Protestantism in the Waldensian Valleys - James Aitken Wylie

throughout the valleys. They hung upon the
heights. Two great passes led into France: the one
over the snows of the lofty Col Julten, and the
other by the Valley of Queyras into Dauphine. But,
alas! escape was not possible by either outlet. No
one could traverse the Col Julten at this season and
live, and the fortress of Mirabouc, that guarded the
narrow gorge which led into the Valley of Queyras,
the enemy had been careful to secure.[12] The
Vaudois were enclosed as in a net--shut in as in a
prison.
At last the blow fell with the sudden crash of
the thunderbolt. At four o'clock on the morning of
Saturday, the 24th of April, 1655, the signal was
given from the castle-hill of La Torre.[13] But who
shall rehearse the tragedy that followed? "It is Cain
a second time," says Monastier, "shedding the
blood of his brother Abel."[14] On the instant a
thousand assassins began the work of death.
Dismay, horror, agony, woe in a moment
overspread the Valleys of Lucerna and Angrogna.
Though Pandemonium had sent forth its fiends to
riot in crime and revel in blood, they could not
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