is
early life. Enervated by former excesses, he was sickly, fearful of
death, tormented by dark imaginations and suspicions. He never
scrupled to commit the most arbitrary acts, to be severe even to
cruelty, and to sacrifice the welfare of many to his caprice; but at
the same time he professed to be very religious. The monks were his
favourite associates, and ruled him without his suspecting it. He
never neglected a mass, and passed for a most devout man. He seldom
smiled, was generally grave and cold; and there was something
commanding in his calm demeanour. The more I knew him, the more I
privately disliked him. A man like Bertollon, without religion,
without God, without eternity, and without moral principles, who,
acting only on the suggestions of prudence, could see with an egotist
smile a whole despairing world sink for his gain, is not more
atrocious, not more dangerous, than a man of the world, filled with
bigotry, like Montreval. The atheist and bigot, who do not acknowledge
moral principles and eternal right, weigh equally in the scale of
morals, and are equally poisonous to society. Both without feeling for
the true dignity of man, without regard for humanity, spin their subtle
web between the relations of society, and rob and kill with honour.
Neither fear God, for the one does not believe in him, the other tries
to appease his wrath with prayers and masses, and in the temple
cleanses himself of the sins which he has committed without.

Even during the first days of my residence in Nismes, I was surrounded
by a holy troop of monks, who feared my influence on the mareschale as
being hostile to their views. But they perceived how little I cared
for this influence, and gradually left me to myself. They, however,
continued very friendly, praised my character to the mareschale, and
ended by expressing their pity I was a man without religion.

The Protestants of Nismes looked upon me as their leader and protector.
They showed me extravagant honours, which could not fail to excite the
suspicion of the mareschale, even if he had been less suspicious than
he was. They became bolder in their words and deeds. More than once I
succeeded in obtaining his pardon for their inconsiderate acts; but
instead of being warned by such occurrences, their fanaticism, in
frequent combat with their persecutors, and a secret confidence in my
protection, only rose higher, and it was in vain for me to represent to
them th