Ludwig Tieck

“ But the powerful old man looked round him with the greatest composure, shook his arms and shoulders that he might feel his freedom after the restraint he had endured, then took a flask of wine from his bosom and emptying it jocosely, dashed it against the rock, where it broke in pieces, then turned to the bystanders, baring his neck as he said: "Now, if it please you!" Even Ravanel measured him with a look of surprise; and Edmond, who had watched all his movements, felt himself impelled by an inexplicable feeling to save the life of so ruthless a man. ”

“ The miracle of all miracles, my young friend, is the great moment which is revealed to all sinning, hapless mortals in their limited life, when the lord himself advances to meet the penitent, the indifferent, and creates his heart anew. This metamorphosis is more wonderful, incomprehensible, and more mysterious than all the overthrows of the laws of nature, which attract the eye searching for miracles, for here out of nothing something is brought forth, out of death, suddenly like a flash of lightining, life is created. ”

“ Already accustomed to look upon every thing as a riddle, as a concealed mystery of love, the celebration of the Mass appeared to me as elevated and divine, as revelation and work of art, as type and fulfilment at the same time, and each word spoken, or sung as it fell on my ear in the full force of its signification, drove back a bolt from my heart. Art and nature changed before my eyes, the element of water became glorified, in the fire, in the light of the church tapers as well as that of the house, I perceived and recognised the whole tenor of the secret of nature. ”

“ One must hear it much more distinctly up there."
"I like not," said Godfred, "to have any thing to do with war and war cries. The unfortunate, beautiful, peaceful villages, until now we have heard nothing of it, except once at the very beginning, now again we receive the evil visit."
"There yonder," thought the woman, "they have the miracle working statue of the Mother of God, that will protect them all, the rebels cannot effect any thing in opposition to that: Fire and sword, balls and blows cannot prevail against the heavenly miracle." ”

“ Is it needful?" turned he to Edmond, when he found himself quite alone with the latter; "So young man, must we see each other again? I would not believe the reports, nay, I can scarcely trust my own eyes now! Oh thou miserable father of so degenerate a son!"
"Apostate!" bitterly exclaimed Edmond, "hast thou indeed the right to use such language?"
"Go, fly," said Julien with an expression of the most contemptuous pity; "hasten into this thick underwood, I will pretend not to have seen you. Escape ignominy and execution, before my companions return and render it impossible." ”

“ Edmond, your reverend cordelier, his hair is become white since then, like the yellow flowers of the meadow, which the first blast uproots. Where is Euphemie? Where Lucy, where our tears and sighs of those days? You have become a little old man in an instant: and, is it not true, that those youthful feelings appeal to you even now sometimes, but like dumb children, with their countenances? Now perform a little bit of a miracle with your superabundant love, and awaken these dead again which lie here in our way. ”

“ They fight and conquer only under their own known country-people, who pray and sing with them, whose origin they know, and whose prophecies impel them to rush fearlessly into the most palpable danger."
"They laugh at those prophets in foreign countries," said Flotard, "What is your opinion of them?" "I know not what to say to it," answered Roland; "I frequently see the miracle before my eyes, that these men know things which no one can learn by natural means; but again it often strikes me, that blind passion alone speaks out of them, and that they voluntarily excite themselves to this state. ”

“ Whom the revealed word has once enlightened can never again forget the glance of love, that has arisen in his inmost soul, he would rather forfeit his life than his conviction, he requires no proofs, no renewing to confirm him, no passion, no illusion, or miracle to ground him more firmly in himself, as little will raillery, or doubt, brilliant talent, or presumptuous philosophy, again be able to displace in his heart that directing star. ”

“ In religious affairs particularly, my brain whirls in agony, when I see how so many place the whole tenor of a profound mystery in a book, an expression, a phrase, or even a syllable, and weigh the immensity of love in grains and scruples, that they may know the faster how surely their brother is to be damned, who in other countries and with different vessels draws out of the ocean of grace. Whoever too hastily gives a yes, or a no to the interrogations of the conscience, in such assuredly neither doubt, nor conviction is as yet awakened. ”

