Page:The Rebellion in the Cevennes (Volume 1).djvu/68

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and foolish as before. 'I cannot help you,' said I to my penitent, 'you see that the word of God and holy water have no effect on her; hunger and chastisement just as little, nor has your persuasion, nor the fear of rendering you unhappy had any weight with her, leave it to herself.' In short, the child ate and drank again, and became more zealous than ever in preaching repentance; so that at length the father was converted, or, at least, he ran to the mountains to the Camisards, and said: 'if he were to be punished, or executed, he should at least know wherefore.' Thus you see, I lost many penitents the preceding year, for when they have drawn suspicion on themselves, they prefer becoming rebels to avoid suffering anxiety, ill-treatment, and even death without a cause, as one may say. The case of the shepherd from my adjoining village is still more singular. He was a wild, reckless fellow, and as strong in the right faith as need be wished; he had already delivered more than one Ca-