r de Guise."

"You do see him, sir. Yes; the great Henry de Guise is come in person to
watch for the admiral and serve him as he served the duke's father.
Every one has his day, and it is our turn now."

"Hola, Besme, hola!" cried the duke, in his powerful voice, "have you
not finished yet?"

And he struck his sword so forcibly against the stones that sparks flew
out.

At this instant shouts were heard in the hotel--then several shots--then
a great shuffling of feet and a clashing of swords, and then all was
again silent.

The duke was about to rush into the house.

"Monseigneur, monseigneur!" said Du Gast, detaining him, "your dignity
commands you to wait here."

"You are right, Du Gast. I must stay here; but I am dying with
impatience and anxiety. If he were to escape me!"

Suddenly the noise of feet came nearer--the windows of the first floor
were lighted up with what seemed the reflection of a conflagration.

The window, to which the duke's eyes had been so many times lifted,
opened, or, rather, was shattered to pieces, and a man, his pale face
and white neck stained with blood, appeared on the balcony.

"Ah! at last, Besme!" cried the duke; "speak! speak!"

"Louk! louk!" replied the German coldly, and stooping down he lifted up
something which seemed like a heavy body.

"But where are the others?" asked the duke, impatiently, "where are the
others?"

"De udders are vinishing de udders!"

"And what have you done?"

"Vait! You shall peholt! Shtant pack a liddle."

The duke fell back a step.

At that instant the object Besme was dragging toward him with such
effort became visible.

It was the body of an old man.

He lifted it above the balcony, held it suspended an instant, and then
flung it down at his master's feet.

The heavy thud, the billows of blood spurting from the body and
spattering the pavement all around, filled even the duke himself with
horror; but this feeling lasted only an instant, and curiosity caused
every one to crowd forward, so that the glare of the torches flickered
on the victim's body.

They could see a white beard, a venerable face, and limbs contracted by
death.

"The admiral!" cried twenty voices, as instantaneously hushed.

"Yes, the admiral, here he is!" said the duke, approaching the corpse,
and contemplating it with silent ecstasy.

"The admiral! the admiral!" repeated the witnesses of this terrible
scene, crowding together and timidly approaching the ol