are there at home to-day?"

"Twelve, your highness."

"Enough to settle with two thousand such wretches."

Latour darted away on his double mission, and the prince turned to
his mother, who, undaunted and defiant, still stood before the
window contemplating her assailants, giving back look for look of
scorn and abhorrence.

"May I beg of my dear mother permission to absent myself for a
while?" said Eugene.

The countess looked round with inquiring eyes. "Whither would you
go, my son?" asked she.

"I wish to give some orders to the domestics, to arm them, and
assign to each man his post."

"Where will you find weapons, my son?"

"I have among my effects a small collection of fire-arms. They are
all in good order, and all loaded. I have nothing to do but
distribute them, and place my men."

The countess smiled. "In good sooth, I begin to believe that you are
fitter for a soldier than for a churchman. But you are not in
earnest when you speak of using firearms?"