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diff --git a/23073.txt b/23073.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dfcab69 --- /dev/null +++ b/23073.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5027 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Villegagnon, by W.H.G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Villegagnon + A Tale of the Huguenot Persecution + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Release Date: October 17, 2007 [EBook #23073] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VILLEGAGNON *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Villegagnon, by W.H.G. Kingston. +________________________________________________________________________ +The date is sometime during the reign of Philip and Mary, the Catholic +interlude between the Protestant times of Henry the Eighth and his son +Edward the Sixth, and Queen Elizabeth. Religious intolerance was at an +extreme, with burnings at the stake and other very nasty tortures being +applied to persons of an opposite sect. + +Nigel Melvin comes to the Court of France with some letters to deliver. +His young cousin Mary Seton is with him in the opening scene, and she +introduces him to the young royals who happen to be walking in the same +garden. We find that there are several with Protestant leanings even +in that setting. Nigel is conducted to a house where he is to find +Admiral Coligny, who is setting up an expedition to found a Protestant +colony the other side of the Atlantic in the bay now known as Rio de +Janeiro, and idea that had been propounded by Monsieur Villegagnon. +Nigel is given command of one of the ships. They set off for Havre, +where the vessels are, but on the way Nigel overhears a conversation +between Villegagnon and a monk, which makes it plain that Villegagnon +is no Protestant, and that there is a dubious motive in all these +plans. + +On arrival at Rio they meet with a local Indian chief who warns them +about some white settlers nearby who appear to have a religion not at +all satisfactory to Indian tastes. These are the Portuguese, Catholics. +They are permitted to settle on any island in the bay. There is a gale +and it becomes plain they must move to a more sheltered island than the +one they started on. Nigel falls in love with the fair lady Constance, +but so also does the Indian, Tecumah. + +Nigel returns to France to pick up more Protestant emigrants, who have +to run the gauntlet of a Catholic mob apparently led by the monk who +had been plotting before the first voyage, with Villegagnon. The +voyage proceeds well but the five French ships were attacked by five +Portuguese, whom they routed except for one, which they captured. They +were unable to shut up the shot-holes in her, and she sinks. On arrival +in Brazil they set her passengers and crew ashore in a Portuguese-held +part of the territory, and continue to their settlement in the bay of +Rio. Thereafter the story gets more and more exciting, and we hope that +you will read it for yourself. + +________________________________________________________________________ +VILLEGAGNON, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON. + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +THE TWO COUSINS. + +"And what brought you to France, fair cousin?" + +The question was put by a beautiful girl scarcely yet verging on +womanhood to a fine intelligent youth, two or three years her senior, as +they paced slowly on together through the gardens of the Louvre on the +banks of the Seine, flowing at that period bright and clear amid fields +and groves. Before them rose the stately palace lately increased and +adorned by Henry the Second, the then reigning monarch of France, with +its lofty towers, richly carved columns, and numerous rows of windows +commanding a view over the city on one side, and across green fields and +extensive forests, and far up and down the river on the other. + +The walk along which the young people were proceeding was shaded by tall +trees, the thick boughs of which kept off the rays of the sun, shining +brightly on the gay flowers and glittering fountains, seen in the open +space beyond them. + +The young girl had the air and manner of a grown-up person, with that +perfect self-possession which seems natural to those brought up in the +atmosphere of a court. + +Her companion's manner formed a contrast to hers; but though evidently +not at all at his ease, as a brave man does when called upon to +encounter danger, he had braced himself up to face those he might have +to meet, who would, he naturally felt, look down on him on account of +his travel-stained dress, his Scottish accent, and rustic appearance. + +"In truth, Cousin Mary, I left Scotland as many of our countrymen are +compelled to do, to seek my fortune abroad, and have come with letters +of introduction to several noblemen and others; among them to Admiral +Coligny, my father's old comrade in arms. Our castle is well-nigh in +ruins, and my estate yields scarcely revenue sufficient to supply me +with clothes and arms, much less to restore it as I wished to have done. +I have already made two voyages to far-off lands, and come back no +richer than I went, and have at length resolved to take service in the +navy of France, in which I may hope to carve out my way to distinction, +with the help of the admiral." + +"He may be ready enough to receive you and afford you his patronage; but +I warn you, Cousin Nigel, that he may be less able to forward your +interests than you may suppose. He is known to hold the principles of +the leaders of those dangerous people the Protestants, who are hated and +feared at court, where the Guises, the brothers of the Queen Regent of +Scotland, have of late gained the chief influence. Take my advice, +Cousin Nigel, seek some more profitable patron, and have nothing to do +with the Huguenots." + +"I thank you for your advice, cousin. I must confess, however, that I +do not hold the opinion you express of the Protestants, but on the +contrary, am greatly inclined to agree with their principles. I lately +heard a wonderful preacher, one John Knox, who has appeared in Scotland, +and brought thousands to see the gross errors of the papal system. He +proves clearly that the Pope of Rome has no real ground for his +pretensions to be the head of Christ's Church on earth; that he cannot +be the successor of the apostle Peter, who never was Bishop of Rome; but +that he is rather the successor of the great heathen high priest, whose +idolatries he perpetuates and supports, and that therefore he and his +cardinals and priests are impostors, who should on no account be obeyed. +He clearly explains indeed that those who rule in the Seven-hilled city +represent no other than the Scarlet Woman spoken of in the Apocalypse, +their system being in truth the Mystery of Iniquity." + +"Oh, dreadful!" exclaimed the young lady. "Why, Cousin Nigel, you are a +rank heretic, and were you to express such opinions as these in public, +your life would be in danger. Hundreds of Frenchmen have already been +burned for holding opinions not half as bad as those you have expressed. +I am almost afraid to listen to you; not that we trouble ourselves much +about such matters at court, where people are allowed to think what they +like, provided they do not utter their thoughts too loudly, or in the +hearing of the doctors of the Sarbonne (the theological college of +France), who have of late become rigidly orthodox, and are resolved to +put down the reformers. I must advise you, at all events, to keep your +own counsel; and if you are still determined to apply to Admiral +Coligny, as your views agree with his, they will be in your favour." + +"Thank you for your advice, sweet cousin," answered Nigel. "I will +follow it so far as not to parade my opinions; but should they be +attacked, I shall be ready, if necessary, to defend them either with my +tongue or my sword." + +"You are not likely to be called upon to use either of those formidable +weapons, provided you are discreet," said the young lady, laughing. +"You may occasionally at court hear the Protestants satirised, or made +subjects of lampoons; but it would be folly to take notice of such +trivialities, and you would be in continual hot water with worthy +people, perfectly ready otherwise to treat you as a friend. I will +speak to some I know, who will assist your object and forward you to the +admiral, should you determine to seek his patronage." + +"I would rather trust to so great and good a man than to any one else I +have heard of in France," said Nigel; "and am anxious, as soon as +possible, to make myself known to him." + +By this time the young people had got within a few paces of the +termination of the shady walk, when before them appeared a gay company +of ladies and gentlemen, most of the former being very young, while the +latter were, on the contrary, advanced in life, as their snowy locks and +white beards betokened, though they were richly dressed, and were doing +their utmost to assume a youthful and _debonnaire_ manner. Nigel on +seeing the gay company instinctively drew back into a recess by the side +of the walk, unwilling, if possible, to present himself before them. +His cousin being ready to humour him, placed herself on a garden seat, +and invited him to sit by her. Perhaps she was unwilling that the +interview with her near relative should be brought to an end sooner than +could be helped. They could from this spot observe what was going +forward without being seen. Merry laughter came from the party of gaily +dressed people who passed along the walks, several approaching near +enough to allow their features easily to be distinguished. + +"Who are those?" asked Nigel, as several young people came slowly by, +following a fair girl, whose beautiful countenance and graceful figure +distinguished her from the rest, though many of her companions were +scarcely less lovely. So thought the young Scotchman, as he stood +watching them with admiring eyes. + +"The first is our Lady Mary, about to wed the Dauphin of France," +answered his cousin. "You must, as a loyal Scot, be introduced to her. +Perchance if you are inclined to take service at court you may obtain a +post, though his Majesty King Henry does not generally bestow such +without an ample equivalent." + +"My taste does not lead me to covet such an honour," said Nigel. "I +should soon weary of having to dress in fine clothes and spend my time +in idleness, waiting in ante-chambers, or dangling after the lords and +ladies of the court. Pardon me, sweet cousin, for saying so. I came to +France to seek for more stirring employment than such a life could +afford. I will do my _devoir_ to our young queen, and must then proceed +on my journey to find the admiral. Had it not been for the packet of +letters with which I was entrusted, as also for the sake of seeing you, +I should not have come to Paris at all. But tell me, who are her +Majesty's attendants? There is one whose countenance, were I long to +gaze at it, would, I am sure, become indelibly fixed on my heart. What +a sweet face! How full of expression, and yet how modest and gentle!" + +"They are my two sister Maries, Mary Beaton and Mary Carmichael [see +Note]; but it is neither of them you speak of. I see now; the damsel +you describe is Constance de Tourville, whose father, by-the-by, is a +friend of Coligny's. The admiral, I am informed, is staying with the +count at this very time, and when I tell Constance who you are, she +will, I am sure, find an excuse for despatching an attendant with you to +her father. I can without difficulty make you known to her, as the +etiquette of the court is not very rigid, or I should not have been +allowed to wander about the gardens with a gallant young gentleman like +yourself, albeit you claim to be my cousin and an old playmate." + +"I see several gentlemen among the fair damsels, so I conclude that my +presence is not altogether an irregularity," said Nigel. + +"They are privileged persons, however," said Mary Seton. "That sickly +youth who has just joined the queen and is awkwardly endeavouring to +make himself agreeable is her affianced husband, the Dauphin. For my +part I would rather not be a queen than be compelled to wed so miserable +an object; but I am talking treason. Here comes one of the queen's +uncles, the Duke de Guise--that tall, dark, ill-favoured gentleman. He +is, notwithstanding, one of the most powerful men in France, and intends +to be more, powerful still when his niece and her young husband ascend +the throne. But come; the party are moving, on, and as Constance de +Tourville is lingering behind, we can quickly overtake her, and when I +have made you known to her, you can tell her of your wish to see the +admiral." + +Nigel felt very unwilling to quit his hiding-place, but his cousin, +taking him by the hand, playfully led him forward. They quickly +overtook the interesting girl of whom they had been speaking. Nigel, as +he was introduced, made a bow which would not have disgraced the most +polished gentleman at court. The young lady smiled as she cast a glance +at his handsome, honest countenance, with the glow of health on it, +increased somewhat by the blush which rose on finding himself in +circumstances so unusual to him. + +"My cousin Nigel Melvin has come with an introduction to the admiral, +who is, I understand, staying with your father, and he desires to set +out to the chateau, though I would fain persuade him to take service at +the court, instead of tempting the dangers of the sea, which he has the +extraordinary taste to desire." + +"Our house steward, Maitre Leroux, is at present in Paris, and will +return to-morrow; and should your cousin desire his escort, I will +direct him to await his orders," said the young lady in a sweet voice. +"Where are you lodging, fair sir?" + +"I arrived but this morning, and left my valise at L'Auberge de l'Ange," +answered Nigel. + +"I know not where that is; but Maitre Leroux will easily find it out, +and will call for you at any hour you may name." + +"A thousand thanks, lady, for your kindness," answered Nigel, "I gladly +accept your offer, and shall be ready to set out at early dawn if the +landlord will permit me to depart at that hour." + +"Maitre Leroux will be at the palace this evening to receive a letter I +am sending home, and I will direct him to call as you desire, though, as +he loves his ease, he perchance may not be ready to commence the journey +at quite so early an hour as you name." + +While Constance was speaking, one of the ladies in attendance on the +young queen turned back and beckoned to Mary Seton, who, hurrying +forward, left Nigel with her friend. + +"You will surely not take your cousin's advice, and seek for a post at +this frivolous court," said Constance hurriedly, again looking up at +Nigel's countenance. "Catholics alone are in favour, while the +Protestants are detested. To which party do you belong?" + +"I might say to neither, as I am not a Frenchman," answered Nigel, +surprised at the young lady's question. "At the same time I have +heartily abjured the errors of Rome." + +"I am glad to hear it; I thought so," said Constance. "I myself am a +Protestant. I am here on sufferance, or rather a hostage, and would +gladly return to my home if I had permission. Persevering efforts have +been made to pervert me, but I have had grace to remain firm to the true +faith, and now I am simply exposed to the shafts of ridicule, and the +wit and sneers of those who hold religious truth in contempt. You may +be astonished at my thus venturing to speak to you, a perfect stranger, +but I am sure that I may trust Mary Seton's cousin; and if you have the +opportunity, I will beg you to tell my father or the good admiral what I +say. I dare not write on the subject, nor can I venture to send a +verbal message by Maitre Leroux." + +"I faithfully promise to convey your sentiments to either one or the +other," answered Nigel, casting a glance of admiration at the young +girl, who could thus stand alone in her innocence amid the follies of +that vicious and frivolous court. "As to accepting a place at court, +even should it be offered me, I would refuse it, for my tastes lead me +to seek my fortune on the wild ocean or in foreign lands; and it is with +this object that I am about to visit the admiral, who will, I have been +led to hope, forward my views." + +"You cannot apply to a wiser or truer man in France," answered +Constance. She was about to say more, when they were rejoined by Mary +Seton, who came to conduct Nigel into the presence of the queen. + +"As a loyal Scot you are bound to pay your _devoir_ to her Majesty," she +said. "Though neither of us have much recollection of our native wilds, +we still regard our country with affection." + +Nigel felt that there was no escaping, and mustering courage, went +boldly forward till he reached the spot where the young queen was +standing with several lords and ladies in attendance. Though +unaccustomed to courts, he had too much native dignity to be overawed, +and bending on his knee he lifted the hand of the young queen to his +lips and reverently kissed it. Mary bestowed on him one of those +fascinating smiles which in after years bound many a victim to her feet, +and bidding him rise, questioned him about the affairs of Scotland, and +various particulars regarding her lady mother the Regent, from whom he +had been the bearer of a package. Nigel, gaining courage, replied +discreetly to the young queen's questions. The Dauphin, however, made +some remark which induced her to dismiss her countryman, when Nigel fell +back to where he had left Constance, who had been rejoined by his +cousin. + +"You comported yourself admirably, and I congratulate you," said the +latter. "You will, I am sure, after a little experience become a +perfect courtier." + +"I would not advise him to make the experiment," said Constance. + +"There is little fear of it," answered Nigel. "I hope ere long to find +myself on the wide ocean, where I may breathe the free air of heaven, +which I much prefer to the atmosphere of a court; but I must crave your +pardon, fair ladies, for showing a disinclination to live where I might +bask in the sunshine of your smiles." + +"That speech is truly worthy of a courtier," said Mary Seton, laughing. +"Come, come, cousin, change your mind. Constance, you will help me to +bring this gentleman to reason?" + +"I would not attempt to influence him, even if I could," answered the +young lady. "He has decided wisely. In your heart you know, Mary, that +he is right; you yourself despise the miserable butterflies who hover +round us with their sweet speeches, empty heads, and false hearts." + +Constance de Tourville was continuing in the same strain, when the young +queen, with her attendants and the other ladies and gentlemen of the +court, was seen moving towards the palace, and she and Mary Seton were +compelled to follow them. While Nigel was paying his parting adieus to +the young ladies, a sigh escaped his cousin as he pressed her hand to +his lips, for she knew the probability that they might not meet again. +Her heart was still faithful to Scotland, and she loved her kith and +kindred. + +"Remember," said Constance, as he paid her the same mark of respect. +"Be careful what you say to strangers: but you may trust Maitre Leroux; +he is honest." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Note. Three Scottish young ladies were sent over to France to attend on +Queen Mary. They were Mary Seton, Mary Beaton, and Mary Carmichael, and +were named the Queen's Maries. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +A WALK THROUGH PARIS. + +On reaching the gate of the palace, Nigel had met the captain of the +Scottish guard, Norman Leslie, a distant relative, by whose means he had +gained admission to the palace, and had been able to enjoy the interview +with his cousin, Mary Seton. + +"How fared it with you, Nigel, among the gay ladies of the court?" asked +the captain, one of those careless characters, who receive their pay and +fight accordingly, very little troubled as to the justice of the cause +they support. + +"I had a talk with my cousin, and had the honour of paying my _devoirs_ +to the queen," answered Nigel, cautiously. "Having now no longer any +business in Paris, I am about to set out on a visit to Admiral Coligny. +Can you direct me to my hostelry, at the sign of the Angel, and tell me +where I can find a steed to carry me on my journey? for, albeit it would +best suit my purse to trudge on foot, I would wish to present myself to +the admiral in a way suitable to the character of a Scottish gentleman." + +"As I am off guard I will accompany you, my good kinsman, and will +assist you in procuring a horse," was the answer. + +Nigel gladly accepted Leslie's offer, and the two Scotchmen set forth +together. Nigel, being totally ignorant of the city, had no notion in +what direction they were going. They were passing through the Rue Saint +Antoine, when they saw before them a large crowd thronging round a party +of troopers and a body of men-at-arms, who were escorting between them +several persons, their hands bound behind their backs, and mostly +without hats, the soldiers urging them on with the points of their +swords or pikes; Nigel also observed among them three or four women, who +were treated with the same barbarous indignity as the men. + +"Who are those unhappy people?" he asked. + +"Heretics on their way to prison, to be burnt, probably, in a few days +for the amusement of the king, who, ambitious of surpassing his sister +sovereign, Queen Mary of England, and to exhibit his love for religion, +manages to put to death ten times as many as she ventures to send to the +stake, unless they recant, when they will have the honour of being +strangled or hung instead," answered Leslie, in a nonchalant tone. "He +and his counsellors are determined to extirpate heresy; but as the +Protestants are numbered by hundreds of thousands, and as there are a +good many men of high rank and wealth among them, his Majesty has +undertaken a difficult task." + +"I pray that he may alter his mind, or fail in the attempt," exclaimed +Nigel, indignantly. + +"I may whisper amen; although, as the foolish people bring the +punishment on their own heads, I am not inclined to throw down the +gauntlet in their cause, and must e'en do my duty and carry out the +orders of the master whose bread I eat," said Leslie. + +Nigel did not reply, but he felt more than ever determined not to take +service on shore, however tempting the offers he might receive. Leslie +told him that of late years, throughout France, many hundreds, nay, +thousands of persons, after being broken on the wheel, or having had +their tongues cut out, or being tortured in some other way, had been +burnt at the stake for their religious opinions; but that, +notwithstanding, the Protestants increased in numbers, and that, for his +part, though himself a faithful son of the Church, he thought that a +wiser plan might have been adopted. + +"For my part, I believe that had not the Pope and the priests and monks +interfered, and worked up some of our fanatic nobles and the ignorant +populace to persecute their fellow-countrymen, they might have lived +together on friendly terms; and, for the life of me, I cannot see why +people should not be allowed to worship God according to the dictates of +their consciences," added the shrewd Scotchman, with a shrug of his +shoulders. + +Nigel, who had only heard rumours of such proceedings, felt his blood +boil with indignation, and instinctively touching the hilt of his sword, +he vowed that he was ready to do battle in the cause of justice and +humanity. His kinsman, who saw the act, smiled; and divining his +thoughts, said, "Let me advise you to avoid interference in quarrels not +your own, unless you receive a due recompense in pay, and then the less +you trouble yourself about the rights of the case the better. Come +along. The first thing we are to do is to look out for your steed. +Honest Jacques Cochut will supply you with one which will bear you from +one end of France to the other, and an attendant to bring the animal +back. It will be more economical than purchasing a horse, unless you +have a long journey to make." + +Nigel accompanied his friend to the stables of Jacques Cochut, to whom +Leslie was well known. A strong and active steed was soon engaged, with +the promise that it should be ready at the door of the hostelry at an +early hour next morning. + +Leslie, leaving Nigel at the Angel inn, returned to his duty at the +palace, while the latter, having ordered his supper, retired to his room +to think over the events of the day. + +It is needless to say that Constance de Tourville frequently recurred to +his thoughts. He had heard enough to make him understand the dangerous +position of the Protestants in France, even of the highest rank, and the +fearful persecutions to which all classes were exposed. From the +remarks Constance had made, it was evident that she herself was exposed +to much annoyance, if not danger, even within the precincts of the +palace, and he earnestly hoped that he might have an opportunity of +speaking to her father, and obtaining her release. + +He had sat for some time when he was aroused by a knock at the door, and +the servant of the inn announced that a person desired to speak with +him. + +"Let him come in," said Nigel; and a respectable-looking man, somewhat +advanced in life, as was shown by his silvery locks, stepped forward. + +"I am attached to the house of the Count de Tourville, whose daughter +despatched me to seek you out, and place myself at your service." + +"Come in, my friend," said Nigel, offering him a chair. "You are, I +presume, Maitre Leroux, and I am grateful to the young lady for her +kindness, of which I will gladly avail myself. Shall you be ready to +set out to-morrow morning?" + +"I had intended to do so, but business will keep me in Paris for another +day," answered Maitre Leroux; "and if you, fair sir, do not object to +remain, I will gladly set forth with you at any hour you may name on the +following morning. You may, in the mean time, find amusement in this +big city of Paris." + +Nigel, who was pleased with Maitre Leroux, though anxious to continue +his journey, willingly agreed to wait for the purpose of having his +escort. + +"But I have engaged my horse for to-morrow," he added. + +"I will easily settle that matter with Jacques Cochut; and if you will +accept of my company I will call for you, and show you some of the +sights of our city, as you will, alone, be unable to find your way about +the streets, and may chance to lose yourself, or get into some +difficulty." + +"Thank you," said Nigel. "I shall indeed be glad of your society, for, +except a kinsman in the guards, I know no one in the whole of Paris." + +These arrangements having been made, Maitre Leroux took his departure; +and Nigel was not sorry, soon after supper, to throw himself on his bed, +and seek the repose which even his well-knit limbs required. + +Nigel, who slept longer than was his wont, waited at the inn some time +for Maitre Leroux. He was afraid to go out, lest the steward might +arrive during his absence. At length his guide appeared. + +"I have been detained longer than I expected," said Maitre Leroux; "but +monsieur will pardon me. We have still time to see much of the city." + +They set out, and during their walk visited many places of interest, of +which the steward gave the history to the young Scotchman. + +"Your Paris buildings surpass those of our bonny Edinburgh in size and +number, I must confess," remarked Nigel; "but still we have our +Holyrood, and our castle, and the situation of our city is unrivalled, I +am led to believe, by that of any other in the world." + +"As I have not seen your city I am unable to dispute the point," +answered the steward. "Would you like to visit one of our courts of +justice? Though not open to the public, I may be able to gain +admittance, and I am deeply interested in the case, albeit it would be +wise not to show that, and having a stranger with me will be a +sufficient excuse." + +"Under those circumstances I will gladly accompany you," said Nigel. + +They soon reached the portals of a large building, through which, after +some hesitation on the part of the guards, the steward and his companion +were admitted. Nigel observed that Maitre Leroux slipped some money +into the hands of two or three people, this silver key evidently having +its usual power of opening doors otherwise closed. Going through a side +door they reached a large hall, crowded with persons. Among those +seated were numerous ecclesiastics, a judge in his robes, and lawyers +and their clerks; while a strong body of men-at-arms were guarding a +party of some fifty or sixty persons, who, from their position and +attitudes, were evidently prisoners. They were men of different ranks; +several, from their costume, being gentlemen, and others citizens and +artisans. There were a few women among them also. All looked deadly +pale, but their countenances exhibited firmness and determination. + +"Of what crime have these people been guilty?" asked Nigel. + +"Of a fearful one in the eyes of their judges," answered Maitre Leroux. +"They have been worshipping God according to the dictates of their +consciences, and were found assembled together in a house at Meaux, +listening to the gospel of the mild and loving Saviour. They have +already been put to the torture to compel them to recant and betray +their associates, but it has not produced the desired effect. In vain +their advocate has pleaded their cause. Listen! the judge is about to +pronounce their sentence." + +Dreadful indeed that was. With blasphemous expressions, which cannot be +repeated, the condemned were sentenced to be carried back to Meaux; +fourteen, after being again put to the torture, were to be burnt alive +in the market-place; most of the others were to be hung up by their +shoulders during the execution of their brethren, and then to be flogged +and imprisoned for life in a monastery, while the remainder were to +receive somewhat less severe, though still grievous punishment. + +The hardy young Scot almost turned sick with horror and indignation as +he heard the sentence; and putting his hand to his sword, he was about +to cry out and demand, in the name of justice, that instead of being +punished, the prisoners should be released, when his companion grasped +him by the arm, whispering, "Be calm, my friend; such events are so +common in France, that we have grown accustomed to them. Hundreds have +already died as these men are about to die; and we, their countrymen, +have been compelled to look on without daring to raise our voices in +their cause, or, as you are inclined to do, to draw a sword for their +defence." + +Maitre Leroux, after exchanging a few sentences in an undertone with +three or four people they met, whose sad countenances showed the +interest they took in the condemned, led his young friend from the +so-called hall of justice. On their way they looked into the +magnificent church of Notre Dame. Priests in gorgeous dresses were +chanting mass; music was pealing through the building, and incense was +ascending to the roof. + +"Impious mockery," muttered Nigel. "Well may Calvin and John Knox +desire the overthrow of such a system, and desire to supplant it by the +true faith of the Gospel." + +"Hush! hush! my young friend," whispered Maitre Leroux, hurrying him out +of the church, regretting that he had entered it. "Though many may +think as you do, it's dangerous to utter such opinions in this place." + +"Can nothing be done to save these poor men?" asked Nigel. "Surely the +king cannot desire the destruction of his subjects?" + +"The king, like Gallio, cares for none of these things. He is taught to +believe that the priests are the best supporters of his crown: and, at +all events, he knows that they allow him full licence in the indulgence +of his pleasures, which the Protestants, he supposes, would be less +inclined to do." + +"I would that I were out of this city of Paris, and away from France +itself," said Nigel. + +"Many think and feel as you do, and are acting upon it," answered the +steward. "Already many thousand men of science and clever artisans have +left, to carry their knowledge and industry to other lands; and others, +in all directions, are preparing to follow. You will hear more about +the matter when you visit the admiral, and my good master, who does not +look unmoved on such proceedings. More on the subject it would not +become me to say. Not long ago an edict was issued, by which all the +old laws on heresy were revived, it being the resolution of the king to +purge and clear the country of all those who are deemed heretics. +Magistrates are ordered to search unceasingly for them, and to make +domiciliary visits in quest of forbidden books, while the informer is to +obtain one-third of the heretic's confiscated property. Should a person +be acquitted of heresy in any ordinary court of justice, he may be again +tried before an ecclesiastical tribunal, thus depriving him of all +chances of escape. Even interference on behalf of a heretic is made +penal, and should a person be suspected, he must exhibit a certificate +of orthodoxy, or run the risk of being condemned. You see, therefore, +young sir, that I am right in recommending caution as to what you say; +not that these edicts have the effect expected, for Calvinism increases +rapidly, and the stream of emigration continues from all parts of the +kingdom." + +They walked on in silence, Nigel meditating on what he had heard. + +"Some fresh air will do you good after the scenes we have witnessed," +observed Maitre Leroux. "We will take a turn in the Pre-aux-Clercs. It +is but a short distance past the Invalides." + +It was evening, and a number of people were thronging that pleasant +meadow on the banks of the Seine, the Hyde Park of that period. A party +of young men coming by struck up one of the hymns of Marot, a +translation of one of the psalms of David, written some years before by +the Protestant poet. Others joined in, and evidently sang them +heartily; several other parties, as they passed along, were indulging in +the same melodies. + +"How is it, after what you have told me, that the people venture to sing +these hymns?" asked Nigel. "I know them well, for they have already +been introduced into our Protestant congregations in Scotland." + +"They became the favourites of the king and court before they had the +significance they now possess," answered the steward; "and it is only +thus that many who hate the papal system can give expression to their +sentiments. Before long, however, I fear that they will be prohibited, +or those who sing them will be marked as suspected. Alas, alas! our +lovely France will be deprived of all freedom of thought, opinion, and +action." + +The worthy Maitre Leroux seemed greatly out of spirits as they took +their way back to the inn. They parted at the door, for Nigel felt no +inclination to go forth again, and the steward had business, he said, to +attend to. He promised to call for Nigel at an early hour the next +morning to set out for Meaux, undertaking to direct Jacques Cochut to +have his horses in readiness. