ke evil-doers, if we saw any one coming. The
moon was dangerously bright, but the shadows were proportionately dark,
and at length we reached Les Arenes, with their depths of mysterious
shadow, and solemn pillars and arches silvered by the white beams.
Though the amphitheatre is in the heart of the city, the neighborhood
seemed unusually deserted. People had fled, or were cowering in
hiding-places, or were flocking to see what was going on elsewhere.
I cannot otherwise account for it. Only that as we passed near the
house of good old Monsieur de Laccassagne, we could hear the abominable
uproar of drums within it, and it would seem as if all the drummers in
Nismes must have been congregated to drive the poor old gentleman to
distraction. We had also seen in the distance, floods of light streaming
from the windows of the cathedral, and heard a strange murmur of cries,
and we afterwards learnt that multitudes of poor people of the baser
sort had been driven like oxen or silly sheep into the church, pricked
on by the dragoons' swords and shouts of "Kill! kill!" to be present
at mass.

But now, as we gained a spot where, at the end of a street, we could
gain a distant glimpse of our factory, we perceived the sky red with
flurid flames bursting from it.

"The factory is on fire!" I exclaimed.

Then my mother wrung her hands, crying, "Oh, my husband! you are ruined,
perhaps sacrificed! I must go in quest of thee, and leave my son with a
faithful friend."

Then she hastened off towards the factory, and I could not blame her
nor wonder at her, though my heart misgave me that she might fall into
mischief.

Madeleine's support was insufficient for me now; but I set my teeth like
a flint, and commanded the pain I was in every time I set foot to the
ground. Was it not alleviation enough to have her dear arm for my stay,
and her tender hand wiping from my brow the drops forced forth by my
suffering?

Then we came to some steps. These gave me much trouble to descend,
especially as we were so nearly in the dark, but Madeleine seemed to
know them pretty well.

"I have often been here already," whispered she, "only not after dark,
and have laid in stores of many things necessary for our subsistence."

We were now groping along a chill stone passage, and were presently
brought up by a wall right in front, against which we violently hit
our heads.

"I fear I have missed the way," said Madeleine, in alarm. "Hark! I hear
the chi