Jacques Bonneval Part 5

"Give him a lift, Jacques," said my uncle to me; "the poor man is weary." Finding him to be one of my uncle's flock, I readily did so; the more that his tone and words betokened honesty.

"Sir, you are doubtless going to join your brother-ministers," said Joseph. "Have you a pa.s.sport?"

"I have not, but I hope to get one on the frontier, or find some other path open to me," said my uncle.

"Let us trust the 'other path' may open, then," said Joseph, "for most vexatious obstacles are being thrown in the way of our ministers on the frontier; they are either refused pa.s.sports altogether, or such as they are provided with are declared worthless."

"Romilly's pa.s.sport, then, will be no good," thought I, and I was musing on the moral advantage to my uncle of his having refused to use it from the first, when Joseph in alarm cried--

"Hist--I hear some one galloping hard after us. Let us whip on as fast as we can."

But we had just reached the foot of a heavy ascent, and the pursuer gained upon us, and presently came up panting.

"Is Minister Chambrun here?" cried he, breathlessly.

"Who are you that ask?" returned I. At the same instant my uncle cried--

"Yes, here I am. What is it?"

"What a dance you have led me!" cried the messenger. "I come from the commissioner, who sends you a pa.s.sport, and desires you to go to Bordeaux as fast as you can."

What a smile broke over my uncle's face!

"Said I not," cried he, joyfully, "that a path would doubtless open for me? Henceforth, my children, never distrust the Lord."

His course was now altered. Instead of making for the nearest coast, now within a few miles, on the borders of the Mediterranean, he decided to proceed with all convenient speed to Montauban, where my aunt had friends, thence down the Garonne, and so to Bordeaux. I could but set him on his way and trust his future course to the same good Providence that had hitherto protected him. My aunt was decided to follow his fortunes, happen what would.

CHAPTER VI.

TRIAL BY FIRE.

Day was far spent before I got back, my horse having gone lame. There seemed unusual disturbance in the town; I distinguished a distant hum of many voices, and all at once a shrill cry that made me shudder, followed by the pa.s.sionate wailing of children, and the incessant barking of dogs. I took the back way to our house, where lay our stable, and entering the little yard, saw to my dismay six or eight cavalry horses standing in it. I sprang from my cart and hurried into the house, on the threshold of which my little brother Charles met me all in tears, and cried, "Oh, they're burning mamma!"

I burst into the kitchen; there was a roaring fire on the hearth, which a dragoon was feeding with handfuls of paper torn from our great family Bible; but there were also great billets of wood burning, which threw out intense heat, and close in front of it was placed my mother, penned in with heavy pieces of furniture, while two dragoons in front of her were thrusting their clenched fists in her face, saying, "Now then, you obstinate woman! will you roast like a pig, or say where he is gone?"

My mother looked immovable as stone, but directly I entered, I saw her change countenance a little. My father lay on the ground, bound hand and foot, while a dragoon was preparing to beat him with a heavy bridle.

"Ah, ah, here is the young cub," cried they as I entered; "here is the young fellow that was attending on his uncle!" Then, with more bad language than I choose to repeat, they bade me tell where I had carried him, unless I would see my mother roasted alive.

"Out of your reach," said I, boldly; "so now let my mother go free," and springing towards her, I released her before they could throw themselves upon me. The next minute, we were rolling on the ground, but, as my mother for the moment was safe, I did not mind the blows I was getting, but returned them with a fire-iron that lay within reach. I dealt blows with such a will that for a time I had the advantage, never ceasing to shout, "Never fear, mother! All's safe! he's on the wide sea. Fly with the children and leave me to deal with these gentry."

This so enraged them that they redoubled their violence; no wonder, then, that I was got down at last, bound hand and foot, and my feet made bare to receive the bastinado. Before they laid it on, they put the question to me:

"Wilt thou now, then, recant thine accursed doctrines?"

"What doctrines?" said I, to gain time.

"Those that are falsely called reformed."

"Oh yes, all that are falsely called reformed."

They stood at pause on this, and looked at one another.

"He gives in," muttered one.

"Not a bit," replied another. "He is only lying."

"Well but, mark you, that's no matter of ours," said the first.

"I tell you it is!" roared the second, pus.h.i.+ng him aside. "Let me take him in hand. You don't know how to question him." Then accosting me, in a defiant sort of way (he was far from sober), he said,

"Hark ye, young man. Now answer for your life. Give us no double meanings. What is your religion?"

"That which was brought us and taught us by our Lord Jesus Christ."

"Do you believe in St. Peter?"

"Of course."

"And in the Virgin Mother of G.o.d?"

"The angel Gabriel called her blessed among women."

"But do you wors.h.i.+p her?"

"I reverence her, and wors.h.i.+p her Divine Son."

"Do you wors.h.i.+p her, I say?" threatening me with the stirrup-leather.

"Son, son," put in my father.

"Silence, old man!" and they hit him on the mouth.

"Do you wors.h.i.+p her?"

"I do not."

Then they beat the soles of my feet, till my father in anguish cried, "Oh, I cannot bear this--" but had to bear it. And so had I. But on their burning my soles with a red-hot iron, a merciful Providence took me out of their hands, by bringing me insensibility. How long they pursued their barbarities after I fainted, I know not; but when I came to myself, it was in cold and darkness, lying in the open street, where I suppose they had cast me, thinking me dead. How long a time must have pa.s.sed! for the stars were s.h.i.+ning above me. Where were my parents, my brothers and sisters? I tried to raise myself a little and look around, but was beaten and bruised so that I was in agonies of pain, and sank back on the ground. The cold made my wounded feet smart indescribably; but while, with closed eyes, I was inwardly murmuring, "Lord, help thy poor servant, for I cannot help myself;" something that made me wince with pain, but the next moment gave exquisite relief, was applied to the soles of my feet, and the next instant I heard the hushed voices of those who were dearest to me on earth, my mother and Madeleine "Can it be that we are too late?" said Madeleine. "No, his pulse yet beats, though as feebly as possible. Oh, what he must have suffered, and how I love him for not having given in!"

In pain though I was, a smile of joy broke over my face on this, and I opened my eyes.

"Praise the Lord, he revives!" said my mother. "How art thou, my son?"

"I shall do well, my mother--," but I could not speak another word.

I closed my eyes, and felt about to faint.