yet a little boy, minding my good old nobleman's sheep, I
was never frightened when I perceived the wolf. I remained calm, and
slew two of these bad fellows, whereupon every body admired my great
courage, and I could not at all understand what they meant by it. Thus,
then, my spirit was roused, and I engaged in this war, in which I soon
succeeded in liberating my brethren and defeating the enemy, so that
all the companions of the faith placed their full confidence in me, and
expected the blessing and success of their hopes from me; but brother
Roland is much wiser and more experienced, he has more penetration and
I must be considered only as a learner in comparison to him, yet the
Lord had not endowed him with so much success as me, on that account
the combatants preferred following me. Now when I lead out the
brethren, and the affair does not turn out as we have arranged and
thought, the spirit suddenly directs me, I see, I remark all that which
was before unknown to me, of its own accord my mouth gives the right
orders, it soars, it hovers round me, so that I know not what to say,
and it leads me and my followers through the enemy's troops. Like
joyous intoxication, it flies with me through the tumult, and the
victory is won."

"Thou wast a shepherd then in thy childhood?" said Edmond; "how fitting
if they compare thee to David."

"I grew up poor and desolate in the solitude of the mountains," replied
the former: "I had forgotten myself, I could never have thought that I
should at some future period have to fight for the Lord, for my faith
had died within me; and I agreed to all they proposed. Until then,
zealous brethren rekindled the extinguished embers into flame, so that
my life was restored, and I was enabled to seek and find the Lord.
Afterwards, when they had so cruelly murdered our brethren, zealous
wrath drove me into their holy community. And since then, I am an
humble instrument in the hand of the Most High. I could not believe,
that I should have been so highly honored, when I was compelled to
endure all the drudgery of an apprentice at St. Hypolite, and my
master, the baker, for a slight, often for no reason at all, beat me
and pulled my hair; yet he was one of our firm companions in the faith,
who, however could not control his passion."

"So the priest was right after all," said Edmond with a smile, "when he
would recognise you for a baker by your knees." "Well," said Cavalier,
"the singular man is n