Lenet hastened to make known the good news to the princess, who at once assembled her council. Claire feigned fatigue in order to avoid taking part in any decision adverse to Canolles, and withdrew to her chamber to weep at her ease. There she could hear the shouts and threats of the mob. Every shout, every threat was directed against Canolles. Soon the drum began to beat, the companies assembled; the sheriffs distributed weapons to the people, who demanded pikes and arquebuses; the cannon were taken from the arsenal, powder was distributed, and two hundred boats were in readiness to ascend the Garonne with the evening tide, while three thousand men were to march up the left bank and attack by land. The river army was to be commanded by Espagnet, councillor of Parliament, a brave and judicious man; and the land forces by Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld, who had entered the city with about two thousand gentlemen. Monsieur le Duc de Bouillon, with a thousand more, was to arrive two days later, and Monsieur de La Rochefoucauld hastened the attack as much as possible, so that his colleague should not be present. V. On the second day following that on which Madame de Cambes presented herself in the guise of a flag of truce at Île Saint-Georges, as Canolles was making his round upon the ramparts about two in the afternoon, he was informed that a messenger with a letter for him desired to speak with him. The messenger was at once introduced, and handed his missive to Canolles. Evidently there was nothing official about the document; it was a small letter, longer than it was wide, written in a fine, slightly tremulous hand, upon perfumed bluish paper of fine quality. Canolles felt his heart beat faster at the mere sight of the letter. "Who gave it to you?" he asked. "A man of fifty-five to sixty years of age." "Grizzly moustache and royale?" "Yes." "Slightly bent?" "Yes." "Military bearing?" "Yes." "That's all." Canolles gave the man a louis, and motioned to him to withdraw at once. Then, with wildly beating heart, he concealed himself in the corner of a bastion, where he could read the letter at his ease. It contained only these two lines:-- "You are to be attacked. If you are no longer worthy of me, show yourself at least worthy of yourself." The letter was not signed, but Canolles recognized Madame de Cambes as he had recognized Pompée; he looked to see if anybody was looking at him, and blushing like a child over his first love, he put the paper to his lips, kissed it ardently, and placed it upon his heart. Then he mounted the crown of the bastion, whence he could follow the course of the Garonne well-nigh a league, and could see the whole extent of the surrounding plain. Nothing was to be seen upon land or water. "The day will pass like this," he muttered; "they won't come by daylight; they have probably halted to rest on the way, and will begin the attack this evening."