ievre! There's sense in that! To arms, my friends! We will
have vengeance!" and a number of the most hot-headed were rushing out
wildly when a cry arose of "Navarre! Navarre!" and, going to the street,
we saw Henry of Navarre accompanied by five or six hundred Huguenot
gentlemen.

The gallant prince was angry and excited. "What means this foul
outrage?" he cried, leaping from his horse. "Have they slain our noble
leader?"

"No, no, sire; he has been shot at and wounded, but he is not dead. Way
there for Navarre! We want justice, sire!"

"By my faith, gentlemen," exclaimed the fiery Henry, as he mounted the
stairs, "you shall have it, or Navarre shall lose its monarch."

Save for the sick-room, where our illustrious chief lay, the whole house
was crowded with excited men. From time to time messengers arrived
bringing reports from the city, and from their accounts it really looked
as if Charles was bent on discovering and punishing the murderer. The
civic guards were mustered; the sentries at the gates doubled; and no
one was permitted to go armed into the streets.

"A blind!" cried some hotly. "There is no need to hunt for the murderer;
Charles can find him at his own table!"

"Why do we stay here?" cried Felix; "let us march to the palace and
demand justice!"

"Let us first consult Navarre," said another; "he must be our leader
now," and the majority agreed with this suggestion.

About two oclock a man came running into the courtyard crying "The king!
The king!" and shortly afterwards Charles appeared, followed by his
mother and Anjou. And here I must say that few of us, after looking at
his gloomy face, believed that he had any share in the dastardly plot
against our beloved chief. We let him pass in silence, but when Anjou
came, there were many muttered threats of vengeance, and more than one
loud cry of "Assassin!"

"Monseigneur comes to gloat over his victim!" exclaimed one man, and so
intense was our anger that but for the king's presence I doubt if
Monseigneur would have left the house alive.

When the royal party had ended their visit, Henry, Conde, and other
leading members of our party held a meeting in one of the lower rooms.
Felix and I remained on duty in the ante-chamber where De Guerchy came
to fetch us.

"The King of Navarre wishes to learn the truth about the discoveries in
Vallemur's house," he said.

The room was very crowded, and the nobles were discussing the situation
with fierce exc