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +THE VISIT TO THE ADMIRAL. + +Maitre Leroux did not call at as early an hour as Nigel expected. His +own horse and attendant had been at the door for some time before the +steward made his appearance. He had an ample apology to offer, having +been employed in an important matter till late at night. + +"Come," he said, "we will make up for it. The lateness of the hour +matters not, for, with your permission, we will halt on the road, so as +to arrive early at the chateau to-morrow." + +They set out, followed by their two attendants. After leaving the gates +of Paris they continued some distance along the banks of the Marne. The +road was rough in places, and often deep in dust; full of holes and ruts +in others, which made it necessary for the riders to hold a tight rein +on their steeds, and prevented them generally from going out of a walk. + +Maitre Leroux carried a brace of huge pistols in his holsters, while +Nigel had a sword and a light arquebus, both their attendants being also +armed; so that they were well able to defend themselves against any +small party of marauders such as infested the roads in the neighbourhood +of the capital. + +"We must make but a short stage to-day," said Maitre Leroux. "In truth, +I am unwilling to travel late in the evening, and prefer stopping at the +house of a friend to taking up our quarters at an inn where we might +meet with undesirable companions." + +"But I shall be intruding on your friend," said Nigel. + +"Pardon me; you will, on the contrary, be heartily welcomed. I am very +sure of your principles, and they agree with those of our host and his +family, so you need not be under the restraint which would be necessary +were we to sleep at a public inn." + +These arguments at once overcame any scruples Nigel might have felt at +going to a stranger's house uninvited. + +It yet wanted a couple of hours to sunset when they reached a good-sized +mansion, though not possessing the pretensions of a nobleman's chateau. +The owner, a man advanced in life, of gentlemanly refined manner, +received Maitre Leroux in a friendly way, and on hearing from him who +Nigel was, welcomed him cordially. Nigel was conducted into a saloon, +where he was introduced to his host's wife and daughters and several +other members of the family. Supper was quickly prepared, and Nigel +found himself at once at home. + +As soon as the meal was over several other persons came in, some +apparently of the same rank as the host, and others of an inferior +order, but all staid and serious in their demeanour. The doors and +windows were then carefully closed, and Nigel observed that two of the +party went out armed with swords and pistols, apparently to watch the +approach to the house. + +A large Bible was now produced, and several of the party drew forth +smaller editions from beneath their garments. The host then offered up +a prayer, and opening the Bible, read a portion, commenting as he +proceeded. A hymn was then sung and more of the Scriptures read, after +which the host delivered an address full of gospel truth, while he +exhorted his hearers to hold fast to the faith, but at the same time +remarked that they would be justified in flying from persecution if no +other means could be found of avoiding it at home. He reminded all +present, however, that their duty was to pray for their persecutors, and +however cruelly treated, not to return evil for evil. Nigel was +reminded of various meetings of the same character he had attended in +Scotland, where, however, every man could speak out boldly, without the +fear of interruption which seemed to pervade the minds of those present. +He now knew that his host was one of the many Protestants existing in +the country who ventured thus in secret to worship God according to +their consciences, even though running the risk of being condemned to +death as heretics. + +After the guests had retired, the family spent some time in singing +Marot's hymns. + +"Ah!" said the host, "it is only in praising God and reading His blessed +words that we can take any pleasure. It is our consolation and delight, +and enables us without complaining to endure the sad condition to which +bigotry and tyranny have reduced our unhappy country. The only prospect +now before us is exile, or imprisonment and death." + +Nigel answered without hesitation that he felt much satisfaction in +again having the opportunity of worshipping, as he had been accustomed +to do at home, according to his conscience, and hearing the Bible read +and faithfully explained. + +His host wishing him and his companion a friendly farewell, and +expressing a hope that he should see him again, they took their +departure at an early hour the next morning. + +They had proceeded some distance when they entered a forest, through the +centre of which the high road passed. They had been pushing on rather +faster than usual, Maitre Leroux being anxious to get through it as soon +as possible, when they saw before them a body of soldiers. As they got +nearer they found that they were escorting a number of prisoners seated +in rough country carts, into which they were fastened with heavy chains. + +"Who are these unhappy people?" inquired Nigel. + +"The same we saw condemned in Paris," answered Maitre Leroux with a +sigh. "If we do not wish to share their fate we must exhibit no +sympathy for them, as the wretches who have them in charge would rejoice +to add to their number. As it will be impossible to pass them at +present, we will drop slowly behind." + +"Would that I had a band of Protestant Scots with me, we would soon set +them at liberty!" exclaimed Nigel. + +"Hush, hush! my friend," whispered the steward; "it becomes us not to +fight with carnal weapons; such is Dr Calvin's advice." + +Just at that moment a voice exclaimed, "Brethren, remember Him who is in +heaven above!" + +Some of the rear-guard immediately turned round, and with drawn swords +dashed furiously towards Nigel and Maitre Leroux, believing, evidently, +that one of them had uttered the exclamation they had heard. They both +drew up, for flight would have been useless, when, just as the troopers +had got some fifty yards from them, a man advanced from among the trees +and repeated the words in a loud tone. He was instantly seized by the +soldiers, and being dragged back along them, was thrown into one of the +carts among the other prisoners. His appearance probably saved the +lives of Nigel and his companion, for the doughty Scot had drawn his +sword, and would have fought desperately before he would have yielded +himself a prisoner. + +"Pull in your rein, I entreat you," said the steward; "we must not turn +round, and the sooner we let these people get to a distance from us, the +better." + +Nigel, seeing that it would be hopeless to attempt assisting the +unfortunate man, did as his companion advised, and they accordingly +waited till the troopers were out of sight, taking good care not again +to overtake them. Their progress was thus considerably delayed, and not +till they came to a road passing outside the town of Meaux did they +again venture to push forward. + +They managed before sunset to reach the Chateau de Tourville, a high +conical-roofed pile, with numerous towers and a handsome gateway. +Maitre Leroux, conducting Nigel to a waiting-room near the entrance, +went at once to the count, taking his letter of introduction. Nigel had +not been left long alone when the steward returned with the request that +he would accompany him to the hall, where, he told him, he would find +the count and admiral with several other persons. Nigel, not being +troubled by bashfulness, quickly followed his guide. + +The count, who was of middle age and handsome, courteously rose from his +seat at the top of the table to welcome him. At the right hand of the +count Nigel observed a person of middle height, ruddy complexion, and +well-proportioned figure, with a calm and pleasant, if not decidedly +handsome countenance. On the other side sat a tall man, whose sunburnt +features, though regular, wore an expression which at the first glance +gave Nigel the feeling that he was not a person in whom he would place +implicit confidence, though directly afterwards, as he again looked at +him, his manner seemed so frank and easy, that the impression vanished. +Several other persons of different ages, and apparently of somewhat +inferior rank, sat on either side of the table. + +"Which of those two can be the admiral?" thought Nigel; "the last looks +most like a naval commander." + +"The Lady Mary Seton, your cousin, and my daughter, have written in your +favour, young sir, and I am glad to see you at the chateau; you have, I +understand, also a letter of introduction to Admiral Coligny, to whom +allow me to make you known." Saying this, the count presented Nigel to +the gentleman on his right side, who requested the person next him to +move further down, bidding Nigel to take the vacant seat. + +Nigel observed that the meal was over, but the count ordered the servant +to bring in some viands for the newly arrived guest. + +"As I take no wine you will allow me to read the letter brought by this +young gentleman," said the admiral, turning to the count; "I never defer +looking at an epistle if it can possibly be helped." + +The count bowed his acquiescence, and the admiral quickly glanced over +the letter which Nigel had presented to him. + +"I shall be glad to forward your object," he said, turning round with a +calm smile, and playing with a straw, which he was wont to carry in his +mouth. + +"Fortunately, I have an opportunity of doing so. I am about to fit out +an expedition to form a settlement in the southern part of America, and +if your qualifications are such as I am led to believe, I will appoint +you as an officer on board one of the ships. You will have but little +time to remain idle in France, as we wish the ships to sail as soon as +the emigrants who are going on board them can be collected. They will +undoubtedly be anxious without delay to leave our unhappy country, where +they are constantly subjected to the cruel persecutions of their +opponents in religious opinions. Would the service I propose suit your +taste?" + +"Though I might wish to engage in some more warlike expedition, yet I am +willing and glad to go wherever you, sir, may think fit to send me," +answered Nigel. + +"Well spoken, young man," said the admiral. "War is a necessity which +cannot be avoided, but there are other employments in which a person may +nobly engage with far greater advantage to himself and his +fellow-creatures. Such is the work in which I desire to employ you--the +noble undertaking of founding a new colony, and planting the banner of +pure religion and civilisation in the far-off wilds of the Western +world." + +The admiral spoke on for some time in the same strain, till Nigel felt +inspired with the same noble enthusiasm which animated the bosom of the +brave and enlightened nobleman who was speaking to him. + +Many questions were put to him concerning his nautical knowledge and +religious belief, to which he answered in a satisfactory manner. + +"I believe you are well suited for the undertaking, and I will forthwith +make you known to the commander of the expedition, my friend Captain +Villegagnon," said the admiral. + +The dark man Nigel had remarked, hearing his name mentioned, looked +toward him. Nigel bowed. The admiral, after explaining Nigel's +qualifications, went on to inquire what posts were vacant in the +squadron? + +"That of the second officer on board my own ship, the _Madeline_; and I +shall be pleased to have a seaman of experience to fill it, although he +is not a native of France," answered the captain. + +"You may consider your appointment as settled, my young friend," said +the admiral. "I will desire my secretary to make it out, and as you +assure me that you are a true Protestant, I willingly appoint you, such +being the religious opinions of all those who are about to form the +colony of Antarctic France, which I trust will be well-established under +the wise government of Monsieur Villegagnon. Many other ships will sail +forth with emigrants seeking an asylum from the persecutions they are +subjected to in France on account of their religious opinions." + +Nigel warmly thanked the admiral for the prompt way in which he had met +his request. + +"Say nothing about that, my young friend; we are too glad to find +Protestant officers ready to engage in the expedition," was the answer. + +The conversation now became general, and the plans for the future colony +were freely discussed, the count, who appeared as much interested as the +admiral, taking a leading part--indeed, Nigel gathered from what he +heard, that he himself intended to go out among the first colonists. + +The idea of establishing the colony had been started, so Nigel +understood, by Monsieur Villegagnon, who had chosen the Bay of +Nitherohy, since known as that of Rio de Janeiro, as the site of the +first town to be built. It was a place which he had visited some years +before on a trading voyage, when he and his companions had been well +received by the natives, though they were at enmity with the Portuguese, +already established in the country, who claimed it as their own. This +latter circumstance Monsieur Villegagnon remarked was of little +consequence, as they were few in numbers, and, with the assistance of +the natives, could easily be driven out. + +The repast being over, the admiral rose from the table, the other guests +following his example. Calling to Captain Villegagnon, he took him and +Nigel into the deep recess of a window to have some further conversation +on the subject of the proposed colony. + +"Monsieur de Villegagnon sets out to-morrow to take command of the +squadron, and you will do well to accompany him, young sir," he said, +turning to Nigel. "You will thus be able to superintend the fitting out +of your ship, and see that the stores come on board, and that proper +accommodation is prepared for the emigrants; many are of rank and +position in society, and there are merchants, soldiers, and artificers, +and you will have to consider how best to find room for them. I am glad +to say that the king himself takes great interest in the success of the +colony, and under the able management of so skilled a leader as he who +has been appointed to the command, we may hope that the flag of France +will wave proudly ere long over many portions of the continent." + +"It will not be my fault if the noble enterprise fails to succeed," said +the captain, drawing himself up proudly, and then bowing to the admiral +in acknowledgment of the compliment. "My chief satisfaction is, +however, that a home will be found for so many of the persecuted +Protestants who are compelled for conscience sake to leave their native +land." + +"You are right, my friend; that is a noble sentiment," observed the +admiral; "and I would urge our friends who are dissatisfied with the +state of affairs at home to place themselves under your command." + +"From the expressions our host has uttered, I may hope that he also will +render valuable aid to our undertaking," observed the captain. + +"No one, be assured, more warmly enters into our views," answered the +admiral, "and he will both with his purse and influence assist us, if he +does not do so in a more effectual way." + +They were soon after joined by the count, who requested the captain to +reserve two cabins for some persons who intended going on board just +before the squadron put to sea. + +From the conversation which ensued, Nigel found that most of the persons +present purposed joining the expedition. They were all, he found from +the remarks they made, Protestants, and haters of the system of +persecution which had so long been the curse of France. Most of them +had already disposed of their possessions, and were only waiting till +the squadron was completely equipped to go on board. Among them was a +Protestant minister, and, notwithstanding the edicts against meeting for +public or private worship, the doors of the chateau being closed, before +retiring to rest all the inmates were collected, the Bible was read and +prayers offered up, those for the success of the undertaking and the +preservation of the persons about to embark not being forgotten. + +Maitre Leroux accompanied Nigel to his chamber. He expressed his +pleasure on hearing that he had obtained the object of his wishes. + +"Would that I could accompany you," he said, with a sigh; "but my duty +compels me to remain, and watch over my master's property, should he be +called away. Ah, he is a kind, good master, and his daughter is an +angel. I would lay down my life for her sake, should she be deprived of +her father--and we never know what may happen in these times. Alack! I +fear that she is in society little congenial to her taste and opinion, +for she is a true Protestant, as was her sainted mother, now in heaven." + +Nigel felt deeply interested in listening to the garrulous steward's +account of his young mistress, and encouraged him to go on. She had +been compelled, against her father's and her own wish, to reside at +court, for the evident purpose of perverting her faith; "but she is too +sound, and too wise to allow them to succeed," he added, "though I would +the dear young lady were back with us again." + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +WHAT NIGEL OVERHEARD. + +All arrangements having been made, the next morning, shortly after the +sun had risen, Captain Villegagnon, with a considerable party, were +ready to set out for Havre de Grace, the port at which the squadron was +fitting out. + +They purposed to avoid Paris, but had to pass through Meaux on their way +to join the high road leading to Havre. + +The good admiral and Monsieur de Tourville came out to wish them +farewell as they mounted their horses, and Maitre Leroux was waiting at +a little distance, where he might have a few last words with Nigel. + +"Farewell, my young friend," he said, putting a small Testament into his +hand; "you will find this an inestimable treasure. I dare not keep it +long, as it is considered treason for a Frenchman to possess God's Word, +though I have hidden away another copy to which I may go when unobserved +to refresh my soul; and, mark you, should my master and young mistress +ever have occasion to seek for your assistance, you will, I am sure, +afford it." + +"I promise you that I will most gladly," answered Nigel, wondering what +the old steward could mean. Wishing his worthy friend good-bye, he +pushed on to overtake his travelling companions. + +On entering Meaux, they found the town in a strange commotion, the +people all rushing with eager looks to the market-place, in which, as +they reached it, they found a large crowd assembled. They caught sight +of a number of high gibbets erected at intervals round it, while in the +centre was a circle of stakes surrounded by faggots. The travellers +would have passed on, but the dense crowd prevented them from moving, +and their leader himself showed no inclination to press forward. + +Presently shouts arose, and, the crowd opening, a horse was seen +dragging a hurdle, on which a human being lay bound, the blood flowing +from his mouth. A party of soldiers next appeared with a number of +persons, their hands bound behind them, in their midst; while priests, +carrying lighted tapers, were seen among them, apparently trying to gain +their attention. Some of the prisoners were singing a hymn of Marot's, +and all carried their heads erect, advancing fearlessly to the place of +execution. On arriving, they were seized by savage-looking men, while +some were speedily hoisted up to the gibbets by their shoulders, where +they hung, enduring, it was evident, the greatest agony. Fourteen of +the party were then bound to as many stakes, the unhappy man on the +hurdle being the first secured. Among them Nigel recognised the person +who had been seized in the forest on the previous day for shouting, +"Brethren, remember Him who is in heaven above." Though the cords were +drawn so tight as to cut into their wrists and ankles, no one uttered a +cry for mercy, but, lifting their eyes to heaven, continued singing, or +exhorting their companions to be firm. + +The faggots being now piled round them, the priests retired, uttering +curses on their heads; while bands of music struck up to drown the +voices of the sufferers. At the sight of two men approaching with +torches, the people raised loud shouts of savage joy, and one of the +piles of faggots surrounding the stake, that to which the chief person, +whose tongue had been cut out, was bound, was speedily kindled. + +"All! all! Let them all be burned together," shouted the mob, dancing +frantically. + +The other piles were quickly lighted, the smoke ascending from the +fourteen fires forming a dark canopy overhead. + +The victims, as long as they could be distinguished, were seen with +their eyes turned to heaven, singing and praising God with their last +breath. + +The savage fury of the ignorant populace was not yet satiated. Those +who had been hung up by the shoulders were now taken down, and so +dreadfully flogged, that some of them petitioned that they might be +thrown into the flames amid the ashes of their martyred friends; but +this was a mercy their cruel executioners had no intention of affording +them. Bleeding, they were dragged off to be imprisoned in a monastery, +where they were to be shut up for life. + +At length Villegagnon, who had looked on with perfect indifference, +called to his companions to follow, and, the crowd beginning to +disperse, they were able with less difficulty to advance. + +The lowest of the rabble only had exulted in the dreadful scene; the +greater number of the people exhibited very different feelings. Nigel +observed many in tears, or with downcast looks, returning to their +homes; others exchanging glances of indignation; and he heard several +exclaiming, "They died in a righteous cause. May we have grace to +suffer as they have done." + +"Truly, as I have heard it said in Scotland, `The blood of the martyrs +is the seed of the Church,'" observed Nigel to another of his +companions, whose tears and groans showed the grief he suffered at the +spectacle he had just witnessed. + +Villegagnon kept his party together, for more than once some of the more +ferocious persons of the mob cast suspicious looks at them, and +mutterings arose, "Who are these? They have the air of Lutherans, or +they would look more joyous at the destruction of heretics." + +"I hold the king's commission, and these are under my orders," cried +Villegagnon. "Make way, good people, make way, and allow us to proceed +on our journey." + +Still the mob pressed round, and where showing a determination to stop +the travellers, when a monk stepped forward, and exclaimed, "I know that +gentleman, and he is a true son of the Church. Interfere not, at your +peril, with him and his companions." + +Nigel fancied that he observed glances of intelligence exchanged between +the captain and the monk, who had so opportunely come to their rescue. +The mob, at length pacified, drew back, and the party were allowed to +leave the town without being again molested. + +They pushed on as fast as their horses could go. + +"We have had a happy escape," observed Nigel's companion, "for although +a large portion of the population of Meaux are Protestant, yet the +rabble, supported by the troops and some of the government authorities, +have the upper hand, and it would have fared ill with us had we been +stopped and our object discovered." + +Night had already set in when they reached a hostelry where they were to +remain till the morning. As most of the travellers were fatigued, they +retired to rest as soon as supper was over, with their saddles as +pillows, and their cloaks wrapped round them, lying down in the chief +saloon, wherever space could be found. Nigel, with two or three others, +sat up some time longer, when, having got his saddle and cloak, +intending to seek repose, he found every place occupied. While hunting +about, he entered a small room in which were a couple of truckle +bedsteads. Neither was occupied. + +"I am in luck," he said to himself, and placing his saddle and other +property by his side, having taken off his riding boots and some of his +clothes, he threw himself upon one of the beds which stood in a corner. + +Drawing the coverlid over him, he was soon, sailor-like, fast asleep. +After some time, he was awakened by hearing the door open, and, looking +up, he saw two persons enter the room. One was Villegagnon, who carried +a lamp in his hand; the other was, he saw by the person's costume, an +ecclesiastic. They advanced across the room towards the window, where +stood a table and a couple of chairs. Villegagnon threw himself into +one of them, with his back towards him, the other imitating his example. +The latter produced writing materials, and several papers, which +Villegagnon held to the lamp to read. + +"You have made a happy commencement of your work, my friend," said the +priest. "If you carry it out thoroughly, the Church, the Duke of Guise, +and the Cardinal of Lorraine will be deeply indebted to you. Twenty +Calvinist nobles, and some four score of the commonalty, have, I see, +determined to accompany you, and they will entice many more. We shall +be glad to be rid of them at present out of France, and we will then +send out a larger number of faithful Catholics, so that you will reap +the honour of founding a French colony in the New World, the Church will +triumph, and the Calvinists be extirpated." + +"But the proceeding smacks somewhat of treachery, and it can matter but +little to you at home whether the colony is established by Calvinists or +Catholics, so that it is firmly grounded and adds to the honour and +glory of France," observed Villegagnon. + +"Nay, nay, my friend," said the priest, putting his hand on the +captain's arm; "remember that the means sanctifies the end. We can +allow no Calvinists to exist, either here or abroad. They would be +continually coming back with their pestiferous doctrines, or, finding +themselves in the majority, would speedily put an end to our holy +Church. They must be extirpated, root and branch." + +"I have no wish to support the Protestants, as thou knowest right well, +reverend father," answered the captain; "but they are countrymen, and +fight well, and labour well, and count among their number the cleverest +mechanics in France. I know not how it is, but it seems to me that +everywhere the most intelligent men have become Calvinists." + +"Their father Satan gives them wisdom. Take care, captain, that you are +not carried away by their doctrines. The true faith will triumph, +depend on that," said the priest, frowning as he spoke. + +"Your arguments are conclusive. It will not be my fault if the plan +miscarries," answered Villegagnon. "I will keep on the mask till I feel +myself strong enough to throw it off." + +"You will do well. Do not be in a hurry. We must get as many of these +pestiferous sectarians into the net as possible." + +Further conversation of the same character was held between the two +worthies for some time. Nigel had found himself most unintentionally +acting the part of an eavesdropper. He had at first felt inclined to +start up and make the captain and priest aware of his presence; but as +the conversation went on he felt that he was justified in thus learning +the character of the leader of the expedition, whose evil intentions he +hoped he might be the means of counteracting. He determined, therefore, +to appear to be fast asleep should they, on quitting the room, discover +him. + +As he saw them rise, he closed his eyes. He heard their footsteps as +they approached the door. Just then the light which Villegagnon carried +fell upon him. + +"I had no idea that anyone was in the room," whispered the captain, +holding the lamp towards Nigel. + +"Who is he?" asked the priest, in a low voice. + +"A young pig of a Scotchman, whom the admiral insisted on my taking on +board as an officer." + +"Should he have overheard what was said, he might interfere with our +proceedings," observed the priest. "Your dagger would most speedily +settle the question, and prevent mischief." + +"I am not fond of killing sleeping men, holy father," answered the +captain, in a somewhat indignant tone. "Even had the youth been awake, +he is so little acquainted with French that he could not have understood +what we were saying; but, you see, he is fast asleep. I, however, will +keep an eye upon him, and shall soon learn whether he knows anything. +If he does, we have frequently dark and stormy nights at sea, when men +get knocked overboard. Such may be his fate; you understand me." + +"A good idea. I will trust to your discretion," said the priest, and, +greatly to Nigel's relief, they left the room. + +He remained awake, considering how he should act. At length he heard +some one enter the room; it was the captain, who, just taking a glance +at him, threw himself on the bed, and was soon fast asleep. + +At early dawn Nigel awoke, and, putting on his garments, went down into +the yard to get some water to wash his hands and face. The rest of the +party were soon on foot. + +The captain met him in the morning with a smiling countenance, and, as +he did not even allude to his having shared his room, Nigel thought it +better to say nothing about the matter. He looked about for the priest, +but he was nowhere to be found, nor did Nigel hear any one allude to +him. It was evident that he had come and gone secretly. + +The rest of the journey to Havre was performed without any other +incident worthy of note. Three stout ships were found in the harbour, +already in a forward state of equipment. Nigel went on board the +_Madeline_, with several of his travelling companions, and at once took +possession of the cabin intended for his use. The officers and the +crew, as far as he could learn, were all Protestants, as were +undoubtedly the passengers who had already come on board. + +He found plenty of occupation in receiving and stowing the provisions +and stores, and in setting up the rigging and bending sails. He was +thus kept actively employed for several days, till the _Madeline_, the +most advanced ship, was fully ready for sea. All the passengers, he +observed, came off at night, to avoid the observation of their +countrymen. Although the ships were already crowded with almost as many +people as they could carry, there were still two vacant cabins on board +the _Madeline_. