Page:The Rebellion in the Cevennes (Volume 1).djvu/240

not, it is true, your companions in faith, but you must make common cause with us. Behold our party consists of fifty, all united together by solemn oaths, you can never escape from us again, if you will not join us, you must die, you know the country and the inhabitants, name to us then the rich catholics, that we may direct our visits thither, and you shall have a fair portion of the booty which falls to us."—What could we do? we were compelled to conduct them about, as they kept strict watch over us. I cannot bear to think on the horrors we were forced to witness; but one, more frightful than the rest, was committed against one of my comrades, who attempted to escape from them, for our consciences tortured us day and night. The horrible ill-treatment which had preceded the murder of our brother, bound us still more firmly to these highwaymen. The country was soon filled with rumours respecting these black Camisards, as they were called. Under this mask they were, however, by no means scrupulous about