Chicot the Jester

. The space at the right, between the gate and the H?tel des Tournelles, was large and dark, little frequented by day, and quite solitary at night, for all passers-by

hat epoch. In the nights when the moon charged herself with the lighting of the earth, the Bastile rose somber and majestic against the starry blue of the skies, but on dark nights, there seemed only a thickening of the shadows where it stood. On the night in question, a practised eye might have detected in the angle of the wall of the Tournelles several black sh

such as we had at Warsaw, when Henri was King o

it is not warm, I confess; but draw your mantle over your eyes,

sy to see you are German. As for me, my lips

fourth; "on my honor, I w

your mamma's muff, poor

said a fifth voice; "you will s

ng through the Rue S

him; he named

suspected somethi

should go, he would go, if he knew that

ere are two

foi!

arge," sai

o not let us kill good bourgeois

and looked as if undecided.

rdly see o

before a house they are seeking-they ar

r he was going to the

ou know he to

ll rushed out, sword in ha

lock; the door had yielded and was about to open,

it be against us,

ad opened the door, "it looks like it. W

men-an

aid the lady was too bea

ly, Aurilly; we are

ere are not enemies with

t their entering, while Schomberg, D'O, and D'Epernon prepared to attack in front. But he who had b

son of Franc

k, trembling, a

le Duc d'Anjo

jou!" repeate

lemen," cri

red D'Epernon, "it wa

"we did not dream of me

ner of joking, M. d'Epernon. Since it was not

el Montmorency and come this way; it seemed strange to us,

uc-you took

monsei

is a head tal

ur; but he is just the

in a lock, we took him for

had the shadow of an ill-will toward

had, little by little, quitted the door, follow

ngrily; "what makes you th

case pardon us, and let

now, in Rue de la Tournelle. In passing, Aurilly saw you and took you for the watch, and we, therefore, tried to hide ourselves in

have bad intentions; it is near midnight, and th

s profit by th

one, but have returned to their retreat: lo

t was evident that they waited for something, perh

Aurilly, "do you not think it w

it is annoyi

en for a year; we know the lady lodges on the first story. We have gain

e that the d

he third k

re you shut

monsei

e, as he said, but he di

time." And the duke went away, promising to

lier wrapped in a large cloak. The steps of his horse resounded on the fr

said Quelus

le," said

hy

th Livarot, Antragues, and Ribeirac, who

not recognize his insolen

d D'O, "it

it is he; an

tmorency. It was one of those bravadoes delighted in by the valiant colonel, who said of himself, "I am but a simple gentleman, but I bear in my breast the heart of an emperor; and when I read in Plutarch the exploits of the ancient Rom

and armed only with a sword and poniard, he advanced towards the house where waited for him no person, but simply a letter, which the Queen of Navarr

he lackeys, who are doubtless within call. They think much of me, it seems; all these for one man. That brave St. Luc did not deceive me; and were his even the first sword to p

hat Quelus cr

the wild boar you had to hunt. Well, gentlemen, the wild boar will

tened in the moonlight, came from under his cloak, and Bussy felt his horse give way under him. Schomberg had, with an address peculiar to himself, pierced the horse's leg with a kind of cutlass, of

s." And as Schomberg approached incautiously, Bussy gave

one already. It was the wrist of Bussy, an

treating gradually, not to fly, but to gain a wall, against which to support himself, and prevent his being attacked behind, making all the while constant thrusts, and feeling somet

," cried

r D'O, D'Epernon, and Maugiron attacked him, with fresh fury. Schomberg had bound his wound, and Quelus picked up his sword. Bussy made a bound backwards, and reached the wall. There he stopped, strong

alter!" cr

lost. He gathered all his strength to retreat once more step by step. Already the perspiration was cold on his brow, and the ringing in his ears and the cloud over his eyes warned him that his strength was giving way. He sought for the wall with his left hand; to his astonishment, it yielded. It was a door not quite closed. Then he regained hope and strength for a last effort. For a second his blows were rapid and violent. The