A　semi…circular　basin　of　granite　blocks　formed　an　ampitheatre；　on　the　rough　tiers　of　which　rose　tall　black　pines　and　yellowing　chestnuts；　one　above　the　other；　like　a　vast　circus；　where　the　wintry　sun　shed　its　pale　colors　rather　than　poured　its　light；　and　autumn　had　spread　her　tawny　carpet　of　fallen　leaves。　About　the　middle　of　this　hall；　which　seemed　to　have　had　the　deluge　for　its　architect；　stood　three　enormous　Druid　stones；a　vast　altar；　on　which　was　raised　an　old　church…banner。　About　a　hundred　men；　kneeling　with　bared　heads；　were　praying　fervently　in　this　natural　enclosure；　where　a　priest；　assisted　by　two　other　ecclesiastics；　was　saying　mass。　The　poverty　of　the　sacerdotal　vestments；　the　feeble　voice　of　the　priest；　which　echoed　like　a　murmur　through　the　open　space；　the　praying　men　filled　with　conviction　and　united　by　one　and　the　same　sentiment；　the　bare　cross；　the　wild　and　barren　temple；　the　dawning　day；　gave　the　primitive　character　of　the　earlier　times　of　Christianity　to　the　scene。　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　was　struck　with　admiration。　This　mass　said　in　the　depths　of　the　woods；　this　worship　driven　back　by　persecution　to　its　sources；　the　poesy　of　ancient　times　revived　in　the　midst　of　this　weird　and　romantic　nature；　these　armed　and　unarmed　Chouans；　cruel　and　praying；　men　yet　children；　all　these　things　resembled　nothing　that　she　had　ever　seen　or　yet　imagined。　She　remembered　admiring　in　her　childhood　the　pomps　of　the　Roman　church　so　pleasing　to　the　senses；　but　she　knew　nothing　of　God　/alone/；　his　cross　on　the　altar；　his　altar　the　earth。　In　place　of　the　carved　foliage　of　a　Gothic　cathedral；　the　autumnal　trees　upheld　the　sky；　instead　of　a　thousand　colors　thrown　through　stained　glass　windows；　the　sun　could　barely　slide　its　ruddy　rays　and　dull　reflections　on　altar；　priest；　and　people。　The　men　present　were　a　fact；　a　reality；　and　not　a　system；it　was　a　prayer；　not　a　religion。　But　human　passions；　the　momentary　repression　of　which　gave　harmony　to　the　picture；　soon　reappeared　on　this　mysterious　scene　and　gave　it　powerful　vitality。
  As　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　reached　the　spot　the　reading　of　the　gospel　was　just　over。　She　recognized　in　the　officiating　priest；　not　without　fear；　the　Abbe　Gudin；　and　she　hastily　slipped　behind　a　granite　block；　drawing　Francine　after　her。　She　was；　however；　unable　to　move　Galope…　Chopine　from　the　place　he　had　chosen；　and　from　which　he　intended　to　share　in　the　benefits　of　the　ceremony；　but　she　noticed　the　nature　of　the　ground　around　her；　and　hoped　to　be　able　to　evade　the　danger　by　getting　away；　when　the　service　was　over；　before　the　priests。　Through　a　large　fissure　of　the　rock　that　hid　her；　she　saw　the　Abbe　Gudin　mounting　a　block　of　granite　which　served　him　as　a　pulpit；　where　he　began　his　sermon　with　the　words；
  〃/In　nomine　Patris　et　Filii；　et　Spiritus　Sancti/。〃
  All　present　made　the　sign　of　the　cross。
  〃My　dear　friends；〃　continued　the　abbe；　〃let　us　pray　in　the　first　place　for　the　souls　of　the　dead；Jean　Cochegrue；　Nicalos　Laferte；　Joseph　Brouet；　Francois　Parquoi；　Sulpice　Coupiau；　all　of　this　parish；　and　dead　of　wounds　received　in　the　fight　on　Mont　Pelerine　and　at　the　siege　of　Fougeres。　/De　profundis/；〃　etc。
