Assassination of the Duke of Guise (Onslow, Guise ou les États de Blois, III, 15)

Scene 15 is the last of Act III: the Duc de Guise converses alone with Larchant on the threshold, unaware that the latter has prepared his assassination, which is imminent. He is astonished to see soldiers gathered in the king's chamber, where he is about to enter. Larchant reassures him that they have simply come to claim their wages. Guise knows Larchant to be loyal to Henri III: this in no way diminishes his esteem for him. Larchant, moved by this generosity, suffers inwardly at what is about to happen.

The assassination takes place at the end of the scene, and is described in a didascalia:

"[Larchant] turns, sees that Guise has entered, and utters a cry. At that moment a great tumult erupts in the king's chamber. Guise, pursued by the assassins and stabbed by them, emerges defending himself and falls stricken to death at the back of the stage. Larchant runs to him and embraces him. The marquise rushes out of the king's room and runs to Guise's knees, supported by Larchant, who seems to stop the assassins with a gesture. Meanwhile, the king lifts the door to his room, and the pale, decomposed figure of Henri III appears, showing Catherine their stabbed enemy. - The curtain falls on this tableau."