Saint Bartholomew's Eve: A Tale of the Huguenot Wars

  Chapter 14: The Assault On The Chateau.

  The night passed quietly. Just as the sun rose a trumpet sounded,calling for a truce; and two knights in armour rode forward,followed by an esquire carrying a white flag. They halted thirty orforty yards from the gate; and the countess herself came up on tothe wall, when the knight raised his vizor.

  "Countess Amelie de Laville, I summon you, in the name of hismajesty the king, to surrender. I have with me an ample force toovercome all resistance; but his gracious majesty, in his clemency,has empowered me to offer to all within the walls their lives; saveonly that you and your son shall accompany me to Paris, there to bedealt with according to the law, under the accusation of havingtaken up arms against his most sacred majesty."

  "Methinks, sir," the countess said, in a loud clear voice, "that itwould have been better had you delayed until this morning, insteadof attempting, like a band of midnight thieves, to break into mychateau. I fancy we should have heard but little of his majesty'sclemency, had you succeeded in your attempt. I am in arms, notagainst the king, but against his evil counsellors; the men whopersuade him to break his pledged word, and to treat hisunoffending subjects as if they were the worst of malefactors.Assuredly their royal highnesses, the Princes of Conde and Navarre,have no thought of opposing his majesty; but desire, above allthings, that he should be able to act without pressure fromLorraine or Guise, from pope or King of Spain; and when they laydown their arms, I shall be glad to do so. Did I know that the kinghimself, of his own mind, had sent you here to summons me, I wouldwillingly accompany you to Paris, to clear myself from any chargesbrought against me; but as your base attempt, without summons ordemand, to break into my chateau last night shows that you can haveno authority from his majesty to enter here, I refuse to open mygates; and shall defend this place until the last, against all whomay attack it."

  The knights rode away. They had, after the rough reception on theirarrival, perceived that the countess was determined to defend thechateau, and had only summoned her to surrender as a matter ofform.

  "I would we had never entered upon this expedition, De Brissac.They told us that the house was but poorly fortified, and wethought we should assuredly carry it last night by surprise; andthat by taking this obstinate dame prisoner, burning her chateau,and sweeping all the country round, we should give a much neededlesson to the Huguenots of the district. One could not haveexpected to find the place crowded with men, and everyone readywith lighted matches and drawn crossbows to receive us. I believenow that that fire we saw, two or three miles in our rear as wecame along, was a signal; but even if it were, one would not havegiven 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 sometwenty feet high, and surrounded by a moat of the same width. Withour force we should carry it in half an hour. We know that thegarrison consists of only fifty men, besides a score or so ofgrooms and servants."

  "So we heard; but I am mistaken if there were not more than doublethat number engaged on the wall. Still, as you say, there will beno great difficulty in carrying the place. The ladders will beready in a couple of hours, and De Beauvoir will bring in, from thefarmhouses, plenty of planks and beams for throwing bridges acrossthe moat. It is two hours since he set out with the horsemen, so asto catch the Huguenot farmers asleep."

  As they returned to the spot where the men were engaged in cookingtheir breakfast, while some were occupied in constructing laddersfrom young trees that had been felled for the purpose, a gentlemanrode in.

  "What is your news, De Villette?"

  "The news is bad. De Beauvoir asked me to ride in to tell you thatwe find the farmhouses completely deserted, and the whole of thecattle 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; orthey must have learned we were coming, and must have gathered inthe chateau. Their measures must have been indeed well planned andcarried out, for them all to have got the alarm in time to gatherhere before our arrival.

  "I hope that is what they have done, for we reckoned upon carryingoff at least a thousand head of cattle, for the use of the army. Itwas for that, as much as to capture the countess and strike a blowat this hive of Huguenots, that the expedition was arranged.However, if they are all in there, it will save us the trouble ofdriving them in."

  "In that case though, De Brissac, the fifty men will have beenreinforced by as many more, at least."

  "Ay, maybe by a hundred and fifty, with the farmers and all theirhands; but what are a hundred and fifty rustics and fiftymen-at-arms, against our force?"

  De Brissac had guessed pretty accurately the number of fighting menthat could be mustered among the tenants of the countess. Thetraining that they had undergone had, however, made them moreformidable opponents than he supposed; and each man was animated byhatred of their persecutors, and a stern determination to fightuntil 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 thearmoury.

