wed
exhortation and singing, and pure fear of God and admonition to
repentance. I could scarcely do it better myself: she then arose and
seemed just as miserable and foolish as before. I cannot help you, said
I to my penitent, you see that the word of God and holy water have no
effect on her; hunger and chastisement just as little, nor has your
persuasion, nor the fear of rendering you unhappy had any weight with
her, leave it to herself. In short, the child ate and drank again, and
became more zealous than ever in preaching repentance; so that at
length the father was converted, or, at least, he ran to the mountains
to the Camisards, and said: 'if he were to be punished, or executed, he
should at least know wherefore.' Thus you see, I lost many penitents
the preceding year, for when they have drawn suspicion on themselves,
they prefer becoming rebels to avoid suffering anxiety, ill-treatment,
and even death without a cause, as one may say. The case of the
shepherd from my adjoining village is still more singular. He was a
wild, reckless fellow, and as strong in the right faith as need be
wished; he had already delivered more than one Camisard and suspected
person up to the executioner. He came running to me one morning at a
very early hour, crying out, 'Help, help, reverend sir!' 'what is the
matter now,' said I, 'have the Camisards set fire to your house, as
they have always threatened to do, on account of your zeal?' 'Ah, much
worse, much worse,' cried the knave, wringing his brown, bony hands.
'Speak out shepherd,' said I, 'Do you know,' he began, 'my son, the
tall Michael,--who does not know the lanky looby--he is known to almost
all the mountaineers, it is indeed the cross of your house, that the
idiot is so useless: he will neither work, nor mind the herds; he is so
stupid, that he is scarcely considered a member of the church, yet he
often enough disturbs the congregation; he is only fit to carry
burdens, and prefers living with the dogs, which he frequents as if
they were his equals: Is he departed this transitory life? rejoice, for
you have one burden less.' 'It is not that indeed,' exclaimed the old
man, incensed, 'Oh, I should not grieve for that: But think, who in the
world would have supposed that the long broom-stick would have become a
prophet?' 'How?' cried I, my mouth and eyes wide open with amazement;
'so, a blockhead, who is good for nothing else in the world, may become
one of their prophets?' I went