"And I," said D'Espagnet, the militia officer, who took part in the attack upon Saint-Georges with Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld, "I declare that if any clemency be shown, the city will rise in revolt."
A shout from without seemed to echo and confirm his words.
"Let us make haste," said the princess. "What penalty shall we inflict upon the accused?"
"There are two of them, madame," suggested several voices.
"Is not one enough for you, pray?" retorted Lenet, smiling scornfully at this sanguinary servility.
"Which shall it be, then; which?" demanded the same voices.
"The fattest one, cannibals!" cried Lavie. "Ah! you complain of injustice and shout sacrilege, and yet you propose to reply to an assassination by two murders! A noble combination of philosophers and soldiers melted together into murderers!"
The flashing eyes of the majority of the judges seemed quite ready to blast the courageous king's advocate. Madame de Condé had risen from her chair and was looking inquiringly into the faces of those about her as if to assure herself that the words she had heard had really been uttered, and if there really was a man on earth bold enough to say such things in her presence.
Lavie realized that his continued presence would result in adding to the bitter feeling, and that his manner of defending the accused would destroy instead of saving them. He determined to retire, therefore, but to retire rather as a judge declining to serve than as a soldier taking to his heels.
"In the name of God Almighty," said he, "I protest against what you propose to do; in the king's name, I forbid it!"