For a time, until it wore itself out, it was the curse of France.

Two Dukes of Guise, Francis and Henry, a cardinal of Guise, the Prince of Conde, Admiral Coligny, King Henry the Third all these the foremost men of their day--died by assassination within little more than a quarter of a century, to say nothing of the Prince of Orange, and King Henry the Great.
Then mark--a most curious thing--the extreme youth of those who were in this business.

France, subject to the Queen-Mother, of course, was ruled at the time by boys scarce out of their tutors' hands.

They were mere lads, hot-blooded, reckless nobles, ready for any wild brawl, without forethought or prudence.

Of the four Frenchmen who it is thought took the leading parts, one, the king, was twenty-two; Monsieur, his brother, was only twenty; the Duke of Guise was twenty-one.