"The terms! Come to them!" "You will have them ?" the man answered, nervously passing his tongue over his lips.

"You will not let me see her, or speak to her privately ?" "No." "Then hear them.

His Excellency is informed that one Hannibal de Tavannes, guilty of the detestable crime of sacrilege and of other gross crimes, has taken refuge here.

He requires that the said Hannibal de Tavannes be handed to him for punishment, and, this being done before sunset this evening, he will yield to you free and uninjured the said M.
de Tignonville, and will retire from the lands of Vrillac.

But if you refuse"-- the man passed his eye along the line of attentive faces which fringed the battlement--"he will at sunset hang the said Tignonville on the gallows raised for Tavannes, and will harry the demesne of Vrillac to its farthest border!" There was a long silence on the gate.