e himself
and his few adherents must be instantly murdered. At the same time, his
worst enemies confessed that his demeanour had in it nothing either of
meanness or cowardice. He shunned to aggravate into frenzy the wrath of
the Duke; but he neither deprecated nor seemed to fear it, and continued
to look on him with the calm and fixed attention with which a brave man
eyes the menacing gestures of a lunatic, whilst conscious that his own
steadiness and composure operate as an insensible and powerful check on
the rage even of insanity.

Crawford, at the King's command, threw his sword to Crevecoeur, saying,
"Take it! and the devil give you joy of it.--It is no dishonour to the
rightful owner who yields it, for we have had no fair play."

"Hold, gentlemen," said the Duke in a broken voice, as one whom passion
had almost deprived of utterance, "retain your swords; it is sufficient
you promise not to use them. And you, Louis of Valois, must regard
yourself as my prisoner, until you are cleared of having abetted
sacrilege and murder. Have him to the Castle.--Have him to Earl
Herbert's Tower. Let him have six gentlemen of his train to attend him,
such as he shall choose.--My Lord of Crawford, your guard must leave
the Castle, and shall be honourably quartered elsewhere. Up with every
drawbridge, and down with every portcullis.--Let the gates of the town
be trebly guarded.--Draw the floating bridge to the right hand side of
the river.--Bring round the Castle my band of Black Walloons [regiments
of Dutch troops, wearing black armour], and treble the sentinels on
every post!--You, D'Hymbercourt, look that patrols of horse and foot
make the round of the town every half hour during the night and every
hour during the next day--if indeed such ward shall be necessary after
daybreak, for it is like we may be sudden in this matter.--Look to the
person of Louis, as you love your life."

He started from the table in fierce and moody haste, darted a glance of
mortal enmity at the King, and rushed out of the apartment.

"Sirs," said the King, looking with dignity around him, "grief for the
death of his ally hath made your Prince frantic. I trust you know better
your duty, as knights and noblemen, than to abet him in his treasonable
violence against the person of his liege Lord."

At this moment was heard in the streets the sound of drums beating, and
horns blowing, to call out the soldiery in every direction.

"We are," said Crevecoe