I, and my friends lend
our aid to bring our country under a foreign yoke; even should he
persist to act thus cruelly towards us: do not calculate upon that. But
I will fight for my cause in an honourable manner, as long as breath is
in me. Weak as we may be, we occupy a whole army, and with it lend
efficient succour to foreign countries. Do you not think, that with
these sentiments, I may call myself a good subject, though certain of
my ultimate ruin, by acting thus, I spare my king and country? I fall
in the fight here, or imprisonment, ignominy and martyrdom await me, no
spark of commiseration lights me on. I do not kindle the fiery zeal and
wrath of my people, in order, to break blindly into the land, to hazard
all on a dangerous game, by which the infuriated often win, I rather
restrain them. For myself I do nothing, for my party and my religion
everything. Could I but avoid involving these unfortunate men in my
ruin! But the king and fate have ordained it so."

"I am further to enquire," said Flotard anew, "whether experienced
officers should not be brought into the mountains as leaders?"

"I oppose that," said Roland gravely, "not on my own account. I know
not how we carry on the war, but still this little mountain-spot
occupies a great number of disciplined troops. We have done more than
we ever dared to think of, even in our dreams. And all those poor
enthusiastic men, who never enquire how numerous the foe may be, rush
with songs of praise upon the bayonet, and into the flames of the
stake; they would follow no foreign leader, who did not share with them
the same faith, and the same distress, for as I have already said, it
is not their wish to be rioters and rebels, and thus follow a foreign
standard, though with greater safety. They fight and conquer only under
their own known country-people, who pray and sing with them, whose
origin they know, and whose prophecies impel them to rush fearlessly
into the most palpable danger."

"They laugh at those prophets in foreign countries," said Flotard,
"What is your opinion of them?" "I know not what to say to it,"
answered Roland; I frequently see the miracle before my eyes, that
these men know things which no one can learn by natural means; but
again it often strikes me, that blind passion alone speaks out of them,
and that they voluntarily excite themselves to this state. The prophets
sometimes contradict one another. They direct our proceedings, and it
occurs oc