"The man who was upstairs has got away through the cloisters, monsieur. I do not know him. I was only told to bring a swift horse from my master's stables."
"Who is your master?"
"The Duke of Guise, monsieur," and at that another howl of execration went up, several men shouting "Guise is the murderer! Kill the Duke of Guise!"
"Whose house is this?" I asked.
The boy could not answer, but a voice cried out "Canon Vallemur's! He used to be the Duke's tutor! Guise is the assassin!"
"Yes, yes! Let us kill Guise!"
"Here is the weapon," cried one of the searchers, bringing forward an arquebus which he had found in the window; "it has Monseigneur's arms stamped on it; it must belong to one of his body-guard. Guise and Anjou are the murderers!"
"Come," exclaimed Felix, "we can do nothing here; the fellow is out of the city by now!"
An excited crowd had gathered in front of the Hôtel Coligny, but, pushing the people roughly aside, we made our way into the courtyard.
"Is he dead?" asked Felix of one of our comrades.