  Fifty men were placed under Philip's orders, for the defence ofthat portion of the house that rose directly from the edge of themoat. The lower windows were small and strongly barred, and therewas little fear of an entrance being forced. The postern gate herehad, during the night, been strengthened with stones; and articlesof heavy furniture piled against it. A few men were placed at thelower windows; the main body on the first floor, where thecasements were large; and the rest distributed at the upperwindows, to vex the enemy by their fire, as they approached.

  Philip appointed Eustace to take the command of the men at thelower windows; and Roger of those on the upper floor; he, withJacques, posting himself on the first floor, against which theenemy would attempt to fix their ladders. Great fires were lightedin all the rooms, and cauldrons of water placed over them; and boyswith pails stood by these, in readiness to bring boiling water tothe windows, when required.

  The walls round the courtyard and garden were not of sufficientthickness for fires to be lighted, along the narrow path on whichthe defenders were posted; but fires were lighted in the courtyard,and boiling water prepared there, in readiness to carry up when theassault began. The Huguenot gentlemen were placed in command, atthe various points along the wall most likely to be assailed.

  Had the besiegers been provided with cannon, the defence could nothave lasted long, for the walls would not have resisted batteringby shot; but cannon, in those times, were rare, and were too clumsyand heavy to accompany an expedition requiring to move with speed.For a time, the men-at-arms alone garrisoned the wall; the farmersand their men being occupied in pumping water from the wells andcarrying it to the cattle, of which some eight hundred had beendriven in. The granaries were opened, and a plentiful supply offood 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 insix columns; two taking their way towards the rear, to attack thehouse on that side, while the others advanced toward differentpoints on the wall.

  Ladders and long planks were carried at the head of each column. Asthey approached the assailants halted, and the arquebusiers cameforward and took their post in line, to cover by their fire theadvance of the storming parties.

  As soon as these advanced, a heavy fire was opened by the besiegedwith crossbow and arquebus. The parapet was high and, while theyexposed only their heads to fire, and were altogether shelteredwhile loading, the assailants were completely exposed. Orders weregiven that the defenders should entirely disregard the fire of thematchlock men, and should direct their aim upon the stormingparties. These suffered heavily but, urged forward by theirofficers, they gained the edge of the moat, pushed the p
lanksacross, and placed the ladders; but as fast as these were put intoposition, they were hurled down again by the defenders who, withlong forked sticks, thrust them out from the wall and hurled thembackwards; sometimes allowing them to remain until a line of menhad climbed up, and then pouring a pail of boiling water over thewall upon them.

  The farmers vied with the men-at-arms in the steadiness of thedefence, being furious at the sight of columns of smoke which rosein many directions, showing that the cavalry of the besiegers wereoccupied in destroying their homesteads. Sometimes, when four orfive ladders were planted together, the assailants managed to climbup to the level of the parapet; but only to be thrust backward withpikes, and cut down with swords and axes. For two hours the assaultcontinued, and then De Brissac, seeing how heavy was the loss, andhow vain the efforts to scale the wall at any point, ordered thetrumpeters 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 theirfellows; their efforts to gain a footing in any of the rooms on thefirst floor having been defeated, with heavy loss.

  The leaders of the assailants held a consultation, after theirtroops had drawn off.

  "It is of no use," De Brissac said, "to repeat the attack on thewalls. They are too stoutly defended. It is out of the question forus to think of returning to Poitiers. We undertook to capture theplace, to harry the farms, to destroy all the Huguenots, and toreturn driving in all the cattle for the use of the army. Of allthis we have only so far burned the farmhouses, and we have lostsomething like a couple of hundred men.

  "This time, we must try by fire. The men must gather bundles offirewood, and must attack in three columns; the principal againstthe great gate, the others against the two posterns; the one at theback of the house itself, the other nearest the angle where thewall joins it. If we had time to construct machines for batteringthe walls, it would be an easy business; but that is out of thequestion. In a couple of days, at the latest, we shall have themcoming out like a swarm of hornets from La Rochelle. It is notlikely, when they had all their measures so well prepared, thatthey omitted to send off word at once to Coligny; and by tomorrow,at noon, we may have Conde and the Admiral upon us. Therefore wemust 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, moreor less severely; and some terribly bruised, by being hurled backfrom the ladders as they led the troops to the assault. Five or sixof the young nobles, who had joined what they regarded as anexpedition likely to meet with but slight resistance, had beenkilled; and all regretted that they had embarked upon an affairthat could bring them but small credit, while they were unprovidedwith the necessary means for attacking a place so stoutly defended.

