"He is dying! brother Clary!" exclaimed Cavalier. "No," replied he, who had bound up his wound, "he will soon revive again; yet Ravanel does him injustice, for I know by my spirit that this youth is religious, and will follow our cause with zeal; but the wrathful fire of these fierce heroes will ruin us all."
Roland in the meanwhile was going through the a.s.sembled groups with commanding grace, seeking to appease these excited minds. All were standing in order, as his glance had commanded; Ravanel alone, conscious of guilt had retired. Cavalier now stepped in among them, and in his own amiable manner, said, "Brethren, the tie that binds the whole world, the source of all miracles, the strength of the weak, the immediate presence of our most holy father, is love, love alone. I am apprehensive, that we, the oppressed, whose unity is so necessary, may in this manner be divided, should we forget that we are brethren? Does not something more exalted than an oath bind us to a holy work? Ravanel has without doubt grossly sinned against our new brother, but the pious youth will forgive the enthusiast and Roland and Catinat as brethren must also shake hands. Forgive the impetuous man, brother Roland, and pardon him ye remaining friends, who censure his conduct; on his side, he will promise you to regulate his mind, to restrain himself, and, except in cases of the greatest emergency, to refrain from giving way to the impulse of his feelings. When you are once more united, I have something to report to you that is well worth consideration."
Catinat went slowly up to Roland; the latter wiped a tear from his eye, extended his arms, embraced him and cried: "Welcome to me my brother!
thou wouldst dwell entirely in my soul, if thou couldst mix a few drops of the mind"s tranquility with thy burning zeal." Catinat promised to restrain himself and peace was again restored.
"My friends," commenced Cavalier anew, "As I a short time since descended into the plains and valley of Nage, it appeared to me singularly enigmatical, that in so many places I met with coldness, disapprobation, and a strange backwardness in the best and most faithful. Unheard of and wilful barbarities were spoken of, said to have been practised by our party. I enquired who were the leaders, but they could not name them to me. Our most devoted friends told me, however, that this was not the right manner, or the way to fight through our, besides this, perilous cause. I shuddered when forced to listen to these accounts. Our enemies have hardly acted towards us with so much cruelty. I could not avoid shedding tears at the barbarous manner in which the Marchioness of Miramon has been murdered. You all know that she was a secret friend to our cause, and that we have enjoyed many succours from her kindness. This lady frequently travelled, often met with our people who were all acquainted with her, and who besides never wilfully injured the peaceable and defenceless inhabitants, but let them pa.s.s freely. Now she intended to quit Usez, in order to visit her husband at St. Ambroise. She was advised to take with her an escort, or at least armed servants, but confiding in our friendship, she refused both. She had already nearly reached the place of destination, when her carriage was surrounded by dark-looking men; she and her maids were bound, and neither entreaties, nor tears, nor the costly jewels that she carried with her, nor promise of much gold could save these hapless beings from the most disgraceful death. I contradicted all the exasperated people, that no troop of our party could have done this, but only a few believed me. Fortunately I have discovered who these wretches are, who also call themselves Camisards and dishonour our cause; it is a band of highwaymen and incendiaries who have come from Provence. Advance friend Degran, and relate to the brethren how you came up with the villains, and how you escaped from them."
A ragged, half-starved looking man with a long beard came forward, whom some recognised and others examined with surprise. What a change a period of a few weeks had effected in him! He began in a feeble voice: "It may now be about a month ago, that I was sent by brother Cavalier with three of my comrades against Montpellier to watch the enemy, to purchase ammunition and to summon the attendance of some young men in the mountains. In order to avoid observation, we set out in the evening twilight, and just as a storm overtook us in the wood, we were suddenly surrounded by a number of black-looking men, and commanded to offer no resistance, the attempt too would have been vain among such a mult.i.tude, the tallest of them advanced towards us and said: "I see then before me, some of the brave and valiant Camisards! You are welcome!" We could not make out who they were, they had not the appearance of the militia of the country, and were even more fearful than the madcaps, whom the fierce hermit formerly headed. After we had examined one another closer, he, who seemed to be the leader said: "What a miserable perilous life such brave fellows lead, and none to acknowledge their value; and the sacrifice they make. You are forbidden to plunder, what do you gain by all your exertions? as we are told, you are not allowed under penalty of death to plunder even the demolished churches, and carry off the gold and silver vessels; no, you suffer all to melt in the flames. We think differently, we are not, it is true, your companions in faith, but you must make common cause with us.
