The Cathedral of St. Lambert, Charles did endeavour to protect.  “The duke himself went thither, and one man I saw him kill with his own hand, whereupon all the company departed and that particular church was not pillaged, but at the end the men who had taken refuge there were captured as well as the wealth of the church.”

[Illustration:  OLIVIER DE LA MARCHE

(FROM MS. REPRODUCED IN MEM.  COURONNES, ETC., PAR L’ACAD,

ROYALE DE BELGIQUE VOL.  XLIX.)]

At about midday Charles joined Louis at the episcopal palace, where the latter had found apartments better suited to his rank than the rude huts that had sheltered him for the past few days.  The king was in good spirits and enjoyed his dinner in spite of the unsavoury scenes that were still in progress about him.  He manifested great joy in the successful assault, and was lavish in his praises of the duke’s courage, taking care that his admiring phrases should be promptly reported to his cousin.[4] His one great preoccupation, however, was to return to his own realm.

After dinner the duke and he made good cheer together.  “If the king had praised his works behind his back, still more loud was he in his open admiration.  And the duke was pleased.”  No telling sign of friendship for Charles had Louis spared that day, so terrified was he lest some testimony from his ancient proteges might prove his ruin.  “Let the word be Burgundy,” he had cried to his followers when the attack began. “Tuez, tuez, vive Bourgogne.”

There is another contemporaneous historian who somewhat apologetically relates the following incident of this interview.[5] In this friendly Sabbath day chat, Charles asked Louis how he ought to treat Liege when his soldiers had finished their work.  No trace of kindliness towards his old friends was there in the king’s answer.

“Once my father had a high tree near his house, inhabited by crows who had built their nests thereon and disturbed his repose by their chatter.  He had the nests removed but the crows returned and built anew.  Several times was this repeated.  Then he had the tree cut down at the roots.  After that my father slept quietly.”

Four or five days passed before Louis dared press the question of his return home.  The following note written in Italian, dated on the day of the assault, is significant of his state of mind: 

    LOUIS XI.  TO THE COUNT DE FOIX

    “Monseigneur the Prince: 

“To-day my brother of Burgundy and I entered in great multitude and with force into this city of Liege, and because I have great desire to return, I advise you that on next Tuesday morning I will depart hence, and I will not cease riding without making any stops until I reach there.[6] I pray you to let me know what is to be done.

    “Writ at Liege, October 30th.

    “LOYS

    “DE LA LOERE.”