  De Brissac at once issued orders, and strong parties of soldiersscattered and proceeded to cut down fences and bushes, and to formlarge faggots. Their movements were observed by the men placed onthe summit of the tower, and no doubt was entertained of theintentions of the enemy.

  "What do you think we had better do, Philip?" Francois asked, asthey stood together at the top of the tower, watching the Catholicsat work. "We may shoot a number of them but, if they aredetermined, they will certainly be able to lay their faggots; andin that case we shall be open to attack at three points, and likelyenough they will at the same time renew their attack on the walls."

  "That is the most dangerous part of it," Philip said. "We ought tohave no difficulty in holding the three entrances. The posterns arenarrow, 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 maingates. But if we have to man the walls, too, the matter would beserious.

  "If we had time, we might pull down one of the outbuildings andbuild a thick wall behind the gates; but in an hour they will beattacking us again."

  He stood thinking for a minute or two, and then exclaimed:

  "I have it, Francois. Let us at once kill a number of the cattle,and pile their carcasses up, two deep, against the gates. They mayburn them down if they like, then, but they can do nothing againstthat pile of flesh; the weight of the carcasses will keep them in asolid mass. At any rate, we might do that at the two posterns. Thegreat gates are, perhaps, too wide and lofty; but if we formed abarricade inside them of, say, three bodies high, a hundred menought to be able to defend it; and that will leave a hundred forthe walls and house."

  "That is a capital idea, Philip. We will not lose a moment incarrying it out."

  Two of the principal tenants were called up, and told to see to theslaughtering, instantly, of sufficient cattle to pile two deepagainst the posterns. Calling a number of men together, these atonce set about the business.

  "We will see to the other barricade ourselves, Philip. That iswhere 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 courtyard. The bullockswere brought up to the spot, and slaughtered there. The first linewere about to be dragged into place, when Philip suggested thatthey should be skinned.

  "What on earth do you want to skin them for, Philip?" Francoisasked.

  "When they are arranged in a row, I would throw the skins over themagain, inside out. The weight of the next row will keep the skinsin their places, and it will be impossible for anyone to obtain afooting on that slippery surface, especially if we pour some bloodover it."

  Francois at once saw the point of the suggestion.

  "Excellent, Philip. I wish my brain was as full of ideas as yoursis."

  The same course was pursued with the other two tiers of carcasses,the hides of the upper row being firmly pegged into the flesh, toprevent their being pulled off. The breastwork was about five feethigh, and was absolutely unclimbable.

  "It could not be better," Francois said. "A solid work would not behalf so difficult to get over. Twenty men here could keep a host atbay."

  Another tier of unskinned carcasses was laid down behind thebreastwork, for the defenders to stand on; and earth was piled overit, to afford a footing.

  They had but just completed their preparations when the trumpet,from above, sounded the signal that the enemy were approaching. Alltook the posts that they had before occupied. The enemy approachedas they had expected, in three bodies; each preceded by adetachment that carried in front of them great faggots, whichserved as a protection against the missiles of the besieged. Amongthem were men carrying sacks.

  "What can they have there?" Philip asked one of the Huguenotgentlemen.

  "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 laydown the faggots; otherwise the planks would burn, and perhaps fallbodily in the water, before the fire had done its work on thedoors."

  "No doubt that is it," Philip agreed. "I did not think of thatbefore."

  As soon as the heads of the columns approached within a hundredyards, the men with arquebuses opened fire; and those withcrossbows speedily followed suit. Four hundred men with arquebusesat once ran forward, until within a short distance of the moat; andopened so heavy a fire, against the defenders of the wall andhouse, that these were compelled to stoop down under shelter. Someof them would have still gone on firing from the windows, butPhilip ordered them to draw back.

  "It is of no use throwing away life," he said. "We cannot hope toprevent them planting their faggots, and firing them."

  He himself went up into a small turret, partly overhanging the walland, through a loophole, watched the men at work. The contents ofthe sacks were emptied out upon the planks, the latter having beenfirst soaked with water, drawn from the moat by a pail one of themen carried. The earth was levelled a foot deep, and then a scoreof buckets of water emptied over it. The
n the faggots were piledagainst the door. A torch was applied to them and, as soon as thiswas done, the assailants fell back; the defenders plying them withshot and cross bolts, as soon as they did so.

  Philip now paid a hasty visit to the walls. Here the assailants hadsuffered heavily, before they had planted their faggots; thedefenders being better able to return their fire than were those atthe windows. In both cases, however, they had succeeded in layingand firing the faggots; although much hindered at the work, bypails of boiling water emptied upon them.