Behold our party consists of fifty, all united together by solemn oaths, you can never escape from us again, if you will not join us, you must die, you know the country and the inhabitants, name to us then the rich catholics, that we may direct our visits thither, and you shall have a fair portion of the booty which falls to us."--What could we do?
we were compelled to conduct them about, as they kept strict watch over us. I cannot bear to think on the horrors we were forced to witness; but one, more frightful than the rest, was committed against one of my comrades, who attempted to escape from them, for our consciences tortured us day and night. The horrible ill-treatment which had preceded the murder of our brother, bound us still more firmly to these highwaymen. The country was soon filled with rumours respecting these black Camisards, as they were called. Under this mask they were, however, by no means scrupulous about plundering merely their brothers in the faith, but they also attacked the houses of the newly converted, and whose families were known as zealous reformers. One evening when they surrounded a country house and had dispatched me to inspect the place more closely, we were surprised and compelled to make a hasty retreat, and I availed myself of the opportunity to escape into a garden, and from thence into the wood. They have now however a long list of wealthy people, whom they intend to rob and murder; the Lord of Beauvais stands at the head of it, and as his house is rather retired, it is almost impossible for them not to succeed."
"Enough, my friend," cried Cavalier, "now Catinat will you accompany me in order to catch these a.s.sa.s.sins? This time, I will take only fifty men with me, and shall return shortly to receive your orders, brother Roland."
He made a sign, quickly mounted a little horse, and those, who were already acquainted with his will, followed him accompanied by Catinat.
The man, who had escaped from the robbers, was also of the party in order to trace the villains. Edmond in the mean while had been removed.
He lay in a hut formed of plaited branches upon a couch of moss, Abraham Mazel had followed to take care of him. The other leaders had also retired deeper into the wood with their troops. Roland, now nearly alone, walked up and down on the mountain plain, gave out orders, appointed new posts, and dispatched a troop under Valmal to procure provisions. Soon afterwards, Roland received intelligence through the centinels of the outposts, that they perceived in the direction of Rouergue a great number of men that, from their appearance, might be taken for the country militia. "These," said Roland, "will not be so unwise as to attack us in this strong place." A messenger came to announce that the approaching people had raised a great cry, and were not marching but advancing without order, and in tumultuous crowds. The noise was now heard ascending nearer from the rear of the mountain.
"They are peasants," exclaimed Roland, as he came down from the eminence which he had ascended. "What can they want? Wherefore this commotion?" the procession drew near; men, women, even children and old men in the midst of them, all fluried, most of them in tears, each one would speak first, each presenting a hand to the commander. Those who were the most exhausted, laid themselves down on the ground, the younger men placed themselves in order, some had old fowling pieces, others sides, many were armed with short or long swords, several carried hatchets and axes. The fighting men amounted at least to two hundred in number, and when the tumult at length subsided, and Roland again asked from whence they came and what they required, one of the oldest among the armed men stepped forward and said, "Roland, you must know me and my father yonder, as well as many here from the commune of Meliere, we, who have often lent you our help, all in secret attached to you, and who have daily put up our prayers for you to heaven. You also know our persecutors; why need I name them to you. But our calamity is still new to you, and truly one must live in our days to deem it possible. It is now some months ago, that the Intendant and the Marshal caused whole communities to be carried off from the middle of the Cevennes, as well as from Mialet; women, children, and fathers were thrown into their prisons, merely because they were suspected by them.
Out of one-and-twenty parishes, three hundred young men were seized from the district of Nismes alone, besides whole families and are shut up in the dungeons and fortresses of the level country and of the mountains. The inhuman Intendant trusts no one, and how can the subject be tranquil and faithful to the king, when the tyrant in his cold-blooded intrigues only meditates how to make the people wretched?
