And as she watched she kissed the
golden crucifix of the child Margaret. And her heart rejoiced because
the lives of the innocent as well as the death of the guilty had been
given her for her portion.
"And now, O Lord, I am ready to pay the price!" she said.
CHAPTER LX
HIS DEMON HATH DESERTED HIM
The soldiers of the Duke of Brittany stood with bared swords and
deadly pikes around the Marshal de Retz and those of his servants who
had been taken--that is to say, round Poitou, Clerk Henriet, Blanquet,
and Robin Romulart. About them surged ever more fiercely the angry
populace, drunk with the hot wine of destruction, having been filled
with inconceivable fury by that which they had seen in the round tower
wherein stood the filled bags of little charred remains.
"Tear the wolves into gobbets! Kill them! Burn them! Send them quick
to Hell!" So ran the cry.
And twice and thrice the villagers of the Pays de Retz charged
desperately as men who fight for their lives.
"Stand to it, men!" cried Pierre de l'Hopital. "Gilles de Retz shall
have fair trial!
"_But I shall try him!_" he added, under his breath.
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