authority；　or　proclaim　a　new　religion　with　the　sound　of　trumpets；
  if　you　will；　but　here　is　a　man　who　has　his　own　thoughts；　and　will
  stubbornly　adhere　to　them　in　good　and　evil。　　He　is　a　Catholic；　a
  Protestant；　or　a　Plymouth　Brother；　in　the　same　indefeasible　sense
  that　a　man　is　not　a　woman；　or　a　woman　not　a　man。　　For　he　could　not
  vary　from　his　faith；　unless　he　could　eradicate　all　memory　of　the
  past；　and；　in　a　strict　and　not　a　conventional　meaning；　change　his
  mind。
  THE　HEART　OF　THE　COUNTRY
  I　WAS　now　drawing　near　to　Cassagnas；　a　cluster　of　black　roofs　upon
  the　hillside；　in　this　wild　valley；　among　chestnut　gardens；　and
  looked　upon　in　the　clear　air　by　many　rocky　peaks。　　The　road　along
  the　Mimente　is　yet　new；　nor　have　the　mountaineers　recovered　their
  surprise　when　the　first　cart　arrived　at　Cassagnas。　　But　although　it
  lay　thus　apart　from　the　current　of　men's　business；　this　hamlet　had
  already　made　a　figure　in　the　history　of　France。　　Hard　by；　in
  caverns　of　the　mountain；　was　one　of　the　five　arsenals　of　the
  Camisards；　where　they　laid　up　clothes　and　corn　and　arms　against
  necessity；　forged　bayonets　and　sabres；　and　made　themselves
  gunpowder　with　willow　charcoal　and　saltpetre　boiled　in　kettles。　　To
  the　same　caves；　amid　this　multifarious　industry；　the　sick　and
  wounded　were　brought　up　to　heal；　and　there　they　were　visited　by　the
  two　surgeons；　Chabrier　and　Tavan；　and　secretly　nursed　by　women　of
  the　neighbourhood。
  Of　the　five　legions　into　which　the　Camisards　were　divided；　it　was
  the　oldest　and　the　most　obscure　that　had　its　magazines　by
  Cassagnas。　　This　was　the　band　of　Spirit　Seguier；　men　who　had　joined
  their　voices　with　his　in　the　68th　Psalm　as　they　marched　down　by
  night　on　the　archpriest　of　the　Cevennes。　　Seguier；　promoted　to
  heaven；　was　succeeded　by　Salomon　Couderc；　whom　Cavalier　treats　in
  his　memoirs　as　chaplain…general　to　the　whole　army　of　the　Camisards。
  He　was　a　prophet；　a　great　reader　of　the　heart；　who　admitted　people
  to　the　sacrament　or　refused　them；　by　'intensively　viewing　every
  man'　between　the　eyes；　and　had　the　most　of　the　Scriptures　off　by
  rote。　　And　this　was　surely　happy；　since　in　a　surprise　in　August
  1703；　he　lost　his　mule；　his　portfolios；　and　his　Bible。　　It　is　only
  strange　that　they　were　not　surprised　more　often　and　more
  effectually；　for　this　legion　of　Cassagnas　was　truly　patriarchal　in
  its　theory　of　war；　and　camped　without　sentries；　leaving　that　duty
  to　the　angels　of　the　God　for　whom　they　fought。　　This　is　a　token；
  not　only　of　their　faith；　but　of　the　trackless　country　where　they
  harboured。　　M。　de　Caladon；　taking　a　stroll　one　fine　day；　walked
  without　warning　into　their　midst；　as　he　might　have　walked　into　'a
  flock　of　sheep　in　a　plain；'　and　found　some　asleep　and　some　awake
  and　psalm…singing。　　A　traitor　had　need　of　no　recommendation　to
  insinuate　himself　among　their　ranks；　beyond　'his　faculty　of　singing
  psalms'；　and　even　the　prophet　Salomon　'took　him　into　a　particular
  friendship。'　　Thus；　among　their　intricate　hills；　the　rustic　troop
  subsisted；　and　history　can　attribute　few　exploits　to　them　but
  sacraments　and　ecstasies。
  People　of　this　tough　and　simple　stock　will　not；　as　I　have　just　been
  saying；　prove　variable　in　religion；　nor　will　they　get　nearer　to
  apostasy　than　a　mere　external　conformity　like　that　of　Naaman　in　the
  house　of　Rimmon。　　When　Louis　XVI。；　in　the　words　of　the　edict；
  'convinced　by　the　uselessness　of　a　century　of　persecutions；　and
  rather　from　necessity　than　sympathy；'　granted　at　last　a　royal　grace
  of　toleration；　Cassagnas　was　still　Protestant；　and　to　a　man；　it　is
  so　to　this　day。　　There　is；　indeed；　one　family　that　is　not
  Protestant；　but　neither　is　it　Catholic。　　It　is　that　of　a　Catholic
  CURE　in　revolt；　who　has　taken　to　his　bosom　a　schoolmistress。　　And
  his　conduct；　it　is　worth　noting；　is　disapproved　by　the　Protestant
  villagers。
  'It　is　a　bad　idea　for　a　man；'　said　one；　'to　go　back　from　his
  engagements。'
  The　villagers　whom　I　saw　seemed　intelligent　after　a　countrified
  fashion；　and　were　all　plain　and　dignified　in　manner。　　As　a
  Protestant　myself；　I　was　well　looked　upon；　and　my　acquaintance　with
  history　gained　me　further　respect。　　For　we　had　something　not　unlike
  a　religious　controversy　at　table；　a　gendarme　and　a　merchant　with
  whom　I　dined　being　both　strangers　to　the　place；　and　Catholics。　　The
  young　men　of　the　house　stood　round　and　supported　me；　and　the　whole
