by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XVIII
IVRY
The day after the capture of Breda Sir Francis Vere sent forLionel Vickars to his quarters. Prince Maurice and several of hisprincipal officers were there, and the prince thanked him warmlyfor the share he had taken in the capture of the town.
"Captain Heraugiere has told me," he said, "that the invention ofthe scheme that has ended so well is due as much to you as to him,that you accompanied him on the reconnoitring expedition and sharedin the dangers of the party in the barge. I trust Sir Francis Verewill appoint you to the first ensigncy vacant in his companies, butshould there be likely to be any delay in this I will gladly giveyou a commission in one of my own regiments."
"I have forestalled your wish, prince," Sir Francis said, "andhave this morning given orders that his appointment shall be madeout as ensign in one of my companies, but at present I do notintend him to join. I have been ordered by the queen to send furtheraid to help the King of France against the League. I have alreadydespatched several companies to Brittany, and will now send twoothers. I would that my duties permitted me personally to take partin the enterprise, for the battle of the Netherlands is at presentbeing fought on the soil of France; but this is impossible. Severalof my friends, however, volunteers and others, will journey withthe two companies, being desirous of fighting under the banner ofHenry of Navarre. Sir Ralph Pimpernel, who is married to a FrenchHuguenot lady and has connections at the French court, will leadthem. I have spoken to him this morning, and he will gladly allowmy young friend here to accompany him. I think that it is thehighest reward I can give him, to afford him thus an opportunityof seeing stirring service; for I doubt not that in a very shorttime a great battle will be fought. We know that Alva has senteighteen hundred of the best cavalry of Flanders to aid the League,and he is sure to have given orders that they are to be back againas soon as possible. How do you like the prospect, Lionel?"
Lionel warmly expressed his thanks to Sir Francis Vere for hiskindness, and said that nothing could delight him more than to takepart in such an enterprise.
"I must do something at any rate to prove my gratitude for yourshare in the capture of this city," Prince Maurice said; "and willsend you presently two of the best horses of those we have foundin the governor's stables, together with arms and armour suitableto your rank as an officer of Sir Francis Vere."
Upon the following morning a party of ten knights and gentlemenincluding Lionel Vickars, rode to Bergen op Zoom. The two companies,which were drawn from the garrison of that town, had embarked theevening before in ships that had come from England to transportthem to France. Sir Ralph Pimpernel and his party at once went onboard, and as soon as their horses were embarked the sails werehoisted. Four days' voyage took them to the mouth of the Seine,and they landed at Honfleur on the south bank of the river. Therewas a large number of ships in port, for the Protestant princes ofGermany were, as well as England, sending aid to Henry of Navarre,and numbers of gentlemen and volunteers were flocking to his banners.
For the moment Henry IV represented in the eyes of Europethe Protestant cause. He was supported by the Huguenots of Franceand by some of the Catholic noblemen and gentry. Against him werearrayed the greater portion of the Catholic nobles, the wholefaction of the Guises and the Holy League, supported by Philip ofSpain.
The party from Holland disembarked at midday on the 9th of March.Hearing rumours that a battle was expected very shortly to takeplace, Sir Ralph Pimpernel started at once with his mounted partyfor Dreux, which town was being besieged by Henry, leaving the twocompanies of foot to press on at their best speed behind him. Thedistance to be ridden was about sixty miles, and late at nighton the 10th they rode into a village eight miles from Dreux. Herethey heard that the Duke of Mayenne, who commanded the force ofthe League, was approaching the Seine at Mantes with an army often thousand foot and four thousand horse.
"We must mount at daybreak, gentlemen," Sir Ralph Pimpernel said,"or the forces of the League will get between us and the king. Itis evident that we have but just arrived in time, and it is wellwe did not wait for our footmen."
The next morning they mounted early and rode on to the royal campnear Dreux. Here Sir Ralph Pimpernel found Marshal Biron, a relationof his wife, who at once took him to the king.
"You have just arrived in time, Sir Ralph," the king said whenMarshal Biron introduced him, "for tomorrow, or at latest the dayafter, we are likely to try our strength with Mayenne. You will findmany of your compatriots here. I can offer you but poor hospitalityat present, but hope to entertain you rarely some day when the goodcity of Paris opens its gates to us."
"Thanks, sire," Sir Ralph replied; "but we have come to fight andnot to feast."
