The Path of the King

im the city reeked in a close August twilight. From every entry came the smell of coarse cooking and unclean humanity, and the

here," he muttered. Oh for Eaucourt-Eaucourt by the

s, the fields about St. Denis, the Clermont downs.

w. The lieutenant of the watch stood squarely before him with a fo

o-night," was the answe

riding north on urgent affairs. My s

ered thi

argue with him, if your mi

t in God's name is afoot to-night?" he asked himself, and the bay tossed his dainty head, as if in the same perplexity. He was a fine anim

s, and a scar just under the hair wrinkled a broad low forehead. His small pointed beard was bleached by weather to the hue of pale honey. He wore a steel back and front over a doublet of dark taffeta, and his riding cloak was blue velvet lined with cherry satin. The man's habit was sombre except for the shine of steel and

rest and La Rochelle, a hornet to search out and sting the weak places of Spain on the Main and among the islands. But he was not born to live continually in outland parts, loving rather to intercalate fierce adventures between spells of home-keeping. The love of his green Picardy manor drew him ba

arre. Reaching the city on the Friday evening, he was met by ill news. That morning the Admiral's life had been attempted on his way back from watching the King at tennis. Happily the wounds were slight, a broken right forefinger and a bullet through the left forearm, but the outrage had taken away men's breath. That the Admiral of France, brought to Paris for those nuptials which were to be a pledge of a

"and cultivate your garden till I send for you. France is too crooked just now for a forthright fellow like you to do her service, and I do not think that the air of Paris is healthy for our house." Gaspard was fain to obey, judging

were locked to him, and he found him

had moved bodily thither a city of her countrymen. But now as the dark fell the streets were almost empty. The houses were packed to bursting-a blur of white faces could be seen at the windows, and every entry seemed to be alive with silent men. But in the streets there was scarcely a soul except priests, flitting from door to door, even stumbling against his horse in their preoccupation. Black, brown, and grey crows

ind supper. The first tavern served his purpose. Above the door was a wisp of red wool, which he knew for the Guise colours. Inside he

ion. He was heavily booted, and sat sideways on a settle with his left hand tucked in his belt and a great right elbow on the boar

the Isle of Pines I never hoped to meet you again in a Pa

her Majesty's Ambassador, and looked to start home to-night. But your cit

owl he had ordered. The other sent for another flask of

his eyes from his food, "that Paris will

s about," said Champernoun,

ng. Better get back to your Ambassador, Gawai

may have to box your ears, old friend. Since when have I taken to shirking a

" was Gaspard's

sword. "Also there are

e a hors

d a message to Sir Francis, and as he has been gone ov

tolling of the Admiral de Coligny has given them a taste of blood, and they may have a fancy for killing Luteranos. Two such as you a

hall we give of ourselves

ough for the dons' fashion, and we both speak their tongue freely. Behold in me the Senor Ju

odriguez de Bobadilla. I knew the man, who is dead, and his brother owes me

l outfa

y detect th

ou are getting as cautious

h I must leave to God. To-night it would appear that the Almighty must hold us very tight by the hand. Well, I am read

of a great man. But again he had the sense that hot fires were glowing under these cold ashes. The mist had lifted and the stars were clear, and over the dark mass of the Louvre a g

ne was brought in the two fell to talking Spanish, at the sound of which the man visibly started. His furtive sulky fa

anish gravity Gaspa

it start?

