th no
thought of gaining anything for myself. I am, of course, greatly
pleased to receive the honour of knighthood, and that at the hands
of so great and noble a general as Admiral Coligny. I have been
singularly fortunate, but I owe my good fortune in no small degree
to you; for I could have had no better introduction than to ride in
your train."

"You deserve all the credit you have obtained, Philip. You have
grasped every opportunity that was presented to you, and have
always acquitted yourself well. A young man does not gain the
esteem and approval of a Coligny, the gratitude of a Valecourt, and
the liking of all who know him--including the Queen of Navarre and
her son--unless by unusual merit. I am proud of you as a
connection, though distant, of my own; and I sincerely trust you
will, at the end of this sad business, return home to your friends
none the worse for the perils you have gone through."

At the end of a month the negotiations were broken off, for the
court had no real intention of granting any concessions. The
Huguenots again commenced hostilities. Two or three strong
fortresses were captured; and a force despatched south, under Count
Montgomery, who joined the army of the Viscounts, expelled the
Royalists from Bearn, and restored it to the Queen of Navarre.

There was a considerable division, among the Huguenot leaders, as
to the best course to be taken. The Admiral was in favour of
marching north and besieging Saumur, which would give them a free
passage across the lower Loire to the north of France, as the
possession of La Charite kept open for them a road to the west; but
the majority of the leaders were in favour of besieging Poitiers,
one of the richest and most important cities in France.
Unfortunately their opinion prevailed, and they marched against
Poitiers, of which the Count de Lude was the governor. Before they
arrived there Henry, Duke of Guise, with his brother the Duke of
Mayenne, and other officers, threw themselves into the town. A
desperate defence was made, and every assault by the Huguenots was
repulsed, with great loss. A dam was thrown across a small river by
the besieged, and its swollen waters inundated the Huguenot camp;
and their losses at the breaches were greatly augmented by the
ravages of disease.

After the siege had lasted for seven weeks, the Duc d'Anjou laid
siege to Chatelherault, which the Huguenots had lately captured;
and Coligny raised the siege, which had