Thee, in the sure 
 faith that we are but passing through death into life. Now I 
 am ready," she said, turning to Philip. 
 
 "You cannot go like this, Mademoselle Claire," Pierre said 
 reverently. " Of what good would that disguise be to you when 
 your face would betray you in the darkest street. You must 
 ruffle your hair, and pull that hood over your face so as to 
 hide it as much as possible." 
 
 The girl walked across to a mirror. 
 
 "I would I could take my sword, Pierre," said Philip. 
 
 "Take it, sir; strap it boldly round your waist. If anyone 
 remarks on it, laugh, and say it was a Huguenot's half an hour 
 ago. I will carry mine stuck under my arm. Use as few 
 words as may be, if you have to speak, and speak them gruffly, 
 or they will discover at once that you are no smith. I fear 
 not for ourselves. We can play our parts fight or run for 
 it. It is that angel I fear for." 
 
 " God will protect her, Pierre. Ah ! They are knocking at 
 the door, and the women of the house may be coming down 
 to open it." 
 
 "Not they, sir. You maybe sure they are half -mad with 
 terror. Not one has shown herself since the tumult began. 
 The landlord and his two sons are doubtless with the city 
 bands. Like enough they have led some of their fellows here, 
 or why should they attack the door, as it is unmarked? " 
 
 Claire joined them again. They hurried downstairs and 
 
352 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 then out by the back entrance into a narrow lane. Philip 
 carried a heavy hammer on his shoulder. Pierre had a large 
 butcher's knife stuck conspicuously in his girdle. He was 
 bare-headed and had dipped his head in water, so that his 
 hair fell matted across his face, which was grimy and black. 
 
 Day was now breaking, but the light was as yet faint. 
 "Keep close to me, Claire," Philip said as they reached the 
 street, which was ablaze with torches. "Above all things do 
 not shrink or seem as if you were afraid." 
 
 "I am not afraid," she said. "God saved me before from 
 as great a peril, and will save me again if it seems good to 
 Him." 
 
 "Keep your eyes fixed on me; pay no attention to what is 
 going on around you." 
 
 "I will pray," she said simply. 
 
 Just as they entered the street the crowd separated, and the 
 Duke of Guise, followed by several nobles of his party, rode 
 along, shouting: 
 
 "Death to all Huguenots! it is the king's command." 
 
 "It is the command you and others have put into his 
 mouth, villain ! " Philip muttered to himself. 
 
 A roar of ferocious assent rose from the crowd, which was 
 composed of citizen soldiers and the scum of Paris. They 
 danced and yelled, and uttered ferocious jests at the dead 
 bodies lying in the road. Here the work of slaughter was 
 nearly complete. Few of the Huguenots had offered any 
 resistance, although some had fought desperately to the last. 
 Most of them, however, taken by surprise, and seeing resist- 
 ance useless, had thrown down their arms, and either cried 
 for quarter or had submitted themselves calmly to slaughter. 
 Neither age nor sex had availed to save them; women and 
 children, and even infants had been slain without mercy. 
 
 The soldiers, provided with lists of the houses inhabited 
 by Huguenots, were going round to see that none had escaped 
 attack. Many in the crowd were attired in articles of dress 
 that they had gained in the plunder. Ragged beggars wore 
 cloaks of velvet or plumed hats. Many had already been 
 drinking heavily. Women mingled in the crowd, as ferocious 
 and merciless as the men. 
 
ESCAPE 353 
 
 "Break me in this door, friend," an officer, with a list in 
 his hand and several soldiers standing beside him, said to 
 Philip. 
 
 The latter did not hesitate; to do so would have brought 
 destruction on himself and those with him, without averting for 
 more than a minute or two the fate of those within. Placing 
 himself in front of the door, he swung his heavy hammer and 
 brought it down upon the woodwork. A dozen blows and the 
 door began to splinter. The crack of a pistol sounded above, 
 and the officer standing close to him fell dead. Four or five 
 shots were fired by the soldiers at the window above. Another 
 two or three blows and the door gave way. Philip went aside, 
 as the soldiers, followed by a- crowd, rushed in, and returned 
 to Claire, who was standing by the side of Pierre a few paces 
 away. 
 
 "Let us go on," he said. 
 
 A few yards further they were at the entrance of a lane run- 
 ning north. As Philip turned into it a man caught him by 
 the arm. 
 
 "Where are you going, comrade?" he said. "There is 
 plenty of work for your hammer yet." 
 
 "I have a job elsewhere," Philip said. 
 
 " It is rare work, comrade. I have killed five of them with 
 my own hand, and I have got their purses too," he chuckled. 
 "Hello! who is this girl you have with you?" And he 
 roughly caught hold of Claire. 
 
 Philip's pent-up rage found a vent; he sprang upon the man, 
 seized him by the throat, and hurled him with tremendous 
 force against the wall, whence he fell a senseless mass on to 
 the ground. 
 
 "What is it? " cried half a dozen men rushing up. 
 
 "A Huguenot in disguise," Philip said. "You will find his 
 pockets are full of gold." 
 
 They threw themselves upon the fallen man, fighting and 
 cursing to be the first to ransack his pockets, while Philip with 
 his two companions moved up the lane unnoticed. Fifty yards 
 farther Claire stumbled and would have fallen had not Philip 
 caught her. Her head had fallen forward, and he felt at once 
 that she was insensible. He placed her on a door-step and 
 
354 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 supported her in a sitting position, Pierre standing by. A 
 minute later a group of men came hurrying down the street. 
 
 "What is it?" one of the group asked as he stopped for a 
 moment. 
 
 "It is only a woman squeamish," Pierre said in a rough 
 voice. " She would come with us, thinking she could pick up 
 a trinket or two; but, ma foi, it is hot down there, and she 
 turned sick. So we are taking her home." 
 
 Satisfied with the explanation the men hurried on. 
 
 " Shall I carry her, Pierre? Her weight would be nothing." 
 
 " Better wait a few minutes, Monsieur Philip, and see if she 
 comes round. Our story is right enough as long as we stop 
 here, but people might want to know more if they were to 
 meet you carrying a woman." 
 
 Some minutes passed, and then, finding that Claire remained 
 unconscious, Philip lifted her on to his shoulder. 
 
 "We will risk it, Pierre. As long as we only meet them 
 coming along in twos or threes we can go on safely, for if they 
 are inquisitive I can set her down and speedily silence their 
 questioning. If we see a large body coming we can either 
 turn down a side street, or if there is no turning at hand can 
 set her down again and answer as before. Every step we get 
 farther away from the quarter we have left the better." 
 
 He had carried Claire but a few hundred yards when he felt 
 her move. He at once set her down again on a door-step. In 
 a few minutes she was able to stand, and, assisted by Philip, 
 she presently continued her course at a slow pace. Gradually 
 the movement restored her strength, and she said, speaking 
 for the first time, "I can walk alone." 
 
 An hour later they reached the hut that they had marked out 
 as their place of refuge. Pierre went to a corner and drew 
 out from under a heap of rubbish a large bundle. 
 
 "Here is your cloak and mine," he said, "and a change of 
 clothes for each of us. We could not wander about the country 
 in this guise." 
 
 Philip laid the cloaks down to form a sort of couch, and 
 placed the bundle with the rest of the things in as a pillow. 
 
 "Now, mademoiselle," he said, "you will be safe here until 
 nightfall. First, you must drink a glass of wine and try and 
 
ESCAPE 355 
 
 eat something; Pierre brought some up here two days rgo. 
 Then I hope you will lie down. I will watch outside the door, 
 Pierre will go down into the town to gather news." 
 
 "I will take something presently," she said. "I could eat 
 nothing now." 
 
 But Pierre had already uncorked a bottle, and Philip advised 
 her to drink a little wine. 
 
 "You will need all your strength," he said, "for we have a 
 long journey before us." She drank a few drops. 
 
 " Do not go yet," she said; " I must speak to you." Philip 
 nodded to Pierre, who left the hut. Claire sat on the cloaks 
 for some minutes in silence. 
 
 "I have been thinking, Monsieur Philip," she said at last, 
 "and it seems to me that it would not be right for me to go 
 with you. I am the promised wife of the Sieur de Pascal, and 
 that promise is all the more sacred since he to whom I gave 
 it " and she paused " is gone. It would not be right for 
 me to go with you. You shall take me to the Louvre, where I 
 will crave the protection of the King and Queen of Navarre. 
 Do not think me ungrateful for what you have done for me. 
 Twice now you have saved my life, and, and you understand 
 me, Philip?" 
 
 "I do," he said, "and honour your scruples. One of my 
 objects in sending Pierre down into the town again is to learn 
 what has taken place at the Louvre. It may be that this 
 fiendish massacre has extended there, and that even the King 
 of Navarre and the Huguenot gentlemen with him have shared 
 the fate of the others. Should it not be so, it would be best 
 in every way that what you suggest should be carried out. As 
 for the Sieur de Pascal, it may be that the blow that has bereft 
 you of your good father may well have fallen upon him also." 
 
 " But many will surely escape as we have done. It cannot 
 be that all our friends all those who rode in with the princes 
 can have been murdered." 
 
 "Some have doubtless escaped; but I fear that the massacre 
 will be almost universal, for it has evidently been carefully 
 planned, and once begun will extend not only to the followers 
 of Navarre, but to all the Protestants within the walls of 
 Paris." 
 
356 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 " Do you know aught concerning the Sieur de Pascal ? " 
 Claire asked, looking up. Something in the tone of his voice 
 struck her. 
 
 " I saw him fall, mademoiselle. He had made for the door 
 of your house, doubtless with the intention of joining your 
 father in defending it to the last, but the murderers were 
 already there. He was attacked on the door-step, and was 
 surrounded and well-nigh spent when I saw him. I tried to 
 reach him through the crowd, but before I could do so he fell. 
 Then, seeing that it would be but throwing away my life and 
 destroying all chance of saving yours, I hurried away to carry 
 out the plan I had before formed of making my way along the 
 roofs, and so entering your house. Monsieur de Pascal fell, 
 mademoiselle, as a brave soldier, fighting against a host of 
 foes, and in defence of yourself and your father. It was an 
 unfortunate, though noble impulse, that led him there, for I 
 had rubbed out the mark upon your door that served as a guide 
 for the soldiers, and you and the count might have escaped 
 over the roof before any attack was made, had not his pres- 
 ence aroused their suspicions." 
 
 Claire had hidden her face in her hands as he began to 
 speak, and he had kept on talking in order to give her time to 
 collect her feelings; but as she was now crying unrestrainedly, 
 he went quietly out of the hut and left her to herself, glad that 
 tears had come to her relief for the first time. An hour later 
 the door opened behind him, and Claire called him in. 
 
 "I am better now," she said, " I have been able to cry. It 
 seemed that my heart was frozen, and I was like one in a 
 terrible nightmare. Now I know that it is all true, and that 
 my dear father is dead. As for Monsieur de Pascal, I am 
 sorry that a brave soldier has been killed; but that is all. 
 You know that I received him as my affianced husband simply 
 in obedience to my father's commands, and that my heart had 
 no^art in it; God has broken the tie, and for that, even in 
 this time of sorrow, I cannot but feel relief." At this mo- 
 ment there was a knock at the door, then the latch was lifted, 
 and Pierre entered. 
 
 "What is the news, Pierre? " 
 
 " It is bad, sir. The king has in truth put himself at the 
 
ESCAPE 357 
 
 head of the massacre, and even in the Louvre itself several 
 Huguenot gentlemen have been slain, though I could not learn 
 their names. It is said that some of them were slain in the 
 presence of the young Queen of Navarre in spite of her 
 entreaties and cries. The young king and his cousin Conde" 
 are close prisoners, and it is said that they too will be slain 
 unless they embrace the Catholic faith. The massacre has 
 spread to all parts of the town, and the Huguenots are every- 
 where being dragged from their homes and killed, together 
 with their wives and children. It is said that the bodies of 
 Coligny and other Huguenot leaders have been taken to the 
 Louvre, arid that the king and the queen-mother and the ladies, 
 as well as the gentlemen of the. court, have been down to view 
 them and make a jest of them. Truly, sir, Paris seems to 
 have gone mad. It is said that orders have been sent to all 
 parts of France to exterminate the Huguenots." 
 
 Philip made a sign to Pierre to leave the hut. "This is 
 terrible news," he said to Claire, "and it is now clear that the 
 Louvre will afford you no protection. In these days no more 
 mercy is shown to women than to men, and at best, or at 
 worst, you could but save your life by renouncing your faith." 
 