The terrible man has been heard to say with his own lips, that the best and the safest method would be to extirpate from the face of the earth all who are converted, as well as the rebels. The Marshal himself, it is said, is shocked at these ideas, G.o.d and the king have not so far forgotten us ever to permit such infamy. But since the day before yesterday----Yes, weep, mourn, ye unfortunate, banished, houseless people!" And as in chorus there arose a sobbing and lamentation, but the speaker continued thus, "Early the day before yesterday, as we were going forth to our field labours, we heard the beating of drums, we took it for the usual marching of the royal troops through the country, but they soon drew near, we ascended the mountain and saw that the extensive mountain district, valley, and ravine, as far as the eye could reach, were surrounded. They did not leave us long in suspense, we were summoned to the square of our large village. Thence they published to our magistrates and to us, that in Nismes a decree had been p.r.o.nounced to entirely depopulate our district, and many others, two-and-thirty parishes, including more than eighty villages and farms, to send the inhabitants to the open country, to other provinces, to islands, and to pull down and set fire to all the houses, stables, and farms without exception. Four regiments are encamped in the district to accomplish this devilish work. All uttered screams and lamentations, but they were disregarded, like ill-fated cattle, destined for slaughter, the wretched creatures suffered themselves, to be driven forth; and from the neighbouring mountain we already beheld the houses demolished; the axes resounded, the cattle lowed, and the mountains groaningly repeated the melancholy echo. As it proceeded too slowly for the monsters, we soon saw flames too flaring up; like greedy jaws, like thirsty tongues, did the fire lick up our beloved old dwellings and swallowed them in flames. The trees before the houses were consumed with them. Yes, Roland, the district, the dear villages, the hospitable houses, which so often and so amicably received you and yours, these are in a brief s.p.a.ce reduced to a desert, and in future I shall not be able perhaps to find a trace of where I lived with my parents, where I sat with them before the door, and played in the spring, where I became acquainted with my wife, where she bore me her first son. The stork will never again familiarly and confidingly take up his lodging on the roof of my barn, no swallow will again announce to me there the warmth of spring, and twitter with her young before my window. Oh! and my own children. Man indeed has no childhood, when he is deprived of his country. The poor women! how well known to us, how dear was each bush and running brook. Now we know, for the first time, how we loved our old cottages and the seats inherited from our great grandfathers. All that we there in devotion, thought, and prayed, all the delightful Easter and Whitsuntide festivals, the pleasing solitude of the long winter evenings, and the exemplary conversations of the old men, all, all is vanished in this hideous fire."
"No more! no more!" shrieked the women, and the children wept aloud.
"All this," continued the speaker, "happened to us, dear Roland, on your account alone, for they know well, the persecutors! that we have in our hearts been with you, so many of your bravest men are from among us. They extirpate us, especially because our valleys and mountains border on the district of Vivares, and through our country Catinat and Cavalier attempted to penetrate. Friend, brother! here we are now, and a.s.suredly many more active men from other districts will run to you, for they will not suffer what will be required of them. Come, lead us on, thrust us into the thicket of the fight, when thousands stand close in front of their cannons, and with swords, sicles, hatchets, and cudgels we will fall upon them, nay without weapons, with these hands, with these teeth we will tear them to pieces! Life and pleasure now consist only in death and destruction; if they only feel how we hate and abhor them, if but one and then another, and a third be made to acknowledge to us, struggling in agonising death, and with closing eyes, that this happens to them for their evil doings." All the men pressed forward brandishing their weapons and gnashing their teeth. A smothered cry of rage suddenly burst from every lip. "Controul yourselves my friends," said Roland, "As well as you can; you, Bertrand, with your horrifying account have filled my soul with sorrow, for your woe concerns us altogether and your loss admits of no rest.i.tution. Repose and refresh yourselves here with all that I can offer you; then follow my counsel, and let the old men, women, and children return peaceably, for here there is neither shelter nor help for them. G.o.d will ordain, that all shall turn for the best, that the proprietors find their own again and that your cottages shall rise once more from their ruins. Only do not despair, bear your calamity with pain and sorrow, but do not despair, for that belies G.o.d, opposes itself to him, nay, mocks his inscrutable decrees, and in its h.e.l.lish dictates, would even annihilate him. Do not give yourselves up to this feeling, which is unworthy of men. We have all indeed been long since innured to misery by the hand of the Lord. Shew now that you are obedient, well conducted children, who though he may look upon you with a severe and reproving countenance, will not mistake the father."
