massacres of the south-第3章

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and　awaiting　martyrdom。　　Guy…Rochette　joined　them；　and　the　prayers
were　continued。

A　few　instants　later　fresh　noises　were　heard　in　the　street；　and　the
gates　of　the　palace　court　groaned　under　blows　of　axe　and　crowbar。
Hearing　these　alarming　sounds；　the　bishop；　forgetting　that　it　was　his
duty　to　set　a　brave　example；　fled　through　a　breach　in　the　wall　of　the
next　house；　but　Guy…Rochette　and　his　companions　valiantly　resolved
not　to　run　away；　but　to　await　their　fate　with　patience。　　The　gates
soon　yielded；　and　the　courtyard　and　palace　were　filled　with
Protestants：　at　their　head　appeared　Captain　Bouillargues；　sword　in
hand。　　Guy…Rochette　and　those　with　him　were　seized　and　secured　in　a
room　under　the　charge　of　four　guards；　and　the　palace　was　looted。
Meantime　another　band　of　insurgents　had　attacked　the　house　of　the
vicar…general；　John　Pebereau；　whose　body　pierced　by　seven　stabs　of　a
dagger　was　thrown　out　of　a　window；　the　same　fate　as　was　meted　out　to
Admiral　Coligny　eight　years　later　at　the　hands　of　the　Catholics。　　In
the　house　a　sum　of　800　crowns　was　found　and　taken。　　The　two　bands
then　uniting；　rushed　to　the　cathedral；　which　they　sacked　for　the
second　time。

Thus　the　entire　day　passed　in　murder　and　pillage：　when　night　came　the
large　number　of　prisoners　so　imprudently　taken　began　to　be　felt　as　an
encumbrance　by　the　insurgent　chiefs；　who　therefore　resolved　to　take
advantage　of　the　darkness　to　get　rid　of　them　without　causing　too　much
excitement　in　the　city。　　They　were　therefore　gathered　together　from
the　various　houses　in　which　they　had　been　confined；　and　were　brought
to　a　large　hall　in　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　capable　of　containing　from
four　to　five　hundred　persons；　and　which　was　soon　full。　　An　irregular
tribunal　arrogating　to　itself　powers　of　life　and　death　was　formed；
and　a　clerk　was　appointed　to　register　its　decrees。　　A　list　of　all　the
prisoners　was　given　him；　a　cross　placed　before　a　name　indicating　that
its　bearer　was　condemned　to　death；　and；　list　in　hand；　he　went　from
group　to　group　calling　out　the　names　distinguished　by　the　fatal　sign。
Those　thus　sorted　out　were　then　conducted　to　a　spot　which　had　been
chosen　beforehand　as　the　place　of　execution。

This　was　the　palace　courtyard　in　the　middle　of　which　yawned　a　well
twenty…four　feet　in　circumference　and　fifty　deep。　　The　fanatics　thus
found　a　grave　ready…digged　as　it　were　to　their　hand；　and　to　save
time；　made　use　of　it。

The　unfortunate　Catholics；　led　thither　in　groups；　were　either　stabbed
with　daggers　or　mutilated　with　axes；　and　the　bodies　thrown　down　the
well。　　Guy…Rochette　was　one　of　the　first　to　be　dragged　up。　　For
himself　he　asked　neither　mercy　nor　favour；　but　he　begged　that　the
life　of　his　young　brother　might　be　spared；　whose　only　crime　was　the
bond　of　blood　which　united　them；　but　the　assassins；　paying　no　heed　to
his　prayers；　struck　down　both　man　and　boy　and　flung　them　into　the
well。　　The　corpse　of　the　vicar…general；　who　had　been　killed　the　day
before；　was　in　its　turn　dragged　thither　by　a　rope　and　added　to　the
others。　　All　night　the　massacre　went　on；　the　crimsoned　water　rising
in　the　well　as　corpse　after　corpse　was　thrown　in；　till；　at　break　of
day；　it　overflowed；　one　hundred　and　twenty　bodies　being　then　hidden
in　its　depths。

Next　day；　October　1st；　the　scenes　of　tumult　were　renewed：　from　early
dawn　Captain　Bouiilargues　ran　from　street　to　street　crying；　〃Courage；
comrades！　　Montpellier；　Pezenas；　Aramon；　Beaucaire；　Saint…Andeol；　and
Villeneuve　are　taken；　and　are　on　our　side。　　Cardinal　de　Lorraine　is
dead；　and　the　king　is　in　our　power。〃　　This　aroused　the　failing
energies　of　the　assassins。　　They　joined　the　captain；　and　demanded
that　the　houses　round　the　palace　should　be　searched；　as　it　was　almost

certain　that　the　bishop；　who　had；　as　may　be　remembered；　escaped　the
day　before；　had　taken　refuge　in　one　of　them。　　This　being　agreed　to；　a
house…to…house　visitation　was　begun：　when　the　house　of　M。　de
Sauvignargues　was　reached；　he　confessed　that　the　bishop　was　in　his
cellar；　and　proposed　to　treat　with　Captain　Bouillargues　for　a　ransom。
This　proposition　being　considered　reasonable；　was　accepted；　and　after
a　short　discussion　the　sum　of　120　crowns　was　agreed　on。　　The　bishop
laid　down　every　penny　he　had　about　him；　his　servants　were　despoiled；
and　the　sum　made　up　by　the　Sieur　de　Sauvignargues；　who　having　the
bishop　in　his　house　kept　him　caged。　　The　prelate；　however；　made　no
objection；　although　under　other　circumstances　he　would　have　regarded
this　restraint　as　the　height　of　impertinence；　but　as　it　was　he　felt
safer　in　M。　de　Sauvignargues'　cellar　than　in　the　palace。

