For The Admiral Part 46

"Who is your master?"

"The Duke of Guise, monsieur," and at that another howl of execration went up, several men shouting "Guise is the murderer! Kill the Duke of Guise!"

"Whose house is this?" I asked.

The boy could not answer, but a voice cried out "Canon Vallemur's! He used to be the Duke's tutor! Guise is the a.s.sa.s.sin!"

"Yes, yes! Let us kill Guise!"

"Here is the weapon," cried one of the searchers, bringing forward an arquebus which he had found in the window; "it has Monseigneur's arms stamped on it; it must belong to one of his body-guard. Guise and Anjou are the murderers!"

"Come," exclaimed Felix, "we can do nothing here; the fellow is out of the city by now!"

An excited crowd had gathered in front of the _Hotel Coligny_, but, pushing the people roughly aside, we made our way into the courtyard.

"Is he dead?" asked Felix of one of our comrades.

"No; one bullet carried off the first finger of his right hand; the other wounded him seriously in the left arm. Pare"--the king's own surgeon--"is attending him. They say Charles is furious, but I do not know; all his family are accomplished actors. Were you there? Did you see it done? Tell us all about it," and they gathered round as Felix described the incident and the search in the empty house.

"Guise is the real murderer!" exclaimed one angrily.

"Or Anjou!"

"Or both!"

"If Charles doesn't punish them, we won't rest till we have made an end of him and his whole stock!"

"'Tis likely he is as guilty as the rest!"

"And Coligny trusts him implicitly!"

"The Admiral is too trustful and kind-hearted! Did you hear what he said to Des Pruneaux? 'I forgive freely and with all my heart both him that struck me and those who incited him to do it.' If I catch the fellow, I will tear him limb from limb!"

"Let us capture Guise and Anjou," cried Felix, "and if the Admiral dies hang them both."

"Bravo, Bellievre! There's sense in that! To arms, my friends! We will have vengeance!" and a number of the most hot-headed were rushing out wildly when a cry arose of "Navarre! Navarre!" and, going to the street, we saw Henry of Navarre accompanied by five or six hundred Huguenot gentlemen.

The gallant prince was angry and excited. "What means this foul outrage?" he cried, leaping from his horse. "Have they slain our n.o.ble leader?"

"No, no, sire; he has been shot at and wounded, but he is not dead. Way there for Navarre! We want justice, sire!"

"By my faith, gentlemen," exclaimed the fiery Henry, as he mounted the stairs, "you shall have it, or Navarre shall lose its monarch."

Save for the sick-room, where our ill.u.s.trious chief lay, the whole house was crowded with excited men. From time to time messengers arrived bringing reports from the city, and from their accounts it really looked as if Charles was bent on discovering and punishing the murderer. The civic guards were mustered; the sentries at the gates doubled; and no one was permitted to go armed into the streets.

"A blind!" cried some hotly. "There is no need to hunt for the murderer; Charles can find him at his own table!"

"Why do we stay here?" cried Felix; "let us march to the palace and demand justice!"

"Let us first consult Navarre," said another; "he must be our leader now," and the majority agreed with this suggestion.

About two oclock a man came running into the courtyard crying "The king!

The king!" and shortly afterwards Charles appeared, followed by his mother and Anjou. And here I must say that few of us, after looking at his gloomy face, believed that he had any share in the dastardly plot against our beloved chief. We let him pa.s.s in silence, but when Anjou came, there were many muttered threats of vengeance, and more than one loud cry of "a.s.sa.s.sin!"

"Monseigneur comes to gloat over his victim!" exclaimed one man, and so intense was our anger that but for the king's presence I doubt if Monseigneur would have left the house alive.

When the royal party had ended their visit, Henry, Conde, and other leading members of our party held a meeting in one of the lower rooms.

Felix and I remained on duty in the ante-chamber where De Guerchy came to fetch us.

"The King of Navarre wishes to learn the truth about the discoveries in Vallemur's house," he said.

The room was very crowded, and the n.o.bles were discussing the situation with fierce excitement.

"'Tis no time for playing like children," De Pilles was saying, "I tell you we are all doomed; this is but the first stroke. Let us strike back, and strike hard."

"I would suggest," said his neighbour, "that we get Coligny safe to Roch.e.l.le, and then gather all our forces."

"We cannot move the Admiral; Pare will not answer for his life if he is moved."

"My lords," said Teligny, "I do not think it is necessary. I am convinced that the king has no hand in this vile outrage, and that if we trust him he will bring the murderer to justice."

"What!" sneered De Pilles, "execute his own brother! Or even the Duke of Guise! You have more faith in Charles than I have!"

"Where are those gentlemen who helped to search the house?" asked Henry.

"Let them stand forward. Ah, my friend," catching sight of me, "I have not forgotten your face. Now let us hear the story, and why the Duke of Guise is suspected in the matter."

Thereupon I related all that had occurred, and at the conclusion Henry observed gravely, "Truly there is something here for the Duke to explain!"

"Explain, sire!" cried De Pilles scornfully, "how can he explain? Who here doubts the Duke's guilt? Let us kill him and Anjou, I say, or they will kill us. Put no trust in Charles. They will drag him into the plot."

"What would you have us do?" asked Henry; "overthrow the throne?"

"Ay," answered De Pilles stoutly, "I would clear the kingdom of the whole family."

I cannot say what further arguments were used, as De Guerchy made a sign for us to withdraw; but presently the meeting broke up, and the cavaliers, mounting their horses, rode away, singing psalms, and vowing to obtain justice.

"De Pilles was right!" exclaimed Felix, as we returned to the ante-chamber; "this means war to the knife, and the sooner our leaders give the word the better. I am thankful that your sister has left Paris."

"We owe that to L'Estang I wonder if he had any actual information of what was about to happen? I have a mind to endeavour to find him this evening; he will probably be at the Louvre."

"We will go together," said Felix, and accordingly about seven o'clock, there being nothing for us to do, we set out.

The city was in a state of intense excitement, the streets were thronged, and groups of men were discussing the attempt on the Admiral's life, and praising those who had directed the plot.

"The king is too weak," they said, "this Coligny twines him round his finger. He should listen to Monseigneur and the Duke of Guise; they would make an end of these Huguenots."

Several times I had to grasp Felix by the arms, and whisper to him to control himself, since a brawl in the streets could end only in his death and mine. A knowledge of fence is of little service against a mob of ruffians armed with clubs and pikes.

Approaching the Marais we heard a tremendous hubbub, and running forward quickly beheld a number of Huguenot gentlemen gathered outside the _Hotel de Guise_, waving their swords defiantly and threatening to have justice done upon the Duke. De Pilles was at their head, and I expected every moment to see him give the signal for an attack on the building.