"I think I can promise you plenty of that at any rate," the kingsaid. "You have ten gentlemen with you, I hear, and also that thereare two companies of foot from Holland now on their way up fromHonfleur."
"They landed at noon the day before yesterday, sire, and willprobably be up tomorrow."
"They will be heartily welcome, Sir Ralph. Since Parma has sent solarge a force to help Mayenne it is but right that Holland, whichis relieved of the presence of these troops, should lend me ahelping hand."
Quarters were found for the party in a village near the camp; forthe force was badly provided with tents, the king's resources beingat a very low ebb; he maintained the war, indeed, chiefly by theloans he received from England and Germany. The next day severalbodies of troops were seen approaching the camp. A quarter of anhour later the trumpets blew; officers rode about, ordering thetents to be levelled and the troops to prepare to march. A messengerfrom Marshal Biron rode at full speed into the village, where manyof the volunteers from England and Germany, besides the party ofSir Ralph Pimpernel, were lodged.
"The marshal bids me tell you, gentlemen, that the army moves at once.Marshal D'Aumont has fallen back from Ivry; Mayenne is advancing.The siege will be abandoned at present, and we march towards Nonancourt,where we shall give battle tomorrow if Mayenne is disposed for it."
The camps were struck and the wagons loaded, and the army marchedto St. Andre, a village situated on an elevated plain commanding aview of all the approaches from the country between the Seine andEure.
"This is a fine field for a battle," Sir Ralph said, as the troopshalted on the ground indicated by the camp marshals. "It is splendidground for cavalry to act, and it is upon them the brunt of thefighting will fall. We are a little stronger in foot; for severalcompanies from Honfleur, our own among them, have come up thismorning, and I hear we muster twelve thousand, which is a thousandmore than they say Mayenne has with him. But then he has fourthousand cavalry to our three thousand; and Parma's regiments ofSpaniards, Walloons, and Italian veterans are far superior troopsto Henry's bands of riders, who are mostly Huguenot noblemen andgentlemen with their armed retainers, tough and hardy men to fight,as they have shown themselves on many a field, but without any ofthe discipline of Parma's troopers.
"If Parma himself commanded yonder army I should not feel confidentof the result; but Mayenne, though a skilful general, is slow andcautious, while Henry of Navarre is full of fire and energy, andbrave almost to rashness. We are in muster under the command ofthe king himself. He will have eight hundred horse, formed intosix squadrons, behind him, and upon these will, I fancy, come thechief shock of the battle. He will be covered on each side by theEnglish and Swiss infantry; in all four thousand strong.
"Marshal Biron will be on the right with five troops of horse andfour regiments of French infantry; while on the left will be thetroops of D'Aumont, Montpensier, Biron the younger, D'Angouleme,and De Givry, supported in all by two regiments of French infantry,one of Swiss, and one of German. The marshal showed us the plan ofbattle last night in his tent. It is well balanced and devised."
It was late in the evening before the whole of the force hadreached the position and the tents were erected. One of these hadbeen placed at the disposal of Sir Ralph's party. Sir Ralph andfour of his comp
anions had been followed by their mounted squires,and these collected firewood, and supplied the horses with foragefrom the sacks they carried slung from their saddles, while theknights and gentlemen themselves polished their arms and armour, soas to make as brave a show as possible in the ranks of the king'scavalry.
When they had eaten their supper Lionel Vickars strolled throughthe camp, and was amused at the contrast presented by the variousgroups. The troops of cavalry of the French nobles were gailyattired; the tents of the officers large and commodious, with richhangings and appointments. The sound of light hearted laughtercame from the groups round the campfires, squires and pages movedabout thickly, and it was evident that comfort, and indeed luxury,were considered by the commanders as essential even upon a campaign.The encampments of the German, Swiss, and English infantry were offar humbler design. The tents of the officers were few in number,and of the simplest form and make. A considerable portion of theEnglish infantry had been drawn from Holland, for the little armythere was still the only body of trained troops at Elizabeth'sdisposal.
The Swiss and Germans were for the most part mercenaries. Some hadbeen raised at the expense of the Protestant princes, others werepaid from the sums supplied from England. The great proportion ofthe men were hardy veterans who had fought under many banners, andcared but little for the cause in which they were fighting, providedthey obtained their pay regularly and that the rations were abundantand of good quality.