al. But messieurs have not badges. Perhaps they do not need them for their faces will be known. Neverth

e landlord: "We are strangers, so must bow to the custom o

lord?" was the answer. "Se

pinned a rag to their bonnets. "There, messieurs, you are now wearing honest col

. "Bonne fortune, lordships," were his parting words. "'Twi

as taken your good France? These are Spanish manners, and t

al they seek. The Guisards and their reiters and a pack of 'prentices maddened by serm

rd that a hundred Huguenots' s

ch for the Guises and their Italian tricks. I think we will go to Coligny's

ir left sleeve. The horses waited, already saddled, in stables not a furlong apart, and it was the work of a minute to bridle and mount. The two as if by a common impulse halted their beasts at the mouth of the Rue du Coq, and liste

t," said Gaspard; "in a

p-lash. It came from the dark mass of the Louvre, from somewhere beyond the Grand Jardin. It was followed inst

spard cried. "I go to him," and

broke out, coming apparently from above the

heir beat. They can suit every part, jangling in wild joy, or copying the slow pace of sorrow, or pealing in ordered rhythm, blithe but with a warning of mor

errois! The Palace church. The King is in it. It is a plot against our fai

o swell the army that pressed roaring eastwards. No one heeded the

s voice. "Our few hundred spears cannot stand agains

ish, good mouth-filling oaths delivered without heat. "Die we dou

he breeding." Then he laughed bitterly. "I mind Ribaut's last words, when Menendez slew him. 'We are of earth,' says he

alleros. Walsingham told me that the King hated that nation, and that the Queen

. It is the hour for public confession. I'm off t

rd in this game. We are two foxes in a flock of angry roosters, and by the Lord's grace we will take our toll of them. Cunning, my friend. A stratagem of war! We stand outside this welter and, having only the cold pa

ction to Gaspard. Suddenly he saw his enemies as less formidable, as somethi

campaigner. Let us forward, and t

torches was coming in on the right from the direction of the Bourbon and d'Alencon hotels. Yet by pressing their horses with whip and spur, and by that awe which the two t

ide its courtyard there were cries and the rumour of fighting, but out in the street there was sile

raight to the r

commanded, speaking

ked who seemed to be of a hi

sador of the K

sword, and the two rode into the ring so that they faced the archway. They could see a little way ins

The crowd behind the men-at-arms knew him, for even in its absorption it sent up shouts of greeting. He flitted like

aspard in Spanish. "Ho

y children. But this is but the beginning.

y, but the Jacobin took it for enthusiasm. He held up

s nickname. There was a wild surge round the horsemen, but the ring held. A body of soldiers poured out of the gate, with blood on their bare swords. Among them was one tall fellow all in armo

is good blade has rid us of the arch-h

is fury had become a co

ampernoun. "He is the Italian Pe

at damned friar," was

ung man, very noble to look upon, with a flushed face like a boy warm from the game of paume. His long satin coat was richly embroide

ilt like a chalice?"

Guise," sa

The lanterns made the whole place bright and he could see ever

of the household of the Ambassador of Spain, and could not

asantly. There was a boy

but I leave the city in pursuit of the Count of Montgomery, who is rumoured to have escaped. There will be much for you to see on this happy Sunday. But stay! You are

hain. It was a little Agnus of gold and enamel, surmo

ny man dares to question you. It is a passport from Henry of Guise.... And now

did figure. "That bird is in f

s knife. He will die as he has made my chief die, and his body will be cast to

been slow to quicken, but his eyes were no

I have a young kinsman there, they call him Walt

re is no place for boys in it. We have Guise's jewel, an

iest," said

ghting still in many houses, and on the roof-tops as the pale dawn spread could be seen the hunt for fugitives. Torches and lanterns still flic

Spain," he cried. "No friends of God and the Duke dare be

where a broader stre

head is lopped from the dragon of Babylon. Oh that God would show us wh

, presently set a guard at the street door. The mob below was already drunk with blood, and found waiting intolerable; but it had no leader and foamed aimlessly about the causeway. There were women in it with flying hair like Maenads, who shrilled obscenities, and drunken butchers

midst appeared t

ice which is born of the deep seas. "You see this je

with reverence, "it is our Duke's. I saw

Chartres. Coligny is dead. Teligny in there is about to die. But where are all the others? Where is La Roch

ble howling. Every ey

ers of France. They have copied your badge," and he glanced towards his left arm. "Thousands of them are waiting for revenge, and before it is full da

re cousins. A shiver of apprehension went through the soberer part. One drunka

lry. Follow me, and strike down every band of white-badge

ows of that lodging where even now Teligny was being done to death. With the two horsemen at their head the rabble poured

ld that the Little Man had been alive and with us

ld have specially misliked y

a time. My heart tells me th

, and the bravos in sheer wantonness spiked them with their swords. There were women there, and children, l

Champernoun shivered. "My stomach turns. Fo

as stones. "Cursed be he that putteth hi

and at the corner where it abutted on the quay before the Hotel de Bourbon, a ferret-faced man ran blindly into them.

