"You can imagine what an excitement there was last night when that boy you
sent arrived. The ring was sent up first, and when I gave orders that he
should be admitted he came in well-nigh breathless. There were six or
eight of us, and all were on the point of leaving. Thinking that it might
be something private, they had taken up their hats and cloaks. The boy, as
he came in, said, 'Which of you is Count Charles d'Estournel?' 'I am,' I
said. 'You are the bearer of a message from Guy Aylmer?' 'I am, my lord.
He prays you hasten to his assistance, for the butchers and skinners are
attacking Maitre Leroux's house, and had begun to hammer on the door when
I was still in the street. If they make their way in, they will surely
kill all they find in there. They are shouting, 'Death to the Armagnacs!
Death to the English spies!'
"I called upon my comrades to join me, and all were eager to do so. We had
long been smarting under the conduct of these ruffians, and moreover I was
glad to discharge a part of my debt to you. So each ran to his lodgings
and despatched servitors to summon their men-at-arms, and to order the
horses to be saddled, and to gather in front of my lodging with all speed.
Two or three of my friends who had left earlier were also summoned; but
though we used all the speed we could it was more than an hour before all
were assembled. The men-at-arms were scattered, and had to be roused; then
there was the work of getting the stables open, and we had to force the
doors in some places to do it.
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