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +UNDER WEIGH--ARRIVAL. + +Morn had just broken; a southerly wind blew gently down the harbour, and +Captain Villegagnon gave the order to lift the heavy anchors from their +oozy beds. "A boat is coming from the shore and pulling rapidly towards +us," said Nigel to the captain. "The people on board her are making +signals. Shall we stop weighing the anchor?" + +"Yes, without doubt," answered the commander, looking towards the boat. +"I thought that they had abandoned their design. We are still to have +the advantage of the count's assistance and company." + +Nigel looked eagerly towards the approaching boat. Besides the rowers, +there were several passengers, two of whom he saw were females, and at +length, as they approached, he recognised the Count de Tourville. His +heart began to beat more violently than it was wont to do. He felt +almost sure that the lady by the count's side was his daughter +Constance. All doubt in a few minutes was set at rest, when the count, +leading his daughter, came up the broad ladder which had been lowered to +allow them to ascend. Constance gave him a smile of recognition as he +bowed low, as did the other officers standing round, to welcome her and +her father on board. + +The squadron was now quickly under weigh, and gliding rapidly down the +river. The weather looked fine, and all hoped for a prosperous voyage. +Many who had narrowly escaped with their lives from the Romanists began +to breathe more freely as the ships, under all sail, stood down the +channel. Yet there were sad hearts on board, for they were leaving +their beloved France a prey to civil strife, and their fellow +religionists to the horrors of persecution, so that for the time they +forgot their high hopes of founding another France in the New World. + +As Nigel paced the deck in the performance of his duty, he was often +able to stop and speak to the count and his daughter, and to render her +those attentions which a lady so frequently requires on board ship. +Often they stood together watching the distant shore or passing vessels, +or the porpoises as they gambolled in the waves. Insensibly they became +more and more drawn together. Constance told him of the difficulty she +had experienced in escaping from the court. Had not her father himself, +at a great risk, gone to Paris, she would have been unable to accomplish +her object. Fortunately for her, a relative residing in the capital +having fallen ill, had sent an earnest request to see her. She had been +allowed to go, and had the same night left Paris with her father in +disguise, travelling night and day in time to reach Havre just as the +ship was on the point of sailing. + +"We may hope now, however, to get far away from the follies of courts +and the trickeries of politics to found a new home where, with none but +true Protestants around us, we may enjoy the exercise of our religion +undisturbed," she said, looking up at her companion with a smile. + +"I trust that it may be so," said Nigel. + +"What! have you any doubts on the subject?" she asked. + +"I would not willingly throw a dark shade across the prospect you +contemplate," he answered, "but we should be prepared for +disappointment, and I believe few on board have thought sufficiently of +the difficulties and dangers we shall have to encounter." + +Nigel had expressed his thoughts more plainly than he had intended, and +he regretted immediately afterwards having said so much. The +conversation he had overheard at the inn frequently recurred to him, and +considerably damped his ardour. To whom could he venture to communicate +the knowledge he had obtained of the commander's character? + +Who would, indeed, believe the young foreigner thus bringing so serious +an accusation against the officer selected by Coligny himself, and of +considerable renown as a naval chief? If he were not accused of +malicious motives, the meeting would be looked upon as having only taken +place in his dreams, for he should have to confess that he remained +perfectly still during the time, with his eyes closed, as the captain +and priest entered and quitted the room. He resolved, therefore, simply +to keep a watch on Villegagnon, and to endeavour, if possible, to +counteract his schemes. + +Sometimes he thought of speaking to Count de Tourville, for he had, at +all events, full confidence in his honour and discretion; but even he, +knowing how much the admiral esteemed Villegagnon, might disbelieve him. +He was compelled, therefore, to keep the knowledge he had obtained shut +up in his own bosom. His chief satisfaction arose from the thought that +Constance de Tourville was on board, and that it would be his joy and +pride to defend her from all danger. + +The weather, which had hitherto been fine, gave signs of changing. The +wind shifted more to the west, and dark clouds came rolling up. The +vessels, instead of gliding smoothly on, were now tossed about. The +storm increased. The sails were reduced to the smallest proportions, +but yet the stout ships could with difficulty battle with the waves. + +Under other circumstances, the emigrants would have loudly petitioned to +put back; but as it was, they were afraid, should they again set foot in +France, of being seized by their persecutors; nevertheless, as the storm +increased, the terror of the emigrants, unaccustomed to the sea, became +greater and greater. Loud cries of alarm arose; some mourned their +folly in having left their native shores to perish in the ocean. Nigel +and the other officers did their utmost to calm their fears, and assured +them that should the ships be in real danger they would return to the +port. + +Constance was among the few ladies who exhibited no undue alarm, and +expressed their confidence in the skill of the officers. But even they +at length acknowledged that they should be thankful could they find +themselves again safe in port. The Count de Tourville especially was +unwilling to return; but for his daughter's sake, however, he at length +consented to ask the captain to do what he considered best for the +safety of the ships. + +"They will probably, if we continue at sea, become so battered, that we +shall hardly reach our destination," was the answer. + +The signal thereon was hoisted from the commander's ship, and the +squadron stood back for France. On making the land, they found that +they were to the eastward of the port from which they started, and at +length they entered that of Dieppe. Here several of the artificers, and +even some of the men of higher rank, resolved to abandon the expedition, +rather than again risk the dangers of the sea. Their places, however, +were supplied by others collected by the captain, who had gone on shore +for the purpose. So many of these men were received on board each of +the ships, that they became overcrowded; but the captain silenced all +complaints by asserting that, if they would consent to suffer a little +present inconvenience, they would have a greater number to defend +themselves against any enemies they might meet with. + +Once more the squadron sailed, and succeeded in getting clear of the +Channel. They had not, however, been long at sea before Nigel began to +suspect the character of the new-comers, of which his own ship carried +the greater number. They herded together, and showed little respect to +the services which the chaplain was wont to hold on board for the +spiritual benefit of the colonists. They were even seen to mock while +he preached, till complaints, being made to the captain, he ordered them +to behave themselves. + +Day after day the ships sailed on, keeping close together, the wind +being fair and moderate. Sometimes it fell a calm, when the officers +and gentlemen Calvinists of the different ships visited one another, and +discussed their plans for the future. The chief delight, however, of +most on board was to hold religious services, which they could now do +without fear of interruption; and hymns of praise arose from amid the +desert ocean, their voices, when the ships were close to each other, +uniting together in harmony. + +Often had Constance expressed her feelings at the thought that they +might in future thus worship God. Before, however, they reached their +destination, they encountered several violent gales, during which, +whenever his duty would allow him, Nigel made his way to the side of +Constance to afford her comfort and support. + +"Do not be afraid," he said; "our ships are strong, and our commander +experienced. I have been in a worse found vessel in a more violent +gale, and we reached port in safety." + +"But the waves look so terrible, threatening every moment to come down +and overwhelm us," said Constance, who was seated on deck, gazing at the +tumultuous ocean. + +"Remember, God tells us that it is He who rules the waves; and should it +be His will, they cannot hurt us," answered Nigel. + +"Yes, yes," said Constance; "I was wrong to express fear. Happy are we +who possess the Bible, of which the followers of the tyrant Pope and his +pretended priests are deprived." + +"Think how many thousands of our countrymen would thankfully go through +far greater dangers than we are enduring to reach a country where they +may enjoy freedom from persecution," observed Nigel. + +The young couple, however, talked on many other subjects; and when the +storm ceased, and favourable breezes wafted them over the ocean, their +spirits rose, and they spoke of the happy future in store for them. +Nigel, however, was not altogether free from anxiety. He could not +forget the conversation he had overheard between the captain and priest, +though sometimes he almost fancied that it must have been a dream, +Villegagnon was so courteous and polite to all his passengers, and +expressed sentiments so in accordance with theirs. + +At length "Land! land!" was shouted from the mast-head. The goal of +their hopes was near, and the ships, getting close together, glided with +a fair breeze towards the magnificent Bay of Nitherohy. Lofty and +fantastic mountains, then unnamed by Europeans, rose out of the blue +waters before them. On the left, appeared the conical-shaped height, +since known as the Sugar Loaf. Further on, on the same side, the Three +Brothers reared their heads to the skies, and still more to the south +was seen the Corcovada and Gavia, the green mountains of the Three +Brothers strongly contrasting with the latter-named peaks, while the +distant ranges of the Blue Mountains rose in the interior. On the right +was seen another range of varied-shaped heights, extending far away to +the north. Passing beneath the lofty Sugar Loaf, the flotilla sailed +through the entrance, when the magnificent land-locked expanse opened +out before them, surrounded on all sides by hills and lofty mountains; +while lovely little verdant and palm-clad islands appeared dotting the +dark bosom of the water. Words, indeed, fail to describe the beautiful +and varied scenery. The anchors were dropped close to one of the first +isles they reached. On this spot Villegagnon told the eager crowd who +surrounded him that he had determined to form the first settlement of +the new colony. Here, at the entrance of the harbour, and surrounded by +water, they might defy the attacks of enemies from without, or the +Portuguese or natives who might venture to dispute their possession of +the country. From this they might extend to others on either side, and +then form a settlement on the shore, thus advancing till they had +brought under subjection the whole of the surrounding country. + +The settlers expressed their satisfaction at the captain's plan, as they +gazed at the richly coloured woods which covered the sides of the +surrounding hills, at the purple blooming quaresma, the snake-like +cacti, and the gorgeous flowering parasites hanging down even from the +jagged and precipitous sides of the Sugar Loaf, and the rich verdure +starting forth from every nook and crevice of the fantastically shaped +rocks. Scarcely had the anchor been dropped, than the sun set behind +the distant mountains, and, as darkness rapidly followed, they remained +on board during the night. + +Next morning, Constance and her father came on deck, where they found +the young lieutenant attending to his duties. Again they gazed with +renewed pleasure at the wild and the sublime outline of the surrounding +mountains with their varied combinations, while the richness and beauty +of colouring thrown over and around the whole, by the purple and rose +colours and ethereal blue of the sky, imparted to the scene a beauty +which no fancy sketch of fairyland could surpass. As they turned their +eyes towards the nearest shore of the main land, they saw the beach and +fringing rocks covered by a multitude of natives, waving green boughs as +a sign of welcome; while, on the heights above, they had kindled +numerous bonfires, to show their satisfaction at the arrival of the +French, whom they believed had come to protect them from their enemies, +the Portuguese. Preparations were being made on board the ships to land +the officers and artisans, with materials for building the proposed +fort. Villegagnon, in his barge of state, proceeded towards the shore +to open negotiations with the native chiefs. He had requested the Count +de Tourville to accompany him, and Constance begged that she might also +go. As it was a mission of peace, no danger was apprehended; and it was +thought that a lady being seen in the boat would give further assurance +to the natives of the pacific intentions of their visit. Nigel, being +one of the tallest and best-looking of the officers, was selected to +steer the barge. Four other boats followed at a short distance. Their +crews were fully armed, but were ordered to keep their weapons out of +sight, and only to advance should the Indians show any sign of +hostility. + +As the barge neared the shore, a tall and dignified chief, his dress of +the richest skins, and ornamented with gaily-coloured feathers, with a +circle of plumes on his head, holding an unstrung bow of great strength +in his hand, was seen standing on the beach to receive the new-comers. +By his side was a youth, strongly resembling him in features, bearing +his shield and quiver, and also handsomely dressed, while other chiefs +were drawn up in a semi-circle a short distance behind him, with the +rest of his people collected on either side. He advanced a few paces +with dignified steps, and, stretching forth his hand to offer a friendly +grasp to the captain as he landed, announced himself as Tuscarora, chief +of the Tamoyos. According to Indian custom, he made a long harangue, +welcoming the strangers to his country, and assuring them of his +friendship. + +"You come at a fortunate moment, when your aid may render us essential +service in assisting us to defend ourselves against the assaults of a +tribe of white men, who, for some years past, have attempted to +establish themselves on our shores. They call us idolaters, and pretend +to be of a religion which hates idolaters; but they themselves have +numerous figures of men and women, before which they bow down and +worship, and they fail not to shoot or cruelly ill-treat those of our +people who fall into their hands; we, therefore, do not trust to their +religion or promises." + +The chief concluded by assuring the French that they were welcome to +take possession of the island off which their ships lay, or of any other +they might select in the bay. Villegagnon replied that he and his +people came in the character of true friends to the Indians, and his +great object was to obtain their friendship and support, and that their +religion taught them to consider all worshippers of figures and pictures +and any visible object as idolaters; their desire being to serve the +great Spirit who watched over the Indians as well as over themselves, +and that by their acts they would show that they were worthy of the +confidence their new friends were evidently disposed to place in them. +He expressed a hope, also, that by an exchange of commodities, and by +mutual support, they would learn to regard each other as brothers. + +During this address the Indians preserved the most perfect silence, +though the eyes of the young chief, who stood by his father's side, +wandered towards the boat in which the rest of the visitors still +retained their seats. An attendant, now advancing, lighted the calumet +of peace, which Tuscarora presented to the captain, who, after drawing a +few whiffs, returned it to the chief, who performed the same ceremony. +The rest of the party now landing, the pipe was passed round among them. +Constance, who stood by her father's side, regarded the scene with much +interest. She could not avoid remarking the glances of admiration which +the young chief cast at her, and was compelled more than once to turn +round and speak to Nigel, who remained close to her. He himself +observed the looks of the young chief, which created an undefined +feeling in his breast, though his pride forbade him in any way to +exhibit it. + +"These Indians are of a far more martial and gallant bearing than I had +supposed; but still they are savages, and we should be wise if we are on +our guard against them," he observed to Constance. + +This was said aside, while Villegagnon was replying to the address +delivered by the Tamoyo chief, who then introduced the handsome youth +standing by his side as his son Tecumah, "who will ever, as he regards +my injunctions, be a friend and ally of the French," he added. + +The young man in a few words expressed his desire to act according to +his father's wishes, winding up, as he pointed to the sky, "Should +Tecumah fail to fulfil his promise, may the great Spirit punish him as +he will deserve." + +Thus far the interview had passed off in a most satisfactory manner. +The chief expressed his desire to visit his new allies, but Villegagnon +thought it prudent to decline the honour till the fort was erected, and +the colonists were in a position to defend themselves, and at the same +time to make such a show of their strength as might overawe the Indians, +in whom they were not inclined to place more than a very limited amount +of confidence. The Portuguese were at this time settled in a town which +they called Saint Vincente, about fifty miles to the south, the first +colony founded by them under Martin Alfonso de Souza; and as there were +many brave adventurers among them, Villegagnon thought it probable that +as soon as they heard of his arrival, they would send an expedition +against him. + +The meeting with the chiefs having been brought to a conclusion, the +boats returned to the ships, on board which every one was now engaged in +landing stores for the construction of the proposed fort. As numerous +trees grew on the island, they were cut down, and formed an abundance of +material for the purpose. The artisans, who knew the importance of +speed, laboured assiduously, and the work made rapid progress. The +chief fort was built on the eastern side of the island, to resist the +attack of a hostile fleet; and in the course of a few days the guns were +mounted, and the colonists considered themselves fully prepared for +defence. Houses were also commenced, and those weary of their long +confinement on board ship hoped soon to take up their residence on +shore. The natives brought over in their canoes an abundant supply of +provisions, and, delighted with the beauty of the climate, the settlers +felt thankful that their steps had been directed to so happy a spot, and +looked forward with confidence to the time when they might see a +handsome city rise on the shores of the bay. Now, too, they could all +meet together to read God's Word, and to listen to the preaching of +their minister without dread of interruption. + +The chief of the Tamoyos, with his son Tecumah, attended by a number of +the principal men of the tribe, arrived in a fleet of canoes to pay +their promised visit to the white men. Villegagnon received them at the +head of his seamen, and all the settlers drawn up under arms. The +Indians were evidently much struck by the martial appearance of their +new allies, and almost as much so by the progress which had been made in +the settlement, as the fort, with its guns, and the houses, were already +erected. It was a Sabbath morning, and at the usual hour a bell +summoned the settlers to worship. Tuscarora seemed to fancy that some +magical ceremony was going forward, and was afraid to enter; but +Tecumah, less superstitious than his father, and prompted by curiosity, +begged leave to attend, accompanied by several other young men. Though +they were unable to comprehend a word, their countenances exhibited the +most perfect seriousness and apparent interest in what was going +forward. The count, who had observed Tecumah, whose eyes, indeed, had +seldom been turned away from the spot where he and his daughter sat, +sent for the interpreter to inquire of the young chief what opinion he +had formed. + +"It is clear to me that you worship a great unknown Spirit, and that you +sing to Him songs of praise, while your teachers exhort you to love and +obey Him, and He is, I am sure, pleased with such worship. I remarked +how it differs from that of the Portuguese, who make idols of painted +wood, and bow before them as if such things could hear, or understand, +or give help to the foolish men who put faith in such nonsense." + +"And is such the opinion you have formed without having the principles +of our faith explained to you?" asked the count, astonished at the +intelligence displayed by the young chief. + +"I have said what I conceive to be the truth," answered Tecumah. "I +would like to know more of your faith, since it enables you to be as +wise and powerful as I see you are. Some time since, during an interval +of peace, I visited the settlement of the Portuguese. There I saw +bearded men bowing down, some before a cross with a figure nailed on it, +others before a woman with a child in her arms; others, again, were +adoring an infant in a cradle; and others, men and women, in long robes, +with books or staffs in their hands. Some were worshipping even +pictures, and I thought that all these things were the gods of the +Portuguese. When they told me that the woman with the child in her arms +was the Holy Virgin, and that the child was also a god, I could stop to +hear no more, feeling sure that the great Spirit to whom the Indian +looks up as God would be displeased with such blasphemy." + +"Undoubtedly He is," said the count; "but had you inquired further, you +would have been told that the figure on the cross and the child in the +woman's arms and the one in the cradle represented the same person, the +Saviour of mankind, who is now in heaven, at the right hand of God." + +"Then, how can He be in heaven and on earth at the same time?" asked the +Indian. "And if He is in heaven, surely men of sense should lift up +their hearts to Him there, and not bow before figures which can have no +resemblance to him; for I observed that even the infants differed from +each other. And who, tell me, does the figures of the woman represent?" + +"She was one especially honoured among women, but who the Saviour +expressly showed He did not desire should be worshipped," answered the +count. "She was chosen to be the earthly mother of the Son of God, who +so loved the world, that He desired to become man, that He might be +punished instead of all men; for all, being by nature sinful, deserve +punishment, and God, who is all just and all merciful, decreed that all +who believe that Jesus, His Son, was punished for our sins, should have +those sins washed away, and be received into favour again by Him. Thus, +Jesus came into the world as an infant, grew up to manhood, and, after +setting an example to mankind by the obedient, pure, holy life He led, +He allowed Himself to be put to the most cruel of deaths on the cross, +such as the vilest of malefactors were alone considered deserving of. +To prove that He was God, by His own will and power He rose again and +ascended into heaven, there to be the Advocate and Mediator of those He +had redeemed. Through Him alone the prayers of those who believe in Him +can be offered and be received acceptably by God." + +The young chief listened attentively to what the count said, "This is +very wonderful, very wonderful," he observed, after being for some time +lost in meditation. "I would wish to hear more about the matter; yet it +strikes me as strange that God should allow His name to be profaned, and +these senseless images to be worshipped instead of Himself." + +"You are right, my friend," said the count. "God is a Spirit, and must +be worshipped in spirit and in truth. He is also long-suffering and +kind, and therefore He does not punish men as they deserve, that they +may have an opportunity of turning from their sins and being reconciled +to Him." + +The count gladly took the opportunity of explaining further the truths +of the Christian faith to the young chief, who seemed to drink in +eagerly every word he heard. It was the first of many visits he paid, +and often was his canoe to be seen, as the shades of evening drew on, +skimming across the tranquil waters of the harbour towards the mainland. + +The Indians received such entertainment on their first visit as the +French could afford; and while it was yet daylight they returned in +their canoes to the shore. + +One evening the count and his daughter were sitting in their house with +several guests, among whom Nigel was one. They had met to read God's +Word and to sing the hymns of Marot, which the French Protestants loved +so well. The weather, hitherto fine, had, before sunset, given signs of +changing. Dark clouds were seen gathering eastward, and already a damp +and chilly wind blew up the harbour's mouth, while the sea rolled in, +sending its billows with an angry roar against the foundations of the +new fort. As the tempest increased, a gun fired from each of the ships +summoned their respective officers and men on board, and Nigel had +unwillingly to hasten away from the house of his friend. It was not +without difficulty that the boats reached the ships. The topmasts and +topgallant masts were sent down on deck, and fresh anchors were got out. +The settlers, as they saw the masts of the ships through the gloom, +rolling from side to side, and watched the furious waves rushing in from +the sea, began to tremble for their safety. They had, however, to think +of themselves. The wind rapidly increased, the tall trees still +remaining on the island bent before it, and the waves washed over the +walls of the fort with relentless fury, threatening every moment to +overwhelm them. Villegagnon, who had remained on shore, fearing that +the guns might be lost, ordered them to be dragged out of the fort to a +place of safety. It was a task of no slight danger, for already the +woodwork trembled at each assault of the billows, and scarcely were the +guns removed than, crash succeeding crash, large fragments of the fort, +the construction of which had cost them so many days of labour, were +rent away, and either carried off by the retiring seas, or thrown high +up on the shore. + +Constance de Tourville anxiously watched the progress of the storm. She +had accompanied her father and several of their friends to watch the +ships which lay in the harbour exposed to its fury. They could see the +foaming waves dashing against them, and breaking high over their bows. +Soon one was seen to be moving, when a single sail was set, and away she +sped into the darkness up the harbour. The others dragged their +anchors, or were torn from them, and were likewise compelled to seek for +safety in some sheltered spot. With good pilots on board, this might +easily have been done, but no one had a knowledge of the upper parts of +the harbour, and it was impossible to say in what direction they might +seek for safety. + +That night was one of deep anxiety to all the settlers. The furious +waves, surging round the little island, swept over the lower parts, and +threatened at times to overwhelm it. Many of the trees, deprived of the +support of their neighbours, which had been cut down, bent before the +gale. Branches of some were torn away, others were broken off, and some +uprooted from the ground. Several of the newly built houses were +unroofed, and others were thrown down altogether by the wind. That of +the count stood firm, and he and his daughter gladly offered shelter to +as many of their friends as it could contain. + +Constance, who had had a sleepless night, waiting till dawn broke, +sallied forth to look for the ships. + +Not one of them was in sight. In vain she made inquiries of those who +had come, like herself, to look for them. No boats remained on shore; +indeed, with the waters of the harbour tossing about as furiously as +they were, even the largest could not have made her way amidst them. +The Indians, from whom alone they could obtain any information, dared +not venture across, and thus they must remain in ignorance of what had +become of the ships till, the tempest being over, those which had +escaped destruction should return. + +"Vain is the help of man. In God let us put our trust. He may think +fit to preserve them; if not, we must say with confidence, `His will be +done,'" said the minister Laporte, addressing those assembled on the +beach. