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Bishop had seen to everything, had made everything go straight, had provided shelter for the infirm and homeless in his own palace and elsewhere, and had established order in every quarter. The reformers were whispering among themselves that the conflagration was a judgment on the Catholics for intending to burn the prisoners; but the Catholics were openly pronouncing it a judgment on the city for the sacrilege that had been committed, and vowing vengeance on its authors. Among the suspected persons were openly named Bertrand, Jacques Guitard, and Fabien: and some boldly pronounced them to have been the incendiaries. The city was full of tumults and rumours.

The next morning, placards were posted throughout Le Puy, offering a large reward for the discovery of the incendiaries, and also for the apprehension of Bertrand, and announcing that a solemn auto-da-fé would as soon as possible take place, to purge the town of its sins and propitiate offended Heaven, to be attended by all the ecclesiastical and civil dignitaries in full state and the entire population of all faithful people, and to include the burning of the two notorious

heretics now under sentence, as well as of every heretical and schismatical book in the city.

Colette was pre-occupied by commiseration for Marcelline, whose system had received so great a shock that it seemed very doubtful whether she would recover it. She was also deeply grateful to her for having rescued Michel, whom she considered her own peculiar charge, and whose life, valueless as it would have appeared to most uninterested persons, was made precious to her by that special provision of Providence which endears the crêtin to his family. Michel himself, neither grateful nor even conscious of the debt he owed his aunt, whom he merely beheld diverting much of Colette's attention from himself, passed the chief of his time either in sleeping before the fire, or, if the sunshine drew him out, hanging over the parapet, consuming great hunches of bread. Though a great eater, he usually preferred liquid to solid food: but, of late, his making away with slice after slice from the great household loaf, made his grandmother and sister suspect that, instead of flinging pebbles, he now flung away bread; and often did Mère Suzanne shake her head and say, "Naughty boy! naughty boy!"

though she gave him another slice the next minute.

Colette so seldom left Marcelline that she knew little of what was going on in the town, except from Christophe, and from Gabrielle, who pitied Marcelline sincerely, and frequently looked in on her. From them it appeared that the town was in the greatest ferment and distress: the fire had occasioned immense loss of property and ruined many people outright, while a still greater number were homeless and thrown out of employment. The excitement against the reformers seemed to strengthen rather than abate, and it would appear that it was secretly fomented by ill-disposed persons. On the other hand, Colette learnt from Victor that the number of those who either were already reformers or disposed to be such was now being found by them among themselves to be far greater than had hitherto been supposed. Most of these kept their opinions secret, for fear of consequences; and, acting apart, were unaware of their general strength; but they were beginning to mass together, and would probably prove formidable, should any favourable opportunity occur. That would certainly not be just at present, when

the populace were almost frantic for blood, and the authorities were preparing for the most solemn and universal celebration of the auto-da-fé. Fabien, who had somehow fallen under suspicion of having a hand in the sacrilege, had got off and shrunk out of sight; and Guitard had boldly faced out the charge, and was now serving in his shop, rather popular in consequence of having been active in extinguishing the fire, which, at one time, threatened his own premises. What had become of Bertrand, nobody could say ; probably he had left the city.

CHAPTER XV.

Mystery.

MAGDELEINE had exerted herself like a

sister of mercy among the poor houseless and suffering people whom the Bishop had sheltered, to the immeasurable admiration and delight of her lover, who saw her, now tenderly dressing a wound, now shaking up a pillow, now feeding a sick person, now nursing a child-followed by wistful eyes and heartfelt blessings; or else, in her own apartment, with two or three rosy little foundlings on the floor, engaging the attentions usually reserved for her lapdogs; or setting aside her bridal finery to cut out, and direct her maids to make up, coarse garments for the destitute. "I cannot think of such things now; don't bring them here," she would say, when boxes of exquisite millinery were sent for her approval; and "O Guy!" she exclaimed, on opening a casket containing a necklace of pearls

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