^j)8 Memoirs oj Henry the Great. 



hody. I did not know the man, and had for lliree days. Durin<r lliat lapse of 



no knowtedne whether he came to offer time, sleep Wiis expelled liV lioniieide 



me insult, or if the archers intendedlheir and lerioi" from the walls of Paris. No 



attacks ao-ainst him or vii/self. We both sounds were licanl but those of rafi^e and 



screamed aloud, the one being as much af- despair ; Heaven, outra;i;ed at eaeli suc- 



frin-hted as the other." At length the ceeding moment, was ouly invoked by 



captain of the guard arrived, who sent expiring victims ; indei'atigable and fu- 



awav the arehcrs, and spared the man's rions slaughter prowled unceasingly, 



life, "in consequence of the queen's en- and coniiuued sole despot of tiial im- 



Ireaties, after which he conducted her mense city. During the two last days, 



to the apartment of tlie Duchess of Lor- Paris presented ti>e horrid spectacle of 



raine. Jnst as Margaret entered the a place given up to assault and aban- 



anteehamber, a gentleman at three paces doned to pillage. An infuriate popu- 



dislance, was pierced through by a hal- lace and soldiery, armed with pistols. 



berdraan, and fell tlead at her side ; 

 upon which she fainted, and was not 

 restored, until she found herself in safety 

 with her sister. 



The first terror expcrienoe<l by Mar- 

 garet, was for the safety of the king her 

 husband ; she in consequence made en- 



daggers, pikes, and stakes, scoured the 

 streets, .or rushed in crowds from the 

 tlevastated houses, leaving only the 

 slaughtered bodies, and carrying away, 

 without opposition, jewels, i)late, fur- 

 niture, and viands. Nothing was heard 

 but the discharge of pistols and arque- 



(piiries, and received assurances that no btises, the dashing of stones and missilt-s 



ill had befallen him. Charles tlie Ninth against the casements and houses, niin- 



had commanded that the King of Na- gled with the cries and groans of the 



varre and the Prince of Conde should wounded and dying, or the blasphemous 



be conducted to his presence; he re- imjiiecalions and howlings of the mur- 



reived them with an expression of f'ero- der«:rs. The streets were scattered 



city, and eyes sparkling with rage, \m- over with mangled lind)s; hotels, pa- 



mediately slating, that the admiral ad 

 Ins rebel chiefs had been slaughtered by 

 Ids command ; that witii resjiect to 

 themselves, being fully convinced that 

 they had been led into the revolt more 



laees, and public buildings, were reek- 

 ing with blooil ; the image of death and 

 desolation reigned on every side, and 

 under the most hideous appearances ; 

 n all quarters carts were seen loailed 



from evil advice than of their own free with plunder, while others contained 



will, he was ready to pardon them, pro- heaps of bodies, destined to be cast into 



vided they wouUl abjure their false re- the river, whose waters were for several 



li"-iou, and adopt the Catholic per- tiays sullied by tides of human gore, 



suasion ; but, as the answer was raiher During this horrid period, every spe- 



ambi^uous and embarrassed, Charles cies of the most refined cruelly beeauve 



allowed them three days for considera- exhausted ; the weakness of infancy 



tion. Peielixe says that the king's proved no impediment to the impulse of 



words, on tlie entrance of the princes, feroeity ; childicn of ten years, exercising 



were, Dealli or the Mass! the fust homicidal deed, were seen com- 



' From the chanibpr in which this in- niitling the most barbarous acts, and 



terxiew took place. King Henry and the cutting the throats of infants in their 



Prnice t)f Comle could hear the last swaddling clothes! The venerable 



groans of their friends, whose murdf-rs Brion, upwards of eighty yetirsof age, 



were perpetrated in the Louvre. The and governor of the Prince de Conti, 



guards having ranged themselves in two finding himself surrounded by a band of 



rows, ran through with their hallierds assassins, seized his yoinig pupil and 



the disarmed victims who were present- clasjied him in his arms, in the hope of 



«"d to them for assassiratiou, and who linding in him a safeguard ; this proved, 



were thrust forward into the midst of however, of no avail, for the old man 



them when tliey expired, piled in heaps was poniarded, in spite of the efforts of 



«)ue upon the oilier. The major part re- the piiiiee, icho, weeping bitierli/, 



ceived the stroke of death without niter- stretched forth his little hands, in ordtr 



ino" a syilible, others appealed toimlilio to icard off the daooers of the inhuman 



fnith. and the king's royal word. Great assailants. Francois tie Caumout. 



God! was their cry, vindirate tlie cause 

 of the oppressed: .Just Judge, avenge 

 tliis perfidij ! 



Nolhini:. however, could impede the 

 progress'.! I :e earnaif, which coiitiiiiicd 



sleeping between his two little .«ons, w as 

 stibbed with the eldest ; the second 

 oiih escapiiis; by coiinlcrfeiiing <lealli, 

 and i-oneealing himself under the bleed- 

 ing bixlies of his fallier and brother. 



The 



