ity of their demeanour. Sometimes those present broke up into
groups, talking in an undertone. Sometimes the gathering took the
form of a general council. Occasionally some fugitive minister, or
a noble from some district where the persecution was particularly
fierce, would be present; and their narratives would be listened to
with stern faces by the elders, and with passionate indignation by
the younger men.

In spite of the decrees, the countess still retained her chaplain
and, before the meetings broke up, prayers were offered by him for
their persecuted brethren, and for a speedy deliverance of those of
the reformed religion from the cruel disabilities under which they
laboured.

Services were held night and morning in the chateau. These were
attended not only by all the residents, but by many of the farmers
and their families. The countess had already received several
warnings from the Catholic authorities of the province; but to
these she paid no attention, and there were no forces available to
enforce the decree in her case, as it would require nothing short
of an army to overcome the opposition that might be expected,
joined as she would be by the other Huguenot gentry of the
district.

Chapter 4: An Experiment.

Marie Vaillant, after remaining six weeks at the chateau, returned
to England; and Philip, with a party of twelve men, escorted her to
La Rochelle. Her visit was cut short somewhat, at the end, by the
imminence of the outbreak of hostilities, in which case she might
have found a difficulty in traversing the country. Moreover, La
Rochelle would probably be besieged, soon after the war began; for
being both an important town and port, the Catholics would be
anxious to obtain possession of it, and so cut off the Huguenots
from escape to England, besides rendering it difficult for
Elizabeth to send a force to their assistance.

"It has been a pleasant time," the countess said, on the morning of
her departure; "and your presence has taken me back five-and-twenty
years, Marie. I hope that when these troubles are past you will
again come over, and spend a happier time with me. I was going to
say that I will look well after Philip, but that I cannot do. He
has cast his lot in with us, and must share our perils. I am
greatly pleased with him, and I am glad that Francois will have him
as a companion in arms. Francois is somewhat impulsive, and liable
to be carried away by his ardour; and Philip, alt