The first thing which struck them was the number of people assembled in the square.

"Excellent," said De Guiche; "our apartments, I see, are prepared." In fact, in front of the Hotel de Ville, upon the wide open space before it, eight tents had been raised, surmounted by the flags of France and England united.

The hotel was surrounded by tents, as by a girdle of variegated colors; ten pages and a dozen mounted troopers, for an escort, mounted guard before the tents.

It had a singularly curious effect, almost fairy-like in its appearance.

These tents had been constructed during the night-time.