  discussion　was　tolerantly　conducted；　and　surprised　a　man　brought　up
  among　the　infinitesimal　and　contentious　differences　of　Scotland。
  The　merchant；　indeed；　grew　a　little　warm；　and　was　far　less　pleased
  than　some　others　with　my　historical　acquirements。　　But　the　gendarme
  was　mighty　easy　over　it　all。
  'It's　a　bad　idea　for　a　man　to　change；'　said　he；　and　the　remark　was
  generally　applauded。
  That　was　not　the　opinion　of　the　priest　and　soldier　at　Our　Lady　of
  the　Snows。　　But　this　is　a　different　race；　and　perhaps　the　same
  great…heartedness　that　upheld　them　to　resist；　now　enables　them　to
  differ　in　a　kind　spirit。　　For　courage　respects　courage；　but　where　a
  faith　has　been　trodden　out；　we　may　look　for　a　mean　and　narrow
  population。　　The　true　work　of　Bruce　and　Wallace　was　the　union　of
  the　nations；　not　that　they　should　stand　apart　a　while　longer；
  skirmishing　upon　their　borders；　but　that；　when　the　time　came；　they
  might　unite　with　self…respect。
  The　merchant　was　much　interested　in　my　journey；　and　thought　it
  dangerous　to　sleep　afield。
  'There　are　the　wolves；'　said　he；　'and　then　it　is　known　you　are　an
  Englishman。　　The　English　have　always　long　purses；　and　it　might　very
  well　enter　into　some　one's　head　to　deal　you　an　ill　blow　some
  night。'
  I　told　him　I　was　not　much　afraid　of　such　accidents；　and　at　any　rate
  judged　it　unwise　to　dwell　upon　alarms　or　consider　small　perils　in
  the　arrangement　of　life。　　Life　itself；　I　submitted；　was　a　far　too
  risky　business　as　a　whole　to　make　each　additional　particular　of
  danger　worth　regard。　　'Something；'　said　I；　'might　burst　in　your
  inside　any　day　of　the　week；　and　there　would　be　an　end　of　you；　if
  you　were　locked　into　your　room　with　three　turns　of　the　key。'
  'CEPENDANT；'　said　he；　'COUCHER　DEHORS！'
  'God；'　said　I；　'is　everywhere。'
  'CEPENDANT；　COUCHER　DEHORS！'　he　repeated；　and　his　voice　was
  eloquent　of　terror。
  He　was　the　only　person；　in　all　my　voyage；　who　saw　anything　hardy　in
  so　simple　a　proceeding；　although　many　considered　it　superfluous。
  Only　one；　on　the　other　hand；　professed　much　delight　in　the　idea；
  and　that　was　my　Plymouth　Brother；　who　cried　out；　when　I　told　him　I
  sometimes　preferred　sleeping　under　the　stars　to　a　close　and　noisy
  ale…house；　'Now　I　see　that　you　know　the　Lord！'
  The　merchant　asked　me　for　one　of　my　cards　as　I　was　leaving；　for　he
  said　I　should　be　something　to　talk　of　in　the　future；　and　desired　me
  to　make　a　note　of　his　request　and　reason；　a　desire　with　which　I
  have　thus　complied。
  A　little　after　two　I　struck　across　the　Mimente；　and　took　a　rugged
  path　southward　up　a　hillside　covered　with　loose　stones　and　tufts　of
  heather。　　At　the　top；　as　is　the　habit　of　the　country；　the　path
  disappeared；　and　I　left　my　she…ass　munching　heather；　and　went
  forward　alone　to　seek　a　road。
  I　was　now　on　the　separation　of　two　vast　water…sheds；　behind　me　all
  the　streams　were　bound　for　the　Garonne　and　the　Western　Ocean；
  before　me　was　the　basin　of　the　Rhone。　　Hence；　as　from　the　Lozere；
  you　can　see　in　clear　weather　the　shining　of　the　Gulf　of　Lyons；　and
  perhaps　from　here　the　soldiers　of　Salomon　may　have　watched　for　the
  topsails　of　Sir　Cloudesley　Shovel；　and　the　long…promised　aid　from
  England。　　You　may　take　this　ridge　as　lying　in　the　heart　of　the
  country　of　the　Camisards；　four　of　the　five　legions　camped　all　round
  it　and　almost　within　view　…　Salomon　and　Joani　to　the　north；
  Castanet　and　Roland　to　the　south；　and　when　Julien　had　finished　his
  famous　work；　the　devastation　of　the　High　Cevennes；　which　lasted　all
  through　October　and　November　1703；　and　during　which　four　hundred
  and　sixty　villages　and　hamlets　were；　with　fire　and　pickaxe；　utterly
  subverted；　a　man　standing　on　this　eminence　would　have　looked　forth
  upon　a　silent；　smokeless；　and　dispeopled　land。　　Time　and　man's
  activity　have　now　repaired　these　ruins；　Cassagnas　is　once　more
  roofed　and　sending　up　domestic　smoke；　and　in　the　chestnut　gardens；
  in　low　and　leafy　corners；　many　a　prosperous　farmer　returns；　when
  the　day's　work　is　done；　to　his　children　and　bright　hearth。　　And
  still　it　was　perhaps　the　wildest　view　of　all　my　journey。　　Peak　upon
  peak；　chain　upon　chain　of　hills　ran　surging　southward；　channelled
  and　sculptured　by　the　winter　streams；　feathered　from　head　to　foot
  with　chestnuts；　and　here　and　there　breaking　out　into　a　coronal　of
  cliffs。　　The　sun；　which　was　still　far　from　setting；　sent　a　drift　of
  misty　gold　across　the　hill…tops；　but　the　valley