his earnest desire to wait in patience for better
times, and rest upon the public faith rather than justify persecution
by having recourse to violence. Unconvinced and undaunted, the heroine
renewed her entreaties to the lingering hero. She told him that such
prudence was not wisdom toward God. D'Aubigne professes to report this
remarkable conversation from the lips of those who were present; and
he states that she proceeded to urge on him these words:--

"God has bestowed on you the genius of a great captain--will you
refuse the use of it to his children? You have confessed to the
justice of their cause--is not the knightly sword you bear pledged to
the defence of the oppressed? Sir, my heart bleeds for our slaughtered
brethren--and their blood cries out to God and Heaven against you as
the murderer of those whom you might have saved."

"Since," replied the Admiral, "the reasons which I have this evening
alleged against an ineffectual resistance have made so little
impression upon your mind, lay your hand upon your heart and answer me
this question, Could you, without murmuring against Providence and the
husband to whom Heaven has united you, receive the news of a general
defeat? Are you prepared to endure the opprobrium of your enemies--the
reproaches of your friends--the treachery of partisans--the curses of
the people--confiscation, flight, exile--the insolence of the English,
the quarrels of the Germans--shame, nakedness, hunger--and, what is
worse, to suffer all this in your children? Are you prepared to see
your husband branded as a rebel and dragged to a scaffold; while your
children, disgraced and ruined, are begging their bread at the hands
of their enemies? I give you eight days to reflect upon it, and when
you shall be well prepared for such reverses, I will be ready to set
forward, and perish with you and our mutual friends."

"The eight days are already expired!" she cried. "Go, sir, where your
duty calls you. Heaven will not give the victory to our enemies. In
the name of God, I call upon you to resist no longer, but to save our
brethren, or die in the attempt."

On the next morning Coligni was on horseback, with all his retainers
round him; and with a heavy heart but a clear conscience, he rode on
his way to join Conde at Meaux, which was now, in the early spring of
1562, the head-quarters of the insurgent Huguenots.

The high rank of the Prince of Conde, as well as his brilliant
abilities and chiva