e window-bars, and by their help
dropped into the garden. The drop was so great that he broke one of his
thigh bones, but dragging himself along on his hands and one knee, he,
with one of his servants, reached a recess in the wall, while another
servant was endeavouring to escape through the flames, thus falling into
the hands of the fanatics, who carried him before their captain. Then
cries of "The prophet! the prophet!" were heard on all sides. Esprit
Seguier, feeling that something fresh had taken place, came forward,
still holding in his hand the blazing torch with which he had set fire to
the pile.

"Brother," asked Laporte, pointing to the prisoner, "is this man to die?"

Esprit Seguier fell on his knees and covered his face with his mantle,
like Samuel, and sought the Lord in prayer, asking to know His will.

In a short time he rose and said, "This man is not to die; for inasmuch
as he has showed mercy to our brethren we must show mercy to him."

Whether this fact had been miraculously revealed to Seguier, or whether
he had gained his information from other sources, the newly released
prisoners confirmed its truth, calling out that the man had indeed
treated them with humanity. Just then a roar as of a wild beast was
heard: one of the fanatics, whose brother had been put to death by the
abbe, had just caught sight of him, the whole neighbourhood being lit up
by the fire; he was kneeling in an angle of the wall, to which he had
dragged himself.

"Down with the son of Belial!" shouted the crowd, rushing towards the
priest, who remained kneeling and motionless like a marble statue. His
valet took advantage of the confusion to escape, and got off easily; for
the sight of him on whom the general hate was concentrated made the
Huguenots forget everything else:

Esprit Seguier was the first to reach the priest, and spreading his hands
over him, he commanded the others to hold back. "God desireth not the
death of a sinner,'" said he, "'but rather that he turn from his
wickedness and live.'"

"No, no!" shouted a score of voices, refusing obedience for the first
time, perhaps, to an order from the prophet; "let him die without mercy,
as he struck without pity. Death to the son of Belial, death!"

"Silence!" exclaimed the prophet in a terrible voice, "and listen to the
word of God from my mouth. If this man will join us and take upon him
the duties of a pastor, let us grant him his life, that he may
henceforw