Gaspard flung his reins to Champernoun and in
a second was on the ground, fighting with a fury that these long hours had
been stifled. Before his blade the Italian gave ground till he was pinned
against the wall of the Bourbon hotel. His eyes were staring with amazement
and dawning fear. "I am a friend," he stammered in broken French and was
answered in curt Spanish. Presently his guard weakened and Gaspard gave him
the point in his heart. As he drooped to the ground, his conquetor bent
over him. "The Admiral is avenged," he said. "Tell your master in hell that
you died at the hands of Coligny's kinsman."
Gaspard remounted, and, since the fight had now gone eastward, they rode on
to the main gate of the Louvre, where they met a company of the royal
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.
"The streets are full of Huguenots badged as Catholics. His Majesty will be
well advised to quiet the rabble or he will lose some trusty servants.
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