"Alas!" interposed Lenet, "do not complain of the distance, my poor boy, for we have arrived."
As he spoke the torch-bearers and the head of the procession disappeared around a street-corner.
Lenet pressed the young man's hand, then went up to the duke, determined to make one last effort before they actually reached the place of execution.
"Monsieur," said he, "once more I implore you for mercy! you will ruin our cause by executing Monsieur de Canolles."
"On the contrary," retorted the duke, "we prove that we deem it a just cause, as we do not fear to make reprisals."
"But reprisals can only be made between equals, Monsieur le Duc, and whatever you may say, the queen will still be queen, and we her subjects."
"Let us not discuss such matters before Monsieur de Canolles," rejoined the duke aloud; "surely you can see the impropriety."
"Do not speak of mercy before Monsieur le Duc;" retorted Canolles; "surely you can see that his coup d'État is in process of accomplishment; do not annoy him for so small a matter."
The duke made no reply; but his compressed lips and his ironical glance showed that the blow had struck home. Meanwhile they had not ceased to go forward, and Canolles now found himself at the entrance to the Esplanade. In the distance, that is, at the other side of the square, could be seen the crowd, in a vast circle formed by the glittering musket-barrels. In the centre arose a shapeless black something, which Canolles could not clearly distinguish in the shadow, and he thought that it was an ordinary scaffold. But when the torches reached the centre of the square, their light fell full upon that black object, at first unrecognizable, and revealed the hideous silhouette of a gibbet.
"A gibbet!" cried Canolles, halting, and pointing to the structure. "Is not that a gibbet that I see yonder, Monsieur le Duc?"