to visit, he arrived full of the
desire to displays whether he felt it or not, a perfect impartiality; so
when the delegates from the Consistory were presented to him, not only
did he receive them most graciously, but he was the first to speak of
the interests of their faith, assuring them that it was only a few days
since he had learned with much regret that their religious services had
been; suspended since the 16th of July. The delegates replied that in
such a time of agitation the closing of their places of worship was, a
measure of prudence which they had felt ought to be borne, and which had
been borne, with resignation. The prince expressed his approval of
this attitude with regard to the past, but said that his presence was
a guarantee for the future, and that on Thursday the 9th inst. the two
meeting-houses should be reopened and restored to their proper use. The
Protestants were alarmed at, having a favour accorded to them which
was much more than they would have dared to ask and for which they
were hardly prepared. But the prince reassured them by saying that all
needful measures would be taken to provide against any breach of the
public peace, and at the same time invited M. Desmonts, president, and
M. Roland-Lacoste, member of the Consistory, to dine with him.

The next deputation to arrive was a Catholic one, and its object was
to ask that Trestaillons might be set at liberty. The prince was so
indignant at this request that his only answer was to turn his back on
those who proffered it.

The next day the duke, accompanied by General Lagarde, left for
Montpellier; and as it was on the latter that the Protestants placed
their sole reliance for the maintenance of those rights guaranteed for
the future by the word of the prince, they hesitated to take any
new step in his absence, and let the 9th of November go by without
attempting to resume public worship, preferring to wait for the return
of their protector, which took place on Saturday evening the 11th of
November.

When the general got back, his first thought was to ask if the commands
of the prince had been carried out, and when he heard that they had not,
without waiting to hear a word in justification of the delay, he sent a
positive order to the president of the Consistory to open both places of
worship the next morning.

Upon this, the president carrying self-abnegation and prudence to
their extreme limits, went to the general's quarters, and hav