  Some ten of the defenders had been shot through the head, as theystood up to fire. Attempts were made, by pouring water down uponthe faggots, to extinguish the flames; but the time taken, inconveying the water up from the courtyard, enabled the fire to getsuch hold that the attempt was abandoned.

  "It is just as well," Francois said. "If we could extinguish thefire, we should lose the benefit of the surprise we have preparedfor them."

  In a quarter of an hour, light flames began to flicker up at theedges of the great gates.

  "Do you stay here with me, Philip," Francois said. "Our own bandwill take post here. They are more accustomed to hand-to-handfighting. The tenants will guard the wall. Montpace will be incommand there.

  "Beg De Riblemont to take command at the back of the house. Tellhim to send for aid to us, if he is pressed.

  "I would put your own three men down in the postern there. I feelsure they can never move that double row of bullocks, but it is aswell to make certain; and those three could hold the narrowpostern, till help reaches them. Place a boy with them to send offfor aid, if necessary.

  "Bourdou is stationed behind the other postern, with three men. Itwill be half an hour before the gates are down, yet."

  The two together made a tour of the defences. All was in readiness.The men, after their first success, felt confident that they shouldbeat off their assailants; and even the women, gathered round thegreat fires in the house and courtyard, with pails in readiness tocarry boiling water to the threatened points, showed no signs ofanxiety; the younger ones laughing and chatting together, as ifengaged 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 ministeraccompanied her. As yet there were no wounded needing their care,for all who had been hit had been struck in the head; and deathhad, in each case, been instantaneous.

  At last the great gates fell with a crash, and a shout ofexultation arose from the Catholics; answered, by the Huguenots onthe wall, by one of defiance. In half an hour the assailants againformed up. The strongest column advanced towards the great gate,others against the posterns; and four separate bodies, with planksand ladders, moved forward to bridge the moat and to attack atother points.

  The defenders on the walls and at the windows were soon at work,and the assailants suffered heavily from the fire, as theyadvanced. The fifty men-at-arms behind the barricade remained quietand silent, a dozen of them with arquebuses lining the barricade.With loud shouts the Catholics came on, deeming the chateau as goodas won. The arquebusiers poured their fire into them as theycrossed the moat, and then fell back behind their comrades, whowere armed with pike and sword.

  As they passed through the still smoking gateway the assailants sawthe barricade in front of them, but this did not appear formidableand, led by a number of gentlemen in complete armour, they rushedforward.

  For a moment those in front recoiled, as they reached the wall ofslippery hides; then, pressed forward from behind, they madedesperate attempts to climb it. It would have been as easy to tryto mount a wall of ice. Their hands and feet alike failed to obtaina hold, and from above the defenders, with pike and sword, thrustand cut at them; while the arquebusiers, as fast as possible,discharged their pieces into the crowd, loaded each time with threeor four balls.

  For half an hour the efforts to force the barricade continued. Somany had fallen that the wall was now no higher than their waist;but even this could not be surmounted, in face of the double lineof pikemen; and at last the assailants fell back, baffled.

  At the two posterns, they had failed to make any impression uponthe carcasses that blocked their way. In vain they strove, bystriking the curved points of their halberts into the carcasses, todrag them from their place; but the pressure of the weight above,and of the interior line of carcasses that were piled on the legsof the outside tiers, prevented the enemy from moving them in theslightest degree. While so engaged, those at work were exposed tothe boiling water poured from above; and the soldiers standingbehind, in readiness to advance when the entrance was won, werealso exposed to the fire of the defenders.

  The assaults on the walls, and at the windows, were far lessobstinate than those in the previous attack, as they were intendedonly as diversions to the main assaults on the posterns and gate;and when the assailants at these points fell back, the stormingparties also retreated. They had lost, in all, nearly four hundredmen in the second attack; of whom more than a hundred and fifty hadfallen in the assault upon the barricade.

  The instant they retreated, Francois 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 theirtask, 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 offafter the infantry.

  "We were just in time, Philip," Francois said. "If they had crossedthe moat it would have gone hard with us; for, with that bank ofbodies lying against the breastwork, they might have been able toleap 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 repulsesas they have had, and losing pretty nearly half their infantry,they will never get the men to try another attack."

