c, at Moncontour, and at Dreux. He
concluded by explaining how impossible it was for him, such being the
case, to entrust the guidance of the State to their party; but he offered
them instead three things, viz., his purse to supply their present needs,
the Edict of Nantes to assure their future safety, and fortresses to
defend themselves should this edict one day be revoked, for with profound
insight the grandfather divined the grandson: Henri IV feared Louis XIV.

The Protestants took what they were offered, but of course like all who
accept benefits they went away filled with discontent because they had
not been given more.

Although the Protestants ever afterwards looked on Henri IV as a
renegade, his reign nevertheless was their golden age, and while it
lasted Nines was quiet; for, strange to say, the Protestants took no
revenge for St. Bartholomew, contenting themselves with debarring the
Catholics from the open exercise of their religion, but leaving them free
to use all its rites and ceremonies in private. They even permitted the
procession of the Host through the streets in case of illness, provided
it took place at night. Of course death would not always wait for
darkness, and the Host was sometimes carried to the dying during the day,
not without danger to the priest, who, however, never let himself be
deterred thereby from the performance of his duty; indeed, it is of the
essence of religious devotion to be inflexible; and few soldiers, however
brave, have equalled the martyrs in courage.

During this time, taking advantage of the truce to hostilities and the
impartial protection meted out to all without distinction by the
Constable Damville, the Carmelites and Capuchins, the Jesuits and monks
of all orders and colours, began by degrees to return to Nines; without
any display, it is true, rather in a surreptitious manner, preferring
darkness to daylight; but however this may be, in the course of three or
four years they had all regained foothold in the town; only now they were
in the position in which the Protestants had been formerly, they were
without churches, as their enemies were in possession of all the places
of worship. It also happened that a Jesuit high in authority, named Pere
Coston, preached with such success that the Protestants, not wishing to
be beaten, but desirous of giving word for word, summoned to their aid
the Rev. Jeremie Ferrier, of Alais, who at the moment was regarded as the
mo