Saint Bartholomew\'s Eve

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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
Mane, established himself there late in the evening, and seized the
bridge. The news however had, as he feared, already reached the
court; and messages had been despatched in all haste to order up
six thousand Swiss troops, who were stationed at Chateau-Thierry,
thirty miles higher up the Maine.

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 protection, 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 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 Noue!" 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 gentleman was talking with several
others.

"Ah, Francois, is that you? Well arrived, indeed!

"Gentlemen, this is my cousin and namesake, Francois de Laville. He
has ridden across France to join us. Is that your troop, Francois,
entering the gate now? Ah, yes, 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 goodwill 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."

"Is it true, cousin, that the court has escaped to Paris?"

"Yes. I would that Conde 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 doubled 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
tomorrow. The Admiral and his brother, the Cardinal 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 provided with bread, meat, and wine.

"Ah, Captain Montpace, you are in command of the troop, I see. I
thought the countess 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 tomorrow 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 magazines," De la
Noue said. "See that the saddlebags are well 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
Noue presented them to many of his friends, and then took them in
to 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 hanging
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 melancholy. The
greatest captain of his age, he was more reluctant 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 Noue, 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 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 Noue 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 horseflesh, 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 Noue 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 up in the dark,
fumbling with your buckles and straps, and finding everyone else
just as surly and cross as you feel yourself. 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, Francois. 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 tonight, 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 tomorrow, 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 talking 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, gentleman," Francois de la Noue 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 saddlebags; 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."

"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 belonging to La Noue'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 minister,
according to Huguenot custom, held a short service; and then, with
a salute to the Admiral, La Noue 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 Noue and Laville. As soon as they were off, La
Noue 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 Noue 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, 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 Noue 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 capture 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 today, 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 tonight 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?" Francois 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."

"You do not think Conde 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 gentlemen 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 Melun 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 contents of their
saddlebags, 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 engaged.

Francois and Philip went among their men with Captain 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 Noue 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 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," Francois 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 Huguenots 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 Noue at once placed a cordon 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 Noue, and
the gentlemen who followed 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 Noue asked.

"Everything. I have made all my arrangements. A party of
five-and-twenty men I can depend on will, tomorrow morning at seven
o'clock, gather near the gate this side of the town. 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 surprise, 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, and gave them
a cordial welcome. The men were ordered to dismount and stand by
their horses, while the leaders followed 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 servitors at the gate of the chateau threw it open and, headed
by La Noue 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 Noue exclaimed, as he rode up. "Now, scatter and
call out all our friends to aid us in the capture."

The troop had been already 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
marketplace, a body of horsemen, equal in strength to their own,
rode towards them.

"For God and the religion!" La Noue shouted, as he 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.

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