carved up. I shall not see it; but you will. There will be ten cottages
in the place of this park, and ten families will live on its revenue.
There will no longer be servants or masters, or villein or lord. Some
nobles will cry aloud and yield only to force, as your uncles would do
if they were alive, and as M. de la Marche will do in spite of all his
fine talk. Others will sacrifice themselves generously, like Edmee, and
like yourself, if you listen to wisdom. And in that hour it will be well
for Edmee that her husband is a man and not a mere fop. It will be well
for Bernard Mauprat that he knows how to drive a plough or kill the game
which the good God has sent to feed his family; for old Patience will
then be lying under the grass in the churchyard, unable to return the
services which Edmee has done him. Do not laugh at what I say, young
man; it is the voice of God that is speaking. Look at the heavens. The
stars live in peace, and nothing disturbs their eternal order. The
great do not devour the small, and none fling themselves upon their
neighbours. Now, a day will come when the same order will reign among
men. The wicked will be swept away by the breath of the Lord. Strengthen
your legs, Seigneur Mauprat, that you may stand firm to support Edmee.
It is Patience that warns you; Patience who wishes you naught but good.
But there will come others who wish you ill, and the good must make
themselves strong."

We had reached Patience's cottage. He had stopped at the gate of his
little inclosure, resting one hand on the cross-bar and waving the other
as he spoke. His voice was full of passion, his eyes flashed fire, and
his brow was bathed in sweat. There seemed to be some weird power in
his words as in those of the prophets of old. The more than plebeian
simplicity of his dress still further increased the pride of his
gestures and the impressiveness of his voice. The French Revolution
has shown since that in the ranks of the people there was no lack of