They had on board a sufficient force to relieve Calais, but not to recapture the city.
"Thank God!" cried the Duc de Guise, in an ecstasy of delight. "Think of this Gabriel! He knows how to maintain his conquests as well as to conquer; he has put Calais in our grasp, and it only remains for us to close our hands upon the fair city."
He leaped upon his horse, and galloped joyfully back to camp to urge on the siege-operations.
Human events have almost invariably two sides; and the very same occurrences which bring laughter and delight to the hearts of some, make others weep. At the moment when the Duc de Guise was thus clapping his hands for joy, Lord Wentworth was tearing his hair.
After a sleepless night, as we have seen, and excited by presentiments of evil, Lord Wentworth had finally fallen asleep toward morning, and was just leaving his bed-chamber when the pretended fugitives from the Risbank fort were bringing the fatal news into the city, Pierre Peuquoy at their head.
The governor was almost the last person to hear it.
In his pain and indignation he could not believe his ears, and ordered that the leader of the fugitives should be brought before him.
Pierre Peuquoy was at once escorted into the governor's presence; he came in looking decidedly chopfallen, and with a bearing well suited to the occasion.
The cunning burgher, as if still under the influence of the fright he had had, told of the night assault, and described the three hundred savage adventurers who had scaled the Risbank fort, assisted, no doubt, by treachery within the walls, which he, Pierre Peuquoy, had not had time to unearth.
"Who commanded these three hundred men?" asked Lord Wentworth.