Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/159

 1572.] THE MASSACRE OF ST BARTHOLOMEW. 139 from two to ten thousand. In this, as in all such in- stances, the lowest estimate is probably the nearest to the truth. The massacre was completed completed in Paris, only, as it proved, to be continued elsewhere. It was assuming a form however considerably larger than any- thing which the contrivers of it had contemplated ; and it became a question what explanation of such a business should be given to the world. The age was not tender-hearted ; but a scene of this kind was as yet unprecedented, and transcended far the worst atrocities which had been witnessed in the Netherlands. The opinion of Europe would require some account of it, and the Court at first thought that half the truth might represent the whole. On the 24th, while the havoc was at its height, circulars went round to the provinces that a quarrel had broken out between the Houses of Guise and Coligny ; that the Admiral and many more had been unfortunately killed, and that the King him- self had been in danger through his efforts to control the people. The governors of the different towns were commanded to repress at once any symptoms of disorder which might show themselves, and particularly to allow no injury to be done to the Huguenots. Aumale and Guise had gone in pursuit of Montgomeiy, and at the moment were not in Paris. The Queen-mother used the opportunity to burden them with the entire responsibility. But her genius had overshot its mark, and she was not to escape so easily. Guise returned in the evening to find the odium cast upon himself. He