The king, the queen, and their suite followed the movements of the little troop from afar, with keen anxiety.
The queen seemed to have lost all her assurance. In order to have a better view of what was taking place, she caused her carriage to be partly turned, so that it stood side wise to the fortification.
The assailants had taken but a few steps when the sentinel came to the outer edge of the rampart.
"Qui vive?" he cried in a stentorian voice.
"Make no reply," said Monsieur de La Meilleraie, "but march on."
"Qui vive?" cried the sentinel a second time, putting his musket to his shoulder.
"Qui vive?" the challenge rang out a third time, and the sentinel levelled his weapon.
"Fire on the villain!" said Monsieur de La Meilleraie.
Instantly the royalist ranks poured forth a volley; the sentinel staggered, dropped his musket, which rolled down into the moat, and fell, crying:—
"To arms!"