ver it. It seemed to bend beneath their weight. The massive
bolts trembled, the ponderous hinges creaked, as fifty or more
repulsive-looking wretches, the majority of them clad in rags, hurled
themselves against the gate, uttering shrieks of baffled rage. One would
have supposed them wild beasts trying to break from their cage.

"To arms!" cried Philip.

He ran to the lower hall, which was used as an armory. His father, the
visitors and the servants, who were all devoted to the Chamondrin
family, followed him, while Antoinette stood watching in alarm this
formidable horde of invaders.

The Abbe Peretty advanced towards the intruders.

"What do you desire, my friends?" he asked, calmly.

"Open the gates!" responded the less excited among the crowd.

"We want Chamondrin's head!" exclaimed others.

"Have you any just cause of complaint against the Marquis?" persisted
the abbe, striving to calm the furious throng.

"Death to the aristocrats!" the crowd responded with one voice.

One man went so far as to point his gun at the venerable priest, who,
without once losing his sang-froid, recrossed the court-yard, keeping
his face turned towards the excited band outside, and rejoined his
companions, who under the leadership of the Marquis and Philip were just
emerging from the hall, armed to the teeth.

"They will not listen to reason," said the Abbe Peretty, calmly!

"Then we will defend ourselves, and woe be unto them!"

As he uttered these words, the Marquis turned to Mademoiselle de
Mirandol, around whom the women of the chateau were crowding,
half-crazed with terror.

"Go into the house; your place is not here," said he.

"My place is by your side!" replied Antoinette.

"No, my dear Antoinette; it is madness to expose yourself unnecessarily.
I know you are courageous, but you can be of far greater service to us
by quieting these poor, shrieking creatures."

While this conversation was going on, Philip advanced to the gate. It
still resisted the efforts of the assailants, some of whom were
endeavoring to climb over the roofs of the pavilions that stood on
either side of the entrance to the chateau.

"I command you to retire!" cried Philip.

Angry threats of "Death" resounded afresh.

"Then I hold you responsible for any disasters that may occur!" Philip
replied.

At the same moment the impetuous youth raised his gun and fired,
wounding one of the men who had climbed the gate and was preparing to
leap