 "I had already decided," she said quietly, "that I would 
 not go to the Louvre. The death of Monsieur de Pascal has 
 altered everything. As his affianced wife, with the consent of 
 my father, the king would hardly have interfered to have 
 forced me into another marriage ; but being now free he would 
 treat me as a ward of the crown, and would hand me and my 
 estates to one of his favourites. Anything would be better 
 than that. Now, of course, it is out of the question. Estates 
 I have none, for, with the extermination of our people, their 
 estates will be granted to others." 
 
 "As to that, mademoiselle, they have been trying to mas- 
 sacre the Huguenots for years, and though, doubtless, in the 
 towns many may fall, they will not be taken so readily in the 
 country, and may even yet rally and make head again. Still, 
 that does not alter the present circumstances, and I see no 
 other plan but that I had first formed, for you to accompany 
 me and my servant in disguise." 
 
 The girl stood hesitating, twining her fingers over each 
 
358 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 other restlessly. "It is so strange, so unmaidenly," she mur- 
 mured. 
 
 "Then, Claire," Philip said, taking her hands in his, "you 
 must give me the right to protect you. It is strange to speak 
 of love at such a time as this, but you know that I love you. 
 As a rich heiress, and altogether above my station, even had 
 you been free I might never have spoken; but now, standing 
 as we do surrounded by dangers, such distinctions are levelled. 
 I love you with all my heart, and it seems to me that God 
 Himself has brought us together." 
 
 "It is surely so, Philip," she said, looking up into his face. 
 " Has not God sent you twice to save me ? Some day I will 
 tell you of my heart, but not now, dear not now. I am alone 
 in the world save you. I am sure that my father if he now 
 sees us must approve; therefore, Philip, henceforth I am your 
 affianced wife, and am ready to follow you to the end of the 
 world." Philip stooped down and kissed her gently, then he 
 dropped her hands and she stood back a little apart from him. 
 
 "It were best that I called Pierre in," he said; "even in this 
 lonely quarter some one might pass, and, seeing him standing 
 at the door, wonder who he might be." So saying he opened 
 the door and called Pierre in. 
 
 "Pierre," he said gravely, "Mademoiselle de Valecourt is 
 now my affianced wife." 
 
 "That is as it should be, master," Pierre said; and then 
 stepping up to Claire, who held out her hand to him, he 
 reverently pressed it with his lips. 
 
 "Mademoiselle," he said, "my life will henceforth be at 
 your disposal as at that of my master. We may have dangers 
 to face, but if anyone can get you through them, he can." 
 
 "Thank you, Pierre," the girl said; "it is well, indeed, that 
 we should have with us one so faithful and attached as your- 
 self." 
 
 In the hours that passed before nightfall, Philip related to 
 Claire how Pierre's warnings had excited his uneasiness, and 
 how the discovery of the chalk marks on the doors had con- 
 firmed him in his conviction that some evil was intended, and 
 explained the steps they had taken for providing for an escape 
 from the city. 
 
ESCAPE 359 
 
 "I have been wondering vaguely, Philip," she said when he 
 had told the story, " how it was that you should have appeared 
 so suddenly, and should have a disguise in readiness for me. 
 But how could you have guessed that I should be ready to go 
 with you? " and for the first time a slight tinge of colour came 
 into her cheeks. 
 
 " It was scarcely a guess, Claire, it was rather a despairing 
 hope. It seemed to me that amid all this terror and confu- 
 sion I might in some way be able to rescue you, and I made 
 the only preparation that seemed possible. I knew that you 
 were aware that I loved you. When you told me of your 
 engagement I felt that you were saying farewell to me. When 
 I thought of saving you, it was for him and not for myself, for 
 I knew that you would never oppose your father's wishes. I 
 did not dream of such a general calamity as it has been; I 
 thought only of a rising of the mob of Paris, and that perhaps 
 an hour or two in disguise might be sufficient until the king's 
 troops restored order." 
 
 "It is very wonderful," Claire said earnestly; "it seems 
 beyond all doubt that it is God Himself who has thus given 
 me to you, and I will not doubt that, great as the dangers may 
 seern to be before us, He will lead us safely through them. 
 You will make for La Rochelle? " 
 
 "Yes, once there we shall be safe. You may be sure that 
 there at least the cruel orders of the king will be wholly dis- 
 regarded, as we may hope they will be in many other towns in 
 which the Huguenots are numerous; but at La Rochelle cer- 
 tainly, were all the rest of France in flames, the people would 
 remain steadfast. But I do not believe that the power of the 
 Huguenots will be broken. It may be that in the northern 
 towns the orders of the king will be carried out, but from thence 
 we have obtained no aid in our former struggles. Our strength 
 in the south will still remain, and though the loss of so many 
 leaders and nobles here in Paris will be a heavy blow, I hope 
 that the cause of the faith will speedily rally from it and make 
 head again, just as it did when all seemed lost after the battle 
 of Moncontour." 
 
 So they talked until night fell, with Pierre sitting discreetly 
 in the corner as far away as possible, apparently sleeping most 
 
360 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 of the time. As soon as it became perfectly dark the bundle 
 of clothes was taken from the hiding-place, and going outside 
 the hut Philip and Pierre put on their ordinary attire. Claire 
 had simply slipped on the dress prepared for her over her own, 
 and had but to lay it aside. After partaking of a meal they 
 made their way to the nearest steps leading to the top of the 
 wall. One end of the rope was fastened to the parapet, the 
 other was tied round Claire, and she was carefully lowered to 
 the ground. Philip and Pierre slid down the rope after her, 
 and they at once started across the country. After three hours' 
 walking they reached the farm where Pierre had left the horses. 
 They left Claire a short distance away. As Pierre had seen 
 the horses put into the stables he knew exactly where they 
 were. He had, on leaving them there, paid for a week's keep, 
 saying that he might come for them in haste, and perhaps at 
 night, and if so he would saddle and take them off without 
 waking the farmer. 
 
 The horses whinnied with pleasure when Philip spoke to 
 them. The saddles and bridles were found hanging on a beam 
 where Pierre had placed them, and in two or three minutes 
 the horses were led out ready to start. Philip had arranged 
 his cloak behind his saddle for Claire to sit upon, and led the 
 horse to the place where she was awaiting them. 
 
 "All has passed off well," he said. "No one in the farm- 
 house seems to have heard a sound." 
 
 He leapt into the saddle. Claire placed her foot on his 
 and he swung her up behind him, and they then started at a 
 brisk trot. 
 
 Avoiding all large towns, and stopping only at village inns, 
 they made their way south, making long journeys each day. 
 In the villages there was little of the religious rancour that 
 animated the people in the towns, and after the first two days 
 Philip found that the news of what had occurred at Paris had 
 not as yet spread. Eager questions were asked Pierre as to 
 the grand wedding festivities at Paris, and there was every- 
 where a feeling of satisfaction at a union that seemed to 
 promise to give peace to France. Claire was generally sup- 
 posed to be Philip's sister, and the hostesses always did their 
 best to make the girl with her pale sad face as comfortable as 
 
ESCAPE 361 
 
 possible. Fearing that a watch might have been set at the 
 bridges they avoided these, crossing either by ferry-boats or 
 at fords. The Loire was passed above Orleans, and as that 
 city, Blois, and Tours all lay on the northern bank, they met 
 with no large towns on their way until they approached Chatel- 
 lerault. They bore to the south to avoid that city and Poitiers, 
 and on the eighth day after leaving Paris they reached the 
 chateau of Laville, having travelled upwards of two hundred 
 miles. As they crossed the drawbridge Philip's four retainers 
 met them at the gate and greeted him most warmly. 
 
 "Is the countess in? " he asked as he alighted. 
 
 "She is, Monsieur Philip; she has been for some days at La 
 Rochelle and returned yesterday. There are rumours, sir, 
 that at Poitiers and Niort the Catholics have again, in spite 
 of the edicts, fallen upon the Huguenots, and though the 
 countess believes not the tale we had a guard posted at the 
 gate last night." 
 
 "I am afraid it is true, Eustace," Philip said. "Take the 
 horses round to the stables and see to them well, they have 
 travelled fast." Taking Claire's hand he led her up the 
 steps, and just as he entered the hall the countess, to whom 
 the news of his approach had been carried, met him. 
 
 "Aunt," he said, "I confide this lady to your loving care. 
 It is Mademoiselle de Valecourt, now my affianced wife. I 
 have bad news to tell you; but I pray you lead her first to a 
 chamber, for she is sore wearied and in much grief." 
 
 "Francois is not dead? " the countess exclaimed in a low 
 voice, paling to the lips. 
 
 "I trust not, aunt. I have no reason for believing that 
 he is." 
 
 "I will wait here, Philip, with the countess's permission," 
 Claire said. " It is better that you should not keep her in 
 suspense even for a moment on my account." 
 
 "I thank you, mademoiselle," the countess said as she led 
 the girl to a couch. " This is but a poor welcome that I am 
 giving you, but I will make amends for it when I have heard 
 what Philip has to tell me. Now, Philip, tell me the worst, 
 and let there be no concealment." 
 
 Philip related the whole story of the massacre, his tale being 
 
362 ST. 
 
 interrupted by frequent exclamations of horror by the coun- 
 tess. 
 
 "It seems incredible," she cried, "that a king of France 
 should thus dishonour himself alike by breaking his vows, 
 disregarding his own safe-conduct, and massacring those who 
 had accepted his hospitality. And Francois, you say, was at 
 the Louvre with the King of Navarre and Conde, and even 
 there within the walls of the royal palace some of the king's 
 guests were murdered; but more than this you know not? " 
 
 "That is the report that Pierre gathered in the street, aunt; it 
 may have been exaggerated. Everyone eagerly seized and re- 
 tailed the reports that were current. But even if true it may 
 well be that Francois is not among those who fell. To a cer- 
 tain extent he was warned, for I told him the suspicions and 
 fears that I entertained, and when he heard the tumult outside 
 he may have effected his escape." 
 
 "I do not think so," the countess said, drawing herself up 
 to her full height. "My son was one of the prince's gentle- 
 men of the chamber, and he would have been unworthy of his 
 name had he thought first of his personal safety and not of 
 that of the young king." 
 
 Philip knew that this was so, and the knowledge had from 
 the first prevented his entertaining any great hopes of his 
 cousin's safety. However he said, "as long as there was a 
 hope of his being of service to the prince I am sure that Fran- 
 cois would not have left him. But from the first, aunt, resist- 
 ance was in vain and would only have excited the assailants. 
 Pierre heard that in few cases was there any resistance what- 
 ever to the murderers. The horror of the thing was so great 
 that even the bravest, awakened thus from their sleep, either 
 fell without drawing sword or fled." 
 
 "What a day for France!" the countess exclaimed; "the 
 Admiral, our bravest soldier, our greatest leader, a Christian 
 hero, slaughtered as he lay wounded ! And how many others 
 of our noblest and best ! And you say orders have been sent 
 over all France to repeat this horrible massacre? But enough 
 for the present; I am forgetting my duties as hostess. 
 Mademoiselle de Valecourt, we are alike mourners you for 
 your noble father, I for my son, both of us for France and 
 
ESCAPE 363 
 
 for our religion. Yet I welcome you to Laville. For you 
 brighter days may be in store. My nephew is a gallant gen- 
 tleman, and with him you may find a home far away from this 
 unhappy country. To me, if Francois has gone, Philip will 
 stand almost in the light of a son. Francois loved him as a 
 brother, and he has grown very dear to me, and gladly shall I 
 welcome you as his wife. Now, come with me. Philip, I 
 leave it to you to send round the news to the tenants, and to 
 see that all preparations are made to leave the chateau once 
 again to the mercy of our foes, and to retire to La Rochelle, 
 where alone we can talk with safety. See that the bell is rung 
 at once. The tenants know the summons, and though little 
 expecting danger will quickly rally here." 
 
 Philip at once went out into the courtyard, and in a minute 
 the sharp clanging of the bell told the country round that 
 danger threatened. The retainers of the chateau ran hastily 
 out, arming themselves as they went, and exclamations of 
 horror and fury broke from them as Philip told them that the 
 order for the massacre of the Huguenots throughout France 
 had gone forth, and that already most of those who rode to 
 Paris with the King of Navarre had fallen. Then he repeated 
 the countess's order, that upon the following morning the 
 chateau should be abandoned and all should ride to La 
 Rochelle, and he despatched half a dozen mounted men to 
 warn all the Huguenot gentry in the district. 
 
