nt officer whose name was Regnier. They
had mutually sought each other in Paris to obtain such satisfaction as
a duel could afford. In the midst of the massacre, Regnier, while at
prayers with his servant (for in those days dueling and praying were
not deemed inconsistent), heard the door of his room broken open, and,
looking round in expectation of instant death, saw his foe Vessins
enter breathless with excitement and haste. Regnier, conscious that
all resistance would be unavailing, calmly bared his bosom to his
enemy, exclaiming,

"You will have an easy victory."

Vessins made no reply, but ordered the valet to seek his master's
cloak and sword. Then leading him into the street, he mounted him upon
a powerful horse, and with fifteen armed men escorted him out of the
city. Not a word was exchanged between them. When they arrived at a
little grove at a short distance from the residence of the Protestant
gentleman, Vessins presented him with his sword, and bade him dismount
and defend himself, saying,

"Do not imagine that I seek your friendship by what I have done. All I
wish is to take your life honorably."

Regnier threw away his sword, saying, "I will never strike at one who
has saved my life."

"Very well!" Vessins replied, and left him, making him a present of
the horse on which he rode.

Though the commands which the king sent to the various provinces of
France for the massacre were very generally obeyed, there were
examples of distinguished virtue, in which Catholics of high rank not
only refused to imbrue their own hands in blood, but periled their
lives to protect the Protestants. The Bishop of Lisieux, in the
exercise of true Christian charity, saved all the Protestants in the
town over which he presided. The Governor of Auvergne replied to the
secret letter of the king in the following words:

"Sire, I have received an order, under your majesty's seal,
to put all the Protestants of this province to death, and
if, which God forbid, the order be genuine, I respect your
majesty still too much to obey you."

The king had sent a similar order to the commandant at Bayonne, the
Viscount of Orthez. The following noble words were returned in reply:

"Sire, I have communicated the commands of your majesty to
the inhabitants of the town and to the soldiers of the
garrison, and I have found good citizens and brave soldiers,
_but not one executioner_; on which account,