of many, many thousands will repose on my tongue, and the Lord will then lay his fiery flame upon it, that its brand may also light his spirit; then will our brethren and our faith be free, then will all our foes fall powerless to the ground, and the sword be no more required. I will pray that this glorious day may only soon arrive, soon be sent by the Lord; that there may be an end to this unhappy warfare. When, just as I intended to address the King, we issued from the wood; thou spakest to me, and the prophetic vision disappeared." "How camest thou lately, my friend and brother, into our house?" asked Edmond, "a multiplicity of events has prevented me until this moment from asking you about it." "That was a very, very disastrous day," replied Cavalier, as they proceeded onwards. "We were surrounded on all sides, by the treachery of a few faithless brethren, we were enticed down into the plain, the spirit was silent within us and we thought ourselves secure. A part of my people had gone to encounter the hermit and I heard (a false report as I afterwards learned) that he had been entirely routed, when, suddenly, another new army was in our rear. The fugitives before us rallied again and faced round. We were compelled to fight our way through in order to find the mountain footpath, where the heavy horse of the royal party could not follow; with great loss, it is true, but, still fortunately, I led my people through, I succeeded in turning the enemy, so that we had them only on one side of us. Fighting and flying we reached the wood and being one of the last that I might secure the retreat of my party, I found myself suddenly cut off. My horse carried me at full gallop as far as it could, I shot dead two dragoons, who were pursuing me, but the noble beast fell down; I lost sword, hat, and fire-arms, while I was disengaging myself from the saddle scarcely quick enough, I changed clothes with a peasant in a field; soldiers were scouring in every direction, at the risk of being recognised. I was forced to seek a shelter, and moreover the storm burst forth, and thus the Lord conducted me to the house of your venerable father. A few days after, things would have been much worse with me, if my younger brother, who is now a prisoner at Nismes, had not liberated me." "With what admiration I must look upon thee, brother," resumed Edmond, "thou who younger than I, hast already done such great things, who hast had so much success, that the whole country speaks of thee. From whence proceeds this daring, yet circumspect courage, this experience, this skill to deceive the enemy, to conquer them, or to escape their artful snares! where couldst thou have learned all this?"