 In a few minutes the tenants began to flock in. Although 
 the tale that they heard involved the destruction of their 
 newly-built houses, and the loss of most of their property, 
 this affected them but slightly in comparison with the news 
 of the murder of Coligny and of so many Huguenot leaders, 
 and of the terrible fate that would befall the Huguenots in 
 every town in France. Some wept, others clenched their 
 weapons in impotent rage, some called down the curses of 
 Heaven upon the faithless king, while some stood as if com- 
 pletely dazed at the terrible news. Philip spoke a few cheer- 
 ing words to them. 
 
 " All is not lost yet, my friends. Heaven will raise up fresh 
 leaders for us. Many may fall, but the indignation and rage 
 that you feel will likewise animate all who, dwelling in the 
 
364 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 country, may escape, so that ere long we shall have fresh 
 armies in the field. Doubtless the first blow will be struck at 
 La Rochelle, and there we will meet these murderers face to 
 face, and will have the opportunity of proving to them that 
 the men of the reformed religion are yet a force capable of 
 resisting oppression and revenging treachery. There is one 
 thing: never again shall we make the mistake of laying down 
 our arms, confiding in the promises and vows of this perjured 
 king, never again shall we be cozened into throwing away 
 the results of our victories. Gather your horses and cattle as 
 you did before. Take your household goods in carts, and at 
 daybreak send in here the waggons that you have to provide 
 in case of necessity." 
 
 At noon the next day the whole of the occupants of the 
 chateau started for La Rochelle. The tenants, with their 
 cattle and horses and all their portable property, had left at 
 daybreak, and at nightfall the countess and her party came 
 up with them. The encampment was a large one. The 
 women and children slept under the waggons, the men lay 
 down by fires they had kindled, while a portion were told off 
 to keep watch over the animals. The train had swollen con- 
 siderably since they had started. Most of the inhabitants of 
 the villages were Huguenots, and as soon as these heard of 
 the massacres in Paris and elsewhere they collected their ani- 
 mals, loaded up their carts, and took the road to the city of 
 refuge. After four days' travelling they entered La Rochelle. 
 
 The news had arrived before them, being brought by some 
 of those who had escaped the massacre by being lodged with- 
 out the walls of Paris. The countess and Claire were re- 
 ceived at the house of Monsieur Bertram. Philip found lodg- 
 ings near them, and the whole of the inhabitants vied with 
 each other in their hospitable reception of the mass of fugi- 
 tives. Claire was completely prostrated by the events through 
 which she had passed, and Monsieur Bertram's daughter de- 
 voted herself to her, tending her with unwearied care, until, 
 after a week in bed, she began again to gather strength. The 
 time of the countess was entirely occupied in filling the part 
 that had before been played by Jeanne of Navarre, holding 
 consultations with the town-councillors, going down to the 
 
ESCAPE 365 
 
 walls and encouraging the men who were labouring there, 
 and urging on the people to make every sacrifice in defence 
 of their religion and homes. She herself set the example by 
 pawning her jewels and selling her horses and devoting the 
 proceeds to the funds raised for the defence. 
 
 She worked with feverish activity, as if to give herself no 
 time for thought. She was still without news of Francois. 
 Henri of Navarre and the Prince of Conde" had, as was soon 
 known, been compelled to abjure their religion as the price 
 of their lives. She was convinced that her son would have 
 refused to buy his life upon such conditions. Philip, who 
 had come to regard Francois as a brother, was equally 
 anxious, and two days after his arrival at the city he took 
 Pierre aside. 
 
 "Pierre," he said, "I cannot rest here in ignorance of the 
 fate of my cousin." 
 
 "That I can see, master. You have eaten no food the last 
 two days. You walk about at night instead of sleeping, and 
 I have been expecting every hour that you would say to me, 
 * Pierre, we must go to Paris.' ' 
 
 "Will you go with me, Pierre? " 
 
 "How can you ask such a question?" Pierre said indig- 
 nantly. " Of course if you go I go too. There is not much 
 danger in the affair, and if there were, what then? we have 
 gone through plenty of it together. It will not be now as 
 when we made our escape. Then they were hunting down 
 the Huguenots like mad dogs. Now they think they have 
 exterminated them in Paris, and will no longer be on the 
 look-out for them, it will be easy enough to come and go 
 without being observed, and if we find Monsieur Francois we 
 will bring him out with us. The young count is not like you, 
 monsieur. He is brave, and a gallant gentleman, but he is 
 not one to invent plans of escape, and he will not get away 
 unless we go for him." 
 
 "That is what I think, Pierre. We will start at once; but 
 we must not let the countess know what we are going for. I 
 will get the chief of the council openly to charge me with a 
 mission to the south, while telling them privately where I am 
 really going, and with what object. I am known to most of 
 
366 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 them, and I doubt not they will fall in with my plans. We 
 will ride my two best horses and lead a spare one. We will 
 leave them a few miles outside Paris and then go in disguised 
 as countrymen. At any rate we shall soon be able to learn if 
 my cousin is among those who fell; if not, he must be in hid- 
 ing somewhere. It will not be easy to discover him, but I 
 trust to you to find him." 
 
 Accordingly the next day the countess heard that Philip 
 had been requested by the council to proceed on a mission to 
 the south, where the Huguenots were everywhere in arms. 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 REUNITED 
 
 DHILIP took clothes with him in his saddle-bags of gayer 
 i colours than those worn by the Huguenots, and as soon 
 as they were beyond the district where the Protestants were in 
 the ascendant, he put these on instead of those in which he 
 had started. They rode fast, and on the fifth day after leav- 
 ing La Rochelle they entered Versailles. No questions had 
 been asked them by the way, and they rode into the court- 
 yard of the principal inn, and there stabled their horses. 
 
 "Your animals look as if they needed rest, sir," the land- 
 lord said, as they dismounted. 
 
 "Yes, we have come from the south, and have pressed them 
 too much. I have business in Paris which will occupy me for 
 a few days, therefore I will leave them here for a rest. I sup- 
 pose you can furnish me with two horses to take me as far as 
 St. Cloud, and a man to bring them back again." 
 
 " Certainly I can, sir, and your horses shall be well looked 
 after here." 
 
 " Then we will go on the first thing in the morning. Have 
 the horses ready by that time." 
 
 The next morning they rode to St. Cloud, dismounted there, 
 and handed over the horses to the man who had ridden behind 
 them. Then they crossed by the bridge over the river, and 
 entering the wood that bordered the Seine, put on the dis- 
 guises they had brought with them, concealing their clothes 
 among some thick bushes, and then walked on into Paris. 
 They put up at a small inn, and as they partook of a meal, 
 
 367 
 
368 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 listened to the talk of those around them. But it was not here 
 that they could expect to gather the news they required. They 
 heard the names of many of those who had been killed, but 
 these were all leaders of distinction; and as soon as they had 
 finished their food they started for the Louvre. "I don't see 
 how we are to find out what we want, now we are here, 
 Pierre," Philip said after they had stood for some time look- 
 ing at the gate through which numbers of gentlemen entered 
 or left the palace. "It will take some little time, sir," Pierre 
 said. " I think the best plan will be for me to purchase some 
 clothes suitable for the lackey of a gentleman of rank. I can 
 get them easily enough, for the shops will be full of garments 
 bought of those who took part in the massacre. Then I shall 
 make acquaintance with one of the lackeys of the court, and 
 with plenty of good wine I shall no doubt be able to learn all 
 that he knows as to what took place at the Louvre." At that 
 moment a gentleman passed them. 
 
 " That is Count Louis de Fontaine, the cousin of the man 
 I killed in that duel. I am sure it is he. By what I saw of 
 him, he is a gentleman and a man of honour, and by no means 
 ill-disposed towards us. I will speak to him; do you stay 
 here till I return." 
 
 Pierre was about to protest, but Philip had already left him, 
 and was following the count. He waited until they were in a 
 comparatively quiet place, and then walked on and overtook 
 him. 
 
 "Count Louis de Fontaine," he said. 
 
 The nobleman turned in surprise at being addressed by 
 this big countryman. Philip went on: "Our acquaintance 
 was a short one, count. It was some four years ago at Agen 
 that I met you, and had the misfortune to have trouble with 
 your cousin, Count Raoul, but short as it was, it was sufficient 
 to show me that you were a gentleman of heart, and to en- 
 courage me now to throw myself on your generosity." 
 
 " Are you the gentleman who fought my cousin, and after- 
 wards escaped from the castle?" the count asked in surprise. 
 
 " I am, count. I am here upon no plot or conspiracy, but 
 simply to endeavour to ascertain the fate of my cousin, Fran- 
 cois de Laville, who was with the King of Navarre on that 
 
REUNITED 369 
 
 fearful night a fortnight since. His mother is distracted at 
 hearing no news of him, while to me he is as a brother. 
 I effected my own escape, and have, as you see, returned in 
 disguise to ascertain his fate. I am unable to obtain a list of 
 those who were murdered, and seeing you, I felt that it would 
 be safe to rely upon your honour, and to ask you to give me 
 the news I require. I will fall back now, for it might be 
 thought strange that a noble should be talking to a peasant, 
 but I pray you to lead the way to some quiet spot where I can 
 speak with you unnoticed." 
 
 " My lodging is in the next street. Follow me, and I will 
 take you up to my room." 
 
 As soon as they had entered the lodging the count said, 
 "You are not deceived, I am incapable of betraying a trust 
 imposed upon me. I bear you no malice for the slaying of 
 my cousin, for indeed the quarrel was not of your seeking; 
 still less do I feel hostility toward you on the ground of your 
 religion, for I doubt not from what you say, that you are of 
 the reformed faith. I lament most deeply and bitterly the 
 events that have taken place events which dishonour our 
 nation in the eyes of all Europe. I have not the pleasure of 
 knowing your name." 
 
 "I am the Chevalier Philip Fletcher, an Englishman by 
 birth, though related on my mother's side to the family of the 
 Count de Laville." 
 
 " I have heard your name, sir, as that of one of the bravest 
 gentlemen in the following of Admiral Coligny. Now, as to 
 your cousin; his fate is uncertain. He was certainly cut 
 down by the hired wretches of the Guises. They passed on 
 in search of other victims, believing him to be dead; but his 
 body was not afterwards found, and the general opinion is 
 that he either recovered and crawled away, and is still in some 
 hiding-place, or that he is concealed somewhere in the palace 
 itself. Search was made next day, but without success. 
 Some think he may have reached the streets, and been there 
 killed, and his body, like so many others, thrown into the 
 Seine. I trust that this is not the case, but I have no grounds 
 for bidding you hope." 
 
 "At any rate you have given me cause to hope, sir, and I 
 
370 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 thank you heartily. It is something to know that he is not 
 certainly dead. Can you tell me on which side of the palace 
 was his chamber ? I saw him there frequently, but did not on 
 any occasion go with him to his room." 
 
 "It was on the side facing the river; it was near that of the 
 King of Navarre." 
 
 "Thank you, count; it is but a small clue with which to 
 commence my search, but it is at least something. You say 
 that the palace itself has been searched?" 
 
 "Yes; on the following morning it was thoroughly searched 
 for fugitives in hiding, but for all that he may be concealed 
 there by some servant whose good-will he had gained. Is 
 there anything else that I can tell you ? I may say that I have 
 personally no influence whatever at court. I have never failed 
 to express myself strongly in reference to the policy of perse- 
 cution, and I am only here now in obedience to the royal 
 orders to present myself at court." 
 
 " There is nothing else, count. I thank you most sincerely 
 for having thus respected my disguise, and for the news you 
 have given me." 
 
 Philip returned to the Louvre and joined Pierre, who was 
 impatiently waiting. 
 
 " I followed you for some distance, sir, but when I saw you 
 address the count, and then follow quietly behind him, I saw 
 you were right, and that he was to be trusted, and so returned 
 to await your coming. Have you obtained any sure news from 
 him?" Philip repeated his conversation with the count. 
 
 "I will wager he is hidden somewhere in the palace," Pierre 
 said. "Badly wounded as he must have been, he could not 
 have hoped to make his escape through the streets, knowing 
 no one who would have dared to give him refuge. It is far 
 more likely that some of the palace servants came upon him 
 just as he was recovering, and hid him away. He was always 
 bright and pleasant, fond of a jest, and it may well be that 
 some woman or other took pity on him. The question is, How 
 are we to find out who she is? " 
 
 "It is as likely to be a man as a woman, Pierre." 
 