“ Often already have our people entertained menials; and what countenance shall I assume when this squinting huntsman shall wait upon me again at the table of the Lord of Basville, I know not; and what will the Intendant and the Marshal, who certainly must hear of it, think, or say? How shall I explain it to myself, that you received that miller's boy not only with kindness and condescension, but yet with hearty familiarity? who is even too low to be your menial, that you allow my sister, who is always too forward to play and romp with him? ”

“ In all unrestrained passions man is transformed into an inexplicable but fearful miracle, then becomes realised and identified with him, what the wildest fancy itself cannot imagine more irrational. Let every man beware of this state, still less let him seek it, as you do, Edmond; your fire will consume you. Go not yonder so often to the lady of Castelnau: this will nourish your enthusiasm and destroy you. ”

“ Thus do you think of me, thus do you deny the spirit." "My son," said the old man with uplifted looks, "is it a good spirit that prompts you? is it not perhaps the wild wandering of nature herself in you that transports you beyond her own limits?"
The son cast again that terrifying look on his father, which rendered him mute.
"You are free," said the old man, "affection alone, not force should retain you. Go then and follow the dictates of your own heart. My prayers shall accompany you, and, may be, they will have the power to mitigate, or ward off the worst." ”

“ No my friends, my inspired brethren! let other self-sufficient, self-willed men then, who fight without heaven be your soldiers, I can never be such. Roland and Cavalier pardon the prisoners we make, send them back comforted, refresh and succour their wounded, and hope by their well-meaning kindness to arouse the hearts of the villains, that they may feel humane and brotherly towards us. But no such thing! they mock at this our weakness and call it folly, nay, they publicly term it cowardice and say, that we dare not act otherwise, for we are only rebels and outlaws. ”

“ I know not how we carry on the war, but still this little mountain-spot occupies a great number of disciplined troops. We have done more than we ever dared to think of, even in our dreams. And all those poor enthusiastic men, who never enquire how numerous the foe may be, rush with songs of praise upon the bayonet, and into the flames of the stake; they would follow no foreign leader, who did not share with them the same faith, and the same distress, for as I have already said, it is not their wish to be rioters and rebels, and thus follow a foreign standard, though with greater safety. ”

“ Roland retired from the circle and all were silent. "We will hear what Catinat says for himself," said the broad, stout Mazel, and Ravanel, a little swarthy man with dark looks and wild appearance advanced towards the gigantic man and cried: "speak brother, you know how I love you, I am yours, unto death, and do not believe that you can ever be in the wrong, for in your fist is the sword of the Lord!" ”

“ Still I must ever lovingly admire the human mind when it preserves itself pure, and so many sentiments and customs affect, while they appear to us childish and foolish. Let no severe judge expunge these feelings from our religion, for even these sucklings will hang on their mother's breast, and while they nourish themselves, they gaze in her dark eyes, whose expression they understand more from the instinct of childhood than from knowledge. ”

“ Even the smallest child is ashamed, when it begs so fervently. That sick dog looks thus hungrily at old Godfred, and immediately shuts its eyes, when dame Barbara glances that way. That is indeed a glorious thought, that here, in all towns, in all France, in all countries, and in the whole world, all hungry eyes, young and old, rise up to our Heavenly Father so devoutly, so confidingly, and it must also be pleasing to him, mighty and great as he is, when he beholds prayers and confidence shining from all parts wherever he turns. But indeed all men are not, or perhaps at all times grateful. ”

