The friends of the fallen minister slandered the Bishop of Métellopolis and the missionaries. They blamed them for the disgrace of the French retreat. The chief authors of this calumny were those who were obliged to refute it. Jealous of the esteem in which this prelate was held and because he was not ambitious, they strove to decry the missionaries, so as to gain all the consideration they enjoyed, and to raise themselves on their ruin. But the defence of the prelate was an easy matter. Ought he to have concealed a danger which was imminent? Had the troops been cut to pieces, with what horror would not Europe have learnt that a French Bishop, misled by overconfidence, had kept silence about what ought to have been revealed. Would he not have been rightly considered the author of a massacre of his fellow-citizens? Duty obliged him to reveal the reasons of his fear. It was for the commander to reject or to follow his advice. But it is certain that had he marched to Louvo he would have failed in the first of his duties, namely to remain on guard at his post. Faulcon left to the mercy of his enemies, complained bitterly that the French had deserted him, and on hearing the news, exclaimed. "Alas they do not consider that they themselves will be involved in my downfall," and turning to his retinue, asked them to follow him to the church saying "I was wrong to trust to human aid, I wait for God only. There is His House, He alone can suffice to protect and defend me." He positively refused to accept the commander's offer of shelter, as it would have justified the slanderous reports that he had handed over the place to foreigners so as to arrange for a place of safety in time of danger. Instead of flight, he preferred to reveal part of the danger which threatened the State to the King. The remedy lay in the choice of a successor who could subdue the disaffected. The Prince proclaimed his daughter as Queen and allowed her to select whichever of her uncles she might prefer as her husband. So feeble a measure was not sufficient to remove the cause of the disaffection rife everywhere. Factions increased, and the ringleaders were only waiting a favourable opportunity to break out in open revolution. The policy pursued by the conspirators towards Faulcon, lulled him to a sense of false security. He still perceived the danger, but he thought it had been relegated to the future. He sought the King and said "Sire, the time for repining and speech is over. We must act, and that silently."