isery and ruin which met their eyes on all sides. Every castle
and house throughout the country, of a class superior to those of the
peasants, was destroyed, and tales of the most horrible outrages and
murders met their ears.

"I regret," the Count de Foix said earnestly, "that I have been away
warring in Germany, for it is clear that every true knight is wanted at
home to crush down these human wolves."

"Methinks," the Captal rejoined, "that France will do well to invite
the chivalry of all other countries to assemble and aid to put down this
horrible insurrection."

"Aye," the Count said bitterly; "but who is to speak in the name of
France? The Dauphin is powerless, and the virtual government is in the
hands of Marcel and other ambitious traitors who hail the doings of the
Jacquerie with delight, for these mad peasants are doing their work of
destroying the knights and nobles."

The villages through which they passed were deserted save by women, and
in the small towns the people of the lower class scowled threateningly
at the three knights; but they with their following of forty
men-at-arms, of whom five were followers of Walter, fifteen of the
Captal, and twenty of the Count de Foix, ventured not to proceed beyond
evil glances.

"I would," de Foix said, "that these dogs would but lift a hand against
us. By St. Stephen, we would teach them a rough lesson!"

His companions were of the same mind, for all were excited to fury by
the terrible tales which they heard. All these stories were new to them,
for although rumours had reached Germany of the outbreak of a peasant
insurrection in France the movement had but just begun when they
started. As far as the frontier they had traveled leisurely, but they
had hastened their pace more and more as they learned how sore was the
strait of the nobles and gentry of the country and how grievously every
good sword was needed. When they reached Chalons they heard much fuller
particulars than had before reached them, and learned that the Duchess
of Normandy, the Duchess of Orleans, and near three hundred ladies,
had sought refuge in Meaux, and that they were there guarded but by a
handful of men-at-arms under the Duke of Orleans, while great bands of
serfs were pouring in from all parts of the country round, to massacre
them.

Meaux is eighty miles from Chalons, but the three knights determined
to press onward with all speed in hopes of averting the catastrophe.
Allowing the