"Then I must thank you for your good intentions, Monsieur le Comte," retorted Castelnau, coldly; "but I must no less continue to act on the lines laid down for me by the leaders of the Reformed party. I can readily conceive that it must be very painful for a gentleman like yourself, being debarred from the combat, to see others fighting without you; but you alone cannot be allowed to fetter and paralyze a whole army." "You propose, then," said Gabriel, pale and dejected, "to allow the others to go on with this fatal design, and to go on with it yourself?" "Yes, Monsieur le Comte," responded Castelnau, whose words had a firmness in them that admitted no argument; "and with your permission, I will now go to issue the necessary orders for to-morrow's assault." He saluted Gabriel, and left the room without awaiting his reply. CHAPTER XXV THE BEGINNING OF THE END Gabriel did not leave the Château de Noizai, however, but determined to pass the night there. His presence would afford the Reformers a pledge of his good faith, in case they were attacked; and beyond that, he still retained some slight hope that in the morning he might prevail, if not upon Castelnau, upon some other leader who was less blindly obstinate. If La Renaudie would only come! Castelnau left him entirely free, and seemed inclined to be rather disdainful in his avoidance of him. Gabriel encountered him several times during the evening in the halls and corridors of the château, going hither and thither, giving orders for reconnoitring parties and the forwarding of supplies. But not a single word was exchanged between the two youths, each as proud and as noble as the other. During the long hours of that night of anguish the Comte de Montgommery, too restless and anxious to sleep, remained upon the ramparts, listening, meditating, and praying. With the first glimmer of dawn, the Protestant troops began to arrive in small detached parties. At eight o'clock they had already assembled in large numbers; and at eleven Castelnau could count all whom he expected. But not one of the leaders was known to Gabriel. La Renaudie had sent word that he and his forces would make their way to Amboise by way of the forest of Château-Regnault. Everything was ready for departure. Captains Mazères and Raunay, who were to lead the advance-guard, had already gone down to the terrace in front of the château to form their detachments in marching order. Castelnau was triumphant. "Well," he remarked to Gabriel as he encountered him,--he had, in his satisfaction, forgiven the conversation of the night before,--"well, you see, Monsieur le Comte, that you were wrong; and everything is going on as well as possible!" "Wait!" said Gabriel, shaking his head.