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +NIGEL'S RETURN TO FRANCE. + +Meantime the governor had been surveying the damages committed by the +storm, and, summoning the count and other leading people, announced his +intention of abandoning the island before more labour had been expended, +and settling on another higher up the harbour. All approved of his +proposal, for though they saw that the island was well placed for +defence, it was also exposed to the fury of the sea when excited by +tempests. They now awaited anxiously for news of the ships, but still +the wind blew furiously up the harbour, and would prevent them from +coming down, even should they have escaped shipwreck. Fears were +entertained that they might have been cast on the northern shore, when +their crews would most probably have fallen into the hands of the +Portuguese. For two days more the tempest continued, and the hearts of +the colonists remained agitated with doubts and fears. The third +morning broke bright and clear, the clouds dispersed, and the wind, +changing, blew with a gentle breath down the harbour. Had a boat +remained on the island she would have been sent in search of the missing +ships. Some proposed building a flat-bottomed raft, which might be +finished in a few hours and serve to navigate the smooth waters of the +bay. Villegagnon gave the order to commence the work, and already it +had made some progress, when a shout was raised of "A sail! a sail!" It +was one of the ships standing down before the wind from the upper part +of the harbour. Another and another appeared, till at length the minds +of the colonists were set at rest. They all had had narrow escapes, but +had succeeded in bringing up under the lee of different islands, where, +the water being smooth, they had ridden out the storm. Every one +capable of labouring immediately set to work to reship the guns, and +stores, and even the woodwork of the houses and forts, to convey them to +an island Villegagnon had fixed on in a more secure part of the harbour. +The task occupied several days, and sorely tried the patience of those +who were anxious at once to commence their intended agricultural +pursuits. The advantages possessed by the new spot selected were +evidently superior to those of Lange Island which they had left. The +count proposed that the name of their patron, "Admiral Coligny," should +be given to their present resting-place, and he was supported by the +leading colonists. The governor, with a bad grace, consented, though it +was evident that he had intended to bestow his own name on their new +acquisition. + +With the exception of the losses caused by the storm, all hitherto +seemed to be going on well; and Nigel began to hope that Villegagnon had +abandoned his design, and really intended to establish a colony on the +principles proposed by the admiral. He was glad, indeed, that he had +not spoken of his suspicions to Constance or her father, as they must +have been, had he done so, greatly troubled about the future. He, in +common with all the officers and men of the expedition, was busily +engaged from morn till night in erecting the new fortifications, which +were laid out on a much larger scale, and were built far more +substantially than the last had been. The colonists' dwellings were +also re-erected, and, wood being abundant, many of them were of +considerable size, though only one storey in height. Within the fort +were the barracks for the soldiers, while a number of houses to afford +shelter to the inhabitants, should the settlement be attacked, were +erected. The larger residences were scattered about over the island, +and a village sprang up on the shores of the chief landing-place. It +was, however, well protected by the fort, off which lay the ships, and +it was considered that while they remained it would be secured against +an attack. Four smaller forts were also built on commanding situations +in the more accessible parts of the island, so Villegagnon considered +that the settlement was well able to resist the assaults of either a +civilised or barbarous foe. The friendly disposition shown by the +Tamoyos, the most numerous and powerful tribe in the neighbourhood, gave +him no anxiety on the latter account; while, although by this time the +Portuguese settlement in the south had greatly increased, the Portuguese +had shown no disposition to advance towards the shores of the bay of +Nitherohy. It was the intention of the French to form a settlement on +the southern shore of the bay as soon as their numbers were sufficiently +increased; and Villegagnon, relying on his secure position, resolved at +length to send back the fleet for reinforcements. + +Nigel had in the mean time been a frequent visitor at the house of the +Count de Tourville, where he ever received that friendly welcome which +made him hope that he would not disapprove of his aspiring to the hand +of Constance, who appeared to have no doubts on the subject. She knew +that Nigel was of noble birth though destitute of fortune, and she felt +sure that her father would not refuse to give her to one, her equal in +birth, who was of her own religion, and whose heart was hers, while he +was well able to protect her. They had not hitherto spoken of love, but +they were mutually aware of the state of each other's affections, the +most perfect confidence existing between them. Occasionally a holiday +was allowed, when Nigel, having one of the ship's boats at his command, +took the count and his daughter, with other friends, across the bay, to +visit its picturesque shores and the many lovely islands resting on its +bosom. The party had gone higher up the bay than they had hitherto +ventured to do, and reaching a small island which appeared to be +uninhabited, they went on shore, proposing to dine and wander through +its shady woods. The seamen remained near the boat, while Constance and +two lady friends, with the officers and other gentlemen who formed the +party, proceeded to a clear spot beneath the shade of some lofty trees, +where for awhile they could enjoy the sea breeze, while discussing the +viands they had brought. The repast being over, the three ladies +strolled along the beach to the western end of the island, for the +purpose of enjoying the view which extended almost to the extreme limit +of the harbour. Constance's two friends had seated themselves on the +bank, while she, attracted by some flowers which grew near the edge of +the water ran forward to examine them. She was on the point of picking +one of gorgeous hue when a canoe, paddled by a single Indian, unobserved +by her, darted round the point and approached the beach. The occupant +sprang lightly on shore, when a cry from her companions made her look +up, and she saw a tall and handsome native, with a circlet of feathers +on his head, and a cloak and kilt richly adorned, standing before her. +Her first impulse was to fly, but, giving another glance at the +stranger, she recognised Tecumah, the young chief of the Tamoyos. She +had already acquired some knowledge of the language. + +"What brings you here?" she asked. "We thought that none of your people +were on the island." + +She felt that it was better to speak, although she was not altogether +free from fear. The respectful attitude of the young chief, however, +reassured her. + +"I often come here," he answered. "Seeing your boat approaching, I +waited for an opportunity of speaking to you, lady. For days and days I +have longed for it. Since my eyes first rested on your countenance it +has never been absent from my heart. My ambition has been to become +like your people, and to gain the knowledge they possess, and thus be +worthy of leading you home as my bride." + +Such in substance was what the young chief said, although his address +was far longer, and more full of figurative expressions than have been +here given. Constance at first could not understand what he said, but +when its meaning broke on her she felt no small amount of alarm and +uneasiness, yet her right feeling would not allow her to treat young +Tecumah, savage though he was, either with contempt or anger. + +"You have surprised and pained me," she answered gently. "It is not the +custom of the maidens of my country to wed with those of another race or +of a different faith," she answered. "I grieve to hurt your feelings +but what you have asked can never be granted. Continue, as heretofore, +to be the friend of my people, and you will also remain my friend. Let +me now return to my companions, for they cannot fail to be surprised at +seeing you; only let me ask that you will never repeat what you have +just said, and banish me, I pray you, from your thoughts." + +"Not while Tecumah breathes the air of heaven can your form be banished +from his heart. Oh, ask him not to perform a task beyond his power," +answered the Indian. "He obeys you now, as you will find he is ever +ready to do. Farewell." Saying this, greatly to the relief of +Constance, the Indian with slow steps returned to his canoe, while she +hastened back to her companions. + +"Who is he? What object brought him here?" asked one of the young +ladies in a tone of alarm. + +"He certainly did not appear unfriendly," remarked the other. "I should +say, Constance, judging from his manner, that he is a devoted admirer of +you. Come, my dear, confess--did he not ask you to become his bride? +Ah! I thought so," she continued, observing the colour rising on +Constance's cheek. + +"I cannot reply to you!" exclaimed Constance, feeling excessively +annoyed at her friend's remarks. "You would not for a moment suppose +that I should listen to such a proposal. I scarcely, indeed, could +understand what he said. But we must not remain here, and it will be +well if we return immediately to the boat, lest more of the savages +should be lying concealed in the island and intrude themselves on us." + +This last observation induced her companions eagerly to follow her +advice, evidently more alarmed than she was, and as they hurried on they +frequently looked back, expecting to see a party of dark-skinned +warriors suddenly start forth from the forest near them. They, however, +reached their friends in safety. On finding themselves safe on board +the boat they recovered their spirits, and the other ladies even +ventured to banter Constance about her Indian admirer. Nigel naturally +inquired what had happened. Constance then told him of the sudden +appearance of the Indian, but the expression of her countenance +prevented him from asking further questions. The expedition, which all +agreed had been a very pleasant one, terminated without any further +incident worthy of note. + +Nigel, as usual, spent the evening at the count's house; and he and +Constance found an opportunity before the other guests arrived, for +strolling out in the woods behind the house, through which several walks +had already been cut. She then frankly told him what had occurred, +begging him, at the same time, not to be anxious on that account, as she +had every reason to believe that the young chief would not again molest +her. + +"I trust not, dearest Constance!" exclaimed Nigel, taking her hand. +"Would that I had a right to protect you. Will you consent to become +mine if your father will give his permission?" + +Constance gave him her hand. He spoke of his want of fortune, but he +reminded her that he had a strong arm and willing heart, qualifications +of no slight importance in a new colony, and he had every reason to hope +that he should be able to maintain her. She agreed that he should +immediately speak to the count, and he offered to throw up his +commission and cast in his fortune with her father and his associates; +and before they returned to the house many a plan for the future was +agreed on. + +The count, almost to their surprise, without offering any objections, +entered into all their views; and Nigel determined the next morning to +ask permission from the captain to quit his ship and settle on shore. + +"Impossible, sir," was the answer. "Were I to give you the permission +you ask all the officers and men would be desiring to turn settlers. I +intend to send the ship back immediately, and you must be prepared to +attend to your duty." + +In vain Nigel expostulated; Villegagnon threatened to put him in irons +and send him back as a mutineer if he refused to obey his orders. + +The ships were rapidly got ready for the voyage. Nigel, with a sad +heart, bade farewell to Constance. + +"Rest confident of my love," she whispered. "We must wait till you can +obtain the admiral's sanction to quit the service. My father will write +to him on the subject, and I doubt not that he will grant your request." + +Still, though Constance spoke with confidence, the hearts of the young +people were sad, for they could not help thinking of the many dangers +which they both would have to encounter. Those to which Constance might +be exposed rose up before Nigel. The settlement might be attacked by +the Portuguese, or the natives might prove treacherous, and he could not +forget his doubts of Villegagnon's honesty. Constance thought of the +storms and the enemies Nigel might have to encounter during his voyage, +and the risk he might run of being treated as a heretic by the Roman +Catholics on returning to France. With forebodings she could not +overcome, she saw the ship's sails spread to the wind as they glided out +of the harbour. + +The voyage to Europe was accomplished without any disaster. While the +ships were refitting, Nigel, accompanied by Monsieur Billard, captain of +the _Vesta_, one of the ships of the squadron, made a journey to Rouen, +where the admiral had come to meet a number of persons who proposed +embarking. The advantages to be gained in the new colony had spread +among the Protestants of France, and persons of all ranks and from all +quarters were eager to embark. The undertaking was especially favoured +by Calvin, Farel, and other Protestant ministers, who hoped ere long to +see a large and flourishing community of their fellow-believers +established in the New World, where many of those suffering in Europe +might fly for refuge. Rouen was a large and populated place in those +days, and the new emigrants had no difficulty in finding accommodation. +Nigel and Captain Billard called on the admiral at his hotel, and were +received with great courtesy and kindness. Nigel presented the count's +letter. + +"I am sorry, my young friend, for one reason, that you desire to quit +the navy of France, for I feel sure that you would have risen to +distinction," observed the admiral, "although I may congratulate you on +another account; and I, therefore, do not hesitate to grant your +request. You will, I hope, succeed in the new position you have +chosen." + +Nigel thanked the admiral, and afterwards, accompanied by Captain +Billard, went to call on several persons of distinction who were about +to proceed with them to Nitherohy. He had particularly wished to go on +to Tourville to see his old friend the steward, so as to be able to give +to the count a report of the state of his property. So eager, however, +were the emigrants to set out, that the ships were got ready with +unusual rapidity, and he had no time to make the journey. He was +walking in the evening through the streets, when he caught sight of a +person in ecclesiastical dress, whose features he recognised, and on a +second glance he felt sure that they were those of the very man he had +seen in company with Villegagnon. He suspected that the priest was +there for no good purpose. The Jesuit regarded him with his keen grey +eyes, and evidently recognised him, and when Nigel and his companion +passed on, followed them at a distance. + +The next morning, accompanied by a number of emigrants, they set out for +Havre. Most of the party were men who followed civil occupations; the +gentlemen, however, carrying swords, while a few among them had pistols. + +On reaching Honfleur they found a large crowd assembled in the +market-place, through which they had to pass on their way to the boats, +which were waiting to carry them on board their ships. In the crowd +Nigel again caught sight of the priest, who was speaking to the people +around him. + +"Come, come, my friends," cried Captain Billard, who rode at the head of +the party; "we wish to react the boats waiting for us." + +"They are heretics, despisers of the Holy Virgin and the saints!" cried +some one from the crowd. "Down with them. Cut them to pieces. Let +none escape." + +Scarcely were the words uttered than a shower of stones was hurled at +the heads of the Protestant emigrants, who immediately drew their swords +to defend themselves, while they forced their way through the crowd. +Scarcely, however, had they got many yards before they were met by a +body of men, some with firearms, and others with spears and axes. + +"We must fight for our lives, my friends," cried Captain Billard. "On! +on! But keep together." + +The bold front which he and his companions showed for a time kept back +their assailants; but a voice, which Nigel recognised as that of the +priest, was heard shouting, "Down with them! down with them!" and the +mob again pressed them close. Many were wounded, and Nigel, with grief, +saw his friend fall from his horse, shot through the body. He in vain +endeavoured to rescue him. The savages dragged him into their midst, +hacking and hewing his inanimate form. Nigel, seeing that he and his +friends would be cut to pieces, urged them to keep close together; and +by desperate efforts they at length cut their way down to the boats, +from which the seamen, who were fortunately armed, leapt on shore, and, +furiously charging the mob, turned them back and kept them at bay while +the emigrants embarked. + +On counting their numbers, it was found that, beside the captain, three +others had fallen, while many were wounded. Providentially the women +and children, with their baggage, had been sent on the day before from +Rouen, or the whole party would have been cut to pieces. + +On reaching Havre, Nigel and two other officers went on shore to +complain of the outrage, but could obtain no redress from the +authorities, who merely shrugged their shoulders and declared they could +not restrain the religious zeal of the people. The anchors were +speedily got up, and with sad hearts the emigrants left their native +shores. + +A fair wind carried the squadron down Channel, and for some time the +voyage was prosperous. Before, however, they reached the latitude of +Madeira the weather changed, and a heavy gale coming on, sorely tried +the imperfectly prepared ships. The officers, exerting themselves to +the utmost, encouraged their men, and the pumps were kept going till the +storm ceased and the leaks could be got at and stopped. When the ships, +which had been scattered by the gale, again joined company, all were +found to have been sorely battered. One had lost her topmasts, another +her bowsprit, and the rest some two or more spars. They had no friendly +port into which they could put, as Madeira was in the hands of the +Portuguese, so they had to wait for a calm to repair their more serious +damages. The Line was crossed without having the opportunity, and when +within three or four days' sail of their destination, some strange ships +were seen ahead, apparently waiting for them. There could be no doubt +that the strangers were Portuguese. A consultation was held by the +captains whether they should try to escape by altering their course, or +stand boldly on and attack the enemy. Water and provisions were running +short, and should they take to flight, days and even weeks might elapse +before they could gain their port. They determined, therefore, to stand +on, and should an attempt be made to stop them, to fight bravely as long +as their ships should swim. Their enemies were not to be despised, they +knew, for the Portuguese of those days were renowned for their hardihood +and courage. Five sail were counted, the number of their own ships, so +that each would have an antagonist to contend with. + +The French, under all sail, keeping close together in line, stood +towards the headmost of the enemy's ships, which were somewhat separated +from each other. Nigel's being the leading ship of the French squadron, +first came up with the headmost one of the enemy's ships. They were +sailing, it must be understood, on two sides of an angle, the French +before the wind, the Portuguese close hauled. Captain Beauport, the +commander of the _Madeline_, immediately hauled his wind and poured in +his broadside at close quarters, bringing the enemy's mizenmast, with +its large mizen, down on deck. The effect was to make the ship pay off +before the wind, and expose her stern to the fire of the _Madeline's_ +guns, which had been rapidly reloaded and run out. Captain Beauport +then running up on the larboard side of the Portuguese, so as to place +himself between her and the rest of the enemy, continued the fight +broadside to broadside, while he threw out a signal to his consorts to +attack the other ships of the enemy. They, though considerably larger +than the French, after exchanging a few shots at a distance, put up +their helms and ran off before the wind, leaving the first ship attacked +by Captain Beauport to her fate. This was soon settled, for though her +guns and crew greatly outnumbered those of the _Madeline_, so many of +her people had been killed and wounded, that as the French ship ran +alongside for the purpose of boarding the enemy, the crew of the latter +hauled down their flag and cried for quarter. This was immediately +given, and efforts were made to stop the shot-holes through which the +water was running into the prize. There seemed very little prospect of +keeping her afloat. Her crew and passengers were in despair, and were +eager to take refuge on board their captor. Many of the men, instead of +endeavouring to save the ship, fell down on their knees, invoking the +Virgin and saints to assist them. Captain Beauport and his officers, +however, soon stirred them up, and insisted on their going below and +attending to their duty. Among the passengers were two priests, who +seemed especially anxious to save some cases and packages, loudly +calling on their countrymen to assist them. + +"Never mind your baggage, my friends," said Nigel. "Let the men attend +to their work. If your property is lost, patience. We must first save +all the water and provisions, in case the ship should go down, as it +will be difficult enough to feed all your people from our own stores." + +"But, Monsieur officer, our property is invaluable," cried the priests. +"It cannot be replaced. You do not know what precious things we have +got." + +"Precious or not, they must stay where they are till the shot-holes are +plugged, unless you choose to carry them yourselves." + +"Oh, sacrilegious heretic, we will be revenged on you some day," +muttered one of the priests, while the other hurled some curses at +Nigel's head, to which he did not stop to listen, remembering the +proverb that "Curses, like birds, go home to roost at night." + +By plugging the shot-holes and setting strong gangs to work the pumps, +the prize was kept afloat sufficiently long to get out some of the +provisions and water, as well as a portion of her cargo. The priests +again loudly called on their countrymen to assist them in transferring +the goods to the _Madeline_, though few of them showed any disposition +to do so, but by the assistance of the French crew, their valuables were +at length got out of the sinking ship. + +The rest of the fleet had now come up, and the prisoners were +distributed among them. The priests, however, would not desert their +baggage, which, they insisted, was their own private property. + +"If it is found to be so on inspection you shall retain it," observed +Captain Beauport; "but as the cases may possibly contain munitions of +war, we cannot allow them without examination to fall into the hands of +your countrymen." + +The priests protested that there was nothing warlike in them, but the +captain was determined to have the cases examined. On opening them one +was found to contain a large coarsely painted figure of the Virgin and +Child, another half a dozen small figure of saints, the third was full +of flat leaden figures and crosses. + +"What are these?" asked the captain, coming to a fourth, full of small +boxes and parcels. + +"Those," answered the priest, who was looking indignantly on, "are the +bones of saints and martyrs. Let them not be touched, I beseech you, by +sacrilegious hands." + +Each package was labelled, a score or more having the name of Saint +Anthony. + +"Why, you must have got two or three saints' bodies here," exclaimed the +captain. + +"Only a very small portion of one, indeed," answered the priest; "a hair +from his beard or a paring from his toe-nail is of value equal to the +whole of his leg." + +"And what are these other packages?" inquired the captain. + +"Each contains some precious relic, efficacious in curing every disease +to which the human body is liable," answered the priest. + +"Nonsense!" exclaimed the captain; "we cannot allow such rubbish to +remain on board." + +"You will be guilty of horrible sacrilege and unheard-of cruelty to the +settlers and poor natives, if you throw these precious relics into the +sea, and deprive them of the benefits they will bring." + +"We will see about it," answered the captain. "What are these bales?" +he asked, pointing to some canvas packages, which he ordered his men to +rip open. + +The priests made no reply. They were found to contain sheets of paper, +printed some in Portuguese and some in Latin, but all sealed with the +seals of the ecclesiastical courts in Portugal or at Rome. They were, +indeed, "Indulgences", or "Pardons" for various sins mentioned in the +Romish Rubric, the prices, which varied from half a dollar to seven +dollars, being marked upon each, the latter being for murder and the +most heinous offences of every possible kind, which cannot be mentioned. + +"Why, I see none for heresy, or sacrilege, or calling the Pope and his +cardinals gross impostors, and you two worthies are arrant rogues and +fools, or we might have become purchasers to a large amount!" exclaimed +the captain indignantly. "Heave this trumpery overboard, and you, +Senhores priests, may be thankful that you have been deprived of the +means of cheating your countrymen and deceiving the ignorant natives by +your abominable impostures." + +The sailors, with shouts of satisfaction, forthwith hove overboard the +boxes of relics, the bales of "indulgences", and the leaden charms, +which quickly sank to the bottom. Some cases of trumpery rosaries were +found and dispatched the same way. The images, or rather the idols, for +such the natives would have regarded them, were lowered overboard, and +went bobbing about astern of the ship, and the water soon washing off +the paint, reduced them to the appearance of shapeless logs. There were +still several cases of crucifixes of all sizes, having the appearance of +silver but were found to be of iron, covered with the thinnest tinsel. +The priests pleaded hard to have them preserved. + +"No," said Captain Beauport, firmly; "I will be no party to your +impostures. These are images as well as the others, and more +blasphemous still, seeing that they have in no way the appearance of the +crucified Saviour; and He Himself has said, `Thou shalt not make unto +thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven +above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under +the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for +I the Lord thy God am a jealous God'--and that I am sure you would have +taught the natives to do, for your own people do the same; and so, to +prevent you or others from thus offending God, they must be put +overboard with the rest of your idols." + +The priests swore oaths deep, but not loud, that they would be revenged +on the heretics--oaths which they fully intended to keep. Sail was now +made, and the ships stood towards the land. They had not gone far, +however, before the signal was made from the prize that the water was +again rushing in. The _Madeline_ and the other ships sent their boats +to her assistance, but all the efforts of the crew could not keep her +afloat, and they had barely time to escape from her, when she went down +head foremost, with most of her cargo on board. As the French had no +desire to retain their prisoners, they steered into a small port some +way to the southward of Nitherohy. Here the Portuguese were put on +shore, with a supply of provisions and such arms as were required to +enable them to protect themselves against the natives, who, they +averred, would otherwise attack and cut them off--an event, considering +the cruelties they had already begun to practise on the unfortunate +Indians, very likely to happen. A bright look-out was kept during the +time for the enemy's squadron, but it did not appear; and the French, +favoured by a fair wind, steered for Nitherohy, which they were all +eager to reach. Nigel's heart beat with anxiety. Besides knowing that +the Portuguese, in considerable force, were in the neighbourhood, and +being uncertain as to the fidelity of the fickle Indians, he could not +forget his suspicions regarding Villegagnon, and he dreaded to hear that +the governor had carried out the treacherous designs which he believed +him to entertain. All eyes were directed towards the island-fortress, +as the ship sailed up the harbour. Great was the satisfaction of the +voyagers as they beheld the flag of France blowing out above the +fortifications. Cheers burst from their throats, and a salute fired +from the shore was returned by the ships, as, gliding on, they came to +an anchor before the landing-place. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +TREACHERY. + +Villegagnon stood waiting on shore to receive the new-comers, who landed +amid the cheers of their countrymen. He expressed himself highly +pleased with this accession of strength to the community, and loudly +declared that he believed ere long their Protestant colony would be +established on a firm basis. His letters, he said, informed him that +many thousands of French settlers were about to sail and join them. +Nigel hastened on shore as soon as his duties would allow, and was +welcomed with all the marks of affection he could desire by Constance, +and kindly greeted by her father. Great progress had been made, the +count told him, and he hoped that they should soon be able to form a +settlement on the mainland. + +"But we have been so happy here, that I should be sorry to move," said +Constance, pointing to a pretty garden seen from the window of their +sitting-room. "Think of all the pains we have bestowed on it, and, +should it be deserted, in a few months, in this climate, it would again +become a wilderness." + +"We must keep it as our country residence, and come here occasionally +from our house in the new city," observed the count; "or perhaps you and +Nigel will like to make it your home." + +"Oh, that will be delightful," exclaimed Constance, "though I suspect +that Nigel will require a larger sphere of action than this little +island would afford." + +They talked much more about the future, which, to the eyes of Constance, +looked bright and happy. The count, however, when alone with Nigel, +expressed his anxiety on several accounts. The governor had of late +shown especial favour to the men he had collected to supply the place of +those who had abandoned the expedition; and they were engaged in +erecting a building, which it was very evident was intended for a +church. Why there should be any secrecy about the matter the count +could not tell; but it was a suspicious circumstance, as chiefly those +who had refused to attend at the Protestant service were engaged on it. +Still the governor professed to be as warm a Protestant as ever. + +"Have you any suspicions of the honesty of his intentions?" asked Nigel. + +"From this circumstance, and others which may seem trifling, suspicions +have arisen in my mind," answered the count. + +Nigel then told him the reason he himself had to doubt the governor's +honesty. + +"I wish that you had told me of this before," said the count. "I should +probably have returned with you to Europe, rather than have supported +such a man by remaining. However, your explanations satisfy me that you +acted, as you thought, for the best. We must now endeavour to +counteract his designs." + +They agreed not to speak to Constance about their suspicions of the +governor, as the matter would not fail to make her anxious. + +Nigel had to return to his ship at night; but, early the next morning, +he again went on shore to visit his friends, intending also to apply to +the governor to be discharged from the naval service. As he was nearing +the landing-place, he observed a canoe, urged on towards the shore with +rapid strokes by an Indian who plied his paddle, now on one side, now on +the other. In the stern sat another person, a young girl, whose dark +tresses were ornamented with a wreath of natural flowers, which gave an +additional charm to her beautiful features, the rest of her costume +being also adorned with gaily-coloured feathers, further increasing the +picturesqueness of her appearance. She lightly stepped out of the +canoe, followed by her companion, who hauled it up on the beach at the +same time that Nigel landed. They together made their way to the +village as if well accustomed to traverse the path. Nigel was a few +paces behind them, and observed that they entered the house of the +minister, Monsieur Laporte. On reaching the count's house, he mentioned +the circumstance to his friends, and inquired who the Indians were. + +"They must be, without doubt, the young chief Tecumah and his sister +Cora, who come frequently to receive from our good minister instruction +in the truths of Christianity, of which, I trust, they have gained +considerable knowledge," answered Constance. "First the young chief +came by himself, and then he begged permission to bring his sister. She +is a sweet young creature; a perfect child of nature; and has already +become even a more faithful believer than her brother, who cannot, as +yet, understand why he should not destroy his enemies wherever he can +find them." + +Constance had before told Nigel of her meeting with Tecumah; she now +assured him that the young chief seemed to have got over any attachment +he might have felt for her, so Nigel felt no sensations of jealousy. +Nigel proceeded afterwards to call on the governor to present his letter +from the admiral. Villegagnon received him in his usual courteous +manner, and complimented him on his gallantry with the Portuguese. +When, however, he read the letter, his manner changed. + +"The admiral does not command here," he observed, "and I require +officers on board my ships. I cannot accept your resignation." + +Nigel expostulated in vain. Instead, however, of at once refusing to +serve, he resolved to take time to consider the matter. He went back to +consult the count, who advised him to do nothing rashly; as, should he +throw up his commission and come to live on shore, he would offend the +governor and put himself completely in his power. + +While they were speaking, Tecumah and Cora, with Monsieur Laporte, came +to the house, to pay their respects, they said, to the count and his +daughter. Tecumah recognised Nigel, and spoke to him in a way which +showed that he desired his friendship. While Constance was conversing +with Cora in a mixture of their respective languages, each doing her +utmost to make herself understood and understand what the other said, +Nigel found that Tecumah had made considerable progress in his knowledge +of French; also, which was of more consequence, he was well acquainted +with the fundamental truths of Christianity. Had they, however, touched +his heart? There was the question; his actions alone would show that. +Nigel inquired about the state of the country. Tecumah assured him that +his own tribe and those in alliance with them were sincerely attached to +the French. "But others in the north, who have had emissaries from the +Portuguese among them, are not to be trusted," he observed. The +Portuguese