The French infantry regiments contained men influenced by a varietyof motives. Some were professional soldiers who had fought in manya field during the long wars that had for so many years agitatedFrance, others were the retainers of the nobles who had thrown intheir cause with Henry, while others again were Huguenot peasantswho were fighting, not for pay, but in the cause of their religion.
The cavalry were for the most part composed of men of good family,relations, connections, or the superior vassals of the nobles whocommanded or officered them. The king's own squadrons were chieflycomposed of Huguenot gentlemen and their mounted retainers; butwith these rode many foreign volunteers like Sir Ralph Pimpernel'sparty, attracted to Henry's banner either from a desire to aid theProtestant cause or to gain military knowledge and fame under sobrave and able a monarch, or simply from the love of excitementand military ardour.
The camp of this main body of cavalry or "battalia" as the bodyon whom the commander of our army chiefly relied for victory wascalled, was comparatively still and silent. The Huguenot gentlemen,after the long years of persecution to which those of their religionhad been exposed, were for the most part poor. Their appointmentswere simple, and they fought for conscience' sake, and went intobattle with the stern enthusiasm that afterwards animated Cromwell'sIronsides.
It was not long before the camp quieted down; for the march hadbeen a long one, and they would be on their feet by daybreak. Theking himself, attended by Marshals D'Aumont and Biron, had gonethrough the whole extent of the camp, seen that all was in order,that the troops had everywhere received their rations, and that theofficers were acquainted with the orders for the morrow. He stayeda short time in the camp of each regiment and troop, saying a fewwords of encouragement to the soldiers, and laughing and jokingwith the officers. He paused a short time and chatted with Sir RalphPimpernel, who, at his request, introduced each of his companionsto him.
Lionel looked with interest and admiration at the man who wasregarded as the champion of Protestantism against Popery, and whocombined in himself a remarkable mixture of qualities seldom foundexisting in one person. He was brave to excess and apparentlyreckless in action, and yet astute, prudent, and calculating incouncil. With a manner frank, open, and winning, he was yet able tomatch the craftiest of opponents at their own weapons of schemingand duplicity. The idol of the Huguenots of France, he was ready topurchase the crown of France at the price of accepting the Catholicdoctrines, for he saw that it was hopeless for him in the long runto maintain himself against the hostility of almost all the greatnobles of France, backed by the great proportion of the people andaided by the pope and the Catholic powers, so long as he remaineda Protestant. But this change of creed was scarcely even foreseenby those who followed him, and it was the apparent hopelessnessof his cause, and the gallantry with which he maintained it, thatattracted the admiration of Europe.
Henry's capital was at the time garrisoned by the troops of thepope and Spain. The great nobles of France, who had long maintaineda sort of semi independence of the crown, were all against him,and were calculating on founding independent kingdoms. He himselfwas excommunicated. The League were masters of almost the wholeof France, and were well supplied with funds by the pope and theCatholic powers while Henry was entirely dependent for money uponwhat he could borrow from Queen Elizabeth and the States of Holland.But no one who listened to the merry laugh of the king as he chattedwith the little group of English gentlemen would have thought thathe was engaged in a desperate and well nigh hopeless struggle, andthat the following day was to be a decisive one as to his futurefortunes.
"Well, gentlemen," he said as he turned his horse to ride away,"I must ask you to lie down as soon as possible. As long as theofficers are awake and talking the men cannot sleep; and I wantall to have a good night's rest. The enemy's camp is close at handand the battle is sure to take place at early dawn."
As the same orders were given everywhere, the camp was quiet early,and before daylight the troops were called under arms and rangedin the order appointed for them to fight in.
The army of the League was astir in equally good time. In itscentre was the battalia composed of six hundred splendid cavalry,all noblemen of France, supported by a column of three hundred Swissand two thousand French infantry. On the left were six hundred Frenchcuirassiers and the eighteen hundred troops of Parma, commanded byCount Egmont. They were supported by six regiments of French andLorrainers, and two thousand Germans. The right wing was composedof three regiments of Spanish lancers, two troops of Germans, fourhundred cuirassiers, and four regiments of infantry.
When the sun rose and lighted up the contending armies, the differencebetween their appearance was very marked. That of the League wasgay with the gilded armour, waving plumes, and silken scarfs of theFrench nobles, whose banners fluttered brightly in the air, whilethe Walloons and Flemish rivalled their French comrades in thesplendour of their appointments. In the opposite ranks there wasneither gaiety not show. The Huguenot nobles and gentlemen, who hadfor so many years been fighting for life and religion, were cladin armour dinted in a hundred battlefields; and while the noblesof the League were confident of victory and loud in demandingto be led against the foe, Henry of Navarre and his soldiers werekneeling, praying to the God of battles to enable them to bearthemselves well in the coming fight. Henry of Navarre wore in hishelmet a snow white plume, which he ordered his troops to keep inview, and to follow wherever they should see it waving, in casehis banner went down.
