“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 noble 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 illustrious 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 pass in silence, but when Anjou came, there were many muttered threats of vengeance, and more than one loud cry of “Assassin!”

“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.