 "No," Pierre said positively. "Women are wonderfully 
 tender-hearted, and are not so afraid of consequences as men 
 
REUNITED 371 
 
 are. A man might feel some pity at seeing a gentleman so 
 sorely wounded; but he would not risk his own life to shelter 
 him, while any woman would do it without hesitation. It may 
 be a lady of noble family, or a poor kitchen wench, but that it 
 is a woman I would wager my life." 
 
 "It seems hopeless to try to find out who it is," Philip said 
 despondently. 
 
 "Not hopeless, sir, though doubtless difficult. With your 
 permission I will undertake this part of the task. I will get 
 myself up as a workman out of employment and there are 
 many such and will hang about near that little gate; it is the 
 servants' entrance, and I shall be able to watch every woman 
 that comes out." 
 
 " But what good will watching do? " 
 
 "It may do no good, sir, but yet it may help. A woman 
 with such a secret as that on her mind will surely show some 
 signs of it upon her face. She will either have a scared look 
 or an anxious look; she will not walk with an easy step." 
 
 "Well, there is something in what you say, Pierre. At any 
 rate I can think of nothing better." 
 
 The next morning Pierre took up his position opposite the 
 gate, but had no news that night to report to his master, nor 
 had he on the second or third, but on the fourth he returned 
 radiant. "Good news, master. The count is alive, and I 
 have found him." 
 
 Philip sprung from his settle and grasped his faithful fol- 
 lower by the hand. " Thank God for the news, Pierre. I had 
 almost given up hope. How did you discover him? " 
 
 "Just as I expected, sir. I have seen in the last three days 
 scores of women come out, but none of them needed a second 
 look. Some were intent on their own finery, others were 
 clearly bent on shopping. Some looked up and down the 
 street for a lover who ought to have been waiting for them. 
 Not one of these had a secret of life and death on her mind. 
 But this afternoon there came out a young woman with a pale 
 face and an anxious look. She glanced nervously up and 
 down the street, not as one expecting to meet a friend, but as 
 if she feared an enemy. After a moment's hesitation she 
 crossed the road, and walked along with an indecisive air, 
 
372 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 more than once glancing behind her as if afraid of being 
 followed. 
 
 "'This is my lady,' I said to myself, and keeping some 
 distance behind and on the opposite side of the road I fol- 
 lowed her. She soon turned off into a side street. Once or 
 twice she paused, looked into a shop, hesitated, and then went 
 on again. You may be sure I marked the spots, and was not 
 surprised to find that in each case it was an apothecary's 
 before which she had hesitated. At last, after looking round 
 again timidly, she entered one; and when I came up I also 
 went in. She gave a nervous start. I asked to be supplied 
 with a pot of salve for a wound, and the man helped me from 
 one he had just placed on the counter before him. I paid for 
 it and left. Two or three minutes later I saw her come out. 
 Whatever she had bought she had hidden it under her cloak. 
 Up to this time she had walked fast, but she now loitered 
 and looked at the wares displayed on the stalls. 
 
 "'You are in no hurry to go back,' I said to myself. 'You 
 have got what you wanted, and you do not wish to attract atten- 
 tion by returning to the palace after so short an absence.' At 
 last, when she was in a quiet spot, I walked quickly up to her. 
 'Mademoiselle,' I said, taking off my hat, 'I am a friend of 
 the gentleman for whom you have bought that salve and other 
 matters. ' She became very .white, but she said stoutly : ' I 
 don't know what you are talking about, sir; and if you molest 
 a modest young woman in the streets I shall appeal to the town 
 constables for protection.' 'I repeat,' I said, 'that I am a 
 friend of the gentleman for whom you have just bought the 
 materials for dressing his wounds. I am the servant of his 
 cousin, the Chevalier Fletcher, and the name of your patient 
 is Count Francois de Laville. ' 
 
 " She looked at me stupefied with astonishment, and stam- 
 mered: 'How do you know that?' 'It is enough, mademoi- 
 selle, that I know it,' I said. 'My master and I have come 
 to Paris expressly to find Monsieur de Laville, and when we 
 have found him to aid him to make his escape. Do not 
 hesitate to confide in me, for only so shall we succeed in the 
 object of our journey.' 'What is your master's Christian 
 name? ' she asked, still doubtful. 'It is Philip,' I said. She 
 
REUNITED 373 
 
 clasped her hands together. 'The good God be praised!' she 
 exclaimed. 'It was of Philip he spoke when he was so ill. 
 He was unconscious. Surely it is He that has sent you to me. 
 It has been terrible for me to bear my secret alone.' 'Let us 
 walk farther,' I said, 'before you tell me more. There are 
 too many people passing here; and if they notice the tears on 
 your cheeks they may suspect me of ill-treating you, and may 
 ask troublesome questions.' After a few minutes' walk we 
 came to a quiet square. 'Let us sit down on this stone seat,' 
 I said. 'We can talk freely here. Now, tell me all about it.' 
 
 '"I am one of the bed-makers of the palace, and it fell to 
 me to sweep the room occupied by the Count de Laville. 
 Once or twice he came in while I was there and spoke pleas- 
 antly; and I thought what a handsome fellow he was, and said 
 to myself what a pity it was that he was a heretic. When that 
 terrible night came we were all aroused from our sleep, and 
 many of us ran down in a fright to see what was the matter. 
 We heard shouts and cries and the clashing of swords. As I 
 passed Monsieur de Laville 's room the door was open. I 
 looked in. Three soldiers lay dead on the floor, and near 
 them the count, whom I thought was also dead. I ran to him 
 and lifted his head, and sprinkled water on his face from a 
 flagon on the table. He opened his eyes and made an effort 
 to get to his feet. I was frightened out of my life at it all, 
 and I said to him: "What does it all mean, monsieur?" 
 
 " '" It is a massacre," he said faintly. " Do you not hear the 
 firing in the streets and the din in the palace? They will 
 return and finish me. I thank you for what you ha/e done, 
 but it is useless." Then I thought for a moment. "Can 
 you walk, monsieur? " " Barely," he replied. " Lean on my 
 shoulder, monsieur," I said. "I will help you up the stairs. 
 I know of a place where you may lie concealed." With great 
 difficulty I helped him up a staircase that was but little used, and 
 got him to the top. Several times he said: "It is of no use; 
 I am wounded to death ! " but he still held on. I slept in a lit- 
 tle garret in the roof with two other servants, and at the end of 
 the passage was a large lumber-store. It was into this that I 
 took him. Nobody ever went there, and it was safe except in 
 case of special search. I laid him down and then moved some 
 
374 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 of the heavy cabinets and chests at the farther end, a short 
 distance from the wall, so that there would be space enough 
 for him to lie behind them. Here I made a bed with some 
 old cushions from the couches, got him into the place, first 
 bandaging his wounds as well as I could in the faint light that 
 came in through a dormer-window. I fetched a jug of water 
 from my room and placed it beside him, and then moved the 
 furniture so as to close up the spot at which he had entered. 
 Against it I piled up tables and chairs, so that to anyone who 
 did not examine it very closely it would seem that the heavy 
 furniture was against the wall. There he has been ever since. 
 
 "'Two or three times a day I have managed to steal away 
 from my work to carry him water and food that I brought from 
 the kitchen when we went down to our meals. For a time I 
 thought he would die; for four days he did not know me. He 
 talked much to himself, and several times he mentioned the 
 name of Philip, and called upon him to aid him against the mur- 
 derers. Fortunately he was so weak that he could not speak 
 much above a whisper, and there was no fear of his voice being 
 heard. The day after I hid him the whole palace was searched 
 to see if any Huguenots were concealed. But up in the attics 
 they searched but carelessly, seeing that we slept three or four 
 in each room, and no one could well be hidden there without 
 all knowing it. They did enter the lumber-room. But I had 
 carefully washed the floor where he had lain, and as I could 
 not get out the stains of blood I pushed some heavy chests 
 over them. I was in my room when they searched the lumber- 
 room, and my heart stood still until I heard them come out 
 and knew that they had found nothing. 
 
 "'For the last ten days the count has gained strength; his 
 wounds are still very sore and painful, but they are beginning 
 to heal. I have bought wine for him, and can always manage 
 to conceal enough food from the table to suffice for his wants. 
 He can walk now, though feebly, and spoke to me but to-day 
 about making his escape. It would be easy enough to get him 
 out of the palace if I had a lackey's attire for him. I could 
 lead him down private staircases till near the door from which 
 we come out of the palace. But I had little money, for I had 
 sent off most of my wages to my mother only a day or two 
 
REUNITED 375 
 
 before the royal wedding. Still we might have managed that; 
 I could have borrowed some on some pretence or other. He 
 is however too weak to travel, and the effort to do so might 
 cause his wounds to burst out afresh; but now that his cousin 
 has come all will be well. ' 
 
 "'Where is he wounded? ' I asked. 
 
 "'He has four wounds: one is on the head, another on the 
 neck, one is a stab in the body, that must have narrowly 
 missed his heart; and the other is a sword-thrust through his 
 arm. But how, monsieur, did you know,' she asked, 'that it 
 is I who have hidden the count? ' I told her that I had been 
 watching for four days, feeling sure that the count was hidden 
 in the palace ; but hers was the -first face that showed anxiety, 
 and that when I saw her buying salve at the apothecary's I felt 
 sure that it was she who was sheltering the count." 
 
 "And have you arranged anything, Pierre?" Philip asked 
 anxiously. 
 
 " Only this much, sir, that to-morrow evening, as soon as it 
 is dark, she will leave the palace with Monsieur Francois. 
 That will give us plenty of time to make our plans, which will 
 be easy enough. We have but to take an apartment and bring 
 him up into it. No one need know that there are more than 
 ourselves there, and we can nurse him for a few days until he 
 is fit to ride. Then we have only to get him a disguise like 
 that in which we entered. We can hide him in the wood, go 
 on to where we hid our clothes, put them on instead of our 
 disguises, enter St. Cloud, go on to Versailles, fetch the three 
 horses, and return to him with, of course, a suit of clothes 
 for himself." 
 
 There was no difficulty in hiring two rooms in a quiet street. 
 Suits of clothes suitable for a court lackey were purchased, and 
 these were given by Pierre to the girl when she came out in 
 the afternoon. Philip had accompanied Pierre to meet her. 
 
 "My good girl," he said, "I cannot tell you how deeply I 
 feel the kindness that you have shown my cousin. You have 
 risked your life to save him; and that, I am sure, without the 
 smallest thought of reward. Still so good an action must not 
 pass without acknowledgment, though no money can express 
 the amount of our gratitude to you." 
 
376 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 "I do not want to be paid, sir," she said. "I had no 
 thought of money." 
 
 "I know that," Philip replied; "but you must allow us to 
 show our gratitude in the only way we can. In the first place, 
 what is your name? " 
 
 "Annette Riolt, sir." 
 
 " Well, Annette, here are fifty crowns in this purse. It is 
 all that I can spare at present; but be assured the Countess de 
 Laville will send you, at the first opportunity, a sum that will 
 be a good dot for you when you find a husband. If the mes- 
 senger by whom it is sent asks for you by your name at the 
 door of the palace by which you usually leave it, will he obtain 
 access to you?" 
 
 "Yes, sir. The porter at the door knows me; and if he 
 should be changed, whoever is there will inquire of the maids, 
 if he asks for Annette Riolt, one of the chamber-women in the 
 north wing of the palace." 
 
 " Very well, Annette. You may rely that a messenger will 
 come. I cannot say how soon; that must depend on other 
 circumstances. Where do you come from? " 
 
 "From Poitiers, sir; my parents live on a little farm called 
 La Machoir, two miles north of the city." 
 
 "Then, Annette, the best thing for you to do is to leave 
 your present employment and to journey down home. It will 
 be easy to send from La Rochelle to Poitiers, and unless the 
 place is besieged, as it is likely to be before long, you will 
 soon hear from us. Probably the messenger will have visited 
 the farm before you reach it." 
 
 " I will do that, sir," the girl said gratefully. " I never liked 
 this life, and since that terrible night I have scarcely had any 
 sleep. I seem to hear noises and cries just as they say the 
 king does, and shall be indeed glad to be away. But I cannot 
 come out with the count this evening. We only get out once 
 in five days, and it was only as a special favour I have been 
 let out now. I will come with him to the door talking with 
 him as if he were a lackey of my acquaintance." 
 
