About four o'clock in the afternoon the stranger walked among them.
Father Jerome walked on his right hand, and Cathelineau on his left. M.
de Lescure followed immediately behind them. He was a very tall
man--nearly seven feet high; and his peculiar costume added in
appearance to his real height--he was dressed in the gorgeous robes of
a bishop of the Church of Rome as he would appear at the altar of his
cathedral when about to celebrate high mass; he had his mitre on his
head and his crozier in his hand; and as he walked through the crowd,
the men and women everywhere kneeled down and bowed their heads to the
earth; the people were delighted to have so holy a man among them--to
see a bishop in La Vendee. The bells were all rung, and every sign of
joy was shewn; the peasants were already beginning to forget their
defeat of the previous night.
As he walked through the kneeling crowd, he stood still a moment or two,
from time to time, and blessed the people; his voice was full and deep,
but very musical; his face was supremely handsome, but devoid of all
traces of passion.
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