that you will in a few days welcome a new sister. Isabella is mine!'

This was said in a whisper, and then Michel seated himself at a table with his friends. Their discourse fell at once on the form of government which the free city of St Malo should assume. The young man, true to his classical traditions, proposed that they should appoint a consul and a senate, the whole spiritually dependent on their bishop, but in reality free, the priest having no part in temporal affairs. Michel, however, indulged in no illusions. He was aware that, despite their victory, their position was difficult, and was perhaps only tenable as long as civil wars continued to weaken France. But he chose that they should keep their entire independence as long as possible; that if the day of servitude should ever come, they might fall nobly, securing to themselves immunities and privileges such as their position deserved. His friends adopted his ideas without hesitation, and then, having partaken of refreshment, they departed to summon the old members of the commonalty to confirm or reject their decision. Michel remained with his family, who now asked of him an explanation of what had passed. The young leader of the successful revolt gladly satisfied their curiosity, and had just concluded, amid exclamations of admiration and astonishment from both, when a servant entered.

'What is it, Jean?' asked Michel.

'His reverence, Charles de Bourneuf, Bishop and Lord of St Malo, wishes to see you,' replied the youth.

'Let him enter,' said Michel coldly. 'Dear mother and sister, leave me alone awhile with him.'

The two women acquiesced, and Michel remained alone. A moment later, the bishop entered. He was a middle-sized, slightmade man, with an expression of great cunning, and a countenance in general expressive of inordinate ambition and lust of power and wealth.

Hail, saviour of Gaul!' cried he enthusiastically. You have the reptile in your hands. The enemy of our church, the heretic usurper, is taken; a power greater than any held by man for ages is yours. Use it well, Michel, and heaven and earth have no rewards great enough for you.'

'Explain yourself,' said Michel quietly, at the same time offering the bishop a seat.

'Michel, are you not aware that Henry of Navarre is a heretic?' began the bishop.

He was a heretic, but to gain a crown he has abjured,' replied Michel in his driest tones; and although still suspected of being of the new religion, is at least in name a Roman Catholic, and servitor of his holiness the pope.'

"You say truly, Michel. He is still a heretic, and as such unfit to reign in France. On the other hand, there is the League of all true Catholics, which seeks to place on the throne a prince devoted

to the interests of the church. But Henry, supported by the devil and Calvin, is a great general, and we have not been able to overcome him. It has been left for you to perform this wondrous feat. He is your prisoner. Michel, the interests of our religion, the salvation of the monarchy, are in your hands. Declare for the League, give up the Bearnais as hostage to them, and the war is over; peace will reign, the true interests of God will be triumphant, and your name will be everlastingly glorious.'

Rather, then, let it be everlastingly infamous,' replied Michel firmly; for I have signed a convention with Henry of Navarre and France; and mark me, my lord bishop, at dawn he rides forth freely.'

'Never!' said Charles furiously. 'I am lord here, and I will not allow it. I am hereditary ruler in St Malo, and no treaty is valid without my signature. Never will I sign my name to a wicked and absurd capitulation that sets a heretic and a usurper free.'

Then, your reverence, the treaty must live without your signature. It is signed, and must be carried into effect.'

Who will dare to carry it out in defiance of me?'

'I will, my lord bishop! I braved last night and this morning greater dangers than any you can place in my way. I braved the ascent of the Generale by a single rope, the threatening sword of Henry the Fourth, and for two years the contempt of my fellowcitizens. Mark me: reading, philosophy, and reflection, have taught me that the difference between Romanism and Protestantism is a matter of feeling. There are abuses on both sides, but the balance is with us. I am not bigoted to the one or the other, and like not sudden changes; but rather than submit to the rule of a priest, and change masters, I pledge myself in six months to make St Malo as strong a hold of the Reformation as La Rochelle. I respect the sincere piety of my countrymen, but, myself half a Huguenot, I should not grieve to see all my countrymen so. But I will not, in so grave a matter, take any initiative: they are good and happy. But mark me, Charles de Bourneuf, no tampering with our liberties. I am neither for king nor League-I am for the liberties of St Malo. But, in preference to the League, I would accept the king.'