All shewed themselves more quiet and the younger men exclaimed, "Give us weapons! weapons! Roland!" "Those that I have left," replied the latter, "you shall have; such as cannot obtain any, must wait for the first combat, and take them from the enemy, for it has been arranged thus from the beginning. The troops must bring us arms up into the mountains, and a gun which oneself has wrested from a strange foe is quite a different arm to what one buys. Pooh! who would give money for iron and arms, as long as the Marshal will still so kindly give himself the trouble to send out his people in heat and rain, that they may laboriously enough provide us very conveniently with arms, which he himself with his Intendant and his baton will have reason to fear. Thus thinks a true Camisard. Clothing also shall they deliver up to you, shoes and boots, but you must learn to be courteous and a.s.sist them, my countrymen, a little to undress. With a hundred such valets, Cavalier was here a short time since; they were all most gallantly equipped without being indebted a single denier to draper, or tailor."
Bertrand, who was resting upon his fowling piece, and whose tears still trickled down his cheeks, and over his weapon, could not avoid laughing aloud, and the younger lads joined him. "Yes," cried young Francois, "we will peel them like red and yellow apples, only serve us up a dish of them soon."
"Shake them bravely out of their uniforms, the season for nut shaking is near."
"I will shake them out," cried Francois "so that they shall fall rattling at my feet and each one shall shew himself so hollow and worm-eaten, that I would not seek for his kernel!"--The mother rose from the ground and embraced her young son, who had just entered into manhood. "I, and several of us," said another lad, "have already served many a time under you, Roland; but then we returned afterwards to our village."
"This is the best method to carry on the war," replied Roland, "for we thus sometimes save provisions, and our troops remain fresh and ready for battle. I know you well Adam, and also that little shoemaker Anton yonder."
Anton came forward; "Yes, dear brother, I am so glad that he shoes, which I made for you hold out still."--He fell down and wished to embrace his knees, but Roland raised him up. "Look Roland; I love and honour you so much, that I should like to be your footstool upon which your tired legs might repose. I formerly fought bravely, but now, it shall go on quite differently. It shall be stab on stab, and my awl and thong shall be drawn through their hearts and entrails, so that the soul shall pipe like an imprisoned rat."
All appeared seated at the frugal meal more comforted and quiet; at least the distorted and despairing faces with which they had at first appeared before the commander, were no longer to be seen.
CHAPTER X.
Edmond had again returned to consciousness, and on opening his eyes, he saw Mazel by his couch and the swarthy Eustace, who although wounded himself, had stayed to serve him and was kneeling by his bed. He could not for a long time recall to his recollection how he had come there, and the fierce looking men, with the view from the hut over the mountains and woods, threw him into a strange reverie. However, he was soon enabled to connect one idea with another, and to rea.s.semble all his faculties. His imagination was still busied with Cavalier, he fancied he could follow and see him, now, as a shadow, then, brighter again, yet it seemed as if his feverish state presented him figuring to himself, in real colours and contour, the portrait of his friends and the place in which he was. Eustace kissed his hands and bathed them with tears. "Oh, my dear young master!" cried he then sobbing, "that you should now come among us, and have been obliged to experience anything so bad from our wildest prophet! yes, brother Ravanel, is the worst, should I have said in my stupidity, the most G.o.dless: may heaven forgive me my sins. No, all of us and himself too must often pray, that the Lord may moderate his ardent zeal, for he is almost always in anger, and only too frequently as if raving. Are you better now, gracious sir?" Edmond pressed his hand and said, "I feel that the wound is not of much consequence, it was the loss of blood alone made me faint; but brother Eustace, as I am now a brother to you all, leave off that empty mode of the men of the world, and call me thou, as it is customary among you."
"As thou wilt!" exclaimed the former greatly affected: "but I am as if in heaven, that thou brother, that thou, who wast so proud shouldst thus converse with me. They always deny miracles, and yet this is truly one."
