d men pouring through the passages of the Hotel de Suze in your
Grace's own ducal city of Nantes. And if there goes a bruit abroad,
that your Highness is protecting this monster whom the people hate,
and the evidences of whose horrid cruelty are by this time in their
hands--well, your Grace knows the Bretons as well as I. They will
make one end of Gilles de Retz and of his cousin John, Duke of
Brittany."

"Think you so--think you so truly, Pierre?" cried the unhappy reigning
prince; "I would not screen him if this be true. But the King--what of
the King? They say he hath promised him support with arms and men for
recovering to him and to Louis the Dauphin the Duchy of Touraine."

"And think you, my lord, that the Dauphin will keep his promise, if we
show him good cause why he should fare better by breaking it?"
suggested Pierre de l'Hopital, with the grim irony which had become
habitual to him.

John of Brittany paused irresolute.

"Besides which," continued James Douglas, "I may add that this paper
is already in the hands of the Cardinal Bishop of Nantes, and if your
Grace will not move in the matter, his Eminence has promised to see
justice done."

"The hireling--the popular mouther after favour! I know him," cried
Duke John, angrily. "What accursed demon sent you to him? In this, as
in other matters, he will strive to oust me from the hearts of the
folk of Brittany. He will be the people's advocate and will gain great
honour from this trial, will he? We shall see. Ho! guards there! Turn
out. Summon those that are asleep. Let the full muster be called. I
will lead you to Machecoul myself. And these gentlemen shall march
with us. But by Heaven and the bones of Saint Anne of Auray, if in one
jot they shall fail to substantiate against Gilles de Retz those
things which they have testified, they shall die by the rack, and by
the cord, and by disembowelling, and by fire. So swear I, Duke John
of Brittany."

"It is good," said James Douglas. And "It is good," accorded also
Malise and Sholto MacKim.

"But before any dies in Brittany, Gilles de Retz or another, _I_ will
judge the case," commented Pierre de l'Hopital, President of Justice
and Grand Councillor of the reigning sovereign.

CHAPTER LVII

THE TOWER OF DEATH

Throughout La Vendee and all the country of Retz had run a terrible
rumour. "The Marshal de Retz is the murderer of our children. He has a
thousand bodies in the vaults of his castles. The