asion. It is not a very bright world
for us, at present; and I see not the use of making it sadder, by
always wearing a gloomy countenance."

The next morning the party started, and rode south. Avoiding the
places held by the Catholics, they visited many of the chateaux of
Huguenot gentlemen, to whom D'Arblay communicated the instructions
he had received, from the Admiral, as to the assemblage of troops,
and the necessity for raising such a force as would compel the
Royalists to keep a considerable army in the south, and so lessen
the number who would gather to oppose his march eastward.

After stopping for a short time in Navarre, and communicating with
some of the principal leaders in that little kingdom, they turned
eastward. They were now passing through a part of the country where
party spirit was extremely bitter, and were obliged to use some
caution, as they were charged to communicate with men who were
secretly well affected to the cause; but who, living within reach
of the bigoted parliament of Toulouse, dared not openly avow their
faith.

Toulouse had, from the time the troubles first began, distinguished
itself for the ferocity with which it had persecuted the Huguenots;
yielding obedience to the various royal edicts of toleration most
reluctantly, and sometimes openly disobeying them. Thus, for many
miles round the city, those of the Reformed faith lived in
continual dread; conducting their worship with extreme secrecy,
when some pastor in disguise visited the neighbourhood, and
outwardly conforming to the rites of the Catholic church. Many,
however, only needed the approach of a Huguenot army to throw off
the mask and take up arms; and it was with these that D'Arblay was
specially charged to communicate. Great caution was needed in doing
this, as the visit of a party of Huguenots would, if denounced,
have called down upon them the vengeance of the parliament; who
were animated not only by hatred of the Huguenots, but by the
desire of enriching themselves by the confiscation of the estates
and goods of those they persecuted.

The visits, consequently, were generally made after nightfall; the
men-at-arms being left a mile or two away. D'Arblay found
everywhere a fierce desire to join in the struggle, restrained only
by the fear of the consequences to wives and families, during
absence.

"Send an army capable of besieging and capturing Toulouse, and
there is not one of us who will not rise and give his