lation of Meaux are Protestant, yet the
rabble, supported by the troops and some of the government authorities,
have the upper hand, and it would have fared ill with us had we been
stopped and our object discovered."

Night had already set in when they reached a hostelry where they were to
remain till the morning. As most of the travellers were fatigued, they
retired to rest as soon as supper was over, with their saddles as
pillows, and their cloaks wrapped round them, lying down in the chief
saloon, wherever space could be found. Nigel, with two or three others,
sat up some time longer, when, having got his saddle and cloak,
intending to seek repose, he found every place occupied. While hunting
about, he entered a small room in which were a couple of truckle
bedsteads. Neither was occupied.

"I am in luck," he said to himself, and placing his saddle and other
property by his side, having taken off his riding boots and some of his
clothes, he threw himself upon one of the beds which stood in a corner.

Drawing the coverlid over him, he was soon, sailor-like, fast asleep.
After some time, he was awakened by hearing the door open, and, looking
up, he saw two persons enter the room. One was Villegagnon, who carried
a lamp in his hand; the other was, he saw by the person's costume, an
ecclesiastic. They advanced across the room towards the window, where
stood a table and a couple of chairs. Villegagnon threw himself into
one of them, with his back towards him, the other imitating his example.
The latter produced writing materials, and several papers, which
Villegagnon held to the lamp to read.

"You have made a happy commencement of your work, my friend," said the
priest. "If you carry it out thoroughly, the Church, the Duke of Guise,
and the Cardinal of Lorraine will be deeply indebted to you. Twenty
Calvinist nobles, and some four score of the commonalty, have, I see,
determined to accompany you, and they will entice many more. We shall
be glad to be rid of them at present out of France, and we will then
send out a larger number of faithful Catholics, so that you will reap
the honour of founding a French colony in the New World, the Church will
triumph, and the Calvinists be extirpated."

"But the proceeding smacks somewhat of treachery, and it can matter but
little to you at home whether the colony is established by Calvinists or
Catholics, so that it is firmly grounded and adds to the honour and
glory of