he
carpenter pointed out that it would be necessary to wait for stormy
weather, when the waters swollen by the rain would by their noise drown
the sound of the file. This precaution was doubly necessary as the box
of the sentry was almost exactly above the grating. M. de Calviere tried
to make Maduron give way; but the latter, who was risking more than
anyone else, was firm. So whether they liked it or not, de Calviere and
the rest had to await his good pleasure.

Some days later rainy weather set in, and as usual the fountain became
fuller; Maduron seeing that the favourable moment had arrived, glided at
night into the moat and applied his file, a friend of his who was hidden
on the ramparts above pulling a cord attached to Maduron's arm every
time the sentinel, in pacing his narrow round, approached the spot.
Before break of day the work was well begun. Maduron then obliterated
all traces of his file by daubing the bars with mud and wax, and
withdrew. For three consecutive nights he returned to his task, taking
the same precautions, and before the fourth was at an end he found that
by means of a slight effort the grating could be removed. That was all
that was needed, so he gave notice to Messire Nicolas de Calviere that
the moment had arrived.

Everything was favourable to the undertaking: as there was no moon, the
next night was chosen to carry out the plan, and as soon as it was dark
Messire Nicolas de Calviere set out with his men, who, slipping down
into the moat without noise, crossed, the water being up to their belts,
climbed up the other side, and crept along at the foot of the wall till
they reached the grating without being perceived. There Maduron was
waiting, and as soon as he caught sight of them he gave a slight blow to
the loose bars; which fell, and the whole party entered the drain, led
by de Calviere, and soon found themselves at the farther end--that is to
say, in the Place de la Fontaine. They immediately formed into companies
twenty strong, four of which hastened to the principal gates, while the
others patrolled the streets shouting, "The city taken! Down with
the Papists! A new world!" Hearing this, the Protestants in the city
recognised their co-religionists, and the Catholics their opponents:
but whereas the former had been warned and were on the alert, the latter
were taken by surprise; consequently they offered no resistance, which,
however, did not prevent bloodshed. M. de St. Andre, the