in fact , the sack of la rochelle , and the assassination of three of four thousand huguenots who allowed themselves to be killed , would resemble too closely , in 1628 , the massacre of st. bartholomew in 1572 ; and then , above all this , this extreme measure , which was not at all repugnant to the queen , good catholic as she was , always fell before this argument of the besieging generals -- la rochelle is impregnable except to famine .