At length he succeeded in inspiring them with his own ardour, and they consented to accompany him wherever he should lead them.
Armed with axes, and furnished with ladders, they set out, in the middle of the night, for Saintes.

They fixed their ladder near the Porte Aiguieres; as they were mounting, Romegoux heard a patrol passing; as soon as it was gone he and his companions lost no time in hurrying into the town; he divided his party into two, placing them at a small distance from the rampart, to protect his retreat in case of surprise; then, followed by the most determined of his band, he marched straight to the lodging of Combaudiere, who had been left by Puytaille in his place to command in his absence.
Romegoux broke open the door, surprised the governor in his bed, forced him to rise, and, without giving him time to dress himself, obliged him to march before them; but so paralysed was he with terror, that he had scarcely the power to move.

One of the Huguenots, therefore, placed him on his shoulders, and carried him rapidly off towards the Porte Aiguieres, intending to descend by the ladders which had given them entrance: but their companions had, in the meantime, broken the bar of the gate, and lowered the drawbridge.

Romegoux and his people made their exit in good order through this door, to the sound of the tocsin, the drums and the cries of alarm of the garrison and citizens, who, awaked from their slumbers, were hurrying hither and thither in the utmost confusion.

The victorious party paused only at the end of the faubourg, to allow the governor to dress himself, and then went off with their prize.
Romegoux, however, though he gained great reputation by this daring adventure, was unable to carry his design further, owing to want of means, and he was so disappointed and annoyed at being forced to stop in mid-career, that he was nearly dying with vexation.
In this castle of Taillebourg was afterwards established a Protestant chapel, and _there_ were buried, after the fatal battle _des Arenes_, at Saintes, the _four brothers_ Coligny, of whom d'Aubigne says, "They were similar in countenance, but still more in probity, prudence, and valour." After a very agreeable voyage, we, at length, saw the towers and spires of the old town of Saintes rising from the waters, and landed, for the first time, _from a steam-boat_, without much confusion: we resigned ourselves at once to the care of a very little boy, who bustled about with great importance, and conducted us in triumph to the Hotel de La Couronne, by a long and beautiful boulevard of majestic trees, which gave a very imposing impression of the town..