Artillery still played but a small part in battles on the fieldand there were but twelve pieces on the ground, equally dividedbetween the two armies. These opened the battle, and Count Egmont,whose cavalry had suffered from the fire of the Huguenot cannon,ordered a charge, and the splendid cavalry of Parma swept downupon the right wing of Henry. The cavalry under Marshal Biron wereunable to withstand the shock and were swept before them, and Egmontrode on right up to the guns and sabred the artillerymen. Almostat the same moment the German riders under Eric of Brunswick, theSpanish and French lancers, charged down upon the centre of theRoyal Army. The rout of the right wing shook the cavalry in thecentre. They wavered, and the infantry on their flanks fell back butthe king and his officers rode among them, shouting and entreatingthem to stand firm. The ground in their front was soft and checkedthe impetuosity of the charge of the Leaguers, and by the time theyreached the ranks of the Huguenots they were broken and disordered,and could make no impression whatever upon them.
As soon as the charge was repulsed, Henry set his troops in motion,and the bat
talia charged down upon the disordered cavalry of theLeague. The lancers and cuirassiers were borne down by the impetuosityof the charge, and Marshal Biron, rallying his troops, followedthe king's white plume into the heart of the battle. Egmont broughtup the cavalry of Flanders to the scene, and was charging at theirhead when he fell dead with a musketball through the heart.
Brunswick went down in the fight, and the shattered German andWalloon horse were completely overthrown and cut to pieces by thefurious charges of the Huguenot cavalry.
At one time the victorious onset was checked by the disappearanceof the king's snow white plumes, and a report ran through the armythat the king was killed. They wavered irresolutely. The enemy,regaining courage from the cessation of their attacks, were againadvancing, when the king reappeared bareheaded and covered withdust and blood, but entirely unhurt. He addressed a few cheerfulwords to his soldiers, and again led the charge. It was irresistible;the enemy broke and fled in the wildest confusion hotly pursued bythe royalist cavalry, while the infantry of the League, who had sofar taken no part whatever in the battle, were seized with a panic,threw away their arms, and sought refuge in the woods in theirrear.
Thus the battle was decided only by the cavalry, the infantry takingno part in the fight on either side. Eight hundred of the Leaguerseither fell on the battlefield or were drowned in crossing theriver in their rear. The loss of the royalists was but one fourthin number. Had the king pushed forward upon Paris immediatelyafter the battle, the city would probably have surrendered withouta blow; and the Huguenot leaders urged this course upon him. Bironand the other Catholics, however, argued that it was better toundertake a regular siege, and the king yielded to this advice,although the bolder course would have been far more in accordancewith his own disposition.
He was probably influenced by a variety of motives. In the firstplace his Swiss mercenaries were in a mutinous condition, andrefused to advance a single foot unless they received their arrearsof pay, and this Henry, whose chests were entirely empty, had nomeans of providing. In the second place he was at the time secretlyin negotiation with the pope for his conversion, and may have fearedto give so heavy a blow to the Catholic cause as would have beeneffected by the capture of Paris following closely after the victoryof Ivry. At any rate he determined upon a regular siege. Movingforward he seized the towns of Lagny on the Maine, and Corbeil onthe Seine, thus entirely cutting off the food supply of Paris.
Lionel Vickars had borne his part in the charges of the Huguenotcavalry, but as the company to which he belonged was in the rearof the battalia, he had no personal encounters with the enemy.
After the advance towards Paris the duties of the cavalry consistedentirely in scouting the country, sweeping in provisions for theirown army, and preventing supplies from entering Paris. No siegeoperations were undertaken, the king relying upon famine alone toreduce the city. Its population at the time the siege commenced wasestimated at 400,000, and the supply of provisions to be sufficientfor a month. It was calculated therefore that before the Leaguecould bring up another army to its relief, it must fall by famine.
