Read "The Rebellion in the Cevennes, Volume I" by Johann Ludwig Tieck online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
The mountains and the country around were by this time filled with new tidings that contained representations of the most horrible cruelties, said to have been practised by the Camisards. Even their best friends and such as willingly lent them their aid, became displeased, and many of the rebels themselves ventured not to extenuate the barbarity, which these had permitted themselves to exercise against catholic priests, landholders, nay even towards secret protestants. It appeared as if the weakest party desired, in defying despair to outdo the harshness of their foes; but this alienated many hearts from them and withheld the help that otherwise would have been openly lent to them.
A serene summer morning shed its light over the mountains, when Edmond with hasty steps took his way towards the secret wilds, where there was neither track nor footpath, and which was only known to him from representation. He felt as if his wonderful gift of inward sight was conducting him in the direct way, for he discovered the most secret directing signs by which the rebels alone could find a clue to the hiding-places, without straying among the windings of the rocks, or being stopped by the appearance of unexpected precipices. He left the fortress of St. Hyppolite on one side and came in a short time after having climbed steep mountains, into another rocky district, to which only small stony paths led, and which far around was torn asunder by spacious crevices and caverns. Here did the Camisards keep their severely wounded that had been able to escape from the fight; if this was impossible, they shot them themselves, in order to deliver them from the cruel ingenuity of the executioner. In these caves, Roland also concealed his provision of arms and ammunition, if he should have a superfluity of them, and also a supply of food and wine, likewise medicines, and that which was necessary for the care of the sick. Government had already offered a large reward for the discovery of this important place of refuge, but until now in vain, for only the most trustworthy among the rebels were acquainted with this district, who naturally would not betray it and they took care, that only those among the country-people, whose integrity could be depended upon, should be admitted.