"Leave him to repose, brother Eustace," said Mazel, "do not excite and tease him any more in order that he may be soon restored." "Relate to me," said Edmond, "brother Abraham, that my imagination may be directed to a fixed point, which otherwise in its diseased state is wandering lost and bewildered. Do I remember rightly, that thou saidst to-day in that extraordinary dispute, which my soul cannot even yet understand, thou hadst given rise to the present war. Or was it not so? tell me something about it, for although I have grown up in this neighbourhood, I know but little connected with these affairs."
Mazel replied: "It is true brother Edmond, it is also not true, as one may consider the matter, and thus it is perhaps with most things in the world. I was a lad of about twenty years of age, when, suddenly they abolished our reformed religion, it went to the hearts of all throughout the whole country. I was then only a forest-ranger in the service of the Lord of Mende, on the banks of the Rhone. About this time they began to emigrate from the country. n.o.bles, merchants, peasants, and citizens went away (for that was yet permitted) towards Switzerland, Holland, England and Germany, where they were well received, for the poorer ones were industrious mechanics, had knowledge of manufactures, and carried many arts and advantages to other lands. I had no inclination to go with them. Gracious heaven! home is sweet, where man is born, air and water seem good to him, where my language is understood, there is my heart. Added to this, I loved a maiden; and besides, they intended to make me a royal ranger. The thing pleased me, and with love, domestic joy and happiness in my native land; I bound up the mouth of conscience so close, that like a dancing bear, it could not bite around it. The extensive emigration, the fortune that they carried away with them, caused a great sensation, this they had never suspected and probably thought all were quiet cattle like myself, and just as willing to let themselves be bound to the manger. Now under pain of being sent to the gallies, every body was prohibited to quit the country; Ah! that gave a shock, and completely so, when they did it in reality, and, as an example, several old n.o.blemen were chained to the oar. The anguish was great in the land. All were forced to attend ma.s.s; the dragoons were sent out; the people tortured; the children shut up. The most enthusiastic went out together into the woods and caverns, and prayed there and preached to one another. Whomsoever they found thus employed, was without further ceremony broken alive on the wheel; hanging was a favour. Our Intendant thought to crush the affair with prompt violence, and appalling horror, that old and young needed only to be quickly reminded of their religion. People often think in reality, because they are themselves convinced of the matter, and that it is only carelessness in others: they wish to recall them to themselves, and often in the midst of their barbarity, they do not mean so badly towards them."
"Thou art right Mazel," interrupted Edmond, "I myself was of this belief a short time ago." "But now," continued the old man in his relation, "all our souls acquired an entirely different colour, they were clad in new vestments, for we had not thought of it thus, and we came to our recollection, but in a very different manner. Were I in the wood and my dog only whined, it seemed precisely to me as if it were my conscience. Yes, I was struck, I sought for, but could not find the hidden jewel. My wife then consoled me once more, and thought that all would certainly come round again.--Now it was strange enough, that a pious society had already long since arisen in Dauphine. An aged man lived there upon a high mountain in the middle of a wood. He had a gla.s.s-manufactory in that solitude. Now we have all experienced that mountain and valley, the air that one breathes there, the murmurings, the singular voices, the cry and the echo, make a man bolder, fresher, and also more imaginative; he no longer fears his brethren in the cities, he prizes not so highly the stone-houses and the smooth streets, and all the singing of bells. The man Du Serre had visions and revelations. He did not, however, go about preaching. He, as well as myself, was wanting in that gift, but he was endowed with that of foresight. Can one learn that from another? we must believe it, and our times confirm it. But how? there lies the riddle! Should it be called an art? by no means! The enemies call it imposture, that is impious.