But no allowance had been made for the religious enthusiasm anddevotion to the cause of the League that animated the populationof Paris. Its governor, the Duke of Nemours, brother of Mayenne,aided by the three Spanish delegates, the Cardinal Gaetano,and by an army of priests and monks, sustained the spirits of thepopulation; and though the people starved by thousands, the cityresisted until towards the end of August. In that month the armyof the League, united with twelve thousand foot and three thousandhorse from the Netherlands under Parma himself, advanced to itsassistance; while Maurice of Holland, with a small body of Dutchtroops and reinforcements from England, had strengthened the armyof the king.
The numbers of the two armies were not unequal. Many of the Frenchnobles had rallied round Henry after his victory, and of his cavalryfour thousand were nobles and their retainers who served at theirown expense, and were eager for a battle. Parma himself had doubtsas to the result of the conflict. He could rely upon the troops hehimself had brought, but had no confidence in those of the League;and when Henry sent him a formal challenge to a general engagement,Parma replied that it was his custom to refuse combat when a refusalseemed advantageous for himself, and to offer battle whenever itsuited his purpose to fight.
For seven days the two armies, each some twenty-five thousandstrong, lay within a mile or two of each other. Then the splendidcavalry of Parma moved out in order of battle, with banners flying,and the pennons of the lances fluttering in the wind. The kingwas delighted when he saw that the enemy were at last advancing tothe fight. He put his troops at once under arms, but waited untilthe plan of the enemy's battle developed itself before making hisdispositions. But while the imposing array of cavalry was attractingthe king's attention, Parma moved off with the main body of hisarmy, threw a division across the river on a pontoon bridge, andattacked Lagny on both sides.
When Lagny was first occupied some of Sir Ralph Pimpernel's partywere appointed to take up their quarters there, half a company ofthe English, who had come with them from Holland, were also stationedin the town, the garrison being altogether 1200 strong. Lionel'shorse had received a bullet wound at Ivry and although it carriedhim for the next day or two, it was evident that it needed restand attention and would be unfit to carry his rider for some time.Lionel had no liking for the work of driving off the cattle of theunfortunate land owners and peasants, however necessary it mightbe to keep the army supplied with food, and was glad of the excusethat his wounded horse afforded him for remaining quietly in thetown when his comrades rode out with the troop of cavalry stationedthere. It happened that the officer in command of the little bodyof English infantry was taken ill with fever, and Sir Ralph Pimpernelrequested Lionel to take his place. This he was glad to do, as hewas more at home at infantry work than with cavalry. The time wentslowly, but Lionel, who had comfortable quarters in the house ofa citizen, did not find it long. The burgher's family consistedof his wife and two daughters, and these congratulated themselvesgreatly upon having an officer quartered upon them who not onlyacted as a protection to them against the insolence of the roughsoldiery, but was courteous and pleasant in his manner, and triedin every way to show that he regarded himself as a guest and nota master.
After the first week's stay he requested that instead of havinghis meals served to him in a room apart he might take them withthe family. The girls were about Lionel's age, and after the firstconstraint wore off he became great friends with them; and althoughat first he had difficulty in making himself understood, he readilypicked up a little French, the girls acting as his teachers.
"What do you English do here?" the eldest of them asked him whensix weeks after his arrival they were able to converse fairly ina mixture of French and Spanish. "Why do you not leave us Frenchpeople to fight out our quarrels by ourselves?"
"I should put it the other way," Lionel laughed. "Why don't youFrench people fight out your quarrels among yourselves instead ofcalling in foreigners to help you? It is because the Guises and theLeague have called in the Spaniards to fight on the Catholic sidethat the English and Dutch have come to help the Huguenots. We arefighting the battle of our own religion here, not the battle ofHenry of Navarre."
"I hate these wars of religion," the girl said. "Why can we notall worship in our own way?"
"Ah, that is what we Protestants want to know, Mademoiselle Claire;that is just what your people won't allow. Did you not massacrethe Protestants in France on the eve of St. Bartholomew? and havenot the Spaniards been for the last twenty years trying to stampout with fire and sword the new religion in the Low Countries? Weonly want to be left alone."
"But your queen of England kills the Catholics."
"Not at all," Lionel said warmly; "that is only one of the storiesthey spread to excuse their own doings. It is true that Catholicsin England have been put to death, and so have people of the sectthat call themselves Anabaptists; but this has been because t
heyhad been engaged in plots against the queen, and not because oftheir religion. The Catholics of England for the most part joinedas heartily as the Protestants in the preparations for the defence ofEngland in the time of the Armada. For my part, I cannot understandwhy people should quarrel with each other because they worship Godin different ways."
