not a mere fop. It will be well
for Bernard Mauprat that he knows how to drive a plough or kill the game
which the good God has sent to feed his family; for old Patience will
then be lying under the grass in the churchyard, unable to return the
services which Edmee has done him. Do not laugh at what I say, young
man; it is the voice of God that is speaking. Look at the heavens. The
stars live in peace, and nothing disturbs their eternal order. The
great do not devour the small, and none fling themselves upon their
neighbours. Now, a day will come when the same order will reign among
men. The wicked will be swept away by the breath of the Lord. Strengthen
your legs, Seigneur Mauprat, that you may stand firm to support Edmee.
It is Patience that warns you; Patience who wishes you naught but good.
But there will come others who wish you ill, and the good must make
themselves strong."

We had reached Patience's cottage. He had stopped at the gate of his
little inclosure, resting one hand on the cross-bar and waving the other
as he spoke. His voice was full of passion, his eyes flashed fire, and
his brow was bathed in sweat. There seemed to be some weird power in
his words as in those of the prophets of old. The more than plebeian
simplicity of his dress still further increased the pride of his
gestures and the impressiveness of his voice. The French Revolution
has shown since that in the ranks of the people there was no lack of
eloquence or of pitiless logic; but what I saw at that moment was so
novel, and made such an impression on me, that my unruly and unbridled
imagination was carried away by the superstitious terrors of childhood.
He held out his hand, and I responded with more of terror than
affection. The sorcerer of Gazeau Tower hanging the bleeding owl above
my head had just risen before my eyes again.

XI

When I awoke on the morrow in a state of exhaustion, all the incidents
of the previous night appeared to me as a dream. I began to think that
Edmee's suggestion of becoming my wife had been a perfidious trick to
put off my hopes indefinitely; and, as to the sorcerer's words, I could
not recall them without a feeling of profound humiliation. Still, they
had produced their effect. My emotions had left traces which could never
be effaced. I was no longer the man of the day before, and never again
was I to be quite the man of Roche-Mauprat.

It was late, for not until morning had I attempted to make good m