is fatal answer was repeated to old Lecamus, by
his friend Pare on the place de l'Estape, he returned home half dead
to his own chamber, refusing to eat any supper. Tourillon, uneasy about
him, went up to his room and found him in tears; the aged eyes showed
the inflamed red lining of their lids, so that the glover fancied for a
moment that he was weeping tears of blood.

"Comfort yourself, father," said the Reformer; "the burghers of Orleans
are furious to see their city treated as though it were taken by
assault, and guarded by the soldiers of Monsieur de Cypierre. If the
life of the Prince de Conde is in any real danger we will soon demolish
the tower of Saint-Aignan; the whole town is on the side of the
Reformers, and it will rise in rebellion; you may be sure of that!"

"But, even if they hang the Guises, it will not give me back my son,"
said the wretched father.

At that instant some one rapped cautiously on Tourillon's outer door,
and the glover went downstairs to open it himself. The night was dark.
In these troublous times the masters of all households took minute
precautions. Tourillon looked through the peep-holes cut in the door,
and saw a stranger, whose accent indicated an Italian. The man, who was
dressed in black, asked to speak with Lecamus on matters of business,
and Tourillon admitted him. When the furrier caught sight of his visitor
he shuddered violently; but the stranger managed, unseen by Tourillon,
to lay his fingers on his lips. Lecamus, understanding the gesture, said
immediately:--

"You have come, I suppose, to offer furs?"

"_Si_," said the Italian, discreetly.

This personage was no other than the famous Ruggiero, astrologer to
the queen-mother. Tourillon went below to his own apartment, feeling
convinced that he was one too many in that of his guest.

"Where can we talk without danger of being overheard?" said the cautious
Florentine.

"We ought to be in the open fields for that," replied Lecamus. "But we
are not allowed to leave the town; you know the severity with which the
gates are guarded. No one can leave Orleans without a pass from
Monsieur de Cypierre," he added,--"not even I, who am a member of the
States-general. Complaint is to be made at to-morrow's session of this
restriction of liberty."

"Work like a mole, but don't let your paws be seen in anything, no
matter what," said the wary Italian. "To-morrow will, no doubt, prove a
decisive day. Judging by my observation