  The　psalm　was　recited；　according　to　custom；　by　the　congregation　and　the　priests；　taking　verses　alternately　with　a　fervor　which　augured　well　for　the　success　of　the　sermon。　When　it　was　over　the　abbe　continued；　in　a　voice　which　became　gradually　louder　and　louder；　for　the　former　Jesuit　was　not　unaware　that　vehemence　of　delivery　was　in　itself　a　powerful　argument　with　which　to　persuade　his　semi…savage　hearers。
  〃These　defenders　of　our　God；　Christians；　have　set　you　an　example　of　duty；〃　he　said。　〃Are　you　not　ashamed　of　what　will　be　said　of　you　in　paradise？　If　it　were　not　for　these　blessed　ones；　who　have　just　been　received　with　open　arms　by　all　the　saints；　our　Lord　might　have　thought　that　your　parish　is　inhabited　by　Mahometans！Do　you　know；　men；　what　is　said　of　you　in　Brittany　and　in　the　king's　presence？　What！　you　don't　know？　Then　I　shall　tell　you。　They　say：　'Behold；　the　Blues　have　cast　down　altars；　and　killed　priests；　and　murdered　the　king　and　queen；　they　mean　to　make　the　parish　folk　of　Brittany　Blues　like　themselves；　and　send　them　to　fight　in　foreign　lands；　away　from　their　churches；　where　they　run　the　risk　of　dying　without　confession　and　going　eternally　to　hell；　and　yet　the　gars　of　Marignay；　whose　churches　they　have　burned；　stand　still　with　folded　arms！　Oh！　oh！　this　Republic　of　damned　souls　has　sold　the　property　of　God　and　that　of　the　nobles　at　auction；　it　has　shared　the　proceeds　with　the　Blues；　it　has　decreed；　in　order　to　gorge　itself　with　money　as　it　does　with　blood；　that　a　crown　shall　be　only　worth　three　francs　instead　of　six；　and　yet　the　gars　of　Marignay　haven't　seized　their　weapons　and　driven　the　Blues　from　Brittany！　Ha！　paradise　will　be　closed　to　them！　they　can　never　save　their　souls！'　That's　what　they　say　of　you　in　the　king's　presence！　It　is　your　own　salvation；　Christians；　which　is　at　stake。　Your　souls　are　to　be　saved　by　fighting　for　religion　and　the　king。　Saint　Anne　of　Auray　herself　appeared　to　me　yesterday　at　half…past　two　o'clock；　and　she　said　to　me　these　very　words　which　I　now　repeat　to　you：　'Are　you　a　priest　of　Marignay？'　'Yes；　madame；　ready　to　serve　you。'　'I　am　Saint　Anne　of　Auray；　aunt　of　God；　after　the　manner　of　Brittany。　I　have　come　to　bid　you　warn　the　people　of　Marignay　that　they　must　not　hope　for　salvation　if　they　do　not　take　arms。　You　are　to　refuse　them　absolution　for　their　sins　unless　they　serve　God。　Bless　their　guns；　and　those　who　gain　absolution　will　never　miss　the　Blues；　because　their　guns　are　sanctified。'　She　disappeared；　leaving　an　odor　of　incense　behind　her。　I　marked　the　spot。　It　is　under　the　oak　of　the　Patte　d'Oie；　just　where　that　beautiful　wooden　Virgin　was　placed　by　the　rector　of　Saint…James；　to　whom　the　crippled　mother　of　Pierre　Leroi　（otherwise　called　Marche…　a…Terre）　came　to　pray；　and　was　cured　of　all　her　pains；　because　of　her　son's　good　deeds。　You　see　her　there　in　the　midst　of　you；　and　you　know　that　she　walks　without　assistance。　It　was　a　miraclea　miracle　intended；　like　the　resurrection　of　Marie　Lambrequin　to　prove　to　you　that　God　will　never　forsake　the　Breton　cause　so　long　as　the　people　fight　for　his　servants　and　for　the　king。　