"It is all very bad, I am sure," the girl said; "France has beentorn to pieces by these religious wars for years and years. It isdreadful to think what they must be suffering in Paris now."
"Then why don't they open their gates to King Henry instead ofstarving themselves at the orders of the legate of the pope and theagent of Philip of Spain? I could understand if there was anotherFrench prince whom they wanted as king instead of Henry of Navarre.We fought for years in England as to whether we would have a kingfrom the house of York or the house of Lancaster, but when it comesto choosing between a king of your own race and a king named foryou by Philip of Spain, I can't understand it."
"Never mind, Master Vickars. You know what you are fighting for,don't you?"
"I do; I am fighting here to aid Holland. Parma is bringing all histroops to aid the Guise here, and while they are away the Dutch willtake town after town, and will make themselves so strong that whenParma goes back he will find the nut harder than ever to crack."
"How long will Paris hold out, think you, Master Vickars? They saythat provisions are well nigh spent."
"Judging from the way in which the Dutch towns held on for weeksand weeks after, as it seemed, all supplies were exhausted, I shouldsay that if the people of Paris are as ready to suffer rather thanyield as were the Dutch burghers, they may hold on for a long timeyet. It is certain that no provisions can come to them as long aswe hold possession of this town, and so block the river."
"But if the armies of Parma and the League come they may drive youaway, Master Vickars."
"It is quite possible, mademoiselle; we do not pretend to beinvincible, but I think there will be some tough fighting first."
As the weeks went on Lionel Vickars came to be on very intimateterms with the family. The two maidservants shared in the generalliking for the young officer. He gave no more trouble than if hewere one of the family, and on one or two occasions when disturbanceswere caused by the ill conduct of the miscellaneous bands whichconstituted the garrison, he brought his half company of Englishsoldiers at once into the house, and by his resolute attitudeprevented the marauders from entering.
When Parma's army approached Sir Ralph Pimpernel with the cavalryjoined the king, but Lionel shared in the disappointment felt byall the infantry of the garrison of Lagny that they could take noshare in the great battle that was expected. Their excitement rosehigh while the armies lay watching each other. From the positionof the town down by the river neither army was visible from itswalls, and they only learned when occasional messengers rode inhow matters were going on. One morning Lionel was awoke by a loudknocking at his door. "What is it?" he shouted, as he sat up inbed.
"It is I--Timothy Short, Master Vickars. The sergeant has sent meto wake you in all haste. The Spaniards have stolen a march uponus. They have thrown a bridge across the river somewhere in thenight, and most all their army stands between us and the king whilea division are preparing to besiege the town on the other side."Lionel was hastily throwing on his clothes and arming himself whilethe man was speaking.
"Tell the sergeant," he said, "to get the men under arms. I willbe with him in a few minutes."
When Lionel went out he found that the household was already astir.
"Go not out fasting," his host said. "Take a cup of wine and somefood before you start. You may be some time before you get anopportunity of eating again if what they say is true."
"Thank you heartily," Lionel replied as he sat down to the table,on which some food had already been placed; "it is always betterto fight full than fasting."
"Hark you!" the bourgeois said in his ear; "if things go badly withyou make your way here. I have a snug hiding place, and I shall takerefuge there with my family if the Spaniards capture the town. Ihave heard of their doings in Holland, and that when they capturea town they spare neither age nor sex, and slay Catholics as wellas Protestants; therefore I shall take refuge till matters havequieted down and order is restored. I shall set to work at onceto carry my valuables there, and a goodly store of provisions. Mywarehouse man will remain in charge above. He is faithful and canbe trusted, and he will tell the Spaniards that I am a good Catholic,and lead them to believe that I fled with my family before theHuguenots entered the town."
"Thank you greatly," Lionel replied; "should the need arise I willtake advantage of your kind offer. But it should not do so. We havetwelve hundred men here, and half that number of citizens have keptthe Spaniards at bay for months before towns no stronger than thisin Holland. We ought to be able to defend ourselves here for weeks,and the king will assuredly come to our relief in two or three daysat the outside."