Well, this gla.s.s-manufacturer kept fifteen young men in his house, and his wife as many young girls, they almost all experienced the enlightening, and the greater part of them the gift of preaching. Thus then did they go out into the world. The fame of beautiful Isabelle was soon spread abroad. She seduced every-body to apostacy, as the others termed it. Still more efficaciously did a youth, named Gabriel Astier, teach and convert. A part of Dauphine and our neighbourhood of Vivares soon became one flame of religion. The children then already began to prophecy. But the poor creatures, without weapons of defence in their too zealous faith, were surprised by the soldiers, and the greatest number ma.s.sacred. Our Basville and his son-in-law, the Marshal Broglio, bore the fame of having ma.s.sacred them all. Gabriel also, who had become a soldier in Montpellier, was recognized and executed, and the lovely Isabelle from fear, in the dungeon of Gren.o.ble, retracted from her faith, and thus all had the appearance of tranquillity. Sparks of the faith, however, and of the force of miracles had been scattered and lost in the Cevennes. For the spirit possesses the property of fire, which, out of a little spark, by which a small beetle cannot warm itself, grows, in a few hours, into a brand that lays woods in ashes, and mocks all human efforts to extinguish it. What may not lie in one single word? Oh thou mournful sound, like the twittering of the swallow, thou appearest to die away in the wilderness, the spirit conducts thee through the world, and puts thee on a coat of mail that armies grow out of the ground, and horses and riders, and thousands sent by kings with the thunder of artillery, were not able to make the little world as quiet and small as it lay formerly in the solitary cottage. Praised be the Lord!"
He prayed inwardly, and then continued: "In the meantime, people became older and wiser but certainly more obstinate, I already began to think no more of my former faith, nor had the new one either much effect on my heart. I was an a.s.s between two hayricks, and ate of neither.
"A man of the name of Beoussan, a man of G.o.d, lived first at Nismes, and afterwards at Toulouse. He was a reformer and a lawyer, who always, and when the people were poor, gratuitously took up the cause of his companions of the faith: His was a spirit full of gentleness and goodness. He went into foreign countries, became a priest in Switzerland, preached there and in Holland, and edified thousands. Him did the spirit and his native land lead back into our country and then the Lord conducted me to him in the wilderness. My wife was dead at that time, and lonely and childless, as I then was, my whole heart that had lain so long untilled, was again enabled to bear genuine fruit. It was, as if I began from that time to imbibe again a portion of heavenly comfort in my cottage. Thus things went on. I was no longer in ignorance, but I was not yet happy. This would not last, hail-showers sometimes destroyed my seed, and when I often lay in wait with the best dispositions, and with an open and acute mind, loaded and ready to shoot, there came no game, no animal sprang up in the wilderness of my heart. Ah, we totter on thus pitiably for years, and time pa.s.ses as a dream and intoxication. I glanced round me, I had become old. How!
thought I, when the Lord looks down, he will see furrows on thy old skin and thou art still neither hot, nor cold. Than came the late Mr.
Beoussan, the holy master, among us. An impulse of the spirit, as he said, led him to us. He was well and comfortable at home, but, pious bird of the forest! he wished to visit once more his beloved mountains, dells, the clear brooks, and to pour so thrillingly, fully, and affectionately into our hearts the tones of the sweet nightingale, that burst from his breast, that he must die from the effort.--Amen!--"
He stopped again, and Edmond said: "I often saw this pious Beoussan at Nismes, before he was executed. It is not yet five years since he sealed his doctrine with an ignominious death."
"Then," pursued Abraham Mazel, "All the former restrictions were renewed with greater severity. We could not speak, scarcely think without being betrayed. A year had now elapsed, when an a.s.sembly of religious people in Alais was surprised by Basville, they were all dragged to prison, and all, without further enquiries, were sentenced to martyrdom. This took place in October. I had also been present, and only escaped through a miracle. I had already seen some of the prophecying children here and there, without profit, my heart became rather colder at the sight, because the little worms did not please me in that state. Now, after my day"s work was finished, I sat in solitude, tired and exhausted from riding, and looked round at the green meadows, the sky and the mountains. I tried, in my inmost soul, to unravel the mystery, why all should be thus and not otherwise, how G.o.d and man, virtue and sin, in and through one another, and how in this entwined knot, now and then the rays of eternity shine down into this temporal world, and how, in one short moment, we feel and experience within us the whole unfathomable eternity, and many thousand thoughts and feelings, of which the smallest in the t.i.ttle of time, is allowed no place. Also why we were so miserable, and what was the end of the Lord in this. Behold, my friend, there descended a vast stream of thoughts from heaven, (I saw, but knew not one word, one letter of it) and alighted as with large eagle"s wings upon my brain and roared and murmured there, and the marrow of my back became cold as ice, and my inmost soul was congealed and frozen, and my teeth chattered with fear. How the breath lost itself in my breast, and now it was, as if little cooing doves were flying through the immeasureable s.p.a.ce of my soul. A gentle heat came over me and my heart sprung open as the rose out of its bud on a spring morning, and the Lord was within me. Then I fell down and my prayer was prophecy. Oh, how could I have thought that his presence was so sweet, who, with his glory, almost broke down the wall of the narrow dwelling. Thanks be to him for ever and ever, Amen!"