But　the　secret　of　the　worthy　prelate's　hiding〃　place　was　but　badly
kept　by　those　with　whom　he　had　treated；　for　in　a　few　moments　a　second
crowd　appeared；　hoping　to　obtain　a　second　ransom。　　Unfortunately；　the
Sieur　de　Sauvignargues；　the　bishop；　and　the　bishop's　servants　had
stripped　themselves　of　all　their　ready　money　to　make　up　the　first；　so
the　master　of　the　house；　fearing　for　his　own　safety；　having
barricaded　the　doors；　got　out　into　a　lane　and　escaped；　leaving　the
bishop　to　his　fate。　　The　Huguenots　climbed　in　at　the　windows；　crying；
〃No　quarter！　　Down　with　the　Papists！　　〃The　bishop's　servants　were　cut
down；　the　bishop　himself　dragged　out　of　the　cellar　and　thrown　into
the　street。　　There　his　rings　and　crozier　were　snatched　from　him；　he
was　stripped　of　his　clothes　and　arrayed　in　a　grotesque　and　ragged
garment　which　chanced　to　be　at　hand；　his　mitre　was　replaced　by　a
peasant's　cap；　and　in　this　condition　he　was　dragged　back　to　the
palace　and　placed　on　the　brink　of　the　well　to　be　thrown　in。　　One　of
the　assassins　drew　attention　to　the　fact　that　it　was　already　full。
〃Pooh！〃　replied　another；　〃they　won't　mind　a　little　crowding　for　a
bishop。〃　　Meantime　the　prelate；　seeing　he　need　expect　no　mercy　from
man；　threw　himself　on　his　knees　and　commended　his　soul　to　God。
Suddenly；　however；　one　of　those　who　had　shown　himself　most　ferocious
during　the　massacre；　Jean　Coussinal　by　name；　was　touched　as　if　by
miracle　with　a　feeling　of　compassion　at　the　sight　of　so　much
resignation；　and　threw　himself　between　the　bishop　and　those　about　to
strike；　and　declaring　that　whoever　touched　the　prelate　must　first
overcome　himself；　took　him　under　his　protection；　his　comrades
retreating　in　astonishment。　　Jean　Coussinal　raising　the　bishop；
carried　him　in　his　arms　into　a　neighbouring　house；　and　drawing　his
sword；　took　his　stand　on　the　threshold。

The　assassins；　however；　soon　recovered　from　their　surprise；　and
reflecting　that　when　all　was　said　and　done　they　were　fifty　to　one；
considered　it　would　be　shameful　to　let　themselves　be　intimidated　by　a
single　opponent；　so　they　advanced　again　on　Coussinal；　who　with　a
back…handed　stroke　cut　off　the　head　of　the　first…comer。　　The　cries
upon　this　redoubled；　and　two　or　three　shots　were　fired　at　the
obstinate　defender　of　the　poor　bishop；　but　they　all　missed　aim。　　At
that　moment　Captain　Bouillargues　passed　by；　and　seeing　one　man
attacked　by　fifty；　inquired　into　the　cause。　　He　was　told　of
Coussinal's　odd　determination　to　save　the　bishop。　　〃He　is　quite
right；〃　said　the　captain；　〃the　bishop　has　paid　ransom；　and　no　one　has
any　right　to　touch　him。〃　　Saying　this；　he　walked　up　to　Coussinal；
gave　him　his　hand；　and　the　two　entered　the　house；　returning　in　a　few
moments　with　the　bishop　between　them。　　In　this　order　they　crossed　the
town；　followed　by　the　murmuring　crowd；　who　were；　however；　afraid　to
do　more　than　murmur；　at　the　gate　the　bishop　was　provided　with　an
escort　and　let　go；　his　defenders　remaining　there　till　he　was　out　of
sight。

The　massacres　went　on　during　the　whole　of　the　second　day；　though
towards　evening　the　search　for　victims　relaxed　somewhat；　but　still
many　isolated　acts　of　murder　took　place　during　the　night。　　On　the
morrow；　being　tired　of　killing；　the　people　began　to　destroy；　and　this
phase　lasted　a　long　time；　it　being　less　fatiguing　to　throw　stones
about　than　corpses。　　All　the　convents；　all　the　monasteries；　all　the
houses　of　the　priests　and　canons　were　attacked　in　turn；　nothing　was
spared　except　the　cathedral；　before　which　axes　and　crowbars　seemed　to
lose　their　power；　and　the　church　of　Ste。　Eugenie；　which　was　turned
int