A Guise might spare his foe, but the Vidame--the Vidame never! We had warned Madame de Pavannes it was true; but that abnormal exercise of benevolence could only, I cynically thought, have the more exasperated the devil within him, which now would be ravening like a dog disappointed of its victuals.
I glanced up at the line of sky visible between the tall houses, and lo! the dawn was coming.

It wanted scarcely half-an-hour of daylight, though down in the dark streets about us the night still reigned.

Yes, the morning was coming, bright and hopeful, and the city was quiet.
There were no signs, no sounds of riot or disorder.

Surely, I thought, surely Pavannes must be mistaken.

Either the plot had never existed, that was most likely, or it had been abandoned, or perhaps--Crack! A pistol shot! Short, sharp, ominous it rang out on the instant, a solitary sound in the night! It was somewhere near us, and I stopped.
I had been speaking to my companion at the moment.