Protestants or Roman Catholics, should be
aroused by this news to make a disturbance of the peace, he called upon
all the governors to explain the full circumstances of the case. "Assure
every one," he wrote, "that it is my intention to observe inviolate my
edict of pacification, and so strictly to punish those who contravene its
provisions, that men may judge how sincere is my will."[960] In a similar
strain he wrote to his ambassador in England, that he was "infinitely
sorry" (infiniment marry), and that he desired him to acquaint Queen
Elizabeth with his determination to cause such signal justice to be
executed, that every one in his realm might take example therefrom.
"Monsieur de la Mothe Fenelon," he added in a postscript, "I must not
forget to tell you that this wicked act proceeds from the enmity between
his [the admiral's] house and the Guises. I shall know how to provide that
they involve none of my subjects in their quarrels; for I intend that my
edict of pacification be observed in all points."[961]

[Sidenote: The Vidame de Chartres advises the Huguenots to leave Paris.]

Not long after the king had left Coligny's room, the admiral Was visited
by Jean de Ferrieres, Vidame de Chartres, a leading Huguenot, who came to
condole with him. He also had a more practical object in view. In a
conference of the great nobles of the reformed faith, held in the room
adjoining the admiral's, he advocated the instant departure of the
Protestants from Paris, and urged it at considerable length. He saw in the
event of the day the first act of a tragedy whose catastrophe could not be
long deferred. The Huguenots had thrust their head into the very jaws of
the lion; it were prudent to draw it out while it was yet time. But this
sensible advice, based less upon any distinct evidence of a plot for their
destruction than upon the obvious temptation which their defenceless
situation offered to a woman proverbially unscrupulous, was overruled by
the majority of those present. Teligny, in particular, the accomplished
and amiable son-in-law of Coligny, opposed a scheme which not only might
endanger the admiral's life, but would certainly displease the king, by
betraying distrust of his ability or his inclination to defend his
Protestant subjects.[962]

Saturday morning came, and with it a report from Coligny's physicians,
announcing that his wounds would not prove serious. Meanwhile the
investigation into the attempted assassinatio