themselves were also increasing rapidly in numbers, and their +town of Saint Vincente was already of some size. + +"My people, however, will keep a vigilant watch on their proceedings, +and I will give you notice, should we gain any intelligence of an +expedition being prepared. Should one come, with your ships and with +the assistance of our tribe, you will, without doubt, be able to drive +back your enemies," he added. + +While the young people were speaking, the count drew Monsieur Laporte +aside, and was earnestly discussing with him the state of affairs. + +The minister looked grave. "We must trust to Him who overrules all +things for His own wise purposes," he observed; "and should reverses +overtake us, we must not lose confidence in His love and justice." + +Nothing occurred for some time to interrupt the usual occupations of the +colony. At length, one morning a signal from the fort announced that a +fleet was in sight. The gunners were summoned to the batteries; all the +men got under arms, and the ships prepared for battle; getting springs +on their cables, so as to haul themselves into a position to defend the +landing-place. + +As the ships approached, they were, to the infinite satisfaction of +those on shore, seen to have the French flag flying at their mast-heads. +There were five large ships and two smaller ones. It was hoped that +they were bringing reinforcements of sound Protestants who would +establish their faith in the land, and contribute to the material +progress of the colony. As they drew nearer, salutes were exchanged, +and they came to an anchor close to the fleet. The voyagers when they +landed were warmly received by their countrymen, who did their best to +treat them hospitably. There were people of all ranks, and from all +parts of France. Several who had come in one of the larger ships were +known to the count, who received them into his house. They stated that +the fleet consisted originally of but three ships; but, as they were on +the point of sailing, they were joined by two others conveying persons +of whom they had been able to obtain no certain information. +Villegagnon received all in his usual courteous way, but it was observed +that he paid the most attention to those on board the latter ships. +Before long it was whispered that among those people had been seen two +men, who, though in secular dresses, were recognised as having been +Romish priests. Still, though the people who had come in these two +ships did not make their appearance at the Protestant place of worship +to return thanks for their safe voyage, they were not seen to practise +any of the rites of the Romish Church. Unpleasant rumours were, +however, going about among the settlers, and the people asked one +another how it was that the governor, who had professed to form a pure +Protestant colony, should have allowed Romanists to come out among them. +No satisfactory answer could be given to these questions, and some +thought that the new-comers were possibly lately converted from Rome, +and would soon come to receive instruction from Monsieur Laporte. +Others, however, shook their heads, and observed that, had they been new +converts, they would have exhibited more zeal, and would have been the +first to join hands with the older brethren; instead of that, they +associated entirely with the suspicious characters who had all along +shown a disrespect to the Protestant form of worship. All the settlers +were, however, so busy in erecting dwellings, and cultivating the +ground, that no one had time for polemical discussions. + +Thus matters went on for some time till the church was finished. After +it was roofed over, no persons, except those employed on it, were +allowed to enter. Numerous cases, which had formed part of the cargo of +one of the ships, were landed and conveyed to it, and a large bell was +hoisted up into the tower. One Sunday morning the bell began to toll +forth in a way which astonished the Protestant settlers. The church was +thrown open, and those who had been suspected by their fellow-colonists +were seen with triumphant looks wending their way towards it. Some of +the Protestants, influenced by curiosity, went in, and, on their return, +reported that they had seen the two priests clad in their sacerdotal +dresses, standing before a richly adorned altar, with a crucifix over +it, and the figure of the Virgin and Child, with those of several saints +placed in chapels on either side. Mass, with all its accompaniments, +was being performed, while the governor himself was taking part in the +ceremony. The Count de Tourville, and several other leading +Protestants, called on him afterwards to express their astonishment and +regret at what had happened. He received them with a haughty air, and +declared that it was his intention, for the good of the colony, to +encourage both forms of worship equally. + +The count expostulated. "The colony," he observed, "had been +established for the express purpose of affording a home to Protestants, +where they could, regarding religious matters, avoid those dissensions +which had sprung up in the old country." + +"You may still worship as you think fit; but others, who discover that +they have erred in quitting the Catholic Church, have a right to enjoy +the form which suits them best. I, as governor of this colony, am bound +to please all parties, and I desire to hear no more complaints on the +subject," he answered. + +The deputation, being thus dismissed, retired to consult what steps +should be taken. Though the Protestants still outnumbered the +Romanists, the whole of the former could not be relied on, while the +latter formed a compact body, most of them being thoroughly drilled by +the priests, who had done their utmost to excite their fanaticism, while +it was evident that they were supported by the governor. The +Protestants, therefore, arrived at the conclusion, as people often do +under similar circumstances, that nothing could be done, and that they +must wait the course of events. The two priests appeared to be quiet, +well-disposed men; they made no outward show, but were observed to be +going about quietly, from house to house, especially among the soldiers; +and every Sunday saw an increase in their congregation. + +The count watched these proceedings with feelings of dismay. Monsieur +Laporte exerted himself among his congregation, and urged them to study +their Bibles, and to seek to live lives consistent with their Christian +profession. Many listened to him and followed his advice; but there +were not a few careless ones who went over to join the party of the +governor and the priests. The women were induced to go to the church to +listen to an organ which had been brought out from France, while one of +the priests, who was a good musician, instructed them in the art of +singing. Fresh saints were set up, and additional ornaments were +introduced, and on festal occasions the whole church was wreathed with +flowers, imitating the custom of the heathens at their feasts of +"Flora," and other festivals. These attracted the careless and giddy +among the young, who found the idolatrous system, which their fathers +had repudiated, well suited to their tastes. Thus rapidly the traitor +Villegagnon and his priests won over the larger part of the population. +In vain the elder people, who had seen the effects of Romanism in the +old country, warned them and protested against the fearful errors which +were being introduced. Many of the young girls and youths were induced +to go to confession and receive absolution for their past sins; the +result being that they sinned and sinned again with their eyes open, +under the belief that they could be again absolved. Morality, which had +been strictly maintained among the settlers, fast disappeared. The +priests now openly sold indulgences, and went from house to house +abusing those who refused to purchase them, and warned them that they +would be considered as Protestants and heretics. The count and other +Protestant elders, met and discussed what was to be done, but they had +to confess themselves powerless. The minister preached more earnestly, +and some few were won back to the truth; but the popular party still +increased daily. The governor, it was observed, promoted only professed +Romanists, and managed by degrees to dismiss the Protestant officers. + +Villegagnon at length threw off the thin mask he had hitherto worn, and +declared that the majority being in favour of Rome, the settlement must +become what he called a Catholic colony. The Protestants complained +loudly of the governor's treachery; and several of them were arrested on +charge of mutiny, and for plotting against the established authorities. +Captain Beauport coming on shore one day, as he was on the point of +returning to his boat, was seized and carried off to a prison +Villegagnon had lately erected in the fortress. He was not informed of +the crime of which he was accused, nor could he conceive what it was, as +he had carefully abstained from making any remarks on the conduct of his +chief. The following day he was brought into the public hall of the +fort, where the governor was seated as judge, supported by several of +the officers whom he had promoted. One of the crew of the _Madeline_, +with the two priests, appeared as his accusers, and his officers and +several of his men were ordered on shore as witnesses, Nigel being among +them. When the priests were called on to make their statements, one of +them charged the brave captain with the crime of sacrilege, which, as it +had been brought to his notice, he said that he felt bound to make it +public. A seaman, then stepping forward, stated that by his orders, a +number of holy images, crucifixes, and sacred relics captured from the +Portuguese, intended for the conversion of the heathen and the comfort +of believers, had been sacrilegiously thrown overboard on their voyage +to Nitherohy. + +"Of what immense value they would have been to us in the conversion of +the heathen had they been preserved!" exclaimed one of the priests. +"They were undoubtedly offered to us by Heaven, to enable us to convert +the barbarous natives." + +Nigel and the other officers were then called on for their evidence. +They had to confess that they saw the articles mentioned thrown +overboard; but Nigel observed, as they were part of the cargo of the +prize, he could not suppose that the captain in any way acted contrary +to what he was fully justified in doing. + +"Beware, lest you are made a party to his crime!" exclaimed one of the +priests. "I know well the malignant and impious disposition of your +countrymen, and, had you not been imbued by their sentiments, you would +have endeavoured to prevent so sacrilegious an act from being +committed." + +The governor, as judge, declared that no further evidence was necessary. +In vain the captain asserted that he had acted as he believed right. +The priests shouted out that he deserved to die, and the traitor, +Villegagnon, forthwith pronouncing him guilty, condemned him to death. + +Nigel, on quitting the court, hastened to the residence of the count, to +tell him of the result of the trial. + +"This must not be," he said, on hearing it. "It would be a most +atrocious murder. Every Protestant in the settlement must unite, and +insist on having his life spared. It would be useless to petition; we +must _demand_ our rights." + +Nigel fully agreed with the count, and other leading Protestants coming +in were of the same opinion. + +"We must stake our lives on the issue," exclaimed one of the boldest. + +The count observed, that as it was their lives and liberties were in +jeopardy, and that a bold front could alone save them. On separating +they went among their friends to stir them up to action. That night +every true Protestant capable of bearing arms assembled, and the next +morning marched together to the fort. On their way they met a Roman +Catholic, who thought that Captain Beauport had been unjustly condemned, +and willingly undertook to convey to the governor the resolution to +which they had arrived. They waited, advantageously posted for defence +on the brow of a hill a short distance outside the fort, while their +envoy went forward with their message to the governor. They had also +sent messages on board the ships, the officers and crews of most of +which were sound Protestants, and would, they had every reason to +believe, support them in their endeavour to rescue the brave officer, +who was loved and honoured by all, especially by his own crew. While +waiting the return of their envoy, a messenger arrived from the fleet +conveying the promise of the officers and men to afford them their full +support. This made them still more determined to remain firm to their +purpose. Their envoy soon afterwards returned with the reply of the +governor, stating that he would take their demands into consideration. +On hearing this, they desired him to go back again, insisting that +whether right or wrong, with regard to the act, it was committed on the +high seas, beyond the jurisdiction of the governor, and that, if guilty, +Captain Beauport must be sent to France to be tried. The governor, +finding so strong a force opposed to him, saw that he had been premature +in showing his colours, and that it would be his wisest course to try +and conciliate those whom he could not for the present crush. He +accordingly, accompanied by several officers, went out to meet the +Protestants. In the blandest style he could assume he assured them that +he wished to act fairly towards both parties. He therefore stated his +readiness to send Captain Beauport home for trial, and inquired whether +any of the colonists who were dissatisfied with his government would +wish to return to their native land. The idea had not before been +entertained by them. Several, however, at once replied that they were +willing to return home, and others said that they would take the matter +into consideration. + +"Captain Beauport, then, will be kept in safe custody, till the ships +are ready to sail," said the governor. "They will be prepared in a few +days; and, before that time, I wish to be informed of the number who +desire to embark." + +The Protestants, on receiving this announcement, returned to their +homes. These were mostly situated together, and, as they had now ample +proofs of the treachery of the governor, they stationed men on the +look-out to give notice, should he send a force to attack them, that +they might immediately reassemble and defend themselves. A meeting was +held to discuss their future prospects. A considerable number of the +most influential people resolved to return to France, hoping to live +there in obscurity, or to make their way to Geneva. Some, among whom +was the count, resolved to go to England, should he find France in the +same unsettled state as he left it. Nigel was now thankful that he had +not abandoned the naval service, as he hoped that the _Madeline_ would +be sent home, and that he might again have the happiness of having +Constance and her father on board. Still, the prospects of all the +party were gloomy enough: many of them had embarked all their fortunes +in the undertaking, and they would return without the means of support +to their native shores. + +On the following day, a considerable number of the colonists sent in +their names as desirous of returning, when they were informed, to their +dismay, that the three smallest ships only would be got ready to receive +them. Reports had before been spread that so weatherbeaten and +unseaworthy were these ships, that they were not again to be sent to +Europe, but to be retained in the harbour for the protection of the +colony. Nigel was almost in despair at receiving this information. He +urged the count rather to remain than to run the risk of the voyage. +The count, influenced by his daughter, was greatly disposed to follow +the advice of Nigel, who observed that the _Madeline_ would probably +before long be sent home, and that he might then take a passage on board +her. The whole community were in a state of alarm; and it was increased +when the governor sent directing them to be prepared to embark on the +following day, with the information that only two of the ships could be +got ready. + +That night the greater number of them met in their place of worship, to +offer up their prayers to God, that He would protect them from the +dangers they might have to encounter during their intended voyage. The +meeting was almost concluded; Monsieur Laporte, in a loving address, was +exhorting them to hold fast to the Gospel, whatever persecutions they +might have to endure, when a loud knocking was heard at the door of the +chapel. On its being opened, an Indian appeared in full war costume, +with one of those formidable bows in his hand, with which the Tamayas +boasted they could send a shaft through the mail-clad body of a foe and +fix him to a tree. + +"I am Tecumah!" he exclaimed. "Many here know me as a faithful friend +of the French. I come to give you warning that a large force of your +enemies and ours are on their way down the harbour to attack the island. +They consist of Portuguese and their Indian allies the Tuparas, who +have transported their boats and canoes overland from the place where +they have been secretly built for the purpose. They come in expectation +of taking you by surprise, when, should they gain the victory, not a +human being they may discover will be left alive. They have sworn to +exterminate you and us by all the false saints they have taught their +Indian friends to worship." + +Some doubted the information brought by Tecumah; but the count and +Monsieur Laporte urged their countrymen to believe him, as they well +knew the warm affection with which he regarded them, and were convinced +that he would not have alarmed them needlessly. Some time was thus +lost, but at length it was agreed that the count, with two other of the +principal persons, should at once haste with Tecumah to carry the +information to the governor, and urge him to take steps for the +protection of the settlement. Unhappily, the Protestant officers having +all been removed from their posts, there was no one of authority in the +congregation to send a direct order on board the ships to prepare for +action. The night was unusually dark; not a breath of wind rippled the +surface of the mighty estuary; and the ships, which were at anchor close +together off the usual landing-place near the fort, could not move to +any other position, where they might assist in the defence of the +island, three sides of which were thus left unprotected. The enemy +would certainly make their attack where they would not be exposed to the +fire of the ships or that of the fort. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +ATTACKED BY ENEMIES. + +Tecumah urged the count and his friends to make all haste. Even now he +feared that there would be barely time for the French to assemble and +prevent the enemy from landing. Once on shore both parties would be on +equal terms, and the most numerous would probably gain the victory. He +had despatched a messenger, however, he said, to his father, to come +with his warriors to the assistance of their friends, as, unfortunately, +they were at a distance from their usual dwelling-place, engaged in +hunting, and might not be able quickly to collect. The count had sent +word to Nigel to warn him and the other officers of the squadron to be +prepared for an attack, and also to entreat as many as could be spared +to come on shore to be in readiness for the defence of the island. The +Protestants had also got under arms, so that they might be able to march +in any direction where their presence might be required. + +The governor received the count and his companions in the haughty and +insolent manner he had of late assumed, and at first appeared inclined +to discredit the account Tecumah had brought; but when the young Indian, +with all the eloquence of his race, assured him of the truth of his +statement, and warned him of the danger of delay, he changed his tone. +He was too sagacious an officer not to see in reality that the warning +must not be despised, but, without deigning to thank the count and his +companions for the information they had brought, he desired them to go +back to their friends. They obeyed his orders; while Tecumah, having +fulfilled his mission, hurried away to his canoe, intending to cross to +the mainland for the purpose of urging his tribe to use all speed in +coming to the assistance of the French. The governor, meantime, ordered +the troops to get under arms, and sent off a despatch to the ships, +directing the captains, some to get under weigh and to sail round to the +other side of the island, others to remain ready for an attack near the +landing-place. The calm, however, prevented the first part of his order +from being obeyed. + +The whole population of the island was speedily aroused, and began to +assemble at a central spot appointed by the governor. Scouts were also +sent out along the shore, and every precaution was taken which the +sagacity of an experienced officer like Villegagnon could suggest. The +women and children, whose houses were in the more exposed situations, +were brought to the fort, though it was hoped that the enemy might be +driven back before they could effect a landing. Scarcely, however, had +the armed men collected, than the sound of firing was heard coming from +the end of the island, where a little bay was situated. It was a spot +which afforded an easy landing-place; but a fort had been built upon it, +which it was supposed was of sufficient strength to drive back any enemy +who might approach it. Several shots followed the first, and then came +through the calm night air the sounds of strife, the victorious +warwhoops of the Indians, and the shrieks and cries of the conquered. + +"Forward, my men, and drive back the enemy," exclaimed Villegagnon. +"The fort has, I fear, been surprised, and the garrison cut to pieces, +and, if so, the enemy have landed, and we must be prepared to encounter +them on shore." + +Saying this, the governor, who was not destitute of courage, led forward +the main body of his men, while he despatched a messenger to the ships +with an order for the seamen to advance to his support. The count with +a small number of his men was ordered to keep in the rear, to act as he +might think necessary. The darkness of the night prevented the French +from seeing their invaders. They had not got far when they found +themselves in the face of a force which they could only estimate by the +hot fire which was opened on them. They fired in return with equal +vigour, but it was soon evident that they were greatly outnumbered. +Several of them fell. Showers of bullets whistled amidst them, while +flights of arrows came flying into their ranks. In vain the governor +endeavoured to repel the foe. At last he gave the order to sound the +retreat, intending to fall back on the fort. The unseen enemy pressed +him hard, and their fire increased rather than diminished, showing that +more had landed. The count had now led his men up to take part in the +fight, but they could do no more than check the advance of the enemy, +and prevent them from overpowering the party under the governor. Even +the bravest began to despair of success. The flashes of the guns +lighted up the darkness of the night, and where the fire was the hottest +there the governor and Count de Tourville threw themselves fearlessly, +exposing their own lives to encourage their followers. It was very +evident that they had not only Indians, but civilised Europeans to fight +against. Notwithstanding their bravery, they were quickly driven back; +and, before long, the count saw that his own and the surrounding houses +would be exposed to destruction. At length a shout was heard on one +side. It was recognised as coming from the body of seamen who were +advancing to their support. The governor immediately despatched an +officer to lead them to a position he wished them to occupy; but, before +they had reached it, they found themselves engaged with a strong party +of the enemy who had been sent to intercept them. The fight was now +raging in two quarters, but still the enemy appeared to be gaining +ground. + +Constance de Tourville had remained at home unwilling to desert the +house till compelled to do so. Several other ladies, whose houses were +in more exposed situations, had come there for shelter, and stood +listening with anxious hearts to the hot strife going forward within a +short distance. At length some of the party proposed that they should +fly to the fort; though, dreading the governor, they were unwilling, if +it could be avoided, to place themselves in his power. Constance +preferred remaining, her father having promised to send timely notice to +her should the French find themselves compelled to retreat. The sounds +of the battle came nearer and nearer. Several of the ladies declared +that they could remain no longer, and hurried to the door to make their +escape; Constance remained firm. + +"I will obey my father," she said; "and when he sends me word that it is +time to fly, I will go." + +The other ladies, influenced by her example, hesitated, when a shower of +bullets came whistling above their heads, and shouts and shrieks and +cries of the combatants sounded as if they were close at hand. It was +too evident that such was the case. Constance herself began to await +anxiously for the order from her father to quit the house; when +suddenly, in addition to the other sounds, a chorus of wild warwhoops +burst on their ears. The savage cries were replied to by the shouts and +cheers of the French. The musketry rattled as loud as ever, but none of +the shots came near them. In truth, the Tamoyos had arrived just at the +moment the governor had determined to retreat and take shelter in the +fort, leaving the rest of the island to the mercy of the invaders. +Tecumah was at the head of his tribe, who fought with the most desperate +fury against their hereditary enemies the Tuparas. The Portuguese were +now in their turn compelled to retreat; the French and Indians pressed +them hard, and, finding their expectation of surprising the settlement +defeated, they took to flight towards the bay where they had left their +boats. Nigel had landed with a naval force, and, feeling that he was +fighting for everything he held clear, he was regardless of his own +safety. Again and again he led his men on against greatly superior +numbers of the enemy, but till the arrival of Tecumah and his party all +his efforts had been in vain. Again he was leading them on, when he +felt himself struck by a bullet, and, staggering a few paces, fell to +the ground. Still he called on his men to advance. The Portuguese and +Tuparas every now and then faced about in order to cover the embarkation +of those who first reached the boats. Their bravery secured the retreat +of their friends, but the greater portion of the rear-guard were +overtaken and cut to pieces, while the main body shoved off from the +shore and made their escape. + +Constance and her friends had been anxiously awaiting the issue of the +strife. When they heard the sounds of battle receding, their courage +rose, and they hoped that their countrymen were gaining the victory. +Still they were left for a long interval. At length Constance +determined to go out and ascertain what had taken place. They provided +themselves with lanterns, several of which had been brought to the house +by those who had taken refuge in it, and, aided by their light, they +went courageously forward. They had a higher motive also. They knew +too well that many must have fallen, and they hoped to carry succour to +some of the wounded, who might have been left behind by their advancing +comrades. After going some way, they reached a spot where the strife +had been hottest. Here lay friends and foes mingled together, Frenchman +and Portuguese; the Indians only being distinguished by their war-paint +and fantastic costume. On all the bullet, or arrow, or the deadly +hatchet, had done its work. As they cast their lanterns on the forms +stretched on the ground they saw that their help could not avail. The +wounded had either been carried off by their companions, or had dragged +themselves away to seek assistance. Still they persevered in their +mission of mercy, searching for others who might be still breathing. +They were attracted by the sound of a groan, which proceeded from a spot +not far off. Again all was silent. + +"Here is a wounded man!" exclaimed one of the ladies, calling to +Constance. "He is a naval officer, I see, by his dress." + +Constance and her other friends hurried to the spot, and, by the light +of a lantern cast on the countenance of the officer, Constance saw at a +glance that he was Nigel. She threw herself on the ground, and +endeavoured, with the help of her companions, to staunch the blood +flowing from a wound in his side. He was pale as death, but another +groan escaping from his lips showed her that he still breathed. At +length they succeeded in stopping the effusion of blood. She called on +his name, but he was too weak to answer, though once she felt, as she +took his hand, a slight pressure returned, which showed that he +recognised her voice. + +"Oh, Marie, hasten to the house, and entreat some of our friends to come +and assist in carrying him there!" she exclaimed to one of her +companions. "Bring a bed, or a door torn from its hinges, on which he +can be placed. We must not allow him to remain here longer than is +possible. Quick, my dear, if you love me!" + +Her friend hurried away, eager to bring assistance which the young +officer so greatly needed. Constance in the mean time sat by the side +of Nigel, resting his head on her arm, while she bent over him, and +assured herself that he still breathed. Though dreading every moment to +hear his last sigh, with loving and gentle words she endeavoured to +recall him to consciousness. How fearfully long the time seemed. The +sounds of the strife still going forward reached her ears, though she +scarcely heeded them, for all her thoughts and all her feelings were +centred on Nigel. Anxiously she and her friend waited the arrival of +the party from the house. The latter every now and then got up and +advanced a few paces to listen. At length lights were seen in the +distance, and footsteps were heard approaching. Constance uttered an +exclamation of thankfulness when she saw her friends approaching with a +litter they had hastily constructed with three poles supporting a +mattress. With gentle care Nigel was placed upon it, and the ladies +lifting it from the ground proceeded towards the house. Soon after they +had reached it, the count arrived with the intelligence that the enemy +had been driven off the island, and that the boats of the squadron had +gone in pursuit of them. His sorrow at hearing of Nigel's dangerous +state was very great, and, ordering restoratives to be given him, he +immediately set off in search of the surgeon, who had come out with the +first party of the settlers, and had remained faithful to the truth. He +happily discovered him attending to some of the wounded men who had been +carried to one of the neighbouring houses. As soon as he could leave +them he hastened to Nigel's side. After examining his wound, he +expressed a hope that, by constant watchfulness and care, he would +recover, though the loss of blood had greatly exhausted him, and all +would depend on his being kept perfectly quiet. One thing was certain, +that he would be unable to move for many weeks to come, without risking +his life. On hearing the surgeon's report, Constance entreated her +father not to carry out his intention of proceeding to Europe. + +"I will certainly on no account leave him," he answered. "Possibly the +ships may be delayed, or the governor will be unwilling to let them +sail, on the probability of the island being again attacked; but if so, +he must treat the Protestants with more justice than he has been doing +for some time, and we must live in hopes that fresh arrivals from Europe +will again turn the scale in our favour." + +Whether or not the governor suspected that the Protestants hoped, with +increased numbers, to recover their influence, it was difficult to say. + +The next day was devoted to rejoicings for the victory. The bells of +the Romish church rang out, the fort fired salutes, and a procession +with crucifixes, banners, and images, marched through the island. The +priests sang praises in honour of the Virgin Mary, whom they asserted +had given them the victory, in answer to their petitions. The +Protestants assembled in their place of worship to return thanks to God +for their deliverance. While the service, which had taken place at an +earlier hour than usual, was going forward, an officer and party of +soldiers arrived