Therefore；　my　dear　brothers；　if　you　wish　to　save　your　souls　and　show　yourselves　defenders　of　God　and　the　king；　you　will　obey　all　the　orders　of　the　man　whom　God　has　sent　to　us；　and　whom　we　call　THE　GARS。　Then　indeed；　you　will　no　longer　be　Mahometans；　you　will　rank　with　all　the　gars　of　Brittany　under　the　flag　of　God。　You　can　take　from　the　pockets　of　the　Blues　the　money　they　have　stolen　from　you；　for；　if　the　fields　have　to　go　uncultivated　while　you　are　making　war；　God　and　the　king　will　deliver　to　you　the　spoils　of　your　enemies。　Shall　it　be　said；　Christians；　that　the　gars　of　Marignay　are　behind　the　gars　of　the　Morbihan；　the　gars　of　Saint…Georges；　of　Vitre；　or　Antrain；　who　are　all　faithful　to　God　and　the　king？　Will　you　let　them　get　all　the　spoils？　Will　you　stand　like　heretics；　with　your　arms　folded；　when　other　Bretons　are　saving　their　souls　and　saving　their　king？　'Forsake　all；　and　follow　me；'　says　the　Gospel。　Have　we　not　forsaken　our　tithes；　we　priests？　And　you；　I　say　to　you；　forsake　all　for　this　holy　war！　You　shall　be　like　the　Maccabees。　All　will　be　forgiven　you。　You　will　find　the　priests　and　curates　in　your　midst；　and　you　will　conquer！　Pay　attention　to　these　words；　Christians；〃　he　said；　as　he　ended；　〃for　this　day　only　have　we　the　power　to　bless　your　guns。　Those　who　do　not　take　advantage　of　the　Saint's　favor　will　not　find　her　merciful；　she　will　not　forgive　them　or　listen　to　them　as　she　did　in　the　last　war。〃
  This　appeal；　enforced　by　the　power　of　a　loud　voice　and　by　many　gestures；　the　vehemence　of　which　bathed　the　orator　in　perspiration；　produced；　apparently；　very　little　effect。　The　peasants　stood　motionless；　their　eyes　on　the　speaker；　like　statues；　but　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　presently　noticed　that　this　universal　attitude　was　the　result　of　a　spell　cast　by　the　abbe　on　the　crowd。　He　had；　like　great　actors；　held　his　audience　as　one　man　by　addressing　their　passions　and　self…interests。　He　had　absolved　excesses　before　committal；　and　broken　the　only　bonds　which　held　these　boorish　men　to　the　practice　of　religious　and　social　precepts。　He　had　prostituted　his　sacred　office　to　political　interests；　but　it　must　be　said　that；　in　these　times　of　revolution；　every　man　made　a　weapon　of　whatever　he　possessed　for　the　benefit　of　his　party；　and　the　pacific　cross　of　Jesus　became　as　much　an　instrument　of　war　as　the　peasant's　plough…share。
  Seeing　no　one　with　whom　to　advise；　Mademoiselle　de　Verneuil　turned　to　look　for　Francine；　and　was　not　a　little　astonished　to　see　that　she　shared　in　the　rapt　enthusiasm；　and　was　devoutly　saying　her　chaplet　over　some　beads　which　Galope…Chopine　had　probably　given　her　during　the　sermon。
  〃Francine；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃are　you　afraid　of　being　a　Mahometan？〃
  〃Oh！　mademoiselle；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃just　see　Pierre's　mother；　she　is　walking！〃
  Francine's　whole　attitude　showed　such　deep　conviction　that　Marie　understood　at　once　the　secret　of　the　homily；　the　influence　of　the　clergy　over　the　rural　masses；　and　the　tremendous　effect　of　the　scene　which　was