 At the hour agreed upon Philip and Pierre, stationed a few 
 yards from the door, saw a man and woman appear. The girl 
 made some laughing remark and then went back into the 
 
REUNITED 37 r 
 
 palace. The man came out. He made two quick steps and 
 then stumbled, and Philip ran forward and grasped him firmly 
 under the arm. 
 
 "You were just in time, Philip," Francois said with a feeble 
 laugh, "another step and I should have been down. I am 
 weaker than I thought I was, and the fresh air is well-nigh too 
 much for me. I have had a close shave of it, Philip, and have 
 been nearer death in that attic up there than I ever was on a 
 field of battle. What a good little woman that was ! I owe 
 my life to her. It is good of you coming here to find me, old 
 fellow, you are always getting me out of scrapes. You remem- 
 ber that affair at Toulouse. Thank you, Pierre, but mind, 
 that arm you have got hold of is the weak one. Now, how far 
 have we got to go, Philip ? for I warn you I am nearly at the 
 end of my strength." 
 
 "We will get into a quiet street first, Francois, and there 
 you shall have a drink from a flask of excellent wine I have 
 here, then we will help you along. You can lean as heavily as 
 you like upon us, you are no great weight now; and anyone 
 who notices us helping you will suppose that we are conveying 
 a drunken comrade to his home." 
 
 But in spite of all the assistance they could give him Fran- 
 cois was terribly exhausted when he reached the lodging. 
 Here Philip and Pierre bandaged his wounds far more securely 
 and firmly than his nurse had been able to do, and the next 
 morning when he awoke he declared himself ready to start at 
 once. It was a week, however, before Philip would hear of 
 his making such an effort; but by that time good eating and 
 drinking had done so much for him that he thought he would 
 be able to stand the fatigue of the journey, and the next morn- 
 ing they started. Disguised as peasants they passed out 
 through the gates unquestioned. Francois was left in the 
 wood with the clothes they had purchased for him. The 
 others then went on and found their bundles undisturbed, 
 obtained their three horses at Versailles, and riding back soon 
 had Francois mounted. The wound on his head was so far 
 healed that it was no longer necessary to bandage it, and 
 although he looked pale and weak there was nothing about 
 him to attract special notice. They journeyed by easy stages 
 
378 
 
 south, lengthening the distances gradually as Francois gained 
 strength, aoid riding fast towards the end so as to reach La 
 Rochelle before an army under Marshal Biron sat down before 
 it. It was evening when they arrived, and after putting up 
 their horses they made their way to Monsieur Bertram's. 
 Philip mounted the stairs, leaving Frangois to follow him 
 slowly. 
 
 " I shall not take more than two or three minutes to break 
 the news, but I must prepare your mother a little, Francois. 
 She has not said much, but I know she had but little hope 
 though she bore up so bravely." 
 
 The countess was sitting with Claire and the merchant's 
 daughter. It was the first time Philip had seen Mademoiselle 
 de Valecourt since they first arrived at La Rochelle. She was 
 dressed now in deep mourning. A flush of bright colour 
 spread over her face as Philip entered. As in duty bound he 
 turned first to the countess and saluted her affectionately, and 
 then turned to Claire and would have kissed her hand, but the 
 countess said, "Tut, tut, Philip, that is not the way to salute 
 your betrothed; " and Philip, drawing her to him, kissed her 
 for the first time since they had betrothed themselves to each 
 other in the hut in Paris, and then saluted Mademoiselle 
 Bertram. 
 
 " We have been under no uneasiness respecting you, Philip, " 
 the countess said; "for Claire and myself both look upon you 
 as having a charmed life. Has your mission been successful ? " 
 
 " It has, aunt, beyond my hopes. And first I must ask your 
 pardon for having deceived you." 
 
 " Deceived me, Philip ! In what way ? " 
 
 "My mission was an assumed one," Philip said; "and in 
 reality Pierre and I journeyed to Paris." 
 
 A cry broke from the countess's lips. 
 
 "To Paris, Philip ! And your mission has been successful? 
 You have heard something?" 
 
 "I have done more, aunt, I have found him." 
 
 "The Lord be praised for all His mercies ! " burst from the 
 lips of the countess, and she threw herself on Philip's neck 
 and burst into a passion of tears, the first she had shed since 
 he brought the news from Paris. 
 
REUNITED 379 
 
 "Courage, aunt," Philip whispered. He glanced towards 
 the door; Claire understood him and ran to open it. Fran- 
 cois came quietly in. 
 
 "Mother," he said, and the countess, with a cry of joy, ran 
 into his arms. 
 
 The French army appeared before the town on the follow- 
 ing day, and the siege was at once commenced. With Mar- 
 shal Biron were the dukes of Anjou and Alencon, the King of 
 Navarre, and the Prince of Conde", who had been compelled 
 to accompany him. The siege made little progress. The 
 defences were strong, and the Huguenots were not con- 
 tent only to repel assaults, but made fierce sallies, causing a 
 considerable loss to the besiegers. To the surprise of the 
 defenders they heard that the Count de la Noiie had arrived 
 in camp with a mission from the king. He had remained a 
 captive in the camp of the Duke of Alva after the surrender 
 of Mons, and so had happily escaped the massacre of St. Bar- 
 tholomew. He had then been released, and had gone to 
 France to arrange his ransom. The king, who was now tor- 
 mented with remorse, sent for him and entreated him as a 
 personal favour to go as his Commissioner to La Rochelle, 
 and to endeavour to bring about a cessation of hostilities, 
 authorizing him to grant almost any terms. 
 
 De la Noiie undertook the task unwillingly, and only upon 
 condition that he would be no party to inducing them to sur- 
 render unless perfectly satisfied with the guarantees for the 
 observance of any treaty that might be made. When a flag of 
 truce came forward and announced that Monsieur de la Noiie 
 had arrived on the part of the king, the news was at first re- 
 ceived with incredulity. Then there was a burst of indigna- 
 tion at what was considered the treachery of the count. He 
 was refused permission to enter the town, but after some par- 
 leying a party went out to have an interview with him out- 
 side the gate. The meeting was unsatisfactory; some of the 
 citizens pretended that they did not recognize De la Noiie, 
 saying that the person they knew was a brave gentleman, 
 faithful to his religion, and one who certainly would not be 
 found in ti Catholic camp. 
 
380 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 A few days later, however, the negotiations were renewed. 
 The count pointed out that they could not hope finally to re- 
 sist the whole force of France, and that it would be far better 
 for them to make terms now than when in an extremity. But 
 he was able to give no guarantees that were considered accept- 
 able by the citizens. De la Node's position was exceedingly 
 difficult. But at last the citizens perceived that he was still 
 loyal to the cause; and as he had beforehand received the 
 king's authority to accept the governorship of the town, the 
 people of La Rochelle agreed to receive him in that position, 
 provided that no troops entered with him. 
 
 The negotiations fell through and the siege was renewed with 
 vigour, De la Nolle now taking the lead in the defence, his 
 military experience being of immense assistance. Very many 
 of the nobles and gentlemen in the Catholic army were present 
 as a matter of duty; they fought with the usual gallantry of 
 their race, but for the most part abhorred the massacre of St. 
 Bartholomew, and were as strongly of opinion as were the 
 Huguenots of France and the Protestants throughout Europe 
 that it was an indelible disgrace upon France. Their feeling 
 was shown in many ways. Among others, Maurevel, the mur- 
 derer of De Mouy, and the man who had attempted the assas- 
 sination of the Admiral, having accompanied the Duke of 
 Anjou to the camp, no one would associate with him or suffer 
 him to encamp near, or even go on guard with him into the 
 trenches, and the duke was in consequence obliged to appoint 
 him to the command of a small fort which was erected on the 
 sea-shore. 
 
 Incessant fighting went on, but the position was a singular 
 one. The Duke of Alencon had been an unwilling spectator 
 of the massacre of St. Bartholomew. He was jealous of Anjou, 
 and restless and discontented, and he contemplated going 
 over to the Huguenots. The King of Navarre and his cousin 
 Conde", and the Huguenot gentlemen with him, were equally 
 anxious to leave the camp, where they were closely watched; 
 and De la Noiie, while conducting the defence, occasionally 
 visited the royal camp and endeavoured to bring about a 
 reconciliation. 
 
 He was much rejoiced on his first arrival at the city to find 
 
REUNITED 381 
 
 both Francois and Philip there, for he had believed that both 
 had fallen in the massacre. He took great interest in Philip's 
 love affair, and made inquiries in the royal camp, where he 
 learned that Mademoiselle de Valecourt was supposed to have 
 perished with her father in the massacre, and that the estates 
 had already been bestowed by the king on one of his favourites. 
 
 "I should say that if our cause should finally triumph a 
 portion at least of her estates will be restored to her; but in 
 that case the king would certainly claim to dispose of her 
 hand." 
 
 "I care nothing for the estates, nor does she," Philip said. 
 " She will go with me to England as soon as the fighting here 
 is over, and if things look hopeless we shall embark and en- 
 deavour to break through the blockade by the king's ships. 
 Even had she the estates she would not remain in France, 
 which has become hateful to her. She is now fully restored to 
 health, and we shall shortly be married." 
 
 When De la Noiie next went out to the French camp he 
 sent a despatch to the king saying that Mademoiselle de Vale- 
 court had escaped the massacre and was in La Rochelle. He 
 pointed out that as long as she lived the Huguenots would, 
 if at any time they became strong enough to make terms, in- 
 sist upon the restoration of her estates, as well as those of 
 others that had been confiscated. He said that he had had an 
 interview with her, and had learned that she intended, if a 
 proper provision should be secured for her, to retire to Eng- 
 land. He therefore prayed his majesty, as a favour to him 
 and as an act of justice, to require the nobleman to whom he 
 had granted the estates to pay her a handsome sum, when 
 she would make a formal renunciation of the estates in his 
 favour. 
 
 A month later he received the royal answer, saying that the 
 king had graciously taken the case of Mademoiselle de Vale- 
 court into his consideration, that he had spoken to the noble- 
 man to whom he had granted her estate, and to the Duke of 
 Guise, whose near relative he was, and that these noblemen 
 had placed in his hands the sum of ten thousand livres, for 
 which was enclosed an order payable by the treasury of the 
 army upon the signatures of M. de la Noiie and Mdlle. de 
 
382 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 Valecourt, and upon the handing over of the document of 
 renunciation signed by her. 
 
 M. de la Noiie had told Philip nothing of these negotia- 
 tions, but having obtained from Claire the necessary signature, 
 he, one evening, on his return from the royal camp, came 
 into the room where they were sitting, followed by two ser- 
 vants carrying small, but heavy bags. 
 
 "Mademoiselle," he said, when the servants had placed 
 these on the table and retired, " I have pleasure in handing 
 you these. Philip, Mademoiselle de Valecourt will not come 
 to you as a dowerless bride, which indeed would be a shame 
 for a daughter of so old and noble a family. Mademoiselle 
 has signed a formal renunciation of her rights to the estates 
 of her late father, and by some slight good offices on my part 
 his majesty has obtained for her from the man to whom he 
 has granted the estates of Valecourt the sum of ten thousand 
 livres a poor fraction indeed of the estates she should have 
 inherited, and yet a considerable sum in itself. 
 
 A week later Sir Philip Fletcher and Claire de Valecourt 
 were married in the principal church of La Rochelle. The 
 Count de la Noiie, as a friend and companion-in-arms of her 
 father, gave her away, and all the Huguenot noblemen and 
 gentlemen in the town were present. Three weeks later a 
 great assault upon the bastion of L'Evangile having been 
 repulsed, the siege languished, the besieging army having 
 suffered greatly both from death in the trenches and assaults, 
 and by the attacks of fever. The Count of Montgomery 
 arrived from England with some reinforcements. De la Noiie 
 resigned to him the governorship and left the city. The 
 Prince of Anjou shortly afterwards received the crown of 
 Poland, and left the camp with a number of nobles to proceed 
 to his new kingdom, and the army became so weakened that 
 the siege was practically discontinued, and the blockading 
 fleet being withdrawn Philip and his wife took passage in a 
 ship for England, Pierre accompanying them. 
 
 "I may come some day with Francois, Philip," the countess 
 said, " but not till I see that the cause is altogether lost. Still 
 I have faith that we shall win tolerance. They say that the 
 king is mad. Anjou has gone to Poland. Alencon is still 
 
REUNITED 383 
 
 unmarried. I believe that it is God's will that Henri of 
 Navarre should come to the throne of France, and if so, there 
 will be peace and toleration in France. So long as a Hugue- 
 not sword is unsheathed I shall remain here." 
 