in front of the chapel. Without knocking, or asking +for admission, the officer entered the chapel with his hat on his head, +and, in a loud voice, exclaimed-- + +"I bring you an order from the governor to disperse. He will allow of +no meetings, except in the church he has built for the use of the +colony." + +"Allow us, sir, to finish the service in which we are engaged," answered +the minister, in a deep tone. "It may be the last many of us will enjoy +for some time to come." + +"My orders are to put a stop to your meeting," said the officer. "If +you refuse to obey, I must use force to compel you." + +Several of the persons present showed an inclination to dispute the +point, but the minister and count urged them to yield obedience to the +orders of the governor, and they quickly departed, when the officer, +closing the door, put a seal on it, cautioning the people not again to +enter, the governor having threatened severely to punish any who might +do so. With sad hearts they returned to their homes. The victory over +their enemies, instead of having improved their condition, appeared to +have made it still more unbearable. Many who had before intended to +remain on the island now determined to proceed in the ships which the +governor announced would sail in a couple of days. When, however, they +went on board to arrange their sleeping places they found the vessels in +so battered and unseaworthy a condition, and so overrun with vermin, +that many resolved to remain rather than undergo the risk of a voyage on +board them. The officers and crews confessed that they were very +unwilling to sail; at the same time, as they were all Protestants, they +were anxious to get away from the island. The governor had also +threatened them with punishment should they refuse. They promised, for +their own sakes, as well as for that of their passengers, to repair the +ships as much as time would allow. Indeed, the crews were already +working hard to fit them for sea. If the governor would permit them to +remain another week, they might, it was hoped, be placed in a tolerably +efficient state to cross the Atlantic. The governor, however, would +only allow them two more days, at the end of which time he insisted that +all who intended to go must embark. A third of the original number, +therefore, abandoned their purpose and resolved to remain and endure all +the indignities to which they were likely to be subjected, while the +rest, with many forebodings, went on board the two ships. They were, as +it was, much overcrowded, and it was with difficulty that they could +obtain sufficient provisions for the voyage, the governor asserting that +no more could be spared from the stores of the garrison. + +When all were on board, and the anchors were about to be weighed, +Captain Beauport was led out from prison in chains under a strong guard, +and, not being allowed to communicate with any of his friends on shore, +was conveyed on board; the captain to whose charge he was committed +being directed by the governor to deliver up his prisoner to the +authorities at the first port at which he could touch, charged with +rebellion and heresy. Captain Dupre merely replied that he would do his +duty, as far as he had the power. He was a silent undemonstrative man, +not given unnecessarily to express his opinions. He had never shown a +disposition to disregard the orders of the governor, who was, therefore, +persuaded that he would carry them out on the present occasion. With +sad hearts those remaining saw their countrymen sail away. They were +anxious about their fate; but they had still greater cause to be anxious +about their own. + +In the mean time, Nigel, under Constance's unremitting care, and that of +the good surgeon who remained, was progressing favourably. Some days +passed before he had sufficient strength to speak, and not till more +than a week had elapsed would the surgeon allow him to be told what had +happened; he was then deeply grieved to hear that the count and +Constance had remained behind for his sake. He dreaded even more than +they did the treachery and cruelty of Villegagnon, knowing him as he did +to be so completely under the influence of the priests. + +"He is but a wretched tool in their hands; and they, acting according to +the dictates of their accursed system, which they call `The Church,' are +determined to drive every Protestant out of the island, so that they may +again be masters over the consciences of all the inhabitants. Why," +exclaimed poor Nigel to Constance, "did I not denounce the traitor to +the admiral, who would not then, I feel convinced, have trusted the +colony to his government? Even had I failed to convince him, it would +have been better to have been dismissed, and to have sought my fortune +elsewhere. But then, Constance, I should not have met you; and even +now, if God wills that I should recover, I may be the means of +preserving you from the dangers by which you are surrounded." + +"You acted as you believed right, and you must not blame yourself," said +Constance. "We must trust in God, and remember that, whatever happens, +He orders all things for the best. Should He permit these wicked men to +triumph, let us feel sure that He has some object in view, though we may +not see it." + +The count also exonerated Nigel from any blame, and was much inclined to +find fault with himself for having quitted France, instead of remaining +at his post, and looking after his dependants. + +"We are but weak fallible creatures at best," he observed. "We often +fancy that we are following God's will when we are pursuing only the +promptings of our own inclinations. It shows how absolutely necessary +it is to seek for guidance at the throne of grace in all our actions, +even in what we may consider the most minute. When we remember that the +hairs of our head are all numbered, and that God has told us that not a +sparrow falls to the ground but He knows of it, we should remember that +no act is too minute and inconsiderable to seek for counsel from Him +regarding it. I might say that at every word we utter we should ask Him +to direct us, for a single word may have an effect for good or for evil +on those who hear it." + +Still Nigel was not satisfied with himself. Few people can be so, when +they review their past actions, unless they have acted as the count +advised, and sought for guidance from above. + +For a short time the Protestant settlers were left to act as they +thought fit; but their place of worship continued shut up, and they were +not allowed to enter it. They met, however, at each other's houses to +read the Scriptures and offer up prayer and praise together. But they +thought it wise to do so with closed doors, and they always had some one +on the watch outside to give notice of the approach of any of the +Papists. Indeed, they found it necessary to use the same precautions +which they had been accustomed to employ in France. They were now +subjected to the same persecuting spirit as that from which they had +attempted to escape. Their only hope of being freed from their present +galling condition was by a large influx of Protestant settlers, when the +scales might be again turned in their favour. Would Villegagnon, +however, allow such to land? In all probability he would send them over +to settle on the southern shore. + +This state of affairs continued for some weeks, during which Nigel +slowly recovered, much owing to the loving care of Constance, and the +skill of their friend, the surgeon. At length his health was considered +fairly re-established. The count, however, advised him not to return to +his ship until absolutely compelled to do so; indeed, having the +permission of the admiral to quit the service, Villegagnon could not +legally insist on his remaining in it. + +"Indeed, my dear friend," said the count, "I feel that my own life is so +uncertain, and should I be taken away, my daughter would be left without +a protector in whom I could place confidence, that I desire forthwith to +commit her to your care. You will, I know, devote yourself to her, and, +as far as a human being has power, defend her from all dangers." + +Nigel grasped the count's hand, and with a proud joy at his heart, +promised not to disappoint his expectations. He took no vain oath: he +did not call on God to witness that he intended to fulfil his promise, +for he and the count knew that what he uttered was heard in heaven, and +required no other ratification. Constance willingly agreed to her +father's wishes, and it was settled that in a few days the marriage +ceremony should be performed by their minister and friend, Monsieur +Laporte. Their love was mutual and equally intense, and they felt that +they could together face the dangers of many sorts surrounding them far +better than apart. Constance implicitly confided in Nigel, and he felt +unspeakable pride and joy in having the power of supporting and +protecting her. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +PROCEEDINGS OF "THE INQUISITION." + +Ten days had passed since Nigel and Constance were united. He had not +ventured beyond the precincts of the garden; and it might have been +supposed that Captain Villegagnon had forgotten his existence, as no +order had been sent him to join his ship. He intended, should he +receive one again, to plead the admiral's permission to quit the +service, Coligny having indeed accepted his resignation. As long, +however, as he was not interfered with he resolved to remain quiet. He +employed his time in assisting the count in the cultivation of the +ground, and in devising plans for the future. Rumours were abroad that +the governor intended on the arrival of fresh colonists to found a town +on the north side of the harbour, to be named Nitherohy. The count +determined to move there, and to purchase a plot of land on which to +build a residence and form an estate, as he hoped before that time to +receive remittances from his steward. + +"I should not have thought of it, my dear Nigel, had it not been for you +and Constance," he observed. "Though as regards myself all worldly +pride and ambition have been laid aside, I should like to see you the +master of a property suitable to your birth and education." + +The idea was naturally consonant with Nigel's wishes, and he promised to +labour hard in bringing the proposed estate into cultivation. + +"It will afford me ample employment for the future," he observed; "and +employment, of course, I must have." + +Tecumah and Cora had during this time made frequent visits to the +island. Tecumah was welcomed by the governor, as he was always well +informed of the movements of the Portuguese and hostile Indians, besides +having already rendered important services to the colony. The governor +only looked on him in the light of an intelligent young savage and a +faithful ally to the French. He had, however, already advanced in a +knowledge of Christian truth, and had become an earnest and believing +follower of the Lord. He one day came over to report that a party of +the Tuparas had been seen on the high ground beyond the southern +extremity of the harbour, making their way to the Portuguese settlement. +He advised that boats should be sent out and advanced posts stationed, +to give due notice of an attack, should one be contemplated. These +arrangements having been made, the governor invited Tecumah to accompany +him in a walk to a part of the island which he was about to visit. The +strains of solemn music reached their ears. Tecumah attentively +listened with much delight, and inquired whence they proceeded. + +"The ministers of our religion are performing a sacred service, my +friend," answered the governor. "If you please, we will enter and pay +our devotions to the Holy Virgin and saints." + +"I thought that Christians worship God alone," observed the Indian. + +"Of course, so we do," said the governor; "but we worship also, in a +different way, the mother of God and His holy saints and apostles." + +"I have heard that God is a jealous God, and will have none other gods +worshipped but Himself," said the Indian. + +"But the mother of God; surely He will have us worship her?" observed +the governor. + +"The Bible does not say so," answered Tecumah, boldly, "When Jesus hung +on the cross He said to John, `Behold thy mother,' and to His mother, +`Behold thy son;' and looking round on His disciples, He once observed, +when He was told that His mother and brethren were near, `Behold My +mother, and My brethren.'" + +"Where did you learn all that?" asked the governor, in an angry tone. + +"From one of your good ministers; and I am sure he spoke the truth," +answered Tecumah, innocently. + +"He shall suffer for it," muttered the governor. + +They had just then reached the door of the church, and Tecumah followed +the governor, who went up towards the so-called "holy altar." The +Indian gazed around with astonishment at the gorgeous drapery, the +images, the lighted candles, and the large silver crucifix, with the +figure of the Virgin on one side, and Saint John on the other, and the +vases of flowers, and numerous other ornaments. He said not a word +during the whole ceremony, but watched attentively what took place. +There was the usual chanting in Latin, and so-called prayers muttered +over in the same language; while the church was filled with incense from +censers waved to and fro. Then, during a solemn silence, the chief +officiating priest lifted up something (what it was he could not make +out) above his head. He then observed that they put something into +their mouths and drank wine, which they had mixed with water from a +silver cup. Then the people came up and the priests put something into +their mouths, and there was more chanting and prayers in an unknown +tongue. Then those who had been on their knees rose and filed out of +the church, laughing and talking and making jokes with each other. +Tecumah followed the governor, anxious to know what had taken place, and +inquired what the priests were about when they muttered prayers over the +silver dish and wine. + +"They were then performing the greatest miracle of our Church," answered +the governor. "They were converting the wafer and wine into the body +and blood of Christ." + +"What?" asked the Indian. "Christ has assumed His glorified body, and +is now in heaven at the right hand of God. Which body, may I ask, do +they think they eat, His human body or His glorified body? I cannot +understand the matter." + +"Nor can I enlighten you," answered the governor, looking much +perplexed. "I am not fond of having such questions put to me." + +"Pardon me if I ask one more," said the Indian, who was eager to gain +information on the subject. "What were they doing when they lifted the +wafer above their heads?" + +"They were then offering up to God the great sacrifice, the real body +and blood of His dear Son." + +"Christ was once offered up as a sacrifice for sinners on the cross," +said the Indian; "surely they cannot offer Him again?" + +"Our Church says they can; and that's all we know about the matter," +answered the governor, in a tone of irritation. + +"Let me then ask you another question," said Tecumah. "What were they +doing when they ate the wafers and drank the wine, and then put the +wafers into the mouths of the people?" + +"They were eating the real body and drinking the blood of Christ," +answered the governor, "and feeding the people with the body, for the +priests alone are allowed to drink the blood. They were, in other +words, performing the sacrifice of the mass." + +"What?" exclaimed the Indian, starting back. "It is too solemn a thing +to joke about; but do you wish to make me believe that the people can +really believe that they eat the body of their God, and that human +beings can change pieces of paste into that body? No, no, no! Monsieur +Governor. We Indians have not a knowledge of the numerous arts you +Frenchmen possess, but we are not so foolish as to believe such a gross +imposture as that. I am afraid that your priests are like our +medicine-men, in whom we trusted till we found them to be rogues and +deceivers." + +These words were uttered by Tecumah in a loud, indignant tone, and were +overheard by one of the priests, who, having changed his gorgeous robes, +had followed the governor out of the church in order to speak to him. + +"Beware, young man, what you say!" he exclaimed, in an angry tone. "How +can you understand the mysteries of our faith? But I know well where +you received your instruction, and he who taught you shall have his just +reward." + +Tecumah stood calmly listening to the priest's angry threats. "He who +taught me is under the protection of my tribe," he answered, "and those +who injure him will be our foes. I now see that you are one of the men +who played the tricks in the church hard by, and deceived the people by +persuading them that you have the power which belongs to God alone, to +work a miracle." + +These words so enraged the priest, that he would have struck the Indian +had he dared. The governor observed his anger, and being well aware of +the importance of not offending their Indian allies, on whose support +their very existence depended, now interfered and tried to soothe the +angry priest as well as Tecumah. The latter, however, felt more scorn +than anger towards the man whom he, with his acute and unprejudiced +mind, looked upon as guilty of practising a gross imposture, and he was +therefore quickly pacified; but the priest, grinding his teeth, +continued to mutter threats of vengeance, till the governor, drawing him +aside, reminded him of the importance of not offending the Indians. + +"You may do what you like with the heretic minister," he observed; "but +the services of these Indians are required, and we cannot afford to lose +them." + +"The guilty one shall feel the vengeance of our Church, then," answered +the priest. "We cannot allow a doctrine which so greatly supports our +authority to be called in question." + +"Of course not, my friend, of course not," said the governor; "though, +as men of sense, you and I no more believe in it than does that clever +young Indian." + +"As to that, Monsieur Governor, we keep our opinions to ourselves," said +the priest, with as near an approach to a laugh as he ever indulged in. +"At the same time, the sooner we put that acute, clever-minded young +Indian out of the way, together with his instructor, Monsieur Laporte, +the better for the maintenance of our holy religion." The countenance +of the priest had assumed its usual undemonstrative expression as he +continued, "Listen, Monsieur Governor. I believe that the Count de +Tourville and his daughter and son-in-law are equally dangerous. That +young Indian and his sister are constantly at their house, and have +imbibed their pestiferous notions from them. I have had my eye on them +for some time, when they were not aware that they were watched. I do my +duty in looking after the spiritual interests of my countrymen"--the +priest crossed his arms and cast his eyes on the ground--"but I feel +that my humble efforts unaided are not sufficient. When our community +increases, we shall have many of these accursed Protestants among us, +and it will be absolutely necessary to devise effectual means for the +preservation of our authority. I would therefore suggest the +establishment of the Holy Inquisition, by which alone heresy can be +rooted out. It will prove our zeal for religion, and gain the +approbation of our patrons, the excellent Duke de Guise and his brother, +the Cardinal of Lorraine." + +"You will have my permission to carry out your plan as you may wish, +holy father," said the governor. "You may exercise your authority on +our countrymen as you may deem necessary to bring them under the +wholesome control of the Church; but I cannot have the Indians +interfered with until we are strong enough to do without them. When we +are, you will have my full permission to manage them as you think best +for the purpose of bringing them into the true fold; but in the mean +time their savage relatives may not understand your object in burning +them for the good of their souls, and may be apt in their ignorance to +revenge their deaths by cutting us to pieces." + +"I understand your wise policy," answered the priest. "We will bide our +time, then, for commencing the conversion of the Indians. But I have +your permission to act towards the count and his family, and that +pestiferous heretic minister, as I may judge necessary for the full +establishment of the faith in our colony?" + +"Certainly, certainly," answered the governor; "I willingly grant you +all the power you ask." + +The priest returned into the church to hear the confessions of several +of his congregation, who were waiting to get absolution that they might +sin again without having too great a load on their shoulders; as also to +put out the candles, which he in his hurry had left burning. The +governor returned to the fort, while Tecumah went to pay his usual visit +to Monsieur Laporte. He naturally expressed his astonishment at what he +had seen and heard. + +"Surely," he exclaimed, "sensible men do not really believe that, by the +words of a priest, Jesus Christ, sitting at the right hand of God, +really does allow His body to descend into the bits of paste which the +priest puts into the mouths of the people. The Bible, as you read it to +me, says that He is seated at the right hand of God, to make +intercession for us sinners, and that He acts as our great High Priest." + +"I cannot tell what the poor ignorant people may really believe, though +it does seem astounding that they should be so imposed on by their +priests," answered Monsieur Laporte. "It was many centuries even before +the corrupted Church of Rome introduced the dogma or notion, which was +invented by a monk in the eighth century, when it was eagerly seized +upon by the Pope, who saw that it would enable him and his army of +subordinates to become sacrificing priests, which would give them +immense influence over the minds of people, if they could persuade them +to believe it. They had taught the great mass of the people to believe +in the power of dead men's bones and other relics to work miracles; in +the heathen notion of purgatory for cleansing the soul by fire; to +worship idols with the names of saints; to pray for the dead; and to +pray to dead men whom they had dubbed saints, as well as to put faith in +many other abominable falsehoods. They found, therefore, no difficulty +in persuading the more ignorant people to believe this most blasphemous +fable, which from henceforth became one of the most powerful engines for +increasing the influence of the priests over the minds of men, though +many, both learned and unlearned persons in our own and other countries +loudly protested against the novel doctrine, as contrary to the true +meaning of our Lord's language at the last supper and the teaching and +practice of the apostles." + +"I thought that you and other sensible men could not possibly believe so +outrageous a notion, and so contrary to God's word," observed Tecumah. +"But how comes it that men can be so wicked as to teach what is in +direct opposition to the Bible?" + +"Influenced by Satan, they make use of every means, however impious, to +gain an influence over their fellow-creatures. It has been the same +everywhere from the earliest ages of the world. They are like your +medicine-men, whom you now know to be gross impostors. In all countries +there have been found men, for their own ends, or for the support of the +authority they serve, willing to deceive their fellow men, in many +instances, as is often the case with these priests of Rome, being +deceived themselves. Our only sure guide and prevention against such +impostures is the study of God's Word and constant obedience to its holy +precepts. As Jesus withstood the temptations of Satan by replying to +him with the Scriptures, so must we arm ourselves, and ever be ready to +withstand our foes, in whatever form they come, by the same blessed word +of God. A sure sign that the Romish system is the invention of Satan is +that it dreads the Word, and whenever it has the power, keeps it from +the people or grossly misinterprets its meaning." + +"I would that I could have that blessed Book translated into the +language of my people," exclaimed Tecumah. "I can now understand it in +French, and may be able to explain it to those who are willing to hear +me; but I should desire to send it throughout the whole country, that +all the native tribes might hear the glad tidings that there is a loving +Saviour ready to receive them into the kingdom." + +The above conversation occupied a much longer time than we have in +repeating it, and both the minister and young chief used very different +language to that which has been employed. Tecumah showed by his +questions and replies how completely he understood it, and how his pure +unprejudiced mind revolted against the falsehoods of Rome, while it +quickly embraced the truth of the Gospel. + +After quitting Monsieur Laporte, he paid a visit to the count. He found +Nigel hard at work in the garden, and Constance helping him. He +repeated to them what he had seen and the impression formed on his mind, +and they explained the truth much as the minister had done; to which +Constance added an account of the horrible system of the confessional, +which she had heard from some of her Papist friends, who had been +subjected to it, and the abominable questions which had been put to them +by the priests. + +"That alone would have been sufficient to convince me that this system +is not of God. And He tells us from the mouth of the Apostle Paul that +we may come boldly to the throne of grace, trusting in the all cleansing +blood of Jesus; and Jesus Himself says, `Come unto Me, all ye that +labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' I am sure that +He never refuses to hear when a human being comes trusting to His blood +shed on Calvary. Monsieur Laporte was reading from the Epistle of +Timothy a prophecy that there should come `some who shall depart from +the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; +speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot +iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which +God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe +and know the truth,' who would advocate will-worship and their own good +deeds in opposition to the all perfect atonement of Jesus. Such truly +is what the priests of Rome teach, though nearly for a thousand years +after Christ came Christian ministers, whom they acknowledged as +belonging to their communion, were allowed to marry like other men; and +certainly those who did so were less corrupt than the celibates who, +having no family ties, became the servile tools of Rome's tyranny." + +Constance had now to go in to prepare for dinner, and Nigel then asked +Tecumah what remarks he had made to the governor and the priest. The +Indian told him. + +"You spoke truly; but knowing what these priests are, I fear much that +they will endeavour to entrap you; and if they find that they cannot +compel you to believe in their false doctrines and to acknowledge their +authority, they will use other means to bring about your destruction." + +"I will be watchful, and keep out of their power," said Tecumah. "I +fear much, though, that they will equally endeavour to persecute you +whom they look upon as my instructor; but I will be on the watch, and +try to defend you as well as myself." + +Tecumah spent the rest of the day with his friends, and it was late in +the evening when his canoe was seen gliding rapidly across the harbour +towards the mainland. + +Villegagnon and the priests did not long allow the Protestant settlers +to remain in quiet. The governor announced that he had received orders +from France to allow no Bibles to remain in the hands of any of the +people, declaring that they made a bad use of them by seeking an excuse +from their pages for rebellion. The count resolved to go in person to +the governor, and reminding him that he had ever been loyal, to claim +exemption from the tyrannical law. He went, but was haughtily told that +rich and poor must be treated alike, and that no exception would be made +in his favour. Should he not deliver up all the Bibles in his house, he +must be prepared for the consequences. Monsieur Laporte and the good +surgeon were treated in the same manner. Nigel, however, resolved, as +he was not a Frenchman, not to part with his Bible; and, in case a +domiciliary visit should be paid by the "inquisitors," having placed it +in a box and buried it in the garden among some thick trees, he and +Constance could thus take it out and read it, which they did every day, +without risk, as they supposed, of being discovered. Before long a +party of men appeared, headed by an officer, with an authority from the +governor to collect all the Bibles and Protestant sermons and hymns to +be found. The count, knowing that resistance was vain, delivered up +those he possessed, protesting, however, against the injustice of the +act. + +"That's not our affair, Count de Tourville," answered the officer; "but +I will report what you say to the governor. Now, let me ask you, have +you any other books?" + +"I have given you all that are to my knowledge in the house," answered +the count. "If you are not satisfied you must search for them." + +"We cannot take the word of an heretic," said the officer, insolently. +"We intend to search, and if we find any it will be the worse for you." + +Providentially, Nigel was away, and thus escaped having questions asked +him. Poor Constance endeavoured to console her father while the +officers were searching in every corner and cranny of the house. No +books, however, were discovered; and at length, threatening to pay +another visit shortly, the inquisitors went away to search other houses +in the neighbourhood; and in two or three, meeting with opposition, they +carried the owners off to prison. The most severe sufferer was Monsieur +Laporte, the whole of whose library was carried off, all his books more +or less being of a theological character. + +The following day, in an open space in front of the fort, a pile of +faggots was seen, when the books were brought forth from the house into +which they had been thrown. Most of the population turned out to +witness the expected sight, shouting and jeering as book after book was +thrown on the pile, to which fire had been set. As each fresh batch of +books began to burn they shouted loudly, and when it was seen that most +of the books were Bibles, their shouts and cries and fierce execrations +grew louder and louder. This went on till all were consumed. The +Protestants remained at home during the period, sorrowful and cast down. +No one knew what persecutions they might be doomed to bear. Monsieur +Laporte went from house to house, endeavouring to console and support +his flock, reminding them all of the sufferings Christ's people had been +called on to bear from the earliest days to the present time, and urging +them to keep in view that crown of glory which He had prepared for all +who hold fast to the truth. So much had his faithful and gentle +character won the love of all except the most brutal, that many even +among those who had been perverted regarded him with affection, while +the priests, hearing him so highly spoken of, were afraid for the +present to persecute him further. They were, however, very active among +his congregation, whom they endeavoured by soft words and plausible +arguments to win over; but finding that they did not succeed, as in +reality only the frivolous and irreligious had hitherto been gained to +their side, they determined to use harsher measures. + +One evening Nigel and Constance had gone to their bower in the woods, +where, concealed by the thickness of the surrounding foliage, they took +out their Bible and sat down on a bench Nigel had placed there. He had +been reading for some time to his young wife, occasionally stopping to +explain a verse or to ask her opinion; now turning back and comparing +text with text, both of them being so absorbed that they did not know +how long they had been thus engaged, when they were suddenly aroused by +hearing a footstep, and looking up they saw a priest standing before +them, while a little way off appeared a party of armed men. + +"You have been discovered engaged in an unlawful act, Monsieur Nigel, by +which you have made yourself liable to the just vengeance of the law!" +exclaimed the priest, in a triumphant tone. "You have been suspected +for some time. In the name of the governor, therefore, I order you to +yield yourself prisoner. Take this gentleman into custody," he added, +turning to the armed men, who, as he spoke, sprang eagerly forward. + +Nigel was too much astonished for the moment to reply. Constance +uttered a cry of alarm, and clung to his arm. + +"You cannot, you must not take him from me!" she exclaimed, in a +terrified tone. + +"You are equally guilty, young lady, in listening to him," said the +priest. "In all probability you will share his fate." + +"Oh, let me go with him now, then, if you insist on taking him," she +said, still holding Nigel's arm. + +"No, no, lady. Don't fancy that you will be allowed to keep him +company," said the priest, in a harsher tone. "For the present you may +remain with your father, till the governor thinks fit to summon you." + +"Fly rather to the faithful Indians," whispered Nigel; "do not put +yourself in the traitor's power." + +He could say no more, for the armed men seizing him took him off, while +the priest held Constance in his arms. She in vain struggled to free +herself from his loathsome grasp, while she entreated to be set free, +ever and anon uttering shrieks for help; but not till the priest was +sure that the party with Nigel were out of sight did he allow her to +escape, when seeing her father, who had been attracted by her cries, +coming from the house, she flew towards him, the priest in the mean time +hurrying after his companions. It was fortunate for him that he got +away, for the count, with a thick stick in his hand, forgetting the +danger of doing so, would have made him feel the effects of his just +anger. + +"Oh, save him, save him! They have seized Nigel. What will they do to +him?" cried Constance, as she sank into her father's arms. + +The count saw that pursuit was hopeless, for the priest, tucking up his +long dress to enable him to scramble over the fences, had already got to +a considerable distance; besides, it would have been vain to attempt +rescuing Nigel from a party of armed men. The count could only say, +"Trust in God, my child. He alone can help us." + +Poor Constance, overcome with grief and terror, could scarcely, even +with her father's assistance, reach the house. He placed her on a couch +by his side, vainly endeavouring to console her. He indeed feared that +the priests would not allow them to escape with impunity, and he guessed +truly that it had been only for the sake of inflicting a greater cruelty +that Nigel had first been carried off. + +Monsieur Laporte with the good doctor happily came in, having heard a +rumour of what had occurred. Both were required, for Constance became +seriously ill; but the words of the former were of more value than any +medicine the latter could prescribe. The minister at, once turned to +God's word; not to the Book itself, for that he did not dare to carry +about, but to the numerous blessed texts which he had committed to +memory, and from these he was able to draw that effectual comfort which +could alone avail with the poor young wife. No one dared to speak of +the future, for they knew well the bitter hatred felt by the governor +and priests towards Nigel, and that they would rejoice at having a +victim in their power on whom they would wreak their vengeance. While +they were seated with Constance and the count, Tecumah and his sister +arrived, on their way to pay their usual visit to Monsieur Laporte. +They were overwhelmed with grief and indignation when they heard what +had occurred. Cora threw herself by the side of Constance, and poured +out her expressions of sympathy from her woman's heart. Indian as she +was, she could feel for her white sister, her affectionate tones tending +somewhat to soothe her friend's outraged feelings. + +"Do not give up hope," she whispered, "We will gladly devote our lives, +if necessary, to save him. We Indians are accustomed to do many things +which would astonish the white people, and if a friend is in danger, +every one of our tribe is ready to help him." + +"They dare not kill him!" exclaimed Tecumah, "and if a hair of his head +is injured I will arouse our people, and instead of being friends and +ready to fight on their side, we will come over with our strong bows and +attack them." + +"Even for the sake of a friend we would not urge you to use violent +measures," said the minister. "Remember the precepts of our blessed +Lord and Master; He who was ever mild, gentle, and forgiving, doing good +to those who injured Him." + +"Yes, I know that, and desire to obey our Saviour's law; but He does not +forbid us to help our friends," exclaimed the young Indian. