A Gentleman from Gascony: A Romance of the Huguenots — page 69: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A DANGEROUS GAME, 65 of a white linen band on their arms and a white cross on their caps. But one thing now remained, and that was to unfold the plan to the king, who had hitherto been kept in ig- norance of it, and to prevail upon him to sign the order for the scene of butchery. This proved to be not so easy a task as had been hoped for, although both the duke and the queen-mother were confident of ultimate victory. Shocked as the king was at the first intimation of what was proposed, his weak brain was gradually being impressed by the specious arguments set before him. He tottered rather than walked about the room, now upholding the prepared massacre, now condemning it— Swearing by all that was holy that the Huguenots had never been his enemies, but always his best friends. Catherine de Medicis, through it all, remained as determined and imperturbable as the wife of the Scotch thane when tempting her hesitating husband to the murder of Duncan. “It is too late to turn back,’”’ she said, with cold de- _ liberation. “The rotten limb must be torn from the tree. If you hesitate now, the chance of ridding France of its enemies, of which Admiral Coligny is the chief, will be forever lost.” “Believe me, sire, this trumped-up peace will never last,’ added the Duke of Guise. “The two parties can never be reconciled. One or the other must go to the wall. War is inevitable. Better to win a battle in Paris, where we hold the Huguenot leaders in our power, than put it to hazard in the field.” Charles sank into a chair, groaning and burying his perspiring face in his hands. ‘The two conspirators re- doubled their arguments After a struggle of more 5 Comichoo S (E(©)