 Philip had written to acquaint his father and mother of his 
 marriage and his intention to return with his wife as soon as 
 the siege was over. There was therefore but little surprise, 
 although great joy, when he arrived. He had sent off Pierre 
 on horseback as soon as the ship dropped anchor at Graves- 
 end, and followed more leisurely himself. They were met a 
 few miles out of Canterbury by a messenger from his uncle 
 telling them to ride straight to his new estate, where he would 
 be met by his mother and father, the latter of whom had 
 started the day before in a Iftter for the house, and that his 
 uncle and aunt would also be there. 
 
 Upon Philip and Claire's arrival they were received with 
 much rejoicing. Monsieur Vaillant had sent round messen- 
 gers to all the tenantry to assemble, and had taken over a 
 number of his workmen, who had decorated the avenue lead- 
 ing to the house with flags, and thrown several arches across it. 
 
 "It is a small place in comparison to Valecourt, Claire," 
 Philip said as they drove up to the house. 
 
 " It is a fine chateau, Philip ; but now that I have you it 
 would not matter to me were it but a hut. And oh, what hap- 
 piness to think that we have done with persecution and terror 
 and war, and that I may worship God freely and openly ! He 
 has been good to me indeed, and if I were not perfectly happy 
 I should be the most ungrateful of women." 
 
 Claire's dowry was spent in emaiging the estate, and Philip 
 became one of the largest landowners in the county. He went 
 no more to the wars, save that, when the Spanish armada 
 threatened the religion and freedom of England, he embarked 
 as a volunteer in one of Drake's ships, and took part in the 
 fierce fighting that freed England for ever from the yoke of 
 Rome, and in no small degree aided both in securing the 
 independence of Protestant Holland, and of seating Henri of 
 Navarre firmly upon the throne of France. Save to pay two 
 or three visits to Philip and her sisters, the Countess de 
 Laville and her son did not come to England. Francis 
 
384 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 fought at Ivry and the many other battles that took place be- 
 fore Henri of Navarre became undisputed King of France, 
 and then became one of the leading nobles of his court. 
 
 Philip settled a small pension on the four men-at-arms who 
 had followed his fortunes and shared his perils, and they re- 
 turned to their native Gascony, where they settled down, two 
 being no longer fit for service, and the others having had 
 enough fighting for a lifetime. 
 
 The countess had, soon after Francois returned to La 
 Rochelle, sent a sum of money to the girl who had saved his 
 life, that sufficed to make her the wealthiest heiress in her 
 native village in Poitou, and she married a well-to-do farmer, 
 the countess herself standing as godmother to their first child, 
 to their immeasurable pride and gratification. 
 
 Pierre remained to the end of his life in Philip's service, 
 taking to himself an English wife, and being a great favourite 
 with the children of Philip and Claire, who were never tired 
 of listening to the adventures he had gone through with their 
 father and mother in the religious wars in France. 
 
 THE END. 
 
"Wherever English is spoken one imagines that Mr. Henty's 
 name is known. One cannot enter a schoolroom or look at a 
 boy's bookshelf without seeing half-a-dozen of his familiar 
 volumes. Mr. Henty is no doubt the most successful writer 
 for boys, and the one to whose new volumes they look forward 
 every Christmas with most pleasure." Review of Reviews. 
 
 A LIST OF BOOKS 
 FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 By 
 
 G* A. HENTY, 
 
 KIRK MUNROE, JAMES TOflTCOMB RILEY, 
 ERNEST THOMPSON SETON, and Others 
 
 Published by 
 
 CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 
 
 t53 to J57 Fifth Avenue 
 New York 
 
A LIST OF BOOKS 
 
 FOR 
 
 YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 By G. A. HENTY 
 
 BY CONDUCT AND COURAGE 
 
 A Story of Nelson's Days. Illustrated. $1.20 net (postage, 16c.). 
 
 This, the last of the celebrated Henty Books ever to be published, is a 
 rattling story of the battle and the breeze in the glorious days of Parker 
 and Nelson. The hero is brought up in a Yorkshire fishing village, and 
 enters the navy as a ship's boy. 
 
 In the course of a few months after joining he so distinguishes him- 
 self in action with French ships and Moorish pirates that he is raised to 
 the dignity of midshipman. His ship is afterward sent to the West 
 Indies. Here his services attract the attention of the Admiral, who 
 gives him command of a small cutter. In this vessel he cruises about 
 among the islands, chasing and capturing pirates, and even attacking 
 their strongholds. He is a born leader of men, and his pluck, foresight, 
 and resource win him success where men of greater experience might 
 have failed. He is several times taken prisoner : by mutinous negroes in 
 Cuba, by Moorish pirates who carry him as a slave to Algiers, and finally 
 by the French. In this last case he escapes in time to take part in tha 
 battles of Cape St. Vincent and Camperdown. His adventures include a 
 thrilling experience in Corsica with no less a companion than Nelson 
 himself. 
 
 WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 
 
 A Tale of the Relief of the Legations. Illustrated by WAL PAGET. 
 
 $1.20 net. 
 
 In this book the writer re-tells the story of the Siege of Pekin in a way 
 that is sure to grip the interest of his young readers. The experience of 
 Rex Bateman, the son of an English merchant at Tientsin, and of his 
 cousins, two girls whom Rex rescues from the Boxers just after the first 
 outbreak, offer a variety of heroic incident sufficient to fire the loyalty of 
 the most indifferent lad. 
 
 THROUGH THREE CAMPAIGNS 
 
 A Story of Chitral, Tirah, and Ashanti. Illustrated by WAL PAGET. 
 
 $1.20 net. 
 
 The exciting story of a boy's adventures in the British Army. Lisle 
 Bullen, left an orphan, is to be sent home by the colonel of the regiment 
 on the eve of the Chitral campaign. The boy's patriotism compels him, 
 instead, to secretly join the regiment. He early distinguishes himself 
 for conspicuous bravery. His disguise is discovered and his promotions 
 follow rapidly. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY C. A. HENTY 
 
 Among writers of stories of adventures for boys Mr. Henty standa 
 In the very first rank." Academy (London). 
 
 THE TREASURE OF THE INCAS 
 
 A Tale of Adventure in Peru. "With 8 full-page Illustrations 
 by WAII PAGET, and Map. $1.20 net. 
 
 Peru and the hidden treasures of her ancient kings offer Mr. Henty a 
 most fertile field for a stirring story of adventure in his most engaging 
 style. In an effort to win th"e girl of his heart, the hero penetrates into 
 the wilds of the land of the Incas. Boys who have learned to look for 
 Mr. Henty's books will follow his new hero in his adventurous and 
 romantic expedition with absorbing interest. It is one of the most cap- 
 tivating tales Mr. Henty has yet written. 
 
 WITH KITCHENER IN THE SOUDAN 
 
 A Story of Atbara and Omdurman. With 10 full-page Illus- 
 trations. $1.20 net. 
 
 Mr. Henty has never combined history and thrilling adventure more 
 skillfully than in this extremely interesting story. It is not in boy nat- 
 ure to lay it aside unfinished, once begun ; and finished, the reader finds 
 himself in possession, not only of the facts and the true atmosphere of 
 Kitchener's famous Soudan campaign, but of the Gordon tragedy which 
 preceded it by so many years and of which it was the outcome. 
 
 WITH THE BRITISH LEGION 
 
 A Story of the Carlist Uprising of 1836. Illustrated. $1.20 
 
 net. 
 
 Arthur Hallet, a young English boy, finds himself in difficulty at 
 home, through certain harmless school escapades, and enlists in the 
 famous "British Legion," which was then embarking for Spain to take 
 part in the campaign to repress the Carlist uprising of 1886. Arthur 
 shows his mettle in the first fight, distinguishes himself by daring work 
 in carrying an important dispatch to Madrid, makes a dashing and 
 thrilling rescue of the sister of his patron, and is rapidly promoted to the 
 rank of captain. In following the adventures of the hero the reader ob- 
 tains, as is usual with Mr. Henty's stories, a most accurate and interest* 
 ing history of a picturesque campaign. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 STORIES BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 " His books have at once the solidity of history and the charm of 
 romance. " '-Journal of Education. 
 
 TO HERAT AND CABUL 
 
 A Story of the First Afghan War. By G. A. HENTY. With 
 Illustrations. 12mo, $1.20 net. 
 
 The greatest defeat ever experienced by the British Army was that 
 in the Mountain Passes of Afghanistan. Angus Cameron, the hero of 
 this book, having been captured by the friendly Afghans, was com- 
 pelled to be a witness of the calamity. His whole story is an intensely 
 interesting one, from his boyhood in Persia; his employment under the 
 Government at Herat; through the defense of that town against the 
 Persians; to Cabul, where he shared in all the events which ended in 
 the awful march through the Passes from which but one man escaped. 
 Angus is always at the point of danger, and whether in battle or in 
 hazardous expeditions shows how much a brave youth, full of 
 resources, can do, even with so treacherous a foe. His dangers and 
 adventures are thrilling, and his escapes marvellous. 
 
 WITH ROBERTS TO PRETORIA 
 
 A Tale of the South African War. By G. A HENTY. With 1% 
 Illustrations. $1.20 net. 
 
 The Boer War gives Mr. Henty an unexcelled opportunity for a 
 thrilling story of present-day interest which the author could not fail to 
 take advantage of. Every boy reader will find this account of the ad- 
 ventures of the young hero most exciting, and, at the same time a 
 wonderfully accurate description of Lord Koberts's campaign to Preto- 
 ria. Boys have found history in the dress Mr. Henty gives it anything 
 but dull, and the present book is no exception to the rule. 
 
 AT THE POINT OF THE BAYONET 
 
 A Tale of the Mahratta War. By G. A. HENTY. Illustrated. 
 12mo, $1.20 net. 
 
 One hundred years ago the rule of the British in India was only partly 
 established. The powerful Mahrattas were unsubdued, and with their 
 skill in intrigue, and great military power, they were exceedingly dan 
 gerous. The story of "At the Point of the Bayonet" begins with 
 the attempt to conquer this powerful people. Harry Lindsay, an 
 infant when his father and mother were killed, was saved by his 
 Mahratta ayah, who carried him to her own people and brought him 
 up as a native. She taught him as best she could, and, having told him 
 his pareatage, sent him to Bombay to be educated. At sixteen he ob- 
 tained a conmission in the English Army, and his knowledge of the 
 Mahratta tougue combined with his ability and bravery enabled him to 
 render great service in the Mahratta War, and carried him, through 
 many frightful perils by land and sea, to high rank. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUJVG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 " Mr. Henty might with entire propriety be called the boys' Sir 
 Walter Scott." Philadelphia Press. 
 
 IN THE IRISH BRIGADE 
 
 A Tale of War in Flanders and Spain. With 12 Illustrations by 
 CHARLES M. SHELDON. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 Desmond Kennedy is a young Irish lad who left Ireland to join the 
 Irish Brigade in the service of Louis XIV. of France. In Paris he in- 
 curred the deadly hatred of a powerful courtier from whom he had 
 rescued a young girl who had been kidnapped, and his perils are of ab- 
 sorbing interest. Captured in an attempted Jacobite invasion of Scot- 
 land, he escaped in a most extraordinary manner. As aid-de-camp 
 to the Duke of Berwick he experienced thrilling adventures in Flan- 
 ders. Transferred to the Army in Spain, he was nearly assassinated,but 
 escaped to return, when peace was declared, to his native land, having 
 received pardon and having recovered his estates. The story is filled 
 with adventure, and the interest never abates. 
 
 OUT WITH GARIBALDI 
 
 A Story of the Liberation of Italy. By G. A. HENTY. With 
 8 Illustrations by W. RAINEY, R.I. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 Garibaldi himself is the central figure of this brilliant story, and the 
 little-known history of the struggle for Italian freedom is told here in 
 the most thrilling way. From the time the hero, a young lad, son of 
 an English father and an Italian mother, joins Garibaldi's band of 
 1,000 men in the first descent upon Sicily, which was garrisoned by one 
 of the large Neapolitan armies, until the end, when all those armies 
 are beaten, and the two Sicilys are conquered, we folio ar with the 
 keenest interest the exciting adventures of the lad in scouting, in 
 battle, and in freeing those in prison for liberty's sake. 
 
