ed his corps with a small troop.
We met him just as we issued from a narrow defile in the mountains, I
called to him to surrender; he resisted, bang! I shot a fellow dead,
who was standing by him, I fell upon them with sword and gun and broke
their ranks--sir, it was an epoch in my life, it was as if three
regiments were in my body--shots were fired, I looked back,---there lay
my whole army cut down behind me by a few villains--my courage failed,
I rode off as fast as my horse would carry me, it was the same
hungarian horse, my good sir, now, in your stable,--I am saved.

"Cavalier, as I understand, was a reasonable man, but the knave, who is
called after the late Marshal Catinat, stirred up the others; they
march into my village, persuade my penitents to join them, set fire to
my house and even to my dear dilapidated church, and have sworn to hew
me into ten thousand pieces, if I ever shew myself there again. Now as
I have suffered all this for the sake of my country, it is but just
that reparation should be made to me for the loss I have sustained, and
I am shortly to receive a better living with a good Catholic Christian
community herein the neighbourhood of Nismes. Thus was my chivalrous
expedition terminated; but I have sworn, that wherever I see but one,
or more of these murderous dogs--were there a hundred, to make them
feel my vengeance."

The Counsellor turned with indignation from the priest and his
countenance brightened as Edmond, in a different dress, entered the
hall. "This is witch's weather," said he, and kissed his father's hand,
which the latter held out to him kindly. He then mingled with the
company and soon entered into conversation with the loquacious priest.

"As I was saying," recommenced the latter in his clamorous manner,
"these numskulls have something quite peculiar and incomprehensible in
them. Even the children, urchins of three years old, pretend to exhort
and preach atonement, they can speak as familiarly of every sin, as if
they had long ago gone through the whole catalogue of them, this is a
well known fact; moreover, it frequently happens, that these devil's
nurslings even prophecy, and most of them speak in good and distinct
French about what probably they have never heard in their lives--this
may be explained by all who like explanations, some say, that they are
in a fit, others that they are possessed with the devil, those of their
own party take it for inspiration. Above there in