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Show 344 THE LILY AND THE TOTEM. his arguments, based at once upon the obvious policy naturnl to their circumstan~cs, and to the equally obvious rNtnisitions of the Deity, as shown by an interposition in their fiwor, wl1ich thry were all prepared to acknowledge as fllrvcntly as i\IcJnnd"z. 11 is quiet but iuflcxiblc will prevail ed; the council gradually bncamc of his minrl. The unsatisfied were at least silenced, w!Ji! ·· those whom he com'inccd \Vcrc clamorous in their plaudits of a sch~nw which they ascribed, as Melendez did !Jimself, to the immcdi<'Lte revelation of Ilea von. ''I thank you, noble gentlemen," were tl1c words of the Ad ·bnt.' ldo, D.S they separated for the night. u That our opinions so well correspond incrcnscs my coufidcnce in our pbn. Not t11at I lw.d doubts before. I had thy assurance, oh ! J~ord! that this adventure lmd thy hea\·enly sanction. In teDomine 5pera1:i,-l ·t us never be confounded! And now, my comr:ldcs, let us S'parnte. With the dawn, though the storm rages still, as I hop3 and believe it will, we must prepare for this enterprise. "' c sl 1:11! chaos,. five hundred of our best soldiers, carry with us provi~ions for ci,.ht days, and in that time our work will be done. Our fore~ will ..,bo divided into six cornp:mies, each with its Bag and captain, and a. e:clcd body of pioneers, armed with axes, slmU be sent bcfOJ'c to open a. pathway through the forest. That we have no guide is a misfortune; but God will provide so tl1atwe Uti! not. Fortunately we know in what quarter lies I~n. Caroline- the distance is known also, and we shall not go wide, if we arc only resolved to seek and to destroy the heretics with firm and valiant hearts, filled with a proper faith in heaven." Even as he concluded, one at the entrance of the council-house entreated entrance. It proved to bo a priest, tho Reverend 345 Father Salvandi, who brought with him a strange man, overgrown with board, and partly in the costume of a mariner. "l\ly son," said the priest, "here is tho very man you want. This is one Francis Jean, a. :Frenchman,-oncc a heretic, but now, conscious of his errors, and repentant in the bands of Holy Church. He bath recanted of his sins, and hath come back willingly to the folds of Christ.. lie hath fled from La Caroline, from tho cruelties of Laudonnicrc, the heretic, nnd will report what he knows, touching tho condition of the Lutheran fortress nnd tho people thereof." "Said I not, my comrades, that God would provide!" cried Melendez in exultation. " This is the very man whom we want. 'Vhat art thou ?"-to the Frenchman. "I was a heretic, my lord,-I am now a Christian. I was beaten by Laudonnicrc, and I fled from him, taking off one of his barques. He hath sworn my life ; I would take his. I know the route to La Caroline. I will show the way to your soldiers." " Ah! Lnudonnicro will hang you, if he gets you into his power." "For that reason, my lord, I would h~ve you get him in yours." " You shall have your wish. The Lord hath indeed spoken! Your name?" "Francis Jean!" "Be faithful-guide my people to tl1is fortress of the heretics, and you shall bo rewarded. But, if treacherous, Francis Jean, you shall hang to the first tree of the forest!" "Doubt me net, my lord. I will do you good service!" "Be it so! 1\fy comrades-the Lord hath provided. Sci'iot Martin de Ochoa, take this man into thy keeping. Do him no 15. |
