y three or four hours before Conde
arrives there, they will be able to get to Paris before he can cut
them off."

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