Upon Lionel sallying out he found the utmost confusion and disorderreigning. The commandant was hurriedly assigning to the variouscompanies composing the garrison their places upon the walls.Many of the soldiers were exclaiming that they had been betrayed,and that it were best to make terms with the Spaniards at once.The difference between the air of a quiet resolution that markedthe conduct of the people and troops at Sluys and the excitementmanifested here struck Lionel unpleasantly. The citizens allremained in their houses, afraid lest the exultation they felt atthe prospect of deliverance would be so marked as to enrage thesoldiery. Lionel's own company was standing quietly and in goodorder in the marketplace, and as soon as he received orders as tothe point that he should occupy on the walls Lionel marched themaway.
In half an hour the Spanish batteries, which had been erected duringthe night, opened fire upon several points of the walls. The townwas ill provided with artillery, and the answer was feeble, andbefore evening several breaches had been effected, two of the gatesblown in, and the Spaniards, advanced to the assault. Lionel andhis company, with one composed of Huguenot gentlemen and theirretainers and another of Germans defended the gate at which they wereposted with great bravery, and succeeded in repulsing the attacksof the Spaniards time after time. The latter pressed forward in heavycolumn, only to recoil broken and shattered from the archway, whichwas filled high with their dead. The defenders had just succeededin repulsing the last of these attacks, when some soldiers ran byshouting "All is lost, the Spaniards have entered the town at threepoints!"
The German company at once disbanded and scattered. The Huguenotnoble said to Lionel: "I fear that the news is true; listen to theshouts and cries in the town behind us. I will march with my menand see if there is any chance of beating back the Spaniards; ifnot it were best to lay down our arms and ask for quarter. Willyou try to hold this gate until I return?"
"I will do so," Lionel said; "but I have only about thirty men left,and if the Spaniards come on again we cannot hope to repulse them."
"If I am not back in ten minutes it will be because all is lost,"the Huguenot said; "and you had then best save yourself as youcan."
But long before the ten minutes passed crowds of fugitives ran past,and Lionel learned that great numbers of the enemy had entered,and that they were refusing quarter and slaying all they met.
"It is useless to stay here longer to be massacred," he said to hismen. "I should advise you to take refuge in the churches, leavingyour arms behind you as you enter. It is evident that furtherresistance is useless, and would only cost us our lives. The Spaniardsare twenty to one, and it is evident that all hope of resistanceis at an end." The men were only too glad to accept the advice, andthrowing down their arms, hurried away. Lionel sheathed his sword,and with the greatest difficulty made his way through the scene ofwild confusion to the house where he had lodged. The doors of mostof the houses were fast closed and the inhabitants were hurlingdown missiles of all kinds from the upper windows upon theirlate masters. The triumphant shouts of the Spaniards rose loud
inthe air, mingled with despairing cries and the crack of firearms.Lionel had several narrow escapes from the missiles thrown from thewindows and roofs, but reached the house of the merchant safely.The door was half opened.
"Thanks be to heaven that you have come. I had well nigh given youup, and in another minute should have closed the door. The womenare all below, but I waited until the last minute for you."
Barring the door Lionel's host led the way downstairs into a greatcellar, which served as a warehouse, and extended under the wholehouse. He made his way through the boxes and bales to the darkestcorner of the great cellar. Here he pulled up a flag and showedanother narrow stair, at the bottom of which a torch was burning.Bidding Lionel descend he followed him, lowered the flag behind him,and then led the way along a narrow passage, at the end of whichwas a door. Opening it Lionel found himself in an arched chamber.Two torches were burning, and the merchant's wife and daughtersand the two female domestics were assembled. There was a generalexclamation of gladness as Lionel entered.
"We have been greatly alarmed," the mercer's wife said, "lest youshould not be able to gain the house, Master Vickars; for we heardthat the Spaniards are broken in at several points."
"It was fortunately at the other end of the town to that which Iwas stationed," Lionel said; "and I was just in time. You have agrand hiding place here. It looks like the crypt of a church."
"That is just what it is," the mercer said. "It was the church ofa monastery that stood here a hundred years ago. The monks thenmoved into a grander place in Paris, and the monastery and churchwhich adjoined our house were pulled down and houses erected uponthe site. My grandfather, knowing of the existence of the crypt,thought that it might afford a rare hiding place in case of danger,and had the passage driven from his cellar into it. Its existencecould never be suspected; for as our cellar extends over the wholeof our house, as can easily be seen, none would suspect that therewas a hiding place without our walls. There are three or four chambersas large as this. One of them is stored with all my choicest silksand velvets, another will serve as a chamber for you and me. I haveenough provisions for a couple of months, and even should they burnthe house down we are safe enough here."