The Rebellion in the Cevennes. Ludwig Tieck

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СКАЧАТЬ he would have killed him, had I not stopped his arm. We then listened for a short time, and what ensued? suddenly something gurgled in the old man's throat, he groaned, turned up his eyes, fell against the wall and then on the ground, and after a few mighty heavings of the breast, he too began; he sang psalms, exhorted to repentance, prophecied the fall of Babel; nothing could equal it: as the old one sang, the young one twittered; I thought I was bewitched, my priestly vestments fell from my hands, I could only listen to those two possessed ones, who were howling out pure piety, and texts from the Bible, and as I gazed at the astounding wonder with agitation and fear, I felt a shock through all my limbs, and sir, as true as heaven is above us, a desire arose within me to be seized with similar fits, and to take a part in this unhappy affair. I rushed out into the open, blessed air of heaven. I thought on all dignitaries, of my bishop, of the great church and organ of Montpellier, of the letter which I possessed from the murdered Abbot of Chably, of our illustrious Marshal of Montrevel, of his dress-uniform, and of such things,--and God be praised, the trembling left my body, and I am now a reasonable man and a christian priest again. Ever since that time, I look upon the whole affair with terror. Be it witchcraft, that they are possessed with devils, bodily and infectious diseases, or the unknown, new fanaticism of the learned doctors, I have at least discovered that mankind is easily entrapped, and that the Spaniard is right with his proverb: 'No man can say of this water I will not drink.' The two shepherd knaves have now also run into the wilds after Cavalier, and have become great heroes of the faith."

      The old Counsellor had gone out frequently during these details to give orders to the domestics, who had in the mean while laid the table and prepared the evening repast. "My unknown friends," said the old gentleman affably, "with whose company chance and the bad weather have so unexpectedly honoured me, and who are to me,--with the exception of the reverend priest,--total strangers, let us all sociably and without ceremony take our places at this table, eat and drink, and afterwards enjoy a refreshing sleep under my roof." Edmond looked up, and could scarcely believe at first that his father was in earnest; the priest cast an expressive glance at the huntsman and one of still deeper meaning at the young man, and smiled as if to hint, that he at all events should withdraw from this distinguished circle, among which he himself only had any claim to remain; but the little Eveline hung on the young man's arm and drew him by her side to the table where he immediately sat down with her the first without waiting for farther bidding. "Quite right," said the Counsellor, "No ceremony if you wish to please me! here are no invited guests, we meet together as if we were on board a ship or in a wood. I must render you all this hospitality without distinction." Edmond blushing, placed himself at the head of the table by his father, the priest seated himself opposite to him, by the side of the latter sat the huntsman, who left a large space between himself and his neighbour, and then came Eveline and her playfellow as he almost appeared. "Quite patriarchal," said the priest, "those men there, my worthy sir, will not forget to publish throughout the country, your philanthropy and contempt of prejudices."

      At this moment the veil of clouds in the horizon burst asunder, the sun in its descent suddenly threw a purple glow over the lowering sky, a red fire spread itself over the mountain-vineyards, tree and bush, and vinetendril sparkled in the fiery ray, beyond the woods shone brilliantly, and as the eye glanced upwards, the summits of the distant Cevennes were seen glowing in the rosy light; on the left, the waterfall rushed like blood from the steep rock, and the whole hall, the table, and the guests, all was as if bathed in blood, so that the lights just then burned darkly and the fire in the chimney emitted a blue flame. The rain had ceased, a holy silence reigned throughout all nature, not a leaf rustled, the red brook only flowed splashingly along, and the glowing waterfall murmured its melody. The old Counsellor's eyes were cast upwards as if in fervent prayer, and a tear glistened in his full eye; the fair young man laid down his knife and fork and folded his hands; the huntsman glanced timidly from under his heavy eyebrows; the priest tried to assume a sanctified look; the child playfully clapped her hands, and Edmond was lost in silent reflection.

      Just as quickly as it was withdrawn, the curtain fell again over the horizon and extinguished its light, upon which the Counsellor said, "was not this like an emblem of our country and of our misfortunes? as necessity unites us all and brings us together, and as the misery that oppresses us, if I may so express myself, becomes as it were sanctified and endeared to us? all our countrymen pass through this baptism of blood, may heaven have pity on us." Edmond cast an expressive look on his father and then glanced furtively at the huntsman and the young stranger, as if to intimate, that such thoughts should not have been expressed in their presence; the old man smiled kindly on his son, but did not even try to conceal his feelings.--

      "Papa," cried Eveline, "it was as if the sky wished to play at hide and seek with us, just as little Dorothea with her plump, rosy cheeks smiles upon me and then, whisk! creeps under the cloth again."

      "It was like a bleeding world crying for succour," exclaimed the fair-haired young man. Edmond cast a sidelong glance at him, and said, "It is perhaps the extinction of the nefarious revolt!"

      "May be so," replied the youth, and raised his blue, child-like eyes to Edmond, "but I think that everything rests in the hands of the Supreme Being."

      "Most assuredly," said Edmond sharply, "and the evil would have ceased long since if so much disaffection, secret abettance, and malicious joy at the misfortunes of the king had not reigned among the common people."

      "Every reasonable person must own however," said the young man with a melancholy smile, "that the evil did not originate with the people; they were quiet, and although others may suffer, their miseries are beyond expression."

      The priest left off eating with astonishment, that the little unseemly man should have the last word with the master of the house opposite to him; he rolled his eyes up and down as if seeking for some astounding words of reproof; the little girl pressed the hands of her new friend for engaging in dispute with Edmond, and the latter as his father already began to testify his uneasiness at his son's violence, turned away with an expression of profound contempt, saying, "I know not with whom I speak, but I think I have some knowledge of you; are you not the son of the late Huguenot sexton of Besere close by?"

      "No, gracious sir," answered the young man perfectly unembarrassed, "I have not the honour of being known to you; I am now come to this neighbourhood for the first time, to make some purchases, my name is Montan, or simply William, as I am called by the neighbours and by my father, who is owner of the mill in the deep valley beyond Saumière."

      "Therefore a praiseworthy miller's lad!" said the priest. "It was not sung to you in your cradle that you should ever sit at table in such company as this." "No, indeed," said the miller with emotion; "when I stood before the house, I thought not to find a reception as from the venerable patriarchs we read of in the Holy Scriptures, I did not expect to be introduced to a nobleman, who, to my mind and imagination, presents the most sublime picture of Abraham and Jacob." He wiped his eyes, and as they were about to rise from table, he lifted his glass, and said, "pray allow me first, honoured sirs, to empty this glass in token of my most heartfelt gratitude, and to the unalloyed happiness of our respected host, and the endless prosperity of his noble house." He drank, and the old Lord bowed not without emotion, while Edmond and the priest looked at each other long and enquiringly. The huntsman scraped and smiled, and the priest in his astonishment forgot to drink.

      They rose from table, and Eveline seated herself again by the side of her favorite in a corner of the room, and said to him, "That is the right way, he is too haughty if one allows him to go on."

      Her father approached them, "my child, it is now quite time for you to retire to bed." "Indeed papa," answered she kissing his hand, "I should like to remain longer here, but there must be order, as you always say; I am obedient and will be your comfort, shall I not? it would indeed be very wicked, and I should vex you, if I turned a prophet like so many other children in this country." "God bless you, my love," said the old man resting his hand upon her head; "go to bed, and you, my friend, sit down here and rest yourself some time longer," said he, pressing the young miller's СКАЧАТЬ