thoughts
detailed. He was so affected by the presence of the old man, that he
felt himself compelled to discover to him what a zealous catholic he
himself had once been and had but a short time previously turned to the
Huguenot faith; he was silent, however, respecting his alliance with
the Camisards, and the purpose for which he had descended into the
valleys.

"It is easy to understand," answered the old man, "how lively minds in
these troublous times forsake their party and seek on the opposite
side, what is wanting to them; that love makes such attempts to become
reconciled with itself, even though these attempts should fail. My
dear, young friend, you recall to my mind by your confession, your
countenance and presence my own past youth in the most lively colours,
and I cannot refrain from exchanging confession for confession,
confidence for confidence. I am indeed tempted to impart to you the
history of my little limited life, that has almost only experienced
emotions of the mind."

They seated themselves in an arbour, before which stood plantains
entwined with vines, the green wooded mountains were open, and the
murmuring of the brook resounded pleasingly through the solitude, while
from to time to time, the bells of the village church on account of the
festival on the morrow, rang out their monotonous and solemn tones.

"I come from the Netherlands," commenced the priest, "born of
Huguenot parents, whom I lost at a very early period. My guardians,
worldly-minded men, troubled themselves more about the preservation of
my small fortune than of giving me a sound education, and therefore it
happened that I was consigned to a tutor, with whom they, as well as
myself, were very well pleased. He was a man of extensive information,
who had also travelled much, and had resided a considerable time in
London. As he was descended from a good family, and possessed himself
some tact, he became acquainted with and acquired each day the
confidence of many beaux esprits and of the courtiers here, and
although his morals had not suffered as much as one might well have
been led to fear, his religious principles at least, which may never
have been very strong, were by this intercourse entirely stifled and
destroyed. Knowledge, understanding were the most important to him,
however he devoted himself with religious worship to poetry, as well as
to the history of the ancient Greeks. No one could be more eloquent
than he, when he e