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +IMPRISONMENT AND RESCUE. + +Tecumah and his sister remained for some time with their friend. +Tecumah then accompanied the minister to his house. They passed on +their way through the count's garden, as it afforded them a shorter cut +than the public path. As they got to the further end of the garden they +turned aside to visit the spot where Nigel had been seized. On reaching +it, Tecumah sprang forward, for there he saw before him on the ground +the Bible, which the priest, in his eagerness to hold back Constance, +had let drop, and had forgotten to take with him when the count +appeared. + +"Blessed Book!" exclaimed Tecumah. "Let me be its guardian. Your cruel +persecutors shall not burn it while I have it in charge, and you may +come over to read it, or when the search is over I will bring it back to +you." + +To this proposal Monsieur Laporte willingly agreed; and while the +Indian, wrapping it up carefully, concealed it beneath his cloak, the +minister closed the box in which it was wont to be put, and covered it +over again with earth and leaves. + +Cora begged that she might be allowed to continue with Constance till +the following morning or longer. "We were not observed coming into the +house," she said, "and it will not be known that I am here. I have my +reasons for wishing to remain." + +The count and Constance of course agreed to what Cora wished. Before +her brother quitted the house she had a short and earnest conversation +with him. Tecumah, having spent some time with the minister, hurried to +his canoe and rapidly crossed to the north side of the harbour. + +Meanwhile, Nigel was dragged along by his captors. He had been so +completely surprised that it was impossible for him to escape; and +finding this, he walked along without making any further resistance. + +The priest soon overtook the party. In vain Nigel tried to learn from +him what had become of Constance. + +"It's not my duty to answer questions," he replied; "but I have some, +notwithstanding, to ask you. How is it that, knowing the orders of the +governor, you ventured to read that book from which you draw all your +heresies?" + +"I am not aware that I have drawn anything but truth through the +teaching of the Holy Spirit," answered Nigel. + +"That is the notion all you heretics hold!" exclaimed the priest. "It +is the origin of your pestiferous principles." + +"I was not prohibited from reading it in my own country, and I claim as +a Scotchman the right to do so wherever I am," answered Nigel. + +"No person of whatever country has the right to act contrary to the +commands of the Catholic Church," answered the priest, furiously; "and +that Church positively forbids laymen from reading the Bible, or putting +their own interpretations on it, therefore to whatever nation you belong +you are under its rule, and are equally guilty. But I waste words in +arguing with a heretic. Your only hope of escape from death is to +recant without delay and become a faithful Catholic, and the governor, +at my intercession, will overlook your offence. Come, you will be wise; +so give up your errors." + +"Never will I give up my faith," answered Nigel, firmly. + +"Ah, my young friend, you say so now; but think of the advantages you +will gain. You will at once be restored to your young wife, and will +undoubtedly be raised to a post of honour and wealth in our new +settlement; and when the count dies you will inherit his property and +found a noble family in Antarctic France." + +Nigel felt that the temptations held out were powerful, but he prayed +that were they ten times more so he might have grace to resist them. He +doubted also very much whether the wily priest was not mocking him. He +knew full well from the accounts he had heard in France of the treachery +of which the emissaries of Rome were guilty, and he would not place any +confidence in the most specious promises any of them might have made to +him. He therefore let the priest talk on, endeavouring as far as he +could not to listen to him. At length the fort was reached. Nigel was +forthwith thrust into a cell, ordinarily used for the confinement of a +refractory or drunken soldier, and was there left to his own +meditations. He walked up and down, considering what he should do and +what he should say. Now and again he stopped, and earnestly prayed for +guidance and direction. The governor and priests were too eager to +condemn the Protestants to allow an accused person to remain long in +prison without trial. + +That very afternoon Nigel was carried into the public hall where the +governor held his court. The priest was his accuser, and the men by +whom he was captured were the witnesses against him. Of course he had +no defence to make, except his claim of right to read whatever books he +pleased. + +"Before he is condemned there is another charge of a still more heavy +nature," said the governor. "Stand forward, men, and say what you have +got to state;" and Nigel was, to his astonishment, charged with abetting +Captain Beauport in heaving overboard the images of the saints, the +relics, and papal dispensations. + +"Even had I actually assisted I should only have been obeying the orders +of my superior officer," said Nigel. + +"You confess that you were guilty of standing by and witnessing such a +proceeding without remonstrating?" exclaimed one of the priests who was +seated near the governor. "Such enormities must meet with severe +punishment, or our holy religion will be held in disrespect." + +"Undoubtedly Captain Beauport escaped with too lenient a sentence," said +the governor, "though probably the vengeance of heaven has overtaken him +ere this: he and all on board the ship in which he sailed are beneath +the ocean." + +"Because one has escaped, are other criminals to go unpunished?" +exclaimed the priest who had before spoken. "Death by shooting or +hanging would be too mild a sentence: he deserves the stake, unless by +confessing his fault and abjuring his errors he returns to the loving +bosom of our holy Church." + +Similar remarks were made by the other priest in a manner not usual in a +court of law. For some time this mockery of a trial went on. Nigel +prayed for strength, for he felt how greatly he needed it. He stood +calm and apparently unmoved, listening to the abusive remarks of the +vindictive priests. No one raised a voice in his favour. There might +have been many who felt for him, but they feared to speak. The men who +were judging him were also his accusers. Still he felt bound to defend +himself, although he knew full well that the most able defence would not +avail him. He pleaded that, with regard to reading the Bible, he was a +foreigner and was but doing what was allowed in his own country; that he +was not even attempting to make proselytes, and was simply obeying the +command of his Lord to search the Scriptures. And that, as to the +second accusation, whether or not he approved of what had been done, had +he acted otherwise and interfered, he would have been guilty of an +infraction of naval discipline; therefore he could not be made +answerable for what had been done. + +"He acknowledges himself guilty of sacrilege, for ecclesiastical law is +above all other law, and that would have compelled him to interfere," +cried the priest. "Death, death, to the heretic!" and several voices +echoed the savage cry. + +"You are undoubtedly guilty of the crime alleged against you, Monsieur +Lieutenant," said the governor, after consulting in an undertone with +the two priests at his side. "Your being a foreigner, as you are in the +service of France, will not avail you. You will have two days given you +to consider whether you will recant, and if not, your sentence is `That +you be bound to a stake, with fire kindled around you till your body is +consumed, and your soul is carried off by the emissaries of Satan, who +are certainly waiting for it.'" + +Nigel listened calmly while the governor was pronouncing his terrible +doom--one to which the Church of Rome had already condemned tens of +thousands of human beings for simply reading the Bible. + +Without being allowed to say another word, he was seized by the guards +waiting the beck of the governor, and dragged out of the court. +Instead, however, of being led back to the prison where he had +previously been confined, he found that he was actually leaving the +fort. The governor was, in truth, afraid to keep him there, for a +considerable number of the _Madeline's_ crew, who were much attached to +him, were doing duty on shore, and, although they attended the Romish +service, he was well aware that still in their hearts they were +Protestants, and he feared that they might rescue him and assist in his +escape. + +The priests had of late erected close to the church a small building +which they intended should serve as an inquisitorial prison where they +might keep in confinement any heretics on whom they were desirous of +expending their religious zeal. To this place Nigel was taken, and +thrust into one of its dungeons built especially under the priests' +directions. It was, in truth, little better than a pit dug in the +ground, with a small aperture towards the roof to admit light. On this +occasion they had obtained a party of soldiers from the governor to +guard their prison. + +Nigel had not been long shut up in this dreadful place when night came +on, and he was left in total darkness, with only a bundle of dry grass +on which to lie down and rest himself. Brave as he was, he could not +but look forward with painful feelings to the fate prepared for him. He +thought, however, more of his young wife and the poor count. He feared, +too, that the hatred of the priests might drag them into the same fate. +Perhaps even now they were seized and accused of crimes for which their +tyrannical oppressors might condemn them to death. Sleep was +impossible, while the darkness prevented him from pacing up and down his +narrow cell, which would have been some relief to his tortured mind. He +felt for the pile of grass and lay down, considering that it would be +wiser to try and obtain some rest to prepare himself for the future +trials he would have to go through. The sudden destruction of all his +happiness, separation from his beloved Constance, and the agonising +death speedily to overtake him, made him have recourse to prayer to +obtain that strength ever awarded to those who seek it from on high. + +Nigel had been sleeping for some time, when, suddenly awaking, he became +conscious that some one was in the vault, by hearing a footstep and a +low sound of breathing. A feeling of horror for a moment ran through +him. Could it be an assassin sent by the governor or priests to put him +secretly to death, and so to save themselves from carrying out the +sentence passed on him, from which even they might shrink, aware of the +horror it would create among the greater number of the colonists, who, +not having been educated in their school, would, whatever their +religious sentiments, look at it with disapprobation. Still, for +himself it would matter nothing, except being deprived of a few hours of +life, and he would thus be saved from the tortures of the flames. Such +thoughts rapidly passed through his mind; but in another moment he had +nerved himself, like a brave man, to meet whatever might occur. His +very natural feeling was to struggle desperately with his supposed +assassin. He might even gain the victory and thus make his escape. +Full of youth and strength, he felt that it would be better far to die +struggling bravely, should the guard set upon him, than to sink down +tamely where he lay. Springing to his feet, he stood with his arms +prepared for defence. + +"Hush!" said a voice. "I thought you were still sleeping. Make no +noise--give me your hand and come quickly; there is not a moment to +lose." + +Nigel knew by the voice and the mode of expression that it was the +Indian Cora who spoke. He put out his hand and felt it grasped by her +small and delicate fingers. To his surprise he found himself led almost +instantly into a narrow passage, with room sufficient only for one +person to pass through at a time. + +"Stoop low," said Cora, as she conducted him into apparently a small +alcove on one side. "Step back and remain a moment," she added, +disengaging her hand, immediately after which he heard a grating sound +as if a heavy stone were being moved. + +Quickly returning, she again took his hand, and led him down a slope of +some feet, and then again along a level; when once more they ascended +another slope, at the top of which, mounting a few steps, he found +himself standing in the open air, surrounded by a thick grove, beyond +which he could distinguish the wooden tower of the church. Once more +Cora desired him to remain, while she was engaged in closing up the +aperture through which they had emerged. Putting her finger on her lips +to enforce silence, she once more led him forward at a rapid rate, +keeping under the shelter of the trees; where the gloom was such that he +could not possibly by himself have made his way. At length they reached +a small beach with low cliffs on either side. Keeping under their shade +they proceeded till he discovered a canoe concealed beneath a rock. +Cora, without requiring his assistance, quickly launched it, and then +again taking his hand, bade him, in a whisper, step in and lie down his +length at the bottom. Instantly grasping a paddle, she began to make +her way rapidly from the shore. She had not got far, when a voice from +the cliff hailed, ordering the canoe immediately to come back. Cora +took no notice, but paddled on with renewed efforts. Again the person +on the cliff shouted, and threatened to fire if his orders were not +obeyed. A few seconds only had passed when a shot whistled close to the +canoe. Cora bravely paddled on. The man on the cliff must have +reloaded quickly, for soon afterwards another shot came, but happily +without touching the canoe. The darkness must have soon hid so small an +object from the soldier's sight, though the shore was still visible. A +third and fourth shot followed, but still wider of the mark. Cora did +not relax her efforts till they had got more than half way across the +harbour. She then stopped for a moment to listen, but no sound of oars +indicated that they were pursued. + +"We are safe now," she said, "and you may raise yourself; but don't +attempt to stand up. Thankful I am that we have escaped. I have no +fear for myself, but I dreaded every moment lest you might have been +retaken by your cruel enemies. My brother gave me the task to do, and I +gladly accepted it. He himself has gone to summon our tribe to arms, +having resolved to rescue you by force had my undertaking failed." + +"I am most grateful to you," said Nigel. "But by what wonderful means +were you able to enter my prison and liberate me without apparent +difficulty?" + +"By means which these cruel priests themselves afforded," answered Cora. +"When they were building their prison-house, Tecumah and I happened to +pass that way and observed that they were placing it on the ground once +occupied by an ancient temple at which, in days gone by, our tribe were +wont to worship. One of our medicine-men, who had listened to the truth +from Tecumah's mouth, told us that there were several passages running +underground which had possibly been undiscovered by the builders. He is +a sagacious man, and, finding that the new building was intended for a +prison, advised us to visit the ancient passage and endeavour to keep it +concealed, so that a way might be made if necessary into the dungeon. +`The whites treat us at present with respect,' he observed; `but the +time may come when they may act towards us as the Portuguese have long +been acting towards the Indians in their neighbourhood, imprisoning and +murdering those who refuse to adopt their faith.' My brother +accordingly, with several other young men, led by the medicine-man, paid +numerous visits, at night, to the place, unknown to the French. It was +thus discovered that an underground passage was being formed between +some of the cells of the prison and the church. Fortunately this was +found out before the old passage was cut through, and by placing a large +stone, turning on a sort of hinge, on one side, they were able to secure +a way into the new passage without betraying the existence of their own. +By constantly being on the watch, they ascertained that only one cell +had as yet been formed into which the passage led. I had resolved when +you were made prisoner to attempt your rescue even from the fort; but +when I found that you were, carried to the priests' prison my hopes of +success arose. I had one night, from curiosity, gone with my brother to +visit the spot. We then discovered that the door which led into your +prison had no lock, but was merely closed with smooth sliding bolts. I +thus knew my way, and was able to set you free." + +Nigel had no doubt that the object of the passage was to enable the +priests either to work on the minds of the prisoners by pretended +miraculous appearances; or else, should they desire to murder one of +their captives, to convey the body secretly away. He, indeed, knew that +such arrangements were common throughout Europe, and that numberless +impostures had thus been carried out. + +They quickly reached the shore, which had of late been entirely deserted +by the Tamoyos, who had, influenced by what had been told them by +Tecumah, moved some distance further inland. Cora, who feared that the +direction they had taken would be suspected by the French, when Nigel's +escape was discovered, advised that they should go forward till he was +safe among her tribe. + +Dark as the night was, she knew her way, and, light and active, she led +him forward at a rapid rate. They had gone some distance, when she +exclaimed, "Here come my brother and his people. They will indeed +rejoice to find you free." + +Nigel was welcomed by Tecumah and his party. They were on their way to +the shore, intending immediately to cross, and hoping before daylight to +reach the prison. Tecumah, in his anxiety to save Nigel, had induced +his followers to swear that they would rescue him by force if they could +succeed in no other way. Their intention was to attack the guards and +break open the prison, expecting to get off again before the governor +and his people had time to pursue them. Nigel assured them how thankful +he was that they had not been compelled to resort to such a proceeding. +Too probably the governor and priests would wreak their vengeance on his +wife and father-in-law. As it was, he felt very anxious as to what +would happen when his escape was discovered. It would certainly baffle +the sagacity of the priests to ascertain how it had been accomplished, +and would undoubtedly make them more savage, as they might naturally +suspect that some of their own followers had proved treacherous, and yet +not know whom to accuse. + +"They shall not injure the count or any of our friends," exclaimed +Tecumah. "We can distinguish between the true men and the bad. The +last, as God's Word tells us, are always the most numerous, and it shall +be our care to defend the innocent and weaker ones. My people shall +remain ready with their canoes to cross over at a moment's notice, while +I go to the island and learn what has taken place." + +Nigel expressed his wish to accompany the Tamoyos, but both Tecumah and +Cora urged him to proceed to a further distance, as, should the governor +suspect where he had gone, he would in all probability send an +expedition over to bring him back, and as they would refuse to give him +up, an open rupture would be the consequence. Nigel at last agreed to +accompany Cora to her father's abode, which was above five miles from +the shore of the harbour, while Tecumah carried out his proposed +project. + +Leaving his people encamped on the shore with their canoes ready to +embark, he paddled across towards the island. He was well aware of the +risk he was running, for the governor, should he suspect that he had +been instrumental in rescuing Nigel, would in all probability seize him +and shut him up in prison. He had taken the precaution, however, of +charging the next chief in common after him to come across and demand +his liberation. + +Daylight broke as he reached the place at which he was accustomed to +land. He proceeded at once to the house of the count, who was already +on foot, and he had the satisfaction of giving him tidings of Nigel's +safety. + +"The knowledge that he is free will restore life to my poor daughter," +said the count. "But we are still in the power of the governor and +those revengeful priests, and I fear much that they will not allow us +long to remain in quiet." + +"Then come over and live with us!" exclaimed Tecumah. "We will build a +house for you and hunt for you, and do our utmost to enable you to live +as you are now doing." + +"We cannot be thus burdensome to you; and we should have no means of +paying your people for labouring in our service," answered the count. +"Still, I am most grateful to you, and will think over the matter." + +Constance came out of her room as soon as she had risen to thank +Tecumah, who then, hoping that his friends would not be interfered with, +went on to see the minister. + +He had been there for some time, and was about to return, when one of +the count's servants rushed into the house, out of breath from running. + +"Sad news, Monsieur Laporte!" he explained. "Just ten minutes ago one +of those ill-conditioned priests, with half a dozen ruffians of +soldiers, came to my master's house and carried him and Madame Nigel off +on an accusation of having assisted Monsieur Nigel to escape, and of +reading the Bible. What will they do with them? They say Monsieur +Nigel was condemned to be burnt, and they will burn them in revenge;" +and the poor fellow wrung his hands and burst into tears. + +"God will protect them, though I don't see how," said the minister. +"Alas! alas! These persecutors of ours have already put many innocent +persons to death, and will not scruple to destroy all those who oppose +them." + +"They must not be allowed to suffer," exclaimed Tecumah, when he heard +what had occurred. "I will away to my people before they can stop me; +and we will one and all perish before we allow a hair of their heads to +be injured." + +"I would seek to avoid bloodshed, and must urge you, my friend, to try +peaceable measures _first_," said Monsieur Laporte. + +"We will endeavour, at all events, to rescue the innocent. You, my +friend, come with me; you are in danger here, for they will assuredly +seize you," said the Indian, taking the minister's hand. + +"I must remain at the post where duty calls me," answered Monsieur +Laporte. "I may be the means of leading some perishing soul to turn to +God, and should I be imprisoned with my friends I may be a comfort to +them. But bear my love and blessing to Nigel, should I be destined +never again to see him." + +At length Tecumah, finding that the minister was firm, set off, keeping +himself concealed as much as possible among the trees, and made his way +to his canoe. He had scarcely pushed off from the shore, when he saw +several people rushing down to the beach. They had, he guessed rightly, +been sent to capture him. There was no boat near at hand or they would +have pursued him, though had they done so, his light canoe would quickly +have left them astern. + +On landing, he found his father and several other chiefs. He narrated +to them what had occurred, but, greatly to his disappointment, he found +that they objected to do anything which might put an end to the +peaceable terms on which they had hitherto lived with the French. They +had seen how the Portuguese treated the Indians who opposed them, and +they dreaded, they said, the vengeance of the white men. + +Tecumah was indignant. The white men who now were in the ascendency +were no longer deserving of their friendship, he argued. By treachery +and deceit they had overcome those who were their proper leaders, and +they were even now about to put them to a cruel death. Tuscarora was +grieved that his son's friends should suffer; but he could not for their +sakes risk the safety of his tribe. Again Tecumah addressed them with +all the eloquence of which he was master. "If," he observed, "they were +treacherous towards their own people, they would surely be more likely +to ill-treat their dark-skinned allies should it at any time be to their +interest to do so, and it would be better to strike a blow at once and +prevent them from doing harm, rather than allow them, after they had cut +off all those who were worthy of confidence, to destroy us." Tecumah +saw that he was winning many to his side, and persevered. At length one +of the chiefs proposed that he should be allowed to go over with a +select body of men, and rescue the prisoners. + +To this Tuscarora agreed, and Tecumah was obliged to content himself +with this plan, trusting that no harm would be done in the mean time to +the count and his daughter. + +Some hours had passed when, as Tecumah was eagerly waiting on the beach +for the moment fixed for the expedition to set out, he saw a canoe +paddling down the harbour. He recognised it as one of those sent up the +estuary to keep watch and to give timely notice of the approach of an +enemy. As the occupant leapt on shore, he exclaimed-- + +"Haste! haste! The Portuguese and Tuparas, and several other tribes in +alliance with them, are on the war-path. They have hundreds of canoes, +and they will soon after nightfall attack the island unless they first +land and try to destroy us." + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +CAPTURE OF THE FORT. + +Constance and her father, rudely dragged from their home, were hurried +off to the fort. No allowance was made for the weakness of her sex, and +no pity was shown her by the savage priests, who, supposing that she was +not aware of her husband's escape, endeavoured still more to wound her +feelings by telling her that he was condemned to death, and that, unless +she and her father recanted, they would meet with the same fate. + +"Silence, priest, silence! It is cowardly and unmanly to speak thus to +my daughter," exclaimed the count. "Add not insult to the injury you +have already inflicted. We have broken no laws; we have done harm to no +one; and we find ourselves treated as if we were the vilest of +malefactors." + +The count's address had no effect upon the priest, who took a cruel +pleasure in annoying them. Such is ever the character of the emissaries +of Rome when they are in the ascendency and are opposed; when in the +minority, they are humble and meek, plausible and silver-tongued; and +when there are none to oppose them, haughty, indolent, sensual, and +self-indulgent. Such they have been in all ages and in every country, +with the exception of the devoted Jesuit slaves, who have gone forth to +carry their spurious gospel into heathen lands. + +On arriving at the fort, the mockery of a trial was gone through; the +priest's myrmidons swore to having seen Constance reading the Bible, and +that, as the crime had been committed on the count's property, he was +therefore equally guilty. Having been a lawyer in his youth, the count +was able to defend himself, and had a jury of twelve honest men been +present, he would have undoubtedly been acquitted; but, unhappily, that +system being unknown among the French, he had no such advantage. The +governor and the priest, exasperated at Nigel's escape, grossly abused +him, and interrupted him with shouts and execrations whenever he +especially pointed to the proofs of his innocence. The count, of +course, defended Constance, and argued that she was but listening to her +husband, whom she was bound to obey, and was therefore guiltless. + +"It is false!" exclaimed the priest, starting up; "her duty to the +Church is above all others. It was for her to denounce her husband +rather than to listen to him. Such heretical notions as yours, Count de +Tourville, must be destroyed. The Church would lose her authority and +power were they to prevail." + +"Ma foi!" exclaimed the count; "in that case no husband can venture to +trust his wife with the slightest secret. It would not be confided to +her keeping, but to that of the confessor. For that reason, and many +others, we repudiate the system you, for your own ends, are anxious to +maintain. I advise those who are husbands never to tell to their wives +words they would not have known where the system prevails." + +"Silence! Count