Condé came at last, but only to see the king and his mother carried off in triumph; his force was not strong enough to rescue them, even had the attempt been safe. Henceforth the regent was in the hands of the reactionists, and must follow wherever they led. With contemptuous politeness they assured her, if we may believe Chantonnay, “that they had never thought of depriving her of the government, and would not attempt it, so long as she gave her hand to the support of true religion and of the king’s authority.”[283] Supporting true religion meant depriving the Huguenots of their privileges, the first step toward which was to interdict the Reformers of Paris from meeting to worship within the walls of the capital--a deprivation partly justifiable under the circumstances. The mutual jealousy of the triumvirs prevented the exercise of any harsh measures toward Catherine: each intrigued against the other, and hoped to make use of her for his own private ends. Each was aware that if she were removed, his own position would be imperiled by the rival ambitions of his colleagues. CHAPTER VI. FIRST RELIGIOUS WAR. [1562–1563.] Beginning of Reaction--Causes of the War--The Huguenots arm--Advice of Coligny’s Wife--Covenant of Association--Massacre at Sens and Sisteron--Discipline of the Armies--Catherine attempts to mediate--Conference at Thoury--Negotiations broken off--Fearful state of Paris--The Constable’s violence--Appeals to Foreign Sympathy--Successes of the Royalists--Atrocities at Blois and Tours--Rouen Besieged--The Breach stormed--The Hour of Vengeance--Pastor Marlorat hanged--Death of Anthony of Navarre--Disturbances in Normandy--Offer of Amnesty--Battle of Dreux--Condé and Montmorency captured--St. André killed--Siege of Orleans--Duke of Guise murdered--Poltrot de Méré--Pacification of Amboise--Distress caused by the War--Death of Coligny’s Son--Letter to his Wife. All great efforts are followed by a reaction. We have seen how Protestantism had been spreading over France during the last forty years, the attempts to crush it serving but to give it greater vitality. We are now approaching a period of counter-revolution; the tide of reform has reached its flood and will soon begin to ebb, slowly, irregularly, but certainly, so that at last we entirely lose sight of religion in the political struggle that ensued.