still, in the interest of France, stay at his post
of duty."

At this moment the door opened, and Francois de Laville entered
hurriedly.

"What is the matter, Francois?" Philip exclaimed, seeing that his
cousin looked pale and agitated.

"Have you not heard the news?"

"I have heard nothing. I have not been out this morning."

"The Admiral has been shot."

Philip uttered an exclamation of horror.

"Not killed, Francois; not killed, I trust?"

"No; two balls were fired, one took off a finger of his right hand,
and another has lodged in his left arm. He had just left the king,
who was playing at tennis, and was walking homewards with two or
three gentlemen, when an arquebus was fired from a house not far
from his own. Two of the gentlemen with him assisted him home,
while some of the others burst in the door of the house.

"They were too late. Only a woman and a manservant were found
there. The assassin had fled by the back of the house, where a
horse was standing in waiting. It is said that the house belongs to
the old Duchess of Guise.

"It is half an hour since the news reached the palace, and you may
imagine the consternation it excited. The king has shut himself up
in his room. Navarre and Conde are in deep grief, for they both
regard the Admiral almost as a father. As for the rest of us, we
are furious.

"There is a report that the man who was seen galloping away from
the house from which the shot was fired was that villain Maurevel,
who so treacherously shot De Mouy, and was rewarded by the king for
the deed. It is also said that a groom, in the livery of Guise, was
holding the horse when the assassin issued out.

"Navarre and Conde have gone to Coligny. The king's surgeon is
dressing his wounds."

Chapter 20: The Tocsin.

As soon as Francois had finished his account of the attempted
assassination of the Admiral, he and Philip sallied out, the latter
having hastily armed himself.

"I must go back to the Louvre," Francois said, "and take my place
by the King of Navarre. He is going to see the king, and to demand
permission to leave Paris at once. Conde and La Rochefoucault are
going to see the king, as soon as they return from the Admiral's,
for the same purpose; as it is evident their lives are not safe
here."

Philip made his way to the Admiral's house in the Rue de Bethisy.
Numbers of Huguenot gentlemen were hurrying in that direction; all,
like himself, armed, and deeply moved with