“ He again made a hasty bow and retreated.
"Who was this youth?" asked the old Lord. "Probably one of those infamous rebels," replied Edmond in great wrath; "I had rendered perhaps a service to God and the king, if I had sent this ball after him!" "Father," said the child, "believe me, he was the angel Gabriel, and brother Edmond will yet be converted, and love him as I do." "Go to bed again, my little one," said her father, "you require rest, poor child!"
"That was no good night," said Eveline, "so now good morning, father! it grows so beautifully bright!" ”

“ Yea, malice is now for the first time awakened into life, if it contracts and unites itself with the sentiment of love, thou hoary darkness of the primeval rocks, and as a lighted brand penetrates into the bones of the snuffing lions and tigers, and roars in the waterfall, that crumbles the mountains and thirst in the fiery torrent, that greedily eats its way to the stream and siding with his brother, the storm, swallows up woods and fields, and mocking as dead spits forth from itself the former existence as dead, cold as ashes. ”

“ It would be difficult enough to disengage ourselves from them afterwards."
"But the villains must not be suffered to live!" exclaimed Ravanel, his anger aroused anew, drawing his sword he struck the next prisoner to him, who also fell instantly weltering in his blood.
"Ought a brother to be blood thirsty?" asked Edmond.
"He ought well be so," cried Ravanel turning angrily towards him: "Oh my friend, he, who has once tasted the pleasure of stretching an enemy at his feet, becomes like a lion after the palatable sweetness, scarcely able to spare his keeper. ”

“ A man may do as he pleases provided he becomes not a tyrant, and places himself on a level with the executioner."
"Like our Marshal," exclaimed the old man impetuously, "like our Intendant; like the lords there in Nismes, who in the name of God sacrifice their brethren. I have sent some relief to these poor people already, and will provide them with more; it is only a drop of water in the sea, but still in this distress it will comfort a few poor creatures." ”

“ Had Cavalier been with the troop, I should not have escaped him, for he possesses the utmost presence of mind, he is the boldest and indeed the most soldierly among the rebels."
"It is said that he is taken prisoner," observed the huntsman.
"The war is over then," exclaimed the hermit, "for, without him, they can undertake nothing; this powerful man is alone the soul of their venturous enterprise. The others understand well enough how to kill and to die, but not how to conduct the war. I wish he had died; for should he be taken prisoner, his fate will be one worthy of commiseration." ”

“ Ravanel alone, conscious of guilt had retired. Cavalier now stepped in among them, and in his own amiable manner, said, "Brethren, the tie that binds the whole world, the source of all miracles, the strength of the weak, the immediate presence of our most holy father, is love, love alone. I am apprehensive, that we, the oppressed, whose unity is so necessary, may in this manner be divided, should we forget that we are brethren? Does not something more exalted than an oath bind us to a holy work? ”

“ Festival follows festival, temples and images follow statues, posterity will turn with deep emotion to the love of the present, as we enraptured trace the past, only through this mutability, through this re-echoing of the Eternal Word is the truth made manifest to me, through this alone am I convinced that it went forth in former times, by this means, that it apparently changes, as the leaf into the blossom, the flower into the fruit, and the fruit yields again the seed of the flower, it is a permanent, an eternal truth ”

“ I agree with you in what you say about the dissipated life of our young men, but, perhaps, you will laugh, when I assert that this passion for hunting is equally insupportable to me. As soon as I perceived this rising within him, I considered him as almost lost, for all young people, that I have ever yet seen, entirely devoted to this occupation, are idlers, who cannot again settle to any business; this seeming occupation with its exertions and sacrifices teaches them to despise time, they dream away their lives until the hour, that calls them up again to follow the hare and the woodcock. ”

“ I blame not your sentiments, far be it from me to censure what is sacred, but you do not know what it is, you have yet to learn that greatness and truth lie only on the verge, on the transition-point of this feeling; as we have beheld them in their ecstasy, we must draw back with timidity and reverence; but should the lying spirit entice us in our spiritual revellings to higher enthusiasm and visions, we sink under mental voluptuousness, and delusive images, fearful fancies take prisoners soul and heart, love dies within us ”