I hear you fought a battle on the way.

Did you lose many men there ?" "None, sir.

Indeed I am glad to say that, beyond a few trifling wounds, the whole matter has been carried out without any loss to the party that rode from Laville." "How strong were they altogether, monsieur ?" "Sixty, sir." "Then where did you join the force that, as we hear, cut up the townspeople of Niort as they were massacring our people in the villages round, and afterwards obtained from the town the freedom of those who had been cast into prison, and permission for all Huguenots to leave the town ?" "There was no other force, sir.

We had just the sixty men from Laville, commanded by my cousin Francois.

When the news arrived of the doings at Niort, there was no time to send round to gather our friends; so we mounted the men-at-arms at the chateau and rode with all speed, and were but just in time.