Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-11-18

So~AO S4--tC- ! OF tHe4e u LpthlGI IN
the world 50 dreadful as that brute
beast we call the canaille, when the
chain is off and its cowardiy soul is
reused.
Near our end of the street n group of
horsemen. rising island-Iike frcm the
sea of heads, SAT motionless in their
saddles about gateway. They were
silent, taking no notice of the rioting
fiends shouting at their girths, but
watching in grim quiet what was pass
ing within the gates. They were
handsomely dressed, although some
wore corselets over their satin coats
or lace above buff jenkins. l could
even at that distance see the Jewels
CLEAN in the bonnet of one who seemed
to be their leader. He was in the cen
ter of the band, very young man. per-
haps 20 or 81, of most splendid pres
ence, sitting his horse superbly He
wore gray riding coat, and was a
head teller than any ofhis companions.
There was pride in the very air with
which his horse bore him.
/ did not need to ask Pavannes who
he was. knew that he was the Duke of
Guise, and that the house before
which he stood was Colignys knew
what was being done there And in
the same moment / sickened with hor-
ror and rage. l had a vision of gray
hairs and blood and fury scarcely hui
man. And l rebelled. / battled with
the rabble about me. / forced my way
through them tooth and nail after
Pavannes, intent only on escap-
ing. only on getting away, from
there. And so we neither halted
nor looked back until we were clear of
the crowd and had left the blaze of
light and the work doing by it way be-
hind us.
We found ourselves then in the
mouth of an obscure alley which my
companion whispered would bring us
to his house; and there we paused to
take breath and look back. The sky
was red behind us. the air full of the
clash and din of the tocsin. and the
flood of sounds which poured from
every tower and steeple. From the
eastward came the rattle of drums and
random shots, and shrieks of "a bas
Coligny!" "a bas les HIguenots!"
Meanwhile the city was rising as one
man, pale at this dread awakening.
from every window men and women,
frightened by the uproar, were craning
their necks, asking or answering ques-
tons or hurriedly calling for and kim
ding tapers. But as yet the general
populace seemed to be taking no active
part in the disorder.
Pavannes raised his hat an instant as
we stood in the shadow of the houses.
THE noblest man in France is dead"
he said, softly and revcrently. God
rest his soul! They have had their way
with him and killed him like dog. He
was an old man, and they did not spare
himl a noble, and they have called in
the canaille to tear him. But be sure.
my friend"-and as the speakers 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! l shall not see it, but
You Wilt"
His words made no great impression
on me then. My hardihood was return
ing. | was throbbing with fierce ex-
element, 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
IS and the other at 35-when Henry of
Guise and Henry of Valois died within
ixr1 rnnfhS Of ono a0atba,. I,t- he
sins knife-I remembered Pavannes'
augury. And remembering it, read
the ways of Providence, and saw that
the very audacity of which Guise took
advantage TO entrap Colignv led him
in his turn to trip smiling and bowling
a comfit box in his hand and the kisses
of his mistress damp on his lips, into a
kings closet-a kings 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!
70 return to our own fortunes; after
a hurried glance we pursued our way,
end sped through the alley, holding a
brief consultation as we went Pavan-
nes' first hasty instinct to seek shell
ter at home began 10 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 bene-
fit any private foes if he escaped. He
was for keeping away, therefore. But
would not agree to this. The priests
crew of desperadoes-ass assuming Pavan-
mes suspicious 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 for no other mo-
tive. Then the ladv's fate would at the
best be uncertain. / was anxious my
self to rejoiD 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
Nine. de Pavannes to place of safety,
if no opportunity of succoring Louis