"His wonders are immeasureable and unspeakable," said Edmond.
"Many," said Abraham in continuation, "whose faith was suspected, were imprisoned throughout the whole country. They were most severely treated by the Abbe Chaila who resided in the Chateau Pont Mont-de-Verd. Parents, husbands and betrothed mourned for those that had been carried off. It would have been sinful to place my light under a bushel. I summoned together a little community of zealous souls in the forest, there they witnessed my inspiration, and their courage was raised. It was in the middle of summer, and I prophesied to them that they should release the prisoners. The following night we a.s.sembled together, and Pervier, a young man, whose bride was languishing in the prisons, undertook the command. They advanced in front of the dwelling; the Abbe"s servants fired from the windows and killed three of our friends. We now ceased to sing psalms, and stormed the castle with trees and firebrands. The gates gave way, we entered, and encountered the Abbe in his chamber. He suffered his dungeon to be opened, we then a.s.sured him that he should receive no injury. The prisoners came forth; weeping, joy, sobbing, and singing filled the house. Then they shewed their wounds, the marks of the torture, dimmed eyes and sunken cheeks.
A shout for murder resounded around. But Pervier and I appeased the maddened people by word and deed. The Abbe heard the noise, was terrified at our movements, and to save himself, he sprang from a high window into the road, and lay dashed to pieces on the ground. His attendants and many of us ran up to him. "The Lord has judged him for his cruelties," exclaimed several voices; they lay down by his side to look into his dying eyes. Many, in spite of their emotion, could not conceal their malicious joy, and thus in reality, our first act was the beginning of the war, a story, which, in order to defame us, they have entirely altered."
"It is believed," said Edmond, "that you criminally and wantonly murdered him."
"Had it depended upon the will of one that was among us," continued Mazel, "that, and much more would have happened. A stout, fierce man was of our party, who very unwillingly submitted to the commands of the moderate Pervier; you know him by his fame, Esprit Seguier. In him already burned the fire, which now shines forth in Catinat and Ravanel, and even then many were of opinion, that this was the true religion, and that the zeal of Elias and not the gentleness of St. John should save us. We all retired quietly, cheerfully, and happily. Not one of us had been discovered. Then Seguier a.s.sembled a troop as fierce as himself, and while the soldiers were seeking for us, returned to Pont-de-Verd, burnt the castle, slaughtered all the priests that he found there, and cut down all whom they encountered. But misfortune overtook them. They were defeated; when they sought for the leader, he himself issued from a cottage, and declared his name. "Wretch!"
exclaimed the commander, what treatment dost thou deserve for thy deeds?" "That which I would give thee, wert thou my prisoner," replied the enthusiast, "and verily, such as thy friends would not rejoice over." He remained firm to the last. He was burnt alive. A proclamation was then issued, offering pardon to all that knew anything of the affair of the Abbe, as well as to such as had been, up to that period, Huguenots in secret. Innocent beings! poor deluded ones! they presented themselves, and were all hanged before their doors, even those, who had never been at Pont-de-Verd. Their anger was now no longer to be restrained, the young men rebelled, I led them to Pervier, arms were sought for, those who had none, took hatchet and sicle; a regiment advanced to oppose us on the left of Karnaule. As soon as we began to sing, the troops became intimidated; we rushed upon them, their b.a.l.l.s were of no effect, we hewed them down, five only escaped, to tell the news of their defeat. Broglio himself then advanced upon us, but he was driven back! A christian festival of thanksgiving was held in the forest, and the Lord prophesied out of me to the edification of all warriors. In our next combat Pervier was wounded, and appointed La Porte our leader; but he did not feel that he was ordained to suffer martyrdom, and soon went with his young wife to Geneva. Then the bold La Porte fought the fearful battle before La Salle, of which thou must have heard. He soon afterwards died gloriously of his wounds, for they all opened afresh, when he was nearly cured, he sang psalms at divine service, with so much ardour, that twenty wounded arteries bled at once, and thus his soul, in red streams, and while he was still singing, hastened up to heaven. To him succeeded his nephew, our brother Roland, in command."
