PARTII
THESECRETSOFTHERUGGIERI
I
THECOURTUNDERCHARLESIX。
Betweeneleveno’clockandmidnighttowardtheendofOctober，1573，twoItalians，Florentinesandbrothers，AlbertdeGondi，DucdeRetzandmarshalofFrance，andCharlesdeGondilaTour，Grand-masteroftherobesofCharlesIX。，weresittingontheroofofahouseintherueSaint-Honore，attheedgeofagutter。Thisgutterwasoneofthosestonechannelswhichinformerdayswereconstructedbelowtheroofsofhousestoreceivetherain-water，dischargingitatregularintervalsthroughthoselonggargoylescarvedintheshapeoffantasticanimalswithgapingmouths。Inspiteofthezealwithwhichourpresentgeneralpullsdownanddemolishesvenerablebuildings，therestillexistedmanyoftheseprojectingguttersuntil，quiterecently，anordinanceofthepoliceastowater-conduitscompelledthemtodisappear。Butevenso，afewofthesecarvedgargoylesstillremain，chieflyinthe/quartier/Saint-Antoine，wherelowrentsandvalueshinderthebuildingofnewstoreysundertheeavesoftheroofs。