discovered they were the Camisards; as I gave no
answer, they fired, and by the flashing I perceived distinctly ten of
my foes standing at the opening of a ravine; no choice was left me, I
advanced, the first fell, shot by my pistol, a second was cut down by
my sword, the obscurity of the ravine favoured me, nothing remained but
to fly, as quick as age and exhaustion would permit, they shouted and
fired after me; at length I perceived I had attained a high road, the
flashing from the fire-aims discovered to me a porch, something
appeared in the distance like barns and buildings, I ran in that
direction, and at last I reached the door of your house."

"Sir captain," said the Counsellor, "repose is necessary to your old
age after this exertion and fatigue, lie down, and the safety, which my
house is capable of affording, I again assure you, shall be faithfully
granted to you."

"May heaven reward you," said the captain; "I look upon this untoward
adventure as a hint of fate, warning me to lay down my arms, I shall do
so, and return to a cell, or a cloister. Had Cavalier been with the
troop, I should not have escaped him, for he possesses the utmost
presence of mind, he is the boldest and indeed the most soldierly among
the rebels."

"It is said that he is taken prisoner," observed the huntsman.

"The war is over then," exclaimed the hermit, "for, without him, they
can undertake nothing; this powerful man is alone the soul of their
venturous enterprise. The others understand well enough how to kill and
to die, but not how to conduct the war. I wish he had died; for should
he be taken prisoner, his fate will be one worthy of commiseration."

During this discourse, the priest, who had until then considered
himself of so much importance, now felt lost and dwindled to nothing by
the side of the so far greater adventurer. He would willingly have
testified his veneration for him by an embrace, or, at least, by a
grasping of the hand, but he dared not venture to approach one, whose
wrath was so easily excited by any degree of familiarity. The tall man
paced up and down the hall, examining all present with a scrutinising
look: "Two servants, perhaps, moreover a valet and a huntsman," he
muttered to himself, but loud enough to be heard, "will not indeed be
capable of offering much resistance, the house is by no means fortified
in case of an attack, then the young lord here, a sort of sportsman,
the black one also in case of ne