There lies my gage, in evidence of what I have said." So saying, he plucked the gauntlet off his right hand, and flung it down on the floor of the hall.
Until this last climax of audacity, there had been a deep silence in the royal apartment during the extraordinary scene; but no sooner had the clash of the gauntlet, when cast down, been echoed by the deep voice of Toison d'Or, the Burgundian herald, with the ejaculation, "Vive Bourgogne!" than there was a general tumult.

While Dunois, Orleans, old Lord Crawford, and one or two others, whose rank authorized their interference, contended which should lift up the gauntlet, the others in the hall exclaimed, "Strike him down! Cut him to pieces! Comes he here to insult the King of France in his own palace ?" But the King appeased the tumult by exclaiming, in a voice like thunder, which overawed and silenced every other sound, "Silence, my lieges, lay not a hand on the man, not a finger on the gage!--And you, Sir Count, of what is your life composed, or how is it warranted, that you thus place it on the cast of a die so perilous?
or is your Duke made of a different metal from other princes, since he thus asserts his pretended quarrel in a manner so unusual ?" "He is indeed framed of a different and more noble metal than the other princes of Europe," said the undaunted Count of Crevecoeur; "for, when not one of them dared to give shelter to you--to you, I say, King Louis--when you were yet only Dauphin, an exile from France, and pursued by the whole bitterness of your father's revenge, and all the power of his kingdom, you were received and protected like a brother by my noble master, whose generosity of disposition you have so grossly misused.
Farewell, Sire, my mission is discharged." So saying, the Count de Crevecoeur left the apartment abruptly, and without farther leave taking.
"After him--after him--take up the gauntlet and after him!" said the King.

"I mean not you, Dunois, nor you, my Lord of Crawford, who, methinks, may be too old for such hot frays; nor you, cousin of Orleans, who are too young for them .-- My Lord Cardinal--my Lord Bishop of Auxerre--it is your holy office to make peace among princes; do you lift the gauntlet, and remonstrate with Count Crevecoeur on the sin he has committed, in thus insulting a great monarch in his own Court, and forcing us to bring the miseries of war upon his kingdom, and that of his neighbour." Upon this direct personal appeal, the Cardinal Balue proceeded to lift the gauntlet, with such precaution as one would touch an adder--so great was apparently his aversion to this symbol of war--and presently left the royal apartment to hasten after the challenger.
Louis paused and looked round the circle of his courtiers, most of whom, except such as we have already distinguished, being men of low birth, and raised to their rank in the King's household for other gifts than courage or feats of arms, looked pale on each other, and had obviously received an unpleasant impression from the scene which had been just acted.

Louis gazed on them with contempt, and then said aloud, "Although the Count of Crevecoeur be presumptuous and overweening, it must be confessed that in him the Duke of Burgundy hath as bold a servant as ever bore message for a prince.

I would I knew where to find as faithful an Envoy to carry back my answer." "You do your French nobles injustice, Sire," said Dunois; "not one of them but would carry a defiance to Burgundy on the point of his sword." "And, Sire," said old Crawford, "you wrong also the Scottish gentlemen who serve you.