, friend?"

h of terror, but he reco

do not know a Catholic when they see him. They would have kille

Gaspard asked, hav

crimson with

w m

and at least hal

rned to Ch

nd our quarr

before us," he cried. "They wear our crosses, and this honest fellow has barely escaped from them. They are less than three score. On them, my

nce had come, and they swept along with a h

spard, "as at St. John d'Ulloa.

d themselves and in knots fought a stout battle. But the band was broken at the start by the two grim horsemen who rode through it as through meadow grass, their blades falling terribly, and then turned and cut their way back. Yet a third time they turned, and in that last mowing they found their desire. A tall man in crimson appeared before them. Gaspard flung his reins to Champernoun and in a second was on the ground, fighting with a fury that these long hours had been stifl

Guards coming out to discover the cause of an uproar so close to the Palace. He told his tale of the Spanish Embassy and showed Guise's jewel. "

ow almost empty, the

se's jewel will open the gates. In an hou

as breathing heavily, and his eyes were light and daring. Lik

we shall be at his mercy. Let us

he small hours. "Half an hour ago," the lieutenant of the watch told them, "I opened to ano

a priest w

o hasten and not spare their horses. He

truth," said Gaspard, and

en were looking in the direction of Paris. It was now about seven o'clock, and a faint haze, which promised h

pard. "That the same land should hol

ertaken no travellers, save a couple of servants, on sorry nags, who wore the Vidame of Amiens' l

s eye. "Two priests and four men-at-arms. Reasonable

re will be much fig

hite armlets. It was as Champernoun had said. Four lusty arquebusiers escorted the Jacobin. But the sixth man was no priest. He was a Huguenot minist

in's eye. "Ah, my lords of Spa

ile Champernoun a pace behi

on of the good work

emulation. That heretic dog behind is a Picard, and I bring him

ight up the hill, its rider sitting stiff as a doll in his bonds. The Jacobin cried out and the soldiers made as if to follow, but G

picion. "Your manners are somewhat peremptory

ou approved. We do not mean the same. By good work I mean that about sunrise I slew with this sword

the other

, a kinsman and humble

ried. "A Huguenot! Cut them down, my men,"

s is the passport of your leader, the Duke. I show it to you, and if you are questioned about this day's work you can re

. "Would you desert God's Church and burn in torment for ever?" He hurled himself on Gaspard, who caught his wrist so t

n, who had been trained to fight together against odds. One Gaspard pulled from the saddle so that he lay senseless on the ground. One Champernoun felled wit

by the bridge of a little river, and he fl

he smiled, "but its

dust, with furious eyes

l you do

ly by helping you to a martyr's crown. Gawain," and he turned to his co

noun cut the old man's bonds, and laid him fainting on th

truss him up, but don't dirty your hands wi

me is France's and a Frenchman alone can judge it. Innocent blood is on this man's ha

ees to patter prayers. For over the arch of the bridge dangled the corpse of the Jacobin. And on its breast it b

ough the hot afternoon. The old Huguenot, shaken still by his rough handli

like a mad dog

s head. "Violence wil

nfession of my faith, and abide the consequences. From this day I am an exile from Fra

he brethren there. You have preserved my life for a few more years in my master's vineyard. You say truly, young sir, th

n and gold in the last light. A slender river twined by alder and willow through the me

the herb garden, and the terrace that gets the morning sun. There is the lawn which I ca

d a kindly hand

mate of it in Devon,

the waters," he repeated like the refrain