  An hour later, indeed, the whole Catholic force, horse and foot,were seen to march away by the road along which they had come. Assoon as they did so, a trumpet summoned the defenders from thewalls and house. The women and children also poured out into thecourtyard and, the minister taking his place by the side of thecountess on the steps of the chateau, a solemn service ofthanksgiving to God, for their preservation from the danger thathad 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, butFrancois begged them to remain until next morning.

  "The smoke told you what to expect," he said. "You will findnothing but the ruins of your houses and, in this weather, it wouldbe madness to take your wives and families out. In the morning youcan 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 foryour wives and families. If not, they must remain here till you canget up shelter for them. In this bitter cold weather, you could notthink of rebuilding your houses regularly; nor would it be any useto do so, until we get to the end of these troubles. But you canfell and saw wood, and erect cottages that will suffice for presentuse, and serve as sheds when better times return.

  "The first thing to do is to attend to those who have fallen. Thedead must be removed and buried; but there must be many wounded,and these must be brought in and attended to. There is an emptygranary that we will convert into a hospital."

  "Before we do anything else, Francois, we must fish the planks fromthe moat, to serve until a fresh drawbridge is constructed.

  "Eustace, do you get two heavy beams thrust over, and lay theplanks across them; then with Roger mount, cross the moat as soonas it is bridged, and follow the road after the Catholics. They maynot have gone far, and might halt and return to attack us, when weshall be off our guard.

  "Follow them about five miles; then, if they are still marching,you had both better come back to us. If they halt before that, doyou remain and watch them; and send Roger back with the news."

  A h
undred and thirty wounded men were brought in, some wounded byshot or crossbow bolt, some terribly scalded, others with brokenlimbs from being hurled backwards with the ladders. The countess,with her maids and many of the women, attended to them as they werebrought in, and applied salves and bandages to the wounds. Amongthe mass that had fallen inside the gate, seven gentlemen who stilllived were discovered. These were brought into the chateau, andplaced in a room together.

  The task was carried on by torchlight, 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 inhand, they thronged to defend the entrance. Francois ran to thebattlements.

  "Who comes there?" he shouted. "Halt and declare yourselves, or wefire."

  The horsemen halted, and a voice cried:

  "Is that you, Francois?"

  "Yes, it is I, De la Noue," Francois shouted back joyously.

  "Is all well? Where are the enemy?" was asked, in the Admiral'swell-known voice.

  "All is well, sir. They retreated just before nightfall, leavingseven 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 theAdmiral, come to our rescue."

  A minute later, the head of the column crossed the temporarybridge. Francois had run down and received them in the gateway.

  "What is this?" the Admiral asked. "Have they burnt your drawbridgeand 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 themen 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 hadneither time nor materials at hand, and my cousin suggestedbringing the oxen up, and slaughtering them here. In that way wesoon made a barricade. But we should have had hard work in holdingit, against such numbers, had he not also suggested our skinningthem, and letting the hides hang as you see, with the raw sidesoutwards. Then we smeared them thickly with blood and, though theCatholics strove their hardest, not one of them managed to get afooting on the top."

  "A rare thought, indeed," the Admiral said warmly.

  "De la Noue, 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 gentlemen withtheir 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; butwe were ready for them, and our discharge killed over fifty. Thenthey drew off, and left us until this morning. They made two greatattacks: the first by throwing planks across the moat, and placingladders at three places; the second by trying, again, to storm withladders, while other bands tried to force their way in at thisgateway, and at the two posterns.

  "Of course they have burned all the farina to the ground, but thecattle were all safely driven in here, before they arrived.

  "Now if you will enter, sir, we will endeavour to provide for yourwants. No one is yet in bed. We have been too busy carrying out thedead, and collecting the wounded, to think of sleep."

  The countess was at the steps of the chateau, to receive theAdmiral as he dismounted.

  "Accept my heartiest thanks for the speed with which you have cometo our aid, Admiral. We did not expect you before tomorrow morning,at the earliest."

  "It has been a long ride, truly," the Admiral said. "Your messengerarrived at daybreak, having walked the last five miles, for hishorse had foundered. I flew to horse, the moment I received thenews; and with four hundred horsemen, for the most part Huguenotgentlemen, we started at once. We halted for three hours in themiddle of the day to rest our horses, and again for an hour justafter nightfall. We feared that we should find your chateau inflames for, although your messenger said that your son thought youcould hold out against all attacks for two days, it seemed to usthat so strong a force as was beleaguering you would carry theplace by storm, in a few hours. I have to congratulate you on thegallant defence that you have made."

