The unhappy men felt that they were too late. ** We
will revenge," they cried, " if we cannot prevent" — and
their speed was not abated. They rushed into the street
of the village ; the tramp of their feet, and the clangor of
their arms were heard within the houses, and to the unut-
terable joy of these gallant deliverers, hundreds of voices
were raised to welcome and bless their appearance.
The arm of God had done that which man s could not
do : the time was not enough to allow of the arrival of the
Vaudois, before the signal was to have been given for the
conspirators to put themselves in action, but the rain-storm,
and violence of the torrents, which had no terrors for men
advancing in a good cause, had alarmed and stopped the
murderers. Many of those, who should have arrived at the
rendezvous, had not reached it, and those, who were therej ^
dared not move forward upon this sanguinary enterprizej
until their numbers were increased.
