THE HUGUENOTS IN FRANCE 



51 



admittance iu the name of the king. His servant, La 

 Bonne, opened the door and was immediately struck 

 down with a dagger by Cosseins, a captain of the guard. 

 A motley band of troopers then pressed into the house 

 over the fallen body, and easily overcame the resistance 

 which Coligny's five Swiss guards were able to offer, 

 though they contested bravely every inch of the passage 

 to the Admiral's room. Meanwhile, Coligny, under- 

 standing what the clashing of arms signified, rose from 

 his bed despite his wound, and prepared to meet his as- 

 sassins like the honourable soldier that he was. To the 

 little group of faithful friends and followers who were 

 gathered about him he said, in a voice unmoved by fear, 

 ' ' For a long time I have kept myself in readiness for 

 death. As for you, save yourselves, if you can. It were 

 in vain for you to attempt to save my life. I commend 

 my soul to the mercy of God." Obedient to his request, 

 all his followers excepting Nicholas Muss fled to the roof 

 and made their escape in the darkness. When the sol- 

 diers broke into the room they found Coligny awaiting 

 them with the greatest composure, quite undaunted in the 

 face of certain death. ' ' Aren' t you the Admiral ? ' ' cried 

 one of the troopers. "Yes," replied Coligny. "I am 

 he. But you are too young a soldier to speak thus to so 

 old a captain, if for no other reason than respect for my 

 age." With a curse the soldier struck him with his 

 sword, and the old warrior was quickly put to death. 

 His body was then thrown out of the window into the 

 court below, where the Duke of Guise was waiting the 

 news of his death. Taking out his handkerchief the Duke 

 wiped the blood from Coligny's face and cried, "I recog- 

 nize him, 'tis the Admiral!" After grinding his heel 

 into the face of the fallen leader he shouted, " Come, sol- 

 diers, we have begun well ; let us go on to the others ! " 



The head was then cut off and carried to the Louvre for 

 Charles and his mother to feast their eyes upon. After 

 they had satisfied their hatred they ordered it embalmed 



A Noble 

 Victim Un- 

 daunted 



Ruffian 

 Indignity 



A Martyr 

 Statesman 



