Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/224

This page has been validated.
218
MEMOIRS OF A HUGUENOT FAMILY.

men and men of honor. After which I had one thing more to say: "I am now going to open the door for your admittance, and I give you warning beforehand, that I will not suffer any one to enter but through the door. Whoever attempts to come in by the breach, will be shot down directly."

This was agreed to likewise, and I then had the doors opened, and I ranged myself, my wife, my sons and four servants in regular order, to surrender our arms to the Commander, as he entered.

Oh, God! our Preserver! thou knowest, and none else can know the state of my feelings at that moment, to see my beloved wife and dear children, at the mercy of enemies, fourteen of whom we had wounded. Oh! what everlasting praises do we owe to thee for our preservation. It was thou who restrained our blood-thirsty enemies from executing the vengeance which they had sworn against us. Oh, my God! I beseech thee to sanctify the lives which thou hast so miraculously preserved, and assist us to devote them to thy service.

The Commander, and a good many of the men came in, and seeing only five youths, and four cowherds, they looked anxiously around, and asked me where all my men were, evidently fearing an ambuscade.

"You need not fear any thing dishonorable from me," said I, "you now see our whole garrison." "Impossible," said he, "these children could never have kept up all the firing."

My wife then spoke to him, and said, "I am in hopes, sir, that the fact of so few persons having made this gallant defence, will be an inducement to you—whom I trust we shall find a man of honor-— to treat us with the more considera-