Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. I.djvu/404

420 “Let us take counsel from above!” said he, and strengthened his little band both by his courage and his prayers.

In the depth of the valley of San Martino, lies a rock, which is called “La Basiglia.” It is a peaked rock, which terminates two mountain chains, running in diverse directions, but which meet at this point. Two rivers, flowing from the two valleys which they form, flow into each other at the foot of this peaked rock, and thence, united, form the rapid river Germanasco. The rock rears itself, with wood-covered terraces, as it were, three or four stories high, decreasing in size upwards, and terminating in the form of a cone. Here Arnaud led his little band, now diminished to four hundred men, and here he intrenched himself, and built barracks and fortifications.

Some days later, he saw himself surrounded by French battalions. But when they attacked the people of Basiglia, they suffered such great loss, that this circumstance in connection with the severity of the season, for it was now the end of October, compelled the French commander to turn back and place his troops in winter quarters.

“Expect us again at Easter!” exclaimed the Frenchmen to the Waldenses in Basiglia, as they departed from the valley of San Martino.

Arnaud was now left in peace with his little band in his eyrie on the rock. But how were they to find food during the winter for four hundred men. Providence has cared for this. The Catholic population had, on the entrance of the Waldenses, fled from the valley, and a great portion of their harvest still