the wretched
man leave us, and rushed like a madman out of the house; but a short
time only was requisite to recall us to our senses, and to penetrate us
with a burning shame. In the most devout temper of mind, in feelings of
the purest love, as we fancied, we had been cruel towards a fellow
brother, towards a friend, who deserved forbearance and compassion,
although he might have strayed into the path of error. Beauvais was the
first to recollect himself, and was angry with himself and all of us;
he rebuked us as inquisitors, who condemn in cold blood to the stake
all those that differ in opinion with them. A messenger was quickly
dispatched to his residence in town, but he had already in his fury
departed thence, no one knew whither. He had smashed to pieces
everything in the house there, and with his gigantic strength had so
ill-used a young waiter, who had attempted to appease him, that the
unfortunate lad had been given up to the surgeons as dead. He had so
cut his head with tables and chairs that he threw at the defenceless
boy and crushed both his legs, that it was doubtful whether he would
recover. If we had first been ashamed, we would now have concealed
ourselves in the caverns of the earth, when we learned that this young
lad, bred up in the most ordinary manner, and without any information,
as soon as he had recovered his senses, during excruciating tortures
from the dressing of his wounds, had prayed to God for the man, who had
injured him, that he would forgive and succour the unhappy man, who
must have been inexpressibly, infinitely wretched to have been prompted
in his sorrow to fall upon an innocent person. Who is the true
Christian? we asked ourselves, who the professor of the religion of
love? Ah! we were so zealous, we thought we had learned so much, that
we were able to teach the profoundest doctrine, we looked down daily
with contemptuous pity on those who were less enlightened, who were not
susceptible of our sublime emotions,--but now we were forced to confess
to ourselves, that we were yet standing on the other side of the
commencement; it was just, that we as miserable scholars, should be
compelled to go for instruction to a young and ignorant waiter at an
inn.

"I will conclude. Before my friend had yet celebrated his marriage, my
Euphemie took the veil. On the same day, we had thus arranged it, I
caused myself to be received into the bosom of her church. At first I
intended to become a monk