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The six sisters of the valleys : an historical romance - University Library

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14 THE SIX SISTERS OF THE VALLEYS.<br />

a crime we could forgive, but not Protes-<br />

t<strong>an</strong>tism, for heresy is <strong>the</strong> catechism <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

devil. But <strong>the</strong> pretext we must keep be-<br />

fore <strong>the</strong> world is <strong>the</strong>ir rebellion—that <strong>the</strong>y<br />

refuse submission to <strong>the</strong> Duke's orders, <strong>an</strong>d<br />

resist his troops."<br />

" I fear no one will believe this. <strong>The</strong><br />

world knows that <strong>the</strong>y have been always<br />

loyal, if <strong>the</strong> Duke leaves <strong>the</strong>m liberty <strong>of</strong><br />

conscience. ' Shew us <strong>the</strong> Duke's order,'<br />

said Leger, e <strong>an</strong>d you may march over our<br />

bodies.' "<br />

"I look," replied <strong>the</strong> President, " to<br />

<strong>the</strong> unlearned, who are <strong>the</strong> mass <strong>of</strong> m<strong>an</strong>-<br />

kind. Few have time or patience to go<br />

into hair-splitting questions. State a thing<br />

positively, <strong>an</strong>d nine-tenths will believe it,<br />

<strong>an</strong>d never hear it contradicted. Eebellion<br />

is <strong>the</strong> charge which we must keep before<br />

<strong>the</strong> world, in case <strong>an</strong>y <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r states<br />

are inclined to interfere. We had hoped <strong>the</strong>y<br />

would have resisted Gastaldo's order, <strong>an</strong>d<br />

have given us a pretext for crushing <strong>the</strong>m."

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