to massacre us,
as they did at Rouen and a score of other places, and as they have
done here in Paris more than once."

"That is as hard to believe as the other, Pierre. My own
supposition is by far the most probable, that it is the work of
some fanatic; but at any rate, we will be on the watch tonight. It
is too late to do anything else and, were I to go round to our
friends, they would mock at me for paying any attention to such a
trifle as a chalk mark on a door.

"I own that I think it serious, because I have come, in spite of my
reason, to believe somewhat in your forebodings; but no one else
seems to entertain any such fears."

Opening the casement, Philip seated himself there.

"Do you lie down, Pierre. At two o'clock I will call you, and you
shall take my place."

Pierre went out, but before lying down he again went quietly
downstairs and, with a wet cloth, entirely erased the mark from the
door; and then, placing his sword and his pistols ready at hand,
lay down on his pallet. At one o'clock Philip aroused him.

"There is something unusual going on, Pierre. I can see a light in
the sky, as of many torches; and can hear a confused sound, as of
the murmur of men. I will sally out and see what it is."

Placing his pistols in his belt and taking his sword, he wrapped
himself in his cloak and, followed by Pierre, also armed, went down
into the street. As he went along he overtook two men. As he passed
under a lamp, one of them exclaimed:

"Is that you, Monsieur Fletcher?"

He turned. It was the Sieur de Pascal.

"It is I, Monsieur de Pascal. I was going out to learn the meaning
of those lights over there."

"That is just what I am doing, myself. As the night is hot, I could
not sleep; so I threw open my window, and saw those lights, which
were, as it appeared to me, somewhere in the neighbourhood of the
Admiral's house; and I thought it was as well to see what they
meant."

As they went along, they came upon men with lighted torches; and
saw that, in several of the streets, groups of men with torches
were silently standing.

"What is taking place?" the Sieur de Pascal asked one of the men.

"There is going to be a night masque, and a mock combat at the
Louvre," the man said.

"It is strange. I heard nothing about it at the Louvre," Philip
said, as they proceeded on their way. "I was with the King of
Navarre up to ten o'clock and, had anything been known of it by him
or the gentlemen with him,