"Do you lie down, Pierre. At two o'clock I will call you, and you shall take my place."
Pierre went out, but before lying down he again went quietly downstairs and, with a wet cloth, entirely erased the mark from the door; and then, placing his sword and his pistols ready at hand, lay down on his pallet. At one o'clock Philip aroused him.
"There is something unusual going on, Pierre. I can see a light in the sky, as of many torches; and can hear a confused sound, as of the murmur of men. I will sally out and see what it is."
Placing his pistols in his belt and taking his sword, he wrapped himself in his cloak and, followed by Pierre, also armed, went down into the street. As he went along he overtook two men. As he passed under a lamp, one of them exclaimed:
"Is that you, Monsieur Fletcher?"
He turned. It was the Sieur de Pascal.
"It is I, Monsieur de Pascal. I was going out to learn the meaning of those lights over there."
"That is just what I am doing, myself. As the night is hot, I could not sleep; so I threw open my window, and saw those lights, which were, as it appeared to me, somewhere in the neighbourhood of the Admiral's house; and I thought it was as well to see what they meant."
As they went along, they came upon men with lighted torches; and saw that, in several of the streets, groups of men with torches were silently standing.
"What is taking place?" the Sieur de Pascal asked one of the men.