Two men, servants of the Guises, entered first.

One of them, Behme, attached to the Duke of Guise's own person, came forward, saying, "Art thou not the admiral ?" "Young man," said Coligny, "thou comest against a wounded and an aged man.

Thou'lt not shorten my life by much." Behme plunged into his stomach a huge pointed boar-spear which he had in his hand, and then struck him on the head with it.

Coligny fell, saying, "If it were but a man! But 'tis a horse-boy." Others came in and struck him in their turn.

"Behme!" shouted the Duke of Guise from the court-yard, "hast done ?" "'Tis all over, my lord," was the answer; and the murderers threw the body out of the window, where it stuck for an instant, either accidentally or voluntarily, and as if to defend a last remnant of life.
Then it fell.