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saw Madame d'O？〃
I shook my head； not answering。 I was not sure； and I had a queer；
sickening dread of the subject。 If I had seen her； I had seen oh！ it was
too horrible； too unnatural！ Her own sister！ Her own brother in…law！
I hastened to change the subject。 〃The Pavannes；〃 I made shift to say；
〃must have had five minutes' start。〃
〃More；〃 Croisette answered； 〃if Madame and he got away at once。 If
all has gone well with them； and they have not been stopped in the streets
they should be at Mirepoix's by now。 They seemed to be pretty sure that
he would take them in。〃
〃Ah！〃 I sighed。 〃What fools we were to bring madame from that
place！ If we had not meddled with her affairs we might have reached
Louis long ago our Louis； I mean。〃
〃True；〃 Croisette answered softly； 〃but remember that then we should
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not have saved the other Louis as I trust we have。 He would still be in
Pallavicini's hands。 Come； Anne； let us think it is all for the best；〃 he
added； his face shining with a steady courage that shamed me。 〃To the
rescue！ Heaven will help us to be in time yet！〃
〃Ay； to the rescue！〃 I replied； catching his spirit。 〃First to the right；
I think； second to the left； first on the right again。 That was the direction
given us； was it not？ The house opposite a book…shop with the sign of
the Head of Erasmus。 Forward； boys！ We may do it yet。〃
But before I pursue our fortunes farther let me explain。 The room we
had guarded so jealously was empty！ The plan had been mine and I was
proud of it。 For once Croisette had fallen into his rightful place。 My
flight from the gate； the vain attempt to close the house； the barricade
before the inner doorthese were all designed to draw the assailants to one
spot。 Pavannes and his wifethe latter hastily disguised as a boyhad
hidden behind the door of the hutch by the gatesthe porter's hutch； and
had slipped out and fled in the first confusion of the attack。
Even the servants； as we learned afterwards； who had hidden
themselves in the lower parts of the house got away in the same manner；
though some of themthey were but few in all were stopped as Huguenots
and killed before the day ended。 I had the more reason to hope that
Pavannes and his wife would get clear off； inasmuch as I had given the
Duke's ring to him； thinking it might serve him in a strait； and believing
that we should have little to fear ourselves once clear of his house； unless
we should meet the Vidame indeed。
We did not meet him as it turned out； but before we had traversed a
quarter of the distance we had to go we found that fears based on reason
were not the only terrors we had to resist。 Pavannes' house； where we
had hitherto been； stood at some distance from the centre of the blood…
storm which was enwrapping unhappy Paris that morning。 It was several
hundred paces from the Rue de Bethisy where the Admiral lived； and what
with this comparative remoteness and the excitement of our own little
drama； we had not attended much to the fury of the bells； the shots and
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cries and uproar which proclaimed the state of the city。 We had not
pictured the scenes which were happening so near。 Now in the streets the
truth broke upon us； and drove the blood from our cheeks。 A hundred
yards； the turning of a corner； sufficed。 We who but yesterday left the
country； who only a week before were boys； careless as other boys； not
recking of death at all； were plunged now into the midst of horrors I
cannot describe。 And the awful contrast between the sky above and the
things about us！ Even now the lark was singing not far from us； the
sunshine was striking the topmost storeys of the houses； the fleecy clouds
were passing overhead； the freshness of a summer morning was
Ah！ where was it？ Not here in the narrow lanes surely； that echoed
and re…echoed with shrieks and curses and frantic prayers： in which bands
of furious men rushed up and down； and where archers of the guard and
the more cruel rabble were breaking in doors and windows； and hurrying
with bloody weapons from house to house； seeking； pursuing； and at last
killing in some horrid corner； some place of darknesskilling with blow
on blow dealt on writhing bodies！ Not here； surely； where each minute a
child； a woman died silently； a man snarling like a wolfhappy if he had
snatched his weapon and got his back to the wall： where foul corpses
dammed the very blood that ran down the kennel； and childrenlittle
childrenplayed with them！
I was at Cahors in 1580 in the great street fight； and there women were
killed； I was with Chatillon nine years later； when he rode through the
Faubourgs of Paris； with this very day and his father Coligny in his mind；
and gave no quarter。 I was at Courtas and Ivry； and more than once have
seen prisoners led out to be piked in batchesay； and by hundreds！ But
war is war； and these were its victims； dying for the most part under God's
heaven with arms in their hands： not men and women fresh roused from
their sleep。 I felt on those occasions no such horror； I have never felt
such burning pity and indignation as on the morning I am describing； that
long…past summer morning when I first saw the sun shining on the streets
of Paris。 Croisette clung to me； sick and white； shutting his eyes and ears；
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and letting me guide him as I would。 Marie strode along on the other
side of him； his lips closed； his eyes sinister。 Once a soldier of the guard
whose blood…stained hands betrayed the work he had done； came reeling
he was drunk； as were many of the butchers across our path； and I gave
way a little。 Marie did not； but walked stolidly on as if he did not see
him； as if the way were clear； and the