'But you, a simple citizen, a merchant, a trader, how dare you resist your hereditary lord, the bishop of St Malo? Michel, fear not only the excommunication of the church, but temporal punishment."

At this instant a deputation of citizens entered, headed by Porcon. They bowed slightly to the bishop-profoundly to

Michel.

'Michel Fortet de la Bardeliere,' said Porcon in a voice of deep emotion, 'I have submitted your proposition to the citizens, and they have decided that St Malo is an independent commonwealth,

governed by a consul, a senate of fifty, and a town-council of one hundred-all elected by the people. In token of their deep gratitude to you, the saviour of your country, they declare unanimously that you are consul for four years. Long live the republic and its first consul!'

Michel closed his eyes, to check the strong feelings that overcame him. The bishop advanced furiously towards the deputation. 'And my rights?' he asked-with clenched fists, says the old chronicle.

'Charles de Bourneuf,' said Michel firmly, 'return to your palace, and leave it not without further orders. We respect you in your spiritual capacity, but your known devotion to a foreign party causes the city to declare that you are for ever excluded from its temporal councils.'

Michel had always objected to the interference of priests with government, but, in those days of spiritual bondage, he threw in the party allusion to soothe the bigoted. The priest went out muttering words of revenge, and shut himself up in his palace, which he never left again for four years, except under good guard. Michel received on his shoulders with humility the furred cloak of ancient days worn by the lords of St Malo, allowed the tiara to be placed on his head and the sword by his side, and then marched forth to carry out the terms of the capitulation. As the sun rose he entered the castle, where, to his great surprise, he found a chapel fitted up for his marriage, which there and then was celebrated by the command of the king. Then trumpets sounding and colours flying, and all military honours rendered to them, the garrison, headed by the king and count, marched out, Michel accompanying them some distance. At last they parted, with many mutual good wishes, and the consul returned to his native city, to organise and consolidate his government.

During four years Michel ruled as consul, beloved by his countrymen, whom he made rich, prosperous, and happy. His views were enlarged and comprehensive, and his first thought was to foster commerce-the right hand of civilisation. St Malo became wealthy to a proverb, enjoying as she did the greatest blessing of a state -peace. But at the end of four years, war ceased in France; Henry IV. was universally recognised as king; the pope allowed him to be a good Catholic; and every town and city in the land did homage. He sent word to Michel that he could not resist the advice of his ministers, but must reduce St Malo to allegiance. Michel was too clear-sighted not to be aware that resistance was useless. He sent, however, a haughty message to the king, in the name of the senate, for he would not join even in the least appearance of submission. He spoke as Cromwell might have done to Louis XIV., and the terms offered by the senate were accepted. Henry IV. forbade any Protestant chapels to be built within three leagues; the people were exempt from taxes for six years; they chose their own guard; they elected their own magistrates;

had a prior and two consuls to try all causes: in fact, they simply owned themselves a city of France, and remained as they

were.

Though not in importance one tithe of what it was, St Malo is still an important place, and there are many even now who would gladly return to the good old times, under the rule of their first and last republican consul, Michel Fortet de la Bardeliere, whose descendants have uniformly served their city well, either as magistrates, merchants, or sailors, preserving religiously in their family the legend of the Rock Republic.

The general reader, however, more readily connects the name with smuggling and contraband brandy, and is almost always ignorant of the daring feats which has induced us to recall the name of Michel Fortet de la Bardeliere.

HE biography of Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, and of several other works once esteemed and popular, is less known, perhaps, than it ought to be to the people of this country. In his own day he met, properly speaking, with no reward. Towards the close of his life, indeed, the Spaniards may be said to have exhibited some inclination, in a certain degree, to recognise his merits, though not by any means to do him justice; but death interposed to deprive him of the fruit, whatever it might have been, of their tardy recognition, and from that time to the present the world has been more disposed to enjoy his invention and his humour than solicitous to acquaint itself with the sad story of his life. Through this it has happened that most of the materials which might have thrown a light on his career have been suffered

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