 WITH BULLER IN NATAL 
 
 Or, A Born Leader. By G. A. HENTY. With 10 Illustrations 
 by W. RAINEY. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The breaking out of the Boer War compelled Chris King, the hero 
 of the story, to flee with his mother from Johannesburg to the sea 
 coast. They were with many other Uitlanders, and all suffered much 
 from the Boers. Reaching a place of safety for their families, Chris 
 and twenty of his friends formed an independent company of scouts. In 
 this service they were with Gen. Yule at Glencoe, then in Ladysmith, 
 then with Buller. In each place they had many thrilling adventures. 
 They were in great battles and in lonely fights on the Veldt ; were 
 taken prisoners and escaped; and they rendered most valuable service 
 to the English forces. The story is a most interesting picture of the 
 War in South Africa. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY Q. A. HENTY 
 
 " Surely Mr. Henty should understand boys' tastes better than any 
 man living." The Times. 
 
 WON BY THE SWORD 
 
 A Tale of the Thirty Years' War. With 12 Illustrations by 
 CHARLES M. SHELDON, and four Plans. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The scene of this story is Hid in "France, during t.be time of Richelieu, 
 of Mazarin and Anne of Austria. The hero, Hector Campbell, is the 
 orphaned son of a Scotch officer in the French Array. How he at- 
 tracted the notice of Marshal Turenne and of the Prince of Conde ; 
 how he rose to the rank of Colonel ; how he finally had to leave France, 
 pursued by the deadly hatred of the Due de Beaufort all these and 
 much more the story tells with the most absorbing interest. 
 
 A ROVING COMMISSION 
 
 Or, Through the Black Insurrection at Hayti. With 12 Illus- 
 trations by WILLIAM RAINEY. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 This is one of the most brilliant of Mr. Henty's books. A story of 
 the sea, with all its life and action, it is also full of thrilling: adven- 
 tures on land. So it holds the keenest interest until the end. The 
 scene is a new one to Mr. Henty's readers, being laid at the time of the 
 Great Revolt of the Blacks, by which Hayti became independent. 
 Toussaint 1'Overture appears, and an admirable picture is given of him 
 and of his power. 
 
 NO SURRENDER 
 
 The Story of the Revolt in La Vendee. With 8 Illustrations 
 by STANLEY L. WOOD. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The revolt of La Vendee against the French Republic at the time of 
 the Revolution forms the groundwork of this absorbing story. Leigh 
 Stansfield, a young English lad, is drawn into the thickest of the con- 
 flict. Forming a company of boys as scouts for the Vende"an Army, 
 he greatly aids the peasants. He rescues his sister from the guillotine, 
 and finally, after many thrilling experiences, when the cause of La 
 Vende'e is lost, he escapes to England. 
 
 UNDER WELLINGTON'S COMMAND 
 A Tale of the Peninsular War. With 12 Illustrations by WAL 
 PAGET. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The dashing hero of this took, Terence O'Connor, was the hero of 
 Mr. Henty's previous book, " With Moore at Corunna," to which this 
 is really a sequel. He is still at the head of the " Minho " Portuguese 
 regiment. Being detached on independent and guerilla duty with his 
 regiment, he renders invaluable service in gaining information and in 
 harassing the French. His command, being constantly on the edge of 
 the army, is engaged, in frequent skirmishes and some most important 
 battles. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY Q. A. HENTY 
 
 "Mr. Henty ia the king of story-tellers for boys." Sword and Trowel. 
 
 AT ABOUKIR AND ACRE 
 
 A Story of Napoleon's Invasion of Egypt. With 8 full-page 
 Illustrations by WILLIAM RAINEY, and 3 Plans. 12mo, 
 
 $1.50. 
 
 The hero, having saved the life of the eon of an Arab chief, is taken 
 Into the tribe, has a part in the battle of the Pyramids and the revolt 
 at Cairo. He is an eye-witness of the famous naval battle of Aboukir, 
 and later is in the hardest of the defense of Acre. 
 
 BOTH SIDES THE BORDER 
 
 A Tale of Hotspur and Glendower. With 12 full-page Illus- 
 trations by RALPH PEACOCK. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 This is a brilliant story of the stirring times of the beginning of the 
 "Wars of the Roses, when the Scotch, under Douglas, and the Welsh, 
 under Owen Glendower, were attacking the English. The hero of the 
 book lived near the Scotch border, and saw many a hard fight there. 
 Entering the service of Lord Percy, he was sent to Wales, where he 
 was knighted, and where he wag captured. Being released, he returned 
 home, and shared in the fatal battle of Shrewsbury. 
 
 WITH FREDERICK THE GREAT 
 
 A Tale of the Seven Years' War. With 12 f ull-page Illustra- 
 tions. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The hero of this story while still a youth entered the service of 
 Frederick the Great, and by a succession of fortunate circumstances 
 and perilous adventures, rose to the rank of colonel. Attached to the 
 staff of the king, he rendered distinguished services in many battles, in 
 one of which he saved the king's life. Twice captured and imprisoned, 
 he both times escaped from the Austrian fortresses. 
 
 A MARCH ON LONDON 
 
 A Story of Wat Tyler's Rising. With 8 full-page Illustra- 
 tions by W. H. MARGETSON. 12mo, $1.50. 
 
 The story of Wat Tyler's Rebellion is but little known, but the hero 
 of this story passes through that perilous time and takes part in the 
 civil war in Flanders which followed soon after. Although young he 
 is thrown into many exciting and dangerous adventures, through which 
 he passes with great coolness and much credit. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 "No country nor epoch of history is there which Mr. Hentydoes not 
 know, and what is really remarkable is that he always writes well and 
 interestingly." JVfew York Times. 
 
 WITH MOORE AT CORUNNA 
 
 A Story of the Peninsular War. With 12 full-page Illustra- 
 tions by WAL PAGET. 13mo, $1.50. 
 
 Terence O'Connor is living with his widowed father, Captain O'Con- 
 nor of the Mayo Fusiliers, with the regiment at the time when the 
 Peninsular war began. Upon the regiment being ordered to Spain, 
 Terence gets appointed as aid to one of the generals of a division. By 
 his bravery and great usefulness throughout the war, he is rewarded 
 by a commission as colonel in the Portuguese army and there rendered 
 great service. 
 
 AT AGINCOURT 
 
 A Tale of the White Hoods of Paris. With 12 full-page 
 Illustrations by WALTER PAGET. Crown 8vo, olivine 
 edges, $1.50. 
 
 The story begins in a grim feudal castle in Normandie. The times 
 were troublous, and soon the king compelled Lady Margaret de Villeroy 
 with her children to go to Paris as hostages. Guy Aylmer went with 
 her. Paris was turbulent. Soon the guild of the butchers, adopting 
 white hoods as their uniform, seized the city, and besieged the house 
 where our hero and his charges lived. After desperate fighting, the 
 white hoods were beaten and our hero and his charges escaped from 
 the city, and from France. 
 
 WITH COCHRANE THE DAUNTLESS 
 
 A Tale of the Exploits of Lord Cochrane in South American 
 Waters. With 12 full-page Illustrations by W. H. 
 MARGETSON. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero of this story accompanies Cochrane as midshipman, and 
 serves in the war between Chili and Peru. He has many exciting 
 adventures in battles by sea and land, is taken prisoner and condemned 
 to death by the Inquisition, but escapes by a long and thrilling flight 
 across South America and down the Amazon. 
 
 ON THE IRRAWADDY 
 
 A Story of the First Burmese War. With 8 full-page Illus- 
 trations by W. H. OVEREND. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
 $1.50. 
 
 The hero, having an uncle, a trader on the Indian and Burmese 
 rivers, goes out to join him. Soon after, war is declared by Burmah 
 against England and he is drawn into it. He has many experiences 
 and narrow escapes in battles and in scouting. With half-a-dozen 
 men he rescues his cousin who had been taken prisoner, and in the 
 flight they are besieged in an old, ruined temple. 
 
BOOKS FOR TO UNO PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 " Boys like stirring adventures, and Mr. Henty is a master of thla 
 method of composition." New York T-.mes. 
 
 THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS 
 
 A Story of Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow. "With 8 fuU- 
 page Illustrations bj W. H. OVBBEND and 3 Maps. Crown 
 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero, Julian Wyatt, after several adventures with smugglers, by 
 whom he is handed over a prisoner to the French, regains his freedom 
 and joins Napoleon's army iu the Russian campaign. When the terrible 
 retreat begins, Julian finds himself in the rearguard of the French army, 
 fighting desperately. Ultimately he escapes out of the general disaster, 
 and returns to England. 
 
 A KNIGHT OF THE WHITE CROSS 
 
 A Tale of the Siege of Rhodes. With 12 full-page Illustra- 
 tions by RALPH PEACOCK, and a Plan. Crown 8vo, olivine 
 edges, $1.50. 
 
 Gervaise Tresham, the hero of this story, joins the Order of the 
 Knights of St. John, and proceeds to the stronghold of Rhodes. Sub- 
 sequently he is appointed commander of a war-galley, and in his first 
 voyage destroys a fleet of Moorish corsairs. During one of his cruises 
 the young knight is attacked on shore, captured after a desperate 
 struggle, and sold into slavery in Tripoli. He succeeds in escaping, and 
 returns to Rhodes iu time to take part in the defense of that fortress. 
 
 THE TIGER OF MYSORE 
 
 A Story of the War with Tippoo Saib. With 12 full-page 
 Illustrations by W. H. MARGETSON, and a Map. Crown 
 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Dick Holland, whose father is supposed to be a captive of Tippoo 
 Saib, goes to India to help him to escape. He joins the army under 
 Lord Cornwallis, and takes part in the campaign againt Tippoo. 
 Afterwards he assumes a disguise, enters Seringapatam, and at last 
 he discovers his father in the great stronghold of Savandroog. The 
 hazardous rescue is at length accomplished, and the young fellow's 
 dangerous mission is done. 
 
 IN THE HEART OF THE ROCKIES 
 
 A Story of Adventure in Colorado. By G. A. HENTY. "With 
 8 full-page Illustrations by G. C. HINDLEY. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero, Tom Wade, goes to seek his uncle in Colorado, who is a 
 hunter and gold-digger, and he is discovered, after many dangers, out 
 on the Plains with some comrades. Going in quest of a gold mine, the 
 little band is spied by Indians, chased across the Bad Lands, and 
 overwhelmed by a snowstorm in the mountains. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 41 Mr. Henty is one of the best story-tellers for young people." 
 
 Spectator, 
 
 WHHN LONDON BURNED 
 
 A Story of the Plague and the Fire. By G. A. HENTY. With 
 12 full-page Illustrations by J. FINNEMORE. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero f this story was the son of a nobleman who had lost his 
 estates during the troublous times of the Commonwealth. During the 
 Great Plague and the Great Fire, Cyril was prominent among those 
 who brought help to the panic-stricken inhabitants. 
 
 WULF THE SAXON 
 
 A Story of the Norman Conquest. By G. A. HENTY. With 
 12 full-page Illustrations by RALPH PEACOCK. Crown 
 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero is a young thane who wins the favor of Earl Harold and 
 becomes one of his retinue. When Harold becomes King of England 
 Wulf assists in the Welsh wars, and takes part against the Norsemen 
 at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. When William of Normandy in- 
 vades England, Wulf is with the English host at Hastings, and stands 
 by his king to the last in the mighty struggle. 
 
 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE 
 
 A Tale of the Huguenot Wars. By G. A. HENTY. With 12 
 full-page Illustrations by H. J. DRAPER, and a Map. 
 Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero, Philip Fletcher, has a French connection on his mother's 
 side. This induces him to cross the Channel in order to take a share 
 in the Huguenot wars. Naturally he sides with the Protestants, dis- 
 tinguishes himself in various battles, and receives rapid promotion for 
 the zeal and daring with which he carries out several secret missions. 
 
 THROUGH THE SIKH WAR 
 
 A Tale of the Conquest of the Punjauh. By G. A. HENTY. 
 With 12 full-page illustrations by HAL HURST, and a 
 Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Percy Groves, a spirited English lad, joins his uncle in the Punjaub, 
 where the natives are in a state of revolt. Percy joins the British 
 force as a volunteer, and takes a distinguished share in the famous 
 battles of the Punjaub. 
 
LOOKS FOR YOUXG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 " The brightest of the living writers whose office it is to enchant the 
 boys. Christian Leader. 
 
