The American patriot., 1855-01-03


3, 9-F'ei aaee ff- tu5 5sCT
(. Disappointed in their purpose the peasants now
appeared armed with rude weapons of every de-
scripton, and fast and heavy came down showcTs
of stones upon the soldiers,5as they obeyel their
commander and hastened to scramble over the
fallen rocks and rubbish Not shot was fired
till Montrevel espied two figures, which might
sell arrest his attention. even in such moment as
this On cliff which overlooked the scene, and
from whose ragged side it was plain that the. rock
had been hurled, knelt female in an attitude of
earnest and almost frantic sdppcdtion; her bare
arms thrown wildly up-her hands clasped-her
hair and scarlet drapery streaming on the wind
her eyes fixed on the blue sky: She was apparent
ly needless of the confusion below; and, above all
the din, her shril but unintehigible accents could
be plainly distinguished. By her side stood
slight but graceful young man leaning with per-
feet composure on his hunting spear, and OCCASION
ally giving orders with his voice and gestures to
his rude followers He Was clad, like many of
them, ina white tuuic; but single eagle7feahqr in
his cap marked him as the yeuthful leader of the
Camisards, the celebrated Cavalier No sooner
did Montrcvel behold this apparition, than cry
burst from his lips: "Jhey arc thorc! to the chase
to the chase' and in t. rloinont the soldiers were
climbing the rough sides OF the pass, driving the
peasants before them in the sudden onset firing
and reloadirg continually The prophetess-Ia
Grande Marie, as she was tcrned--was dinly seen
through the smoke, on her knees and immoyab,e,
while the sounds of the 1nushet shots came nearer
and nearer. Cavalier confident that more than
earthly power would defend the being he thought
supcrnaturaly gifted, and rushed to direct the
operations Of his scattered followers. 10 his
amusement, however, she remained i'll her ecstatic
trance till ball whizzcd BY her; and then, rising
ri Al l.
cleaned the light of insanity Il seemed as if a
consciousness Of her danger then crossed her
mind, for she glanced with some eagernoss to the
right and left, as if examining her means of escape
and, as two French soldiers sprang upon the
ledge she occupied, she made an effort to throw
herself down TO q yet more narrow and hazardous
! spot. But their motions were too quick for the
poor lunatic; and, as the infatuated peasanly saw
their prophecies rudely seized, her powerless
hands bound with loathern belts, while her head
sunk despaiingly Oh her breast, they again sent
forth howl, which. startled the wolves in their
dens. 1t was in vain that Cavalier now stroye to
rally the undiscpncd Insurgents; astoundcd,
panic Stricken at an event so unexpected as the
capture of La Grande Marie, they lifted not hand
against the triumphant soldcry but hovered
along the prccipices above The road, and gazed in
stupid amazement at their progress. When Ca
vaitr reminded thlm that she had the power to
save herself yet from the hands Of the destroyer,
and would undoubtedly put it forth in some un-
looked for miracle, Il gleam Of hope frightened
their rugged faces, but they Only watched the
more intehtly for the anticipated exhibition Of su-
perhunan power. Aiontrevel and his party at
length discngaged themselves in safety from the
passes where alone their enemies could annoy
them, and marched down with floating SSanuels and
gay music upon the green plains The lnalintain-
GERS still kept tkem in view fom the heights,
striving with sad ard wahtt,l eyes to distinguish
the form of the prophecies. Instead Of proceed
ing with rapid STEPS to the white town. which gill
terng in the sunshine at few nliles distance, Mo..-
trtycl no sooner found himself on lgytl ground,
safe from the assaults Of hill Warfare, than he
halted solitary tail tree which stretched is
branches abroad as If to invite heheated traveller
to its shadow. There was panse; the soldiers
were taking breath after their hurried march;
there was hustle; but they did not dspeIsc, nor
sit down on the grass to rest their weary limbs;
and in q few minutes more, their march was re-
sumed with Increased speed. As they cleared
the ground under the large tree, the distant spec
tators caught sight Of q fearful object. 1t was
the well known scarlet drapery--it was the body
of their prophet ess--suspou from one of the
lower branches Of the oak. No cry burst now
from their lips; not daring to believe their own
eyes, they strained their gaze, then looked on
each others faces with blank and speechless her
ror Still doubting-still hopng-Cavalier was
while the sound OF martial music yet came the
breeze and the cloud Of dust raised by the troops
who had now reached a high road, was still in
view. La Grande Marie was dead. Her body
was yer warm but the spirit had forsakef it; and
never more should the bold accents of her pro
phecies kindle the souls of the Camsards against
their oppressors Wi!h reverent hands they bore
her remains away to q cavern among their re-
mote fatnesscs; for in the minds Of some there
fingered even now the hope of a miracle nsort
stupendous than any hitherto performed by then
departed friend Upon the brow of Cavalier
however, cloud had settled, such as that opeI
placid countenance had never yet worn. 1t WA
. not despair which broodcd on his heart; but
profound sorrow, and a. feeling that all now dc
pended on his own unaidcd and desperate efforts
1t is only on the rejecting that a sense of in
creased responsibility falls!ightly.
1t was scarce high noon, when the party o
royalits encamped in safety near the town o
| N, after their merry mornings work. BE
fore nightlall, Cavalier had secured the noun
, tains in the neighborhood; and either in persol
or by his emissaries, had thrown together larg
} and furious body of peasants As the sun sunl
{ towards thc west black clouds gathered round hi
COUCH and glowing like fire at his approach, sool
shrouded the blazing orb in premature twilight
+ The wind howled among the hills with those por
! tcntous sounds which, 10 the practised en-. fore
, bodied sudden and violent storm; aud Cayalie
/ smiled triumphanty as he looked at the gloom.
S heavens, and hurried over the rocks to the rIac
e Of rendezvous y voice calling him by nanle 81