CHAPTER VIII.
THE HURON GOES TO COURT—SUPS UPON THE ROAD WITH SOME HUGUENOTS.
The ingenuous Hercules took the Saumur road in the coach, because there was at that time no other convenience. When he came to Saumur, he was astonished to find the city almost deserted, and to see several families going away. He was told that, half a dozen years before, Saumur contained upward of fifty thousand inhabitants, and that at present there were not six thousand. He mentioned this at the inn, while at supper. Several Protestants were at table; some complained bitterly, others trembled with rage, others, weeping, said, "Nos dulcia linquimus arva, nos patriam fugimus." The Huron, who did not understand Latin, had these words explained to him, which signified, "We abandon our sweet fields; we fly from our country."
"And why do you fly from your country, gentlemen?"
"Because we must otherwise acknowledge the pope."
"And why not acknowledge him? You have no godmothers, then, that you want to marry, for I am told it is he that grants this permission."
"Ah! sir, this pope says that he is master of the domains of kings."
