e called in the CANAILLE to tear him. But be
sure, my friend"--and as the speaker's tone changed and grew full and
proud, his form seemed to swell with it--"be sure the cruel shall not
live out half their days! No. He that takes the knife shall perish by
the knife! And go to his own place! I shall not see it, but you will!"

His words made no great impression on me then. My hardihood was
returning. I was throbbing with fierce excitement, and tingling for
the fight. But years afterwards, when the two who stood highest in the
group about Coligny's threshold died, the one at thirty-eight, the
other at thirty-five--when Henry of Guise and Henry of Valois died
within six months of one another by the assassin's knife--I remembered
Pavannes' augury. And remembering it, I read the ways of Providence,
and saw that the very audacity of which Guise took advantage to entrap
Coligny led him too in his turn to trip smiling and bowing, a comfit
box in his hand and the kisses of his mistress damp on his lips, into a
king's closet--a king's closet at Blois! Led him to lift the
curtain--ah! to lift the curtain, what Frenchman does not know the
tale?--behind which stood the Admiral!

To return to our own fortunes; after a hurried glance we resumed our
way, and sped through the alley, holding a brief consultation as we
went. Pavannes' first hasty instinct to seek shelter at home began to
lose its force, and he to consider whether his return would not
endanger his wife. The mob might be expected to spare her, he argued.
Her death would not benefit any private foes if he escaped. He was for
keeping away therefore. But I would not agree to this. The priest's
crew of desperadoes--assuming Pavannes' suspicions to be correct--would
wait some time, no doubt, to give the master of the house a chance to
return, but would certainly attack sooner or later out of greed, if
from no other motive. Then the lady's fate would at the best be
uncertain. I was anxious myself to rejoin my brothers, and take all
future chances, whether of saving our Louis, or escaping ourselves,
with them. United we should be four good swords, and might at least
protect Madame de Pavannes to a place of safety, if no opportunity of
succouring Louis should present itself. We had too the Duke's ring,
and this might be of service at a pinch. "No," I urged, "let us get
together. We two will slip in at the front gate, and bolt and bar it,
and then we will all esc