tasted blood, the sword and dagger pierce through their breasts as they kneel before me, my whole heart bounds, when the laughing flames rise up triumphantly through the edifice, when in the blaze the beams are consumed and fall down and bury women and children in the red glow. This then is no human fancy that gladdened me, but the true spirit of the Almighty that impels me onward, and the bishop, the king himself, even our prophets may advance threateningly and imploringly towards me in vain in these highly consecrated moments, nay should an angel descend from heaven and call out to me to desist, I would not listen to it. Thus I am brethren, and I neither can nor will be otherwise, this I swear here, by the Eternal God!" With these last words, he lifted his ponderous sword towards heaven, and then struck it so forcibly against the rocky ground, that it clattered loudly, Ravanel exclaimed as if possessed: "An Elias! an Elias!" and threw himself upon the breast of the ferocious man; the rest were silent, and Roland again came forward with a calm countenance, and as if embarrassed. "What is your decision my brethren?" demanded he with a deep sigh. "The decision is difficult," said Constant, a robust, fair young man. "Let our prophets decide." The deadly pale Duplant immediately came forward, gave a hollow sigh and fell down; on the other side appeared Salomon, a diminutive man, he folded his hands, knelt and threw himself upon the rock. Duplant cried with that peculiarly deep voice: "I tell you the Hero Catinat has only fulfilled my orders!"--scarcely however had he uttered these words, than Salomon already groaned forth; "Follow my servant Roland, for he is my chosen instrument, you know that the blood of the innocent is an abomination to me." The circle now drew closer together, and in the greatest excitement the pale and swarthy faces were looking over one another's heads, and between the shoulders of the foremost. Every eye was glowing, and Ravanel exclaimed: "To me also was given the gift of prophecy, listen to me, brethren, for perhaps the Spirit may now come over me." "Stop!" screamed out Abraham Mazel, "I am one of the oldest here, I have a right to speak before any of you, through me I can boast that this holy war arose, but here, I think prophecy cannot avail." He had with these words taken fast hold of the little thing, Ravanel, by the shoulders, but the latter darted like lightening out of his grasp, threw himself down by the side of Duplant, who still lay in ecstasy, and cried: "this is our greatest prophet, for thou hast only two degrees, and him must we follow." "Is not Salomon," said Roland earnestly, "as almighty as he? Here the word of the Lord contradicts itself: how shall we interpret it?"