The latter advanced at that moment and affectionately enquired after Edmond"s health, and then charged Mazel to place sentinels round about, for that Lord Flotard was coming and had private matters to discuss with him, which no one was permitted to hear. Abraham retired, and immediately from the opposite wood issued a richly dressed man, towards whom Roland politely advanced, and both then hastened to a distance, where they walked up and down on the skirt of the wood engaged in earnest conversation.
"Canst thou hear what they say?" asked Edmond of the aged Eustace.
"No, brother," replied the latter, "how is that possible, since they are so far from us, that I can scarcely distinguish them?"
But Edmond, when he turned his thoughts on Roland, could, to his great surprise, understand all clearly and distinctly, so that not one word of the conversation escaped him.
"I thank you sir," said Roland, "these sums come just in right time, and will help to supply the unfortunate soldiers with those necessaries that they have been so long compelled to forego." "And you remain obstinate," demanded the former, "and will not accept anything for yourself and the other leaders?"
"Do not mention that," said Roland, "you ought to know us at last. We have not undertaken this holy war for robbery and gain: we are all willing to remain poor. But the succours, where do they tarry? we do what we can with short means, but a great calamity may annihilate us at once, and then all a.s.sistance from without will come too late, even now, a small one would be very acceptable. But already I forbode the future, they will let us languish and perish, and then lament that they did not lend us a.s.sistance sooner. It is ever thus, when one trusts to foreign aid."
"Therefore a sum: could--in all cases"--observed the stranger.
"No," cried Roland with great vehemence; "Oh sir, do you think then that I antic.i.p.ate a happy result? I will live and die in this struggle, end as it may. When I had the courage to take up the sword, I at the same time threw away the scabbard too. I have devoted myself to ruin.
My name may be stained, the better part of mankind shall feel that I was not debased, that, notwithstanding all, I was a good subject."
"A good subject?" said the stranger inquiringly, "I understand the strangeness of these words. You think that I, a rebel, an outlaw, who even accepts sums of money from foreign lands, may be purchased at a cheap rate by the enemies of my king, and that I should maliciously rejoice at every calamity that befell my sovereign. But it is not thus, no Frenchman sinks so low. Let the king give us liberty of conscience, and lame, starved, and bleeding at every pore, we will still fight for him against England and Germany. And never would I, and my friends lend our aid to bring our country under a foreign yoke; even should he persist to act thus cruelly towards us: do not calculate upon that. But I will fight for my cause in an honourable manner, as long as breath is in me. Weak as we may be, we occupy a whole army, and with it lend efficient succour to foreign countries. Do you not think, that with these sentiments, I may call myself a good subject, though certain of my ultimate ruin, by acting thus, I spare my king and country? I fall in the fight here, or imprisonment, ignominy and martyrdom await me, no spark of commiseration lights me on. I do not kindle the fiery zeal and wrath of my people, in order, to break blindly into the land, to hazard all on a dangerous game, by which the infuriated often win, I rather restrain them. For myself I do nothing, for my party and my religion everything. Could I but avoid involving these unfortunate men in my ruin! But the king and fate have ordained it so."
"I am further to enquire," said Flotard anew, "whether experienced officers should not be brought into the mountains as leaders?"
"I oppose that," said Roland gravely, "not on my own account. I know not how we carry on the war, but still this little mountain-spot occupies a great number of disciplined troops. We have done more than we ever dared to think of, even in our dreams. And all those poor enthusiastic men, who never enquire how numerous the foe may be, rush with songs of praise upon the bayonet, and into the flames of the stake; they would follow no foreign leader, who did not share with them the same faith, and the same distress, for as I have already said, it is not their wish to be rioters and rebels, and thus follow a foreign standard, though with greater safety. They fight and conquer only under their own known country-people, who pray and sing with them, whose origin they know, and whose prophecies impel them to rush fearlessly into the most palpable danger."