and how the spirit had led him into
the mountains; "Yes, I myself, unworthy as I may be," concluded he,
with deep emotion, his narration, "I have been blessed with this
wonderful gift of fore-knowledge."

"Indeed!" said Roland in a drawling tone, while he rather winked than
looked at the youth with his half closed eyes, in which was reflected
either his contempt, or perhaps his envy, the latter was what Edmond
conceived it to indicate. He raised his foot, and knocked the ashes out
of the top of his tobacco pipe; "Go and walk up and down for a short
time, I have some reflections to make; as soon as one of our prophets
arrives, you shall obtain your answer."

Edmond turned away much annoyed, and cast his eyes over the
interminable mountains; to the immense chain of the Cevennes are joined
the blue summits of the Pyrenees, and on the other side were to be seen
craggy cliffs and masses of rocks, which give so striking a feature to
the right bank of the Rhone. What was Edmond's surprise, when among the
fraternity he recognized two noblemen, whom he had formerly met many
times at Nismes, and who had sunk into universal contempt on account of
their frivolity and bad conduct. Cesar and Mark Anthony were merely
what is usually termed in ordinary life boon companions; they had been
finally compelled, in consequence of their debts to make their escape,
and had, apparently, from absolute necessity alone, sought the society
of these religious mountaineers. However much they tried to imitate the
looks and demeanour of the rest, there still lay concealed even in the
very manner that they greeted Edmond, something of that reckless
insolence and licentious freedom, which all well-principled young men
had excluded from their society many years before.

When Edmond had taken a survey of the surrounding country and of his
future companions, Roland again called out in a loud voice, as he stood
up:

"Is no prophet yet arrived?" "Yes," said Favart, "here is brother
Duplant." At the same moment a pale, haggard little man stepped up, who
trembled in every joint as from cold and whose prominent eyes added to
his appearance of illness. "What do you wish brother?" asked he of the
leader in an almost whining tone.

"Come forward brother," said Roland in a full, sonorous voice; "here is
a new brother, who presents, himself to us from out of the valley, a
rich distinguished man and a catholic; what does the spirit say to you
about it?"

Dupla