de Tourville," exclaimed the priest, foaming with rage, +"you shall answer for these insulting words." + +The count, it must be confessed, regretted having touched on the +subject, as it was like throwing pearls to swine; but he felt for the +moment that he might shield his daughter by drawing the anger of the +priests on himself. + +The mockery of a trial came to a conclusion, and the governor, who had +taken upon himself the office of judge and inquisitor-general, found the +count and his daughter guilty of the crimes with which they were +charged, and condemned them both to death. In consequence of Nigel's +escape, the priest begged that they might be kept for safe custody in +the prison within the fort; the same wretched place in which Nigel had +first been confined, and utterly unfit for the reception of any female. +Poor Constance shuddered as she was led into it. Her father begged that +he might send to his house for such necessaries as his daughter +required, but his request was roughly refused. It was not without +difficulty even that he obtained some matting, and a few armfuls of +rushes on which she might rest. + +"Lie down, my child," said the count to Constance, when they were at +length left alone. "We will not altogether despair, but look to Him who +is always ready to protect us. You require rest; and we know not what +we may have to go through." + +Constance obeyed her father, while he continued pacing up and down the +narrow space allowed him, to collect his thoughts. He harboured no +ill-feeling towards his persecutors, but, following the example of his +Master, he prayed for their forgiveness, while he looked forward with +joy, rather than fear, to the time when he should be welcomed into His +presence. He knew, too, that his beloved daughter, should her life be +taken, would bear him company to that home where their Saviour had gone +before to prepare a place for all those who love Him. + +The night passed on. Constance was sleeping. Still the count felt no +desire to lie down and rest. The whole fort seemed wrapped in silence, +except when the voice of a distant sentry reached his ear. The silence +was suddenly broken by a shot fired from the fort. Others followed in +rapid succession. Then arose loud shouts and shrieks, and the Indian +warwhoop rising above all others. Constance started from her slumbers, +and clung to her father. The noises grew louder and louder. + +"The fort is attacked. The enemy are scaling the walls!" exclaimed the +count. "Both parties are fighting desperately. Constance, there is +hope for us, for even the Portuguese would scarcely wish to injure those +who are unable to oppose them." + +The sounds of strife increased. The count could with difficulty judge +how the fight was going. Supporting his daughter on his arm, he awaited +the issue. The great guns roared, the bullets rattled, and presently +there came an uproar which showed that the assailants had gained the +fort, and the shriek and cries of the combatants, and other sounds of a +desperate struggle, approached their prison. Just at that juncture the +warwhoops of apparently a fresh party burst forth within the fort. The +count recognised the cry as that of the Tamoyos. On they came from the +opposite side of the fort, and the battle seemed to rage hotter than +ever. In the midst of the fierce turmoil the door of their prison was +burst open, and Tecumah, leaping in, seized Constance in his arms, while +a companion took charge of the count, and hurried him off. + +"I promised to save you or perish," said the Indian. "We had a hard +matter to enter the fort, and it will be no less difficult to escape; +but I have succeeded thus far, and trust to place you in safety." + +These words were uttered hurriedly, as Tecumah, surrounded by a faithful +band, was fighting his way across the fort, in all parts of which a +furious battle was raging; the Portuguese and their Indian allies, the +Tuparas, having forced an entrance, being engaged with the French and +Tamoyos, who were struggling desperately for life. + +Bullets were whizzing and arrows flying in all directions; the fierce +shouts and shrieks of the combatants sounding above the clash of steel +and the rattle of musketry. Numbers and discipline favoured the +Portuguese, who had well trained their native allies, while the French +mistrusted each other, and had but little confidence in the natives, +who, however, were gallantly doing their utmost to assist them, headed +by their brave chief, Tuscarora. Tecumah and his faithful band had but +one object in view, to rescue Constance and her father. Like a wedge, +with their most stalwart warriors in the van, they fought their way +through the mass of foes entering the fort towards the outlet which had +allowed the latter ingress. Several of their number fell; scarcely one +escaped a wound. Still Constance was untouched. Often they were almost +overwhelmed. Still on they went, their track marked by the bodies of +their foes, and many of their own party. The gateway was reached. +Constance felt Tecumah stagger. A fear seized her that he had received +a wound; but no cry escaped him, and, recovering himself, he bore her +onwards. Scarcely had they emerged into the open, when they encountered +a fresh party of the Portuguese. The Tamoyos halted for a moment to +draw their bows, and not a shaft failed to pierce a foe, the shower of +bullets, which came in return, passing mostly over their heads. + +"On! on!" shouted Tecumah, though his voice no longer rang with its +usual clear tone. + +Constance observed with grief that he was faint and hoarse. His band, +obeying him, turned round and shot their arrows as they advanced. +Scarcely, however, had they moved forward, when the Portuguese, seeing +the handful of men opposed to them, fiercely charged their ranks, +Tecumah and only a few of the warriors surrounding him, having got some +way in advance, escaping the onslaught; the rest, who had the count in +charge, were compelled to halt, in a vain endeavour to withstand their +overwhelming foes. The darkness enabled Tecumah, and the few who +remained by him, to push on without being observed. + +"On! on!" again cried Tecumah. "The rest will follow when they have +driven back our enemies." + +"Oh, my father! my father! Where is he?" exclaimed Constance. + +Tecumah did not answer her. + +Making their way towards the shore, they reached it at length. + +"Where are the canoes?" exclaimed Tecumah, looking along the beach where +they had been left hauled up. + +His companions dispersed on either side to look for them. Their cries +told what had happened. Some had been sent adrift, and others had been +battered in, and utterly destroyed by a band of Tuparas, as the Tamoyos +truly surmised. + +"We must make our way to the spot where they have left their canoes," +exclaimed Tecumah; and he again attempted to lift up Constance, who had +earnestly entreated to be placed on the ground. + +The din of battle still sounded as loud as ever, and the rattle of +musketry was heard close at hand. It was evident that the combatants +were approaching the shore. + +"On! on!" again cried Tecumah; and, lifting up Constance, he was +staggering forward, when, faint from loss of blood, he sank on the +ground. + +At that moment an Indian rushed out of the wood behind them. "Fly! fly! +our enemies are at hand. All, all have been cut to pieces. I alone +have escaped." + +His arm, as he spoke, dropped by his side, while the blood flowed +rapidly from his head, giving evidence of the truth of his assertion. + +Constance was kneeling down, trying to staunch the blood flowing from +Tecumah's wound. He raised himself on one arm. + +"Think not of me," he said, "but endeavour, with my faithful friends, +who will accompany you, to find concealment among the rocks." + +"We cannot leave you," answered Constance; "better to yield ourselves +prisoners, than to allow you to perish alone." + +"You know not the nature of our enemies," said Tecumah, faintly; "they +spare no one. Fly, fly, while there is time." + +The sounds of fighting were drawing rapidly nearer. All prospect of +escape seemed cut off. Constance gazed up for a moment from the task at +which she was engaged. Bullets were striking the branches of the trees +a short distance from them. Her heart sank with grief. She felt the +probability that her father had been cut off with the rest of the brave +Tamoyos. Just then one of the Indians exclaimed, "See, see! a canoe +approaches." Constance cast a glance across the waters, and caught a +glimpse of a canoe emerging from the darkness. It rapidly approached +the beach. The shouts of the Indians showed that friends were on board. +Their hails were answered. In another moment Nigel leapt on shore. +Tecumah recognised him. + +"Save her first--care not for me," he exclaimed. + +Nigel was not likely to disobey such a command, and, taking Constance in +his arms, he bore her to the canoe. + +"Oh, save our brave friend," she cried, as she pressed her lips to her +husband's, who immediately sprang back to the beach, and, listening not +to Tecumah's request to be allowed to die where he lay, he carried him, +with the assistance of the Indians who still had strength to exert +themselves, to the canoe. + +Holding the steering paddle in her hands, stood Cora. The instant her +brother and Nigel were on board, she gave it a dexterous turn, and the +canoe shot away from the shore, impelled by the strokes of two lads who +formed the crew. Nigel and an Indian seized two other paddles, and with +all their strength urged on the canoe. There was no time to be lost; +already they could see a number of dark forms emerging from the wood, +while numerous bullets splashed into the water astern. The veil of +night would prove their best protection, and every effort was made to +get ahead. Cora, believing that they could no longer be seen, directed +the canoe on a different course, to one side parallel with the shore, +thus avoiding the bullets which were fired in the direction it had last +been seen. After going on for some distance, she again steered directly +for the opposite shore, which her keen sight could distinguish through +the darkness. Meantime, Constance, seated at the bottom of the canoe, +supported Tecumah's head. He gently took her hand, and pressed it to +his lips. + +"I have more to thank you for than I can express by words," he +whispered, in a low, faltering voice. "I first followed a shadow, but +you showed me the glorious reality, and led me to Him, whom to know is +life eternal. I die happy, resting in His love, with the thought also +that I have preserved your life to be a blessing to one who is worthy of +you. I am going quickly, but do not mourn aloud, lest you paralyse the +efforts of our friends." + +Constance felt the hand which held hers relax its grasp, and ere long +she knew that the spirit of the young Indian had taken its flight to the +realms of bliss. She placed his hand on his breast, and, obeying his +dying injunctions, refrained from giving way to her feelings. Not till +they were near the north shore, and safe for the present from their +enemies, did she speak. She then endeavoured to prepare Cora for the +discovery of her brother's death. + +"I feared it was so," replied Cora, when Constance had told her clearly +what had happened. "I know, however, that no joy on earth could be more +exquisite than that he felt in the consciousness that he had given his +life to save yours. I must not mourn for him as those who have no hope. +We must not remain here," continued Cora, as they disembarked from the +canoe. "They will certainly pursue us, and we shall not be in safety +till we reach our village, where the remnant of our tribe is collected. +Alas! there will be bitter grief and loud wailing for the many who have, +I fear, fallen." + +With perfect calmness Cora gave directions to her people to convey the +body of her brother, and follow quickly, while she led Nigel, who +supported Constance, through the woods. Faint and overcome with grief +as Constance was, Cora urged, notwithstanding, that they should continue +their course without stopping, for she felt convinced that a fearful +loss had overtaken her tribe from the account which the last-arrived +Indian had given her. He had, he affirmed, before Tecumah and his party +had cut their way out of the fort, seen Tuscarora and many of their +tribe shot down by the enemy; and he had also witnessed the death of the +count. Nigel questioned him narrowly, but could elicit nothing that +could shake his testimony. + +Sad, indeed, as Cora had expected, was the way in which they were +received at her village, and it was feared, indeed, that even it might +be attacked while there only remained the old men and boys for its +defence. It was proposed, therefore, that they should move further into +the country; but Cora urged them to remain, and, as a precaution against +surprise, sent out scouts to give timely notice of the appearance of an +enemy, or the return of their friends. They all, however, packed up +their property, and remained prepared for instant flight. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +CONCLUSION. + +Just as dawn was breaking, a warrior was seen approaching the village. +His bow was broken; his dress torn and besmeared with blood. The +inhabitants, who were on the watch, anxiously went out to meet him. He +hung down his head without uttering a word, and not for some time could +he be induced to speak. + +At length, a groan bursting from his breast, he exclaimed-- + +"All, all, are lost! In vain our warriors, led by Tuscarora, fought to +the last. One after another they were shot down by the bullets of the +white faces, or cut to pieces by the war hatchets of the hated Tuparas. +Our French allies, deserting the fort, fought their way to their boats, +and, embarking, fled to their ships, leaving us to our fate. Two only +with myself escaped by leaping over the walls, and swimming to a canoe +floating by. Both of my companions were wounded. As we were paddling +on, as fast as our strength would allow, we caught sight of a canoe with +two Portuguese boats in pursuit. We were unobserved, but we had too +much reason to fear that the canoe was overtaken. Just as we reached +the shore, the paddles dropped from the hands of my two companions, and +they sank down from loss of blood. When I called to them, they gave no +answer. They were both dead. I waited in vain for the arrival of our +friends, but none appeared, and I at length came on to bring the sad +tidings." + +As the wounded warrior finished his narrative, loud wailings rose from +the women in the camp. No threats of vengeance were uttered, for they +felt their utter helplessness, and they knew that they themselves might +become the prey of any of their foes who might be induced to attack +them. At length an old man arose in their midst. + +"Give not way to despair, my daughters," he exclaimed; "you have still +many sons. We will fly with them to a place of safety, and there teach +them how their brave fathers fought and died with their faces to the +foe. They will grow up, and, hearing of their deeds, will imitate their +valour, and revenge the deaths of their sires." + +The words of the aged warrior restored the drooping courage of the poor +women, and they resolved to follow his counsel. A few men, who from +sickness or other causes had not gone forth to battle, and the youths +who had not sufficient strength to draw their mighty bows, vowed to +defend them and the chief's daughter to the last gasp. Cora deputed the +old warrior to take the lead, and, as they believed the Tuparas, flushed +with victory, would ere long pursue them, they immediately set out on +their sad journey to the north. + +Surrounding Nigel and Constance, they vowed fidelity, promising to obey +the last behests of their beloved young chief Tecumah, and to afford +them all the support in their power. A small band only of the bravest +and most active remained behind to collect any stragglers who might +arrive, and to cover the retreat of the main body. Nigel, communicating +with the old chief, found that he proposed proceeding northward to a +region bordering the sea, inhabited by a scanty tribe, with whom the +Tamoyos were on friendly terms, the former having been driven from their +own hunting-grounds by a more powerful tribe. This intelligence was +satisfactory to Nigel and Constance, as they thus had hopes of being +able to communicate with some English or French ship which might appear +off the shore. + +The spot to which the Tamoyos were directing their course was at length +gained. It was a deep wide valley, surrounded by rugged hills, and +could not be approached towards the sea except by a narrow gorge, which +could be defended by a few brave men, who could lie concealed among the +rocks, and hurl down stones on the heads of invaders. The Indians +carried with them, as was their custom, cuttings and roots of fruit +trees and plants, which they had cultivated in their native district. +Without loss of time, they began erecting huts and laying out +plantations, the old men and women being generally employed in such +occupations, while the young men went out hunting, they having at +present to depend on the produce of the chase for their subsistence. +The tribe showed the greatest attention to Nigel and Constance, whom +they considered committed to their care by their beloved young chief, +doing their utmost to secure their comfort and convenience. Indeed, +they treated them with the same respect they bestowed on Cora, who was +now the acknowledged chieftainess of the tribe. They built a cottage +after the model of those they had seen on the island, and laid out a +garden, which they planted with fruit trees and vegetables. Nigel and +his wife in return, aided by Cora, instructed them in Gospel truth. +They also taught them, as far as they had the means, the arts of +civilised life. Thus the days went rapidly by. Still, though the young +couple enjoyed much happiness, they could not help wishing to return to +Europe, while they often thought, with grief, of the loss of the count +and of their other beloved friend. + +Besides the account brought by the Indian who escaped from the fort, +they could gain no further tidings of their fate. Nigel would, had he +had himself only to consider, have set out to try and ascertain what had +become of the colony, but he could not bring himself to leave Constance, +even though he had full confidence in the fidelity of their Indian +friends. Cora, to whom Constance expressed Nigel's wishes, at length +promised to send out a scout, who would endeavour to find out what had +happened. Nigel gladly accepted Cora's offer. + +Nearly a month had passed since the scout set out, and fears were +entertained that he had perished. At last, however, one evening, he was +seen descending the side of the hill, along the steep and difficult path +by which, as has been said, the valley could alone be reached from the +southward; he was accompanied by a white man, whose tottering steps he +supported in the difficult descent. As they approached the village, the +gaunt form and haggard features of the latter prevented Nigel, who went +out to meet them, from recognising him. + +"You don't know me, Monsieur Lieutenant; I am Jacques Baville, whom you +knew well as a true Protestant. I assisted the escape of our good +minister, Laporte, who was committed to the care of some of the brave +Indians by the young chief Tecumah. We fought our way to the water's +side, and embarked in a canoe; but before we had got far, we were chased +by two of the enemy's boats, and captured. We expected instant death, +but were reserved for a more cruel fate. We were conveyed to the south +shore, where we heard that the forts on the island had all been +destroyed, and our countrymen, with the traitor Villegagnon, had sailed +away, leaving most of the Protestants to the cruel vengeance of our +foes. To commemorate their victory, the Portuguese had resolved, we +found, on building a city. One of the first edifices erected was a +prison, into which the good minister and several other persons were +thrown; while the Tamoyos, who had been taken prisoners, with two other +artisans, like myself, were employed, with many people of other tribes, +who had been reduced to slavery by the Portuguese, in labouring at the +work going forward. A church was next built, and filled full of idols +for the people to worship. As soon as it was finished, the minister and +other captives were led from the prison, and dragged into it, when they +were ordered to worship, as the other people were doing. They refused, +however, to bow their heads to the saints, or other false gods, but +stood motionless, with their arms folded. The priests, on this, reviled +them, and threatened them with death if they refused. Still they were +firm, declaring that they would not mock God with such senseless +ceremonies. On this they were taken back to prison; and we, seeing how +they behaved, resolved to imitate them. Several times they were carried +before the priests, who sat in the church to try them for what was +called their heresy. The trial was still going on when two priests +arrived, who declared they had been on board a Portuguese ship, bringing +over numerous images and relics and indulgences to Saint Vincente, when +she was captured by a French man-of-war, the captain of which had +sacrilegiously thrown them into the sea. I, of course, knew that they +spoke of the _Madeline_; and, as you remember, Monsieur Lieutenant, I +was on board, I began to fear that I might be recognised. Monsieur +Laporte, of course, stated that he was not there, and could, therefore, +not be considered guilty of the act of which they complained, supposing +that it had taken place. The priests, however, who were eager to find +some one on whom to wreak their vengeance, declared that it mattered +nothing, even had he not been there, as the act was performed by those +of his faith, and was the result of the pernicious doctrines he taught. +He defended himself nobly, but was condemned to be burnt alive in the +centre of a wide spot, which had been marked out for a square. + +"Hoping that I had not been recognised by the priests, I was making my +way out of the church, when the keen eyes of one of them fell on me. He +instantly ordered me to be seized, and at once declared that he had seen +me on board the _Madeline_, engaged in throwing the trumpery overboard. +I would not deny this, but said that I was but doing my duty, and +obeying my captain, and that, had he ordered me to throw the two priests +themselves overboard, to look after their saints, I should certainly +have done so. This enraged them more than ever, and they threatened to +burn me with the minister. As I was, however, known to be a good +carpenter, the civil officers were not willing to lose my services, and +I was sent back to prison. + +"In vain they tried to make the good minister recant. He refused to do +so. They promised him his life and full pardon, and a good post under +government, but he refused all their offers, saying that he would rather +die a hundred deaths than abandon the faith of the pure gospel. The +next day he was led to the place of execution. We were compelled to be +present. The faggots were piled round him. Some of the people, moved +with pity, cried out that he should be strangled first, and the +executioner himself seemed unwilling to light the pile; when one of the +priests, seizing the torch, set fire to the faggots, which quickly +blazed up, and our good minister's soul went to that happy home prepared +for him. The priests, having caught sight of me, insisted that I should +be thrown into prison to await their pleasure, which I knew very well +would be ere long to burn me at the stake. + +"Some of our countrymen, I am sorry to say, recanted, and were set free, +but others held fast. I determined, however, if I could, to make my +escape, should I have strength enough to do so; for we were so poorly +fed that I expected, before long, to be starved. All the prisoners had +hitherto been confined in a common cell; but after I was condemned, I +was placed in one by myself. It was in a new part of the prison, which +I had actually been employed in building. The whole structure was of +wood, though, at the same time, very strong. I knew that I could not +make my way through the walls, nor underground, as the stakes were +driven down deep, and no human strength could force them up; but I +recollected the way I had put on the roof; and, though the slabs were +heavy, I was certain that I could force one of them up sufficiently to +allow me to get through. I had not been long shut up, when a priest +came, and endeavoured to make me recant, picturing the horrible tortures +I should suffer in this world, and in the next, if I refused. I asked +him whence he got his authority. He answered from the Church. I +replied that the Bible was before the Church; and that the Bible says, +`Whosoever believeth on Me shall not perish, but have everlasting life;' +and that, though he might burn my body, Christ could save my soul. He +replied that the Bible must not be interpreted by laymen, and that the +Church had alone the power to explain it. I observed that the Church of +Christ had ever explained it exactly as I did, and to that Church I +belonged; that the system which he called `The Church,' was built up at +Rome by pagan priests, and had ever since been employed in adding +falsehood to falsehood, for the sake of imposing on the minds of the +people, and compelling them to do their will; and that, if he wished to +serve Christ, he must leave his false church, as thousands of my +countrymen had done, and tens of thousands in Germany and England, or +that he himself would perish eternally. Without saying another word, he +left the cell, and I felt pretty sure would not come back again. + +"I had a sheath knife, which I had managed to conceal inside my +trousers, and immediately set to work, and wrenched up a stool fixed +against the wall. There were several nails in it, which I cut out; and +then, making a couple of deep notches in one of the angles of the wall, +I fixed the bench a certain height below the roof, which enabled me, by +standing on it, to force up one of the slabs with my back. Knowing +where the nails were driven in, I carefully cut around them, making as +little noise as possible. It was, I calculated, about midnight when I +had finished my preparations. The slab lifted even more easily than I +had expected. I listened for some minutes, expecting to hear the tread +of a sentry, but not a sound reached my ears. I had great hopes that he +had fallen asleep. Creeping through, I replaced the slab, and dropped +without noise to the ground. There were numerous Indians in the camp, +many of whom had canoes, for the purpose of fishing. Without loss of +time, I crept away, stooping low down, so that, had I been seen, I might +be mistaken, in the darkness, for a large dog, or some wild animal +prowling about in search of food. I thus, without interruption, made my +way down to the shore. There were several canoes hauled up, as I had +expected, with paddles left in them. To launch one and to shove off did +not occupy much time. The night was dark, but I could make out the +opposite shore. With all my might I paddled towards it. On landing, I +shoved off the canoe, in the hopes that it would float away, and thus +not betray the direction I had taken. Scarcely had I got a hundred +yards from the beach, when I encountered this my friend, who conducted +me here. I am grieved to bring such tidings, and I fear much that those +who remain will be put to death, if they refuse to abandon their faith; +and I pray that they may have grace and spirit to continue in it. But I +myself must not boast, as I know not what torture and starvation would +have led me to do." + +Nigel and Constance heard, with deep sorrow, this account of the +martyrdom of their beloved friend and minister; but they were comforted +with the knowledge that he had exchanged a life of trial and suffering +for a glorious existence in heaven. + +Several months passed by. Jacques Baville completely recovered, and was +of great assistance in improving their cottage home. He felt, however, +even a greater longing than they did to return to his native land. + +"Ships may come and go, and we may not see them, unless we are +constantly on the watch," he observed. "I have bethought me of building +a hut on the height near the shore; and if you, Monsieur Lieutenant, +will supply me with food, I will undertake to keep a bright look-out as +long as my eyes last me. We will have a flagstaff and flag, and it will +not be my fault if we don't manage to communicate with any ship which +appears off the coast." + +Nigel gladly entered into honest Jacques's plan, and assisted him in +building his hut, and putting up a flagstaff. Still week after week +passed by, and Jacques had always the same answer to give when Nigel +visited him. Nigel himself had ample occupation in cultivating his +garden, varied by hunting expeditions with the Indians. He was +returning home one evening, when, as he approached his cottage, +Constance came running out to meet him. Her agitation would scarcely +allow her to speak. + +"Come, Nigel, come! I have been longing for your arrival," she +exclaimed, taking his hand. "An old friend has arrived, and is waiting +to see you." + +She led him on, when great was his joy and surprise to see standing in +the porch, with outstretched hands, his former commander, Captain +Beauport. They entered the cottage, when, sitting down, the captain +briefly narrated his history, and the circumstances which had brought +him again to the coast of South America. He little expected to find +Nigel and Constance alive. The crew and passengers of the ship which +was conveying him as a prisoner to France, who were all Protestants, had +insisted on his liberation; and the commander, who was well-disposed +towards him, had, without much difficulty, yielded to their wishes. By +great exertions the ships had been kept afloat; and, after enduring +severe hardships, had reached Hennebonne, in France. Here the +commander, as directed, delivered his despatches to the chief +magistrate, who, providentially for the passengers, was a staunch +Protestant. On opening them, he found that the traitor, Villegagnon, +had denounced them as arch-heretics, worthy of the stake, and advised +that they should be immediately delivered up to punishment. The worthy +magistrate, indignant at the treachery with which they had been treated, +assisted them by every means in his power; while Captain Beauport, +knowing that his life would not be safe should he remain in France, +immediately embarked on board a vessel bound for England. He there +found many Protestant friends, who had fled to escape the fearful +persecutions to which they were subjected in France. By their means he +obtained the command of an English ship. He had made two or three short +voyages, and had, some time before, come out on an exploring expedition +to South America, from which he was returning. He was sailing +northward, on his way to England, when he observed Jacques Baville's +signal. + +As may be supposed, Nigel and Constance, with honest Jacques, did not +lose the opportunity of returning with him. They parted from Cora with +sincere regret. + +"It is but natural that you should wish to dwell in your own country, +and among your own people," said the Indian girl. "My love makes me +wish to accompany you, but my duty compels me to remain with my tribe. +On our hearts your images will remain engraved as long as they beat with +life." + +She, with all her people, attended them to the beach, as they put off +towards the ship, which lay at anchor in the harbour. As long as any +object was visible on the shore, Cora was seen waving her adieus. The +sails were spread to the wind, and the ship glided out into the ocean on +her destined course towards the shores of England. + +They reached that land of freedom in safety, and Nigel resolved to take +up his residence here, with his young wife, rather than expose her to +the dangers to which she would be subjected in her native land. He +wrote to honest Maitre Leroux, who had heard from the count of +Constance's marriage, and was ready to pay over to Nigel the rents of +the estate. + +During the occasional intervals of peace, Nigel paid several visits to +Tourville, and, on the death of the steward, sold the estate, and +invested the money in an English property, both he and his wife agreeing +that it was far better to live on moderate means in a land where they +could enjoy the blessings of civil and religious liberty, than in any +country under the galling yoke of Papal tyranny. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Villegagnon, by W.H.G. 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