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Show 354 tl1at they fought the battles of lfoly Church, tlJC Spaniards 'vcre irresistible. They mocked the tardy valor of our lluguenots, tl1eir feeble force, and purposeless attemJlf.s. At length the party led by l\felcndcz confronted Laudonnicrc. 1'hc Spanish chieftain knew not the person of l1is enemy. But the renegade l~t·cnchmnn, Francis Jean, discovered his ancient leader, aud the desire for revenge, which had led to his treachery, filled his heart with exultation at the prospect of the gratification of his passion. ITo cried to :Melendez: " That is he ! That is the capl..'lin of the heretics-that is Laudonnicrc !" " Ah, traitor! I s it thou ?" cried Laudonnicrc. " L et mo but live to slay thee, n.nd I care nothing for the rest." With these words he sprang upon the traitor guide, and would have slain him at a stroke, but for the interposition of l\lclendez. H e thrust back the renegade, and confronted the captain of tho 1T ugucnots. But Lnudonniere shrank from tho conflict, for J (e. lendez was followed by his troop; and, saving one ma11 1 a stout soldier named Bartholomew, who fougl1t manfully with a heavy partizan, he stood utterly alone and unsupported. He g~wo back, or rather was drawn back by Bartholomew ; but now that )Jclendcz and his people had seen the particular prey whom they had been scckiug, they rushed with fiercer appetite than over to make him captive. Tl1c efforts of the Spaniards were then re. doubled. The fierce bigot P edro Melendez himself-a. stalwart warrior, clad in heavy black armor of woven mail, with a great white cross upon llis breast-made the most desperate efforts to bring Lnudonnicre to tho last passage at arms ; and for a time tho l''renchman, though quite too light and enfeebled by sickness for the contest with such a champion, was eager to indulge Lim. lie Til£ FATE OF LA C.A ROLlNE. 355 struggled with the friendly arm which perforce drew him n.way, and great was his rage, though impotent, when the rush of a nn111bcr of his own fugitives passing between at this moment, hur;icd him onward as by the downward rush of a toncnt, to tl1c safety of his life if not to tllC incrcnsc of his honor. At tim~ moment Laudonnicrc had gladly redeemed by a glorious death, at the hands of the fierce Asturian, the errors and t l1e failures of his life. llut this was denied him , and, vainly struggling rtgninst t l10 tide of fugitives, he wus swept wiU1 them in the direction of the corps de gartle. Laudonnicrc y ielded in this manner ouly foot by foot, striking at the foe and at his own runagates alike, and receiving upon his s hield, with the dexterity of au accomplished cavalier, the assnult of n. score of pikes which pressed beyond the heavy blade of l\Jclcndcz. When at length the retreating Frcncl1mcn had reached the court of the forttcss, tbcy scattered headlong, finding themsch·es confronted by new and consolidated masses of the enemy, and cacl1 of them sought incontinently his own method of escape. " Sauve qui. peuJ !"was the cry, and the crowd by which Laudonnicro had hitherto been borne unwillingly along, now melted away on every hand, leaving him again almost alone in the presence of the Spaniard. And still UIC faitl1ful fellow, Bartholomew, clung to his superior, s.wing him from the raslmess which would only have flung away his own life without an object. lie hurried along his unhappy and now reckless captain, taking l1is way into the yard of Laudonnicrc's lodging. Thither they were closely pursued, aml, but for n. tent that happened to be standing in the place, they must ha\'c been taken. But, passing behind tl1is tent, while tho SPaniards were busied in groping within it, or cutting away tho cords, "Hither, now, J\hmsicur RcnC," cried Bartholomew, grasping |