  "I have had nothing to do with it," the countess replied; "butindeed, all have fought well.

  "Now, if you will follow me in, I will do my best to entertain youand the brave gentlemen who have ridden so far to my rescue; but Ifear the accommodation will be of the roughest."

  The horses were ranged in rows, in the courtyard, haltered to ropesstretched 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, andwere soon roasting over great fires; while the women spread strawthickly, in the largest apartments, for the newcomers to sleep on.

  "Where are the Catholics?" the Admiral asked.

  "They have halted at a village, some seven miles away," Francoissaid. "We sent two mounted men after them, to make sure that theyhad gone well away, and did not intend to try to take us bysurprise in the night. They returned some hours since with thenews."

  "What do you say, De la Noue," the Admiral exclaimed; "shall webeat them up tonight? They will not be expecting us and, aftertheir march here and their day's fighting, they will sleepsoundly."

  "I should like nothing better, Admiral; but in truth, I doubtwhether our horses could carry us. They have already made atwenty-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 thatwere driven in by the tenants. My own troop will, of course, beready to go; and you could shift your saddles on to the otherhorses. There is not one of our men who would not gladly march withyou, for although we have beaten the Catholics well, the tenants donot forget that they are homeless; and will, I am sure, gladlyfollow up the blow."

  "Then so it shall be," the Admiral said. "A hundred and fifty ofthe gentlemen who came with me shall ride with your troop. The restof us will march with your tenants.

  "I think we are capable of doing that, even after our ride,gentlemen?"

  There was a chorus of assent from those standing round, and De laNoue added:

  "After supper, Admiral?"

  "Certainly after supper," Coligny assented, with a smile. "Anotherhour will make no difference. You may be sure they will not bemoving before daylight. If we start from here at three, we shall bein ample time."

  Philip at once went out, and ordered the attendants and men-at-armsto lie down for two hours, as the Admiral was going to lead them toattack the Catholics at their halting place--news which wasreceived with grim satisfaction. In the meantime, Francois gave adetailed account of the events of the siege; and the Admiralinsisted upon going, at once, to inspect by torchlight the novelmanner in which the two posterns had been blocked up.

  "Nothing could have been better, De Laville," he said. "YourEnglish cousin is, indeed, full of resources. Better material thanthis, for blocking up a narrow gateway, could hardly be contrived.Fire, as it was proved, was of no avail against it, for it would beimpossible to dislodge the carcasses by main force; and even ifthey had cannon, the balls would not have penetrated this thicknessof flesh, which must have been torn to pieces before it yielded.The idea of covering the carcasses at the gates with their own rawhides was an equally happy one.

  "Upon my word, De la Noue, I do not think that, if you or I hadbeen in command here, we could have done better than these twoyoung fellows."

  At three o'clock all was ready for a start. De la Noue took thecommand of the two hundred horsemen. The Admiral declined to ride,and
placed himself at the head of the column of infantry, which wasthree hundred strong; thirty of the original defenders having beeneither killed or disabled, and twenty being left as a guard at thechateau.

  The surprise of the Catholics was complete. Three hundred werekilled. Two hundred, including their commander, De Brissac, andthirty other gentlemen, were made prisoners. The remaining sixhundred escaped in the darkness; their arms, armour, and the wholeof the horses falling into the hands of the victors, who halted atthe village until morning.

  "Well, De Brissac," the Count de la Noue said, as they started ontheir return, "the times have changed since you and I fought underyour father in Italy; and we little thought, then, that some day weshould be fighting on opposite sides."

  "Still less that I should be your prisoner, De la Noue," the otherlaughed. "Well, we have made a nice business of this. We thought tosurprise De Laville's chateau, without having to strike a blow; andthat we were going to return to Poitiers with at least a thousandhead of cattle. We were horribly beaten at the chateau, have nowbeen surprised ourselves, and you are carrying off our horses, tosay nothing of ourselves. We marched out with eighteen hundred men,horse and foot; and I don't think more than five or six hundred, atthe outside, have got away--and that in the scantiest apparel.

  "Anjou will be furious, when he hears the news. When I amexchanged, I expect I shall be ordered to my estates. Had DeLaville some older heads to assist him?"

  "No, he and that young cousin of his, riding next to him, actedentirely by themselves; and the cousin, who is an English lad, isthe 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 rathermortifying to my pride, to have been so completely beaten by thedevice of a lad like that. He ought to make a great soldier, someday, De la Noue."