back. Hereafter, when they are prepared, they will
not make peace with us; who then will separate us?" "Dear comrade,"
replied the _amman_, "I trust in God. He will make all right. Act
always for the best."

The brief truce, which now followed, was diligently used by both
parties. The Catholics brought together their chief force in the
country of Baar. Auxiliaries from Wallis (_Valais_), Livinen and the
valley of the Esch joined them. Their little army swelled to eight
thousand. That of the Zurichers was strengthened from the Thurgau and
St. Gall. A third just as important, that of the Bernese aided by
Basel, Biel and Muehlhausen, under the _schultheiss_ Von Diesbach, had
reached Bremgarten. Full thirty thousand men, unlike in view and
disposition, stood under arms. The Confederate policy was in the camp
of the Bernese. "We will attack the aggressor," said they, "wherever he
comes from. We will suffer no war, till all lawful remedies are
exhausted." They had written the same to Zurich, where hurrying envoys
from Glarus, Appenzel, the Three Cantons, Solothurn and Freiburg
arrived every hour with plans for a settlement of the difficulties.
Bern had also convoked at Aarau, a Diet for the whole Confederacy. Even
from Strasburg the Mayor Sturm had come as a mediator. A spirit of
peace began to pervade the opposing camps. Besides, many were anxious
to return home. They thought of their agricultural labor, which in the
month of June was particularly needful. The necessity for shedding
blood had not yet stirred the feelings of the multitude. Neighbors of
the different confessions still held intercourse with each other. The
out-posts had agreed not to injure each other; one party looked on the
peaceful sports of the other at the ring and the hurling of stones.
That beautiful feature of old Swiss cordiality was manifested, when
milk was brought from one side, bread from the other, and the hostile
warriors, with jokes over the limits to be guarded, ate the common food
from _one_ vessel. It drew an exclamation of surprise from the Mayor of
Strasburg, who witnessed it.

According to old usage, when the militia had marched out, the Council
of Zurich gave over to the commons-at-war (_kriegsgemeine_) the
instruction of the negotiators at the Diet in Aarau. There was one man
particularly to whom this was little pleasing, who apprehended evil
results--Ulric Zwingli. Should all the fruits of his earnest endeavor,
all the hopes for evang