eath, through a country
already exhausted by long and bloody oppression, and where at every step
he trod on half repressed religious hate, which like a volcano was ever
ready to burst out afresh, but always prepared for martyrdom. Nothing
held him back, and years ago he had had his grave hollowed out in the
church of St. Germain, choosing that church for his last long sleep
because it had been built by Pope Urban IV when he was bishop of Mende.

Abbe Duchayla extended his visitation over six months, during which every
day was marked by tortures and executions: several prophets were burnt at
the stake; Francoise de Brez, she who had preached that the Host
contained a more venomous poison than a basilisk's head, was hanged; and
Laquoite, who had been confined in the citadel of Montpellier, was on the
point of being broken on the wheel, when on the eve of his execution his
cell was found empty. No one could ever discover how he escaped, and
consequently his reputation rose higher than ever, it being currently
believed that, led by the Holy Spirit as St. Peter by the angel, he had
passed through the guards invisible to all, leaving his fetters behind.

This incomprehensible escape redoubled the severity of the Arch-priest,
till at last the prophets, feeling that their only chance of safety lay
in getting rid of him, began to preach against him as Antichrist, and
advocate his death. The abbe was warned of this, but nothing could abate
his zeal. In France as in India, martyrdom was his longed-for goal, and
with head erect and unfaltering step he "pressed toward the mark."

At last, on the evening of the 24th of July, two hundred conspirators met
in a wood on the top of a hill which overlooked the bridge of Montvert,
near which was the Arch-priest's residence. Their leader was a man named
Laporte, a native of Alais, who had become a master-blacksmith in the
pass of Deze. He was accompanied by an inspired man, a former
wool-carder, born at Magistavols, Esprit Seguier by name. This man was,
after Laquoite, the most highly regarded of the twenty or thirty prophets
who were at that moment going up and down the Cevennes in every
direction. The whole party was armed with scythes, halberts, and swords;
a few had even pistols and guns.

On the stroke of ten, the hour fixed for their departure, they all knelt
down and with uncovered heads began praying as fervently as if they were
about to perform some act most pleasing to God,