ery was demanded, exhibited for the
first time that lamentable absence of moral courage which was to render
his life, in its highest relations, a splendid failure. His countenance
betrayed agitation and faint-heartedness.[1008] With great
"humility"--almost whining, it would appear--he begged that his own life
and the life of Conde might be spared, and reminded Charles of his
promised protection. "He would act," he said, "so as to satisfy his
Majesty; yet he besought him to remember that conscience was a great
thing, and that it was hard to renounce the religion in which one had been
brought up from infancy." On the other hand, Henry of Conde, in no way
abashed,[1009] declared "that he could not believe that his royal cousin
intended to violate a promise confirmed by so solemn an oath. As to
fealty, he had always been an obedient subject of the king, and would ever
be. Touching his religion, if the king had given him the exercise of its
worship, God had given him the knowledge of it; and to Him he must needs
give up an account. So far as his body and his possessions were concerned,
they were in the king's hands to dispose of as he might choose. Yet it was
his own determination to remain constant in his religion, which he would
always maintain to be the true religion, even should he be compelled to
lay down his life for it." So stout an answer kindled the anger of
Charles, who was in no mood to meet with opposition. He called Conde "a
rebel," "a seditious man," and "the son of a seditious father," and warned
him that he would lose his head, if, within three days, he should not
think better of the matter.[1010]

[Sidenote: The massacre becomes general.]

And now the great bell of the "Palais de Justice" pealed forth the tocsin.
About the Louvre the work of blood had begun when Catharine, impatient,
and fearful lest Charles's resolution should again waver at the last
moment, gave orders to anticipate the appointed time by ringing the bell
of the neighboring church of St. Germain l'Auxerrois. But now the loud and
unusual clangor from the tower of the parliament house carried the warning
far and wide. All Paris awoke. The conspirators everywhere recognized the
stipulated signal, and spread among the excited townsmen the wildest and
most extravagant reports. A foul plot, formed by the Huguenots, against
the king, his mother, and his brothers, had come to light. They had killed
more than fifteen of the royal guards. The king,