 A JACOBITE EXILE 
 
 Being the Adventures of a Young Englishman in the Service 
 of Charles XII. of Sweden. By G. A. HENTY. With 8 
 full-page Illustrations by PAUL HARDY, and a Map. Crown 
 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Sir Marmaduke Carstairs, a Jacobite, is the" victim of a conspiracy, and 
 he is denounced as a plotter against the life of King William. He flies 
 to Sweden, accompanied by his s4n Charlie. This youth joins the 
 foreign legion under Charles XII., and takes a distinguished part in 
 several famous campaigns against the Russians and Poles. 
 
 CONDEMNED AS A NIHILIST 
 
 A Story of Escape from Siberia. By G. A. HENTY. With 8 
 full-page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero of this story is an English boy resident in St. Petersburg. 
 Through two student friends he becomes innocently involved in 
 various political plots, resulting in his seizure by the Russian police 
 and his exile to Siberia. He ultimately escapes, and, after many ex- 
 citing adventures, he reaches Norway, and thence home, after a 
 perilous journey which lasts nearly two years. 
 
 BERIC THE BRITON 
 
 A Story of the Roman Invasion. By G. A. HENTY. With 
 12 full-page Illustrations by W. PARKINSON. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 This story deals with the Invasion of Britain by the Roman legionaries. 
 Beric, who is a boy-chief of a British tribe, takes a prominent part in 
 the insurrection under Boadicea ; and after the defeat of that heroic 
 queen (in A. D. 62) he continues the struggle in the fen-country. 
 Ultimately Beric is defeated and carried captive to Rome, where he is 
 trained in the exercise of arms in a school of gladiators. At length he 
 returus to Britain, where he becomes ruler of his own people. 
 
 IN GREEK WATERS 
 
 A Story of the Grecian War of Independence (1821-1827). By 
 G. A. HENTY. With 12 full-page Illustrations by W. S. 
 STAGEY, and a Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Deals with the revolt of the Greeks in 1821 against Turkish oppres- 
 sion. Mr. Beveridge and his son Horace fit out a privateer, load it 
 with military stores, and set sail for Greece. They rescue the Chris- 
 tians, relieve the captive Greeks, and fight the Turkish war vessels. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY G. A. HENTY 
 
 " No living writer of books for boys writes to better purpose than 
 Mr. G. A. Henty." Philadelphia Press. 
 
 THE DASH FOR KHARTOUM 
 
 A Tale of the Nile Expedition. By G. A. HENTY. With 10 
 full-page Illustrations by JOHN SCHSNBERG and J. NASH. 
 Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 In the record of recent British history there is no more captivating 
 page for boys than the story of the Nile campaign, and the attempt to 
 rescue General Gordon. For, in the difficulties which the expedition 
 encountered, in the perils which it overpassed, and in its final tragic 
 disappointments, are found all the excitements of romance, as well as 
 the fascination which belongs to real events. 
 
 REDSKIN AND COW-BOY 
 
 A Tale of the Western Plains. By G. A. HENTY. With 12 
 full-page Illustrations by ALFRED PEARSE. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The central interest of this story is found in the many adventures of 
 an English lad, who seeks employment as a cow-boy on a cattle ranch. 
 His experiences during a u round-up " present in picturesque form the 
 toilsome, exciting, adventurous life of a cow-boy ; while the perils of a 
 frontier settlement are vividly set forth in an Indian raid. 
 
 HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND 
 
 A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar. By G. A. HENTY. With 
 8 full-page Illustrations by GORDON BROWNE. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 This story deals with one of the most memorable sieges in history 
 the siege of Gibraltar in 1779-83 by the united forces of France and 
 Spain. With land forces, fleets, and floating batteries, the combined 
 resources of two great nations, this grim fortress was vainly besieged 
 and bombarded. The hero of the tale, an English lad resident in 
 Gibraltar, takes a brave and worthy part in the long defence, and it is 
 through his varied experiences that we learn with what bravery, re- 
 source, and tenacity the Rock was held for England. 
 
 NOTE. For a list of Henty Books at popular prices, see the 
 following page. 
 
A List of Books * 
 * for Young People 
 
 KIRK MUNROE 
 
 A SON OF SATSUMA 
 Or, With Perry in Japan 
 
 BY KIRK MUNROE 
 
 With twelve Illustrations by HARRY C. EDWARDS. $1.00 net. 
 
 THIS absorbing story for boys deals with one of the most in. 
 teresting episodes in our National history. From the 
 beginning Japan has been a land of mystery. Foreigners were 
 permitted to land only at certain points on her shores and nothing 
 whatever was known of her civilization and history, her romance 
 and magnificence, her wealth and art. It was Commodore Perry 
 who opened her gates to the world, thus solving the mystery of 
 the ages, and, in this thrilling tory of an American boy in 
 Japan at that period, the spirit as well as the history of this great 
 achievement is ably set forth. 
 
 MIDSHIPMAN STUART 
 
 Or, the Last Cruise of the Essex. A Tale of the War of 1812. 
 Illustrated. 12mo, $1.25. 
 
 This is an absorbing story of life in the American Navy during 
 the stirring times of our war of 1812. The very spirit of the 
 period is in its pages, and many of the adventures of the Essex 
 are studied from history. 
 
 IN PIRATE WATERS 
 
 A Tale of the American Navy. Illustrated by I. W. TABEB. 
 12mo, $1.25. 
 
 The hero of the story becomes a midshipman in the navy just at the 
 time of the war with Tripoli. His own wild adventures among the 
 Turks and his love romance are thoroughly interwoven with the stir- 
 ring history of that time. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY KIRK MUNROE 
 THE "WHITE CONQUERORS" SERIES 
 
 WITH CROCKETT AND BOWIE 
 
 Or, Fighting for the Lone Star Flag. A Tale of Texas. With 
 8 full-page Illustrations by VICTOR PERARD. Crown 8vo, 
 $1.25. 
 
 The story is of the Texas revolution in 1835, when American Texans 
 under Sam Houston, Bowie, Crockett and Travis, fought for relief 
 from the intolerable tyranny of the Mexican Santa Ana. The hero, 
 Rex Hardin, son of a Texan ranchman and graduate of an American 
 military school, takes a prominent part in the heroic defense of the 
 Alamo, and the final triumph at San Jacinto. 
 
 THROUGH SWAMP AND GLADE 
 
 A Tale of the Seminole War. By KIRK MUNROE. With 8 full- 
 page Illustrations by V. PERARD. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 Coacoochee, the hero of the story, is the son of Philip the chieftain 
 of the Seminoles. He grows up to lead his tribe in the long struggle 
 which resulted in the Indians being driven from the north of Florida 
 down to the distant southern wilderness. 
 
 AT WAR WITH PONTLAC 
 
 Or, the Totem of the Bear. A Tale of Redcoat and Redskin. 
 By KIRK MUNROE. With 8 full-page Illustrations by J. 
 FINNEMORE. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 A story when the shores of Lake Erie were held by hostile Indians. 
 The hero, Donald Hester, goes in search of his sister Edith, who has 
 been captured by the Indians. Strange and terrible are his experi- 
 ences ; for he is wounded, taken prisoner, condemned to be burned, but 
 contrives to escape. In the end all things terminate happily. 
 
 THE WHITE CONQUERORS 
 
 A Tale of Toltec and Aztec. By KIRK MUNROE. With 8 full- 
 page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 
 
 This story deals with the Conquest of Mexico by Cortez and his 
 Spaniards, the " White Comquerors," who, after mamy deeds of valor, 
 pushed their way into the great Aztec kingdom and established their 
 power in the wondrous city where Montezuma reigned in splendor. 
 
 CHARLES SCRIBNHLR'S SONS 
 153-7 Fifth Avenue New YorK 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 JEB HUTTON, A GEORGIA BOY 
 
 By JAMES B. CONNOLLY. Illustrated. $1.20 net. (Postage, 
 13 cents.) 
 
 A thoroughly interesting and breezy tale of boy-life along the 
 Savannah River by a writer who knows boys, and who has succeeded 
 in making of the adventures of Jeb and his friends a story that will 
 keep his young readers absorbed to the last page. 
 
 KING MOMBO 
 
 By PAUL Du CHAILLU. Author of " The World of the Great 
 Forest," etc. With 24 illustrations. $1.50 net. (Postage, 
 16 cents.) 
 
 The scene is the great African forest. It Is a book of interesting 
 experiences with native tribes, and thrilling and perilous adventures in 
 hunting elephants, crocodiles, gorillas and other fierce creatures 
 among which this famous explorer lived so long. 
 
 A NEW BOOK FOR GIRLS 
 
 By LINA BEARD and ADELIA B. BEARD. Authors of "The 
 American Girl's Handy Book." Profusely Illustrated. 
 
 An admirable collection of entirely new and original indoor and out- 
 door pastimes for American girls, each fully and interestingly de- 
 scribed and explained, and all designed to stimulate the taste and 
 ingenuity at the same time that they entertain. 
 
 SEA FIGHTERS FROM DRAKE TO 
 FARRAGUT 
 
 By JESSIE PEABODY FROTHINGHAM. Illustrations by REUTER- 
 DAHL. $1.20 net. (Postage, 14 cents.) 
 
 Drake, Tromp, De Reuter, Tourville, Suffren, Paul Jones, Nelson 
 and Farragut are the naval heroes here pictured, and each is shown in 
 some great episode which illustrates his personality and heroism. The 
 book is full of the very spirit of daring and adventurous achievement. 
 
 BOB AND HIS GUN 
 
 By WILLIAM ALEXANDER LINN. With 8 Illustrations. 
 
 The adventures of a boy with a gun under the instruction of his 
 cousin, an accomplished sportsman. The book's aim is to interest 
 boys in hunting in the spirit of true sport and to instruct in the ways 
 of game birds and animals. 
 
BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
 
 BY ROBERT LEIGHTON 
 
 "Mr. Leighton's place is in the front rank of writers of boys' books." 
 
 Standard. 
 
 THE GOLDEN GALLEON 
 
 Illustrated, crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 Tkis is a story of Queen Elizabeth's time, just after the defeat of the 
 Spanish Armada. Mr. Leighton introduces in his work the great sea- 
 fighters of Plymouth town Hawkins, Drake, Raleigh, and Richard 
 Grenville. 
 
 OLAF THE GLORIOUS 
 
 With 8 full-page Illustrations by RALPH PEACOCK. Crown 8vo, 
 olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 This story of Olaf, King of Norway, opens with his being found living 
 as a bond-slave in Esthonia, and follows him through his romantic 
 youth in Russia. Then come his adventures as a Viking, his raids upon 
 the coasts of Scotland and England, and his conversion to Christianity. 
 He returns to Norway as king, and converts his people to the Christian 
 faith. 
 
 WRECK OF "THE GOLDEN FLEECE" 
 
 The Story of a North Sea Fisher-boy. With 8 full-page Illustra- 
 tions by FRANK BRANGWYN. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 The hero is a parson's son who is apprenticed on board a Lowestoft 
 fishing lugger. The lad suffers many buffets from his shipmates, while 
 the storms and dangers which he braved are set forth with intense power. 
 
 THE THIRSTY SWORD 
 
 A Story of the Norse Invasion of Scotland (1262-63). With 
 8 full-page Illustrations by ALFRED PEARSE, and a Map. 
 Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 
 
 This story tells how Roderick Mac Alpin, the sea-rover, came to the 
 Isle of Bute; how he slew his brothei in RothesayCastle; how the earl's 
 eldest son was likewise slain; how young Kenric now became king of 
 Bute, and vowed vengeance against the slayer of his brother and father, 
 and finally, how this vow was kept, when Kenric and the murderous 
 sea-rover met at midnight and ended their feud in one last great fight. 
 
 THE PILOTS OF POMONA 
 
 A Story of the Orkney Islands. With 8 full-page Illustrations 
 by JOHN LEIGHTON, and a Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
 $1.50. 
 
 Halcro Ericson, the hero, happens upon many exciting adventures 
 and hard experiences, through which he carries himself with quiet 
 courage. The story gives a vivid presentation of life in these far 
 northern islands. 
 
RETURN CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT 
 
 TO 202 Main Library 642-3403 
 
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 This book is due before closing time on the last date stamped below 
 
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 BIS 1978 
 
 
 
 
 
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 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY 
 FORM NO. DD6A, 8m, 477 BERKELEY, CA 94720 
 
 LD 21-100m-2,'55 
 (B139s22}476 
 
 General Library 
 University of California