myself in the peasant’s clothes, which were so hateful to me, our friend quitted me, as you know, and I went with his son up into the mountains. Florentine jested about our expedition, I was much vexed at and ashamed of my purpose. When we advanced farther into the mountains, some figures glided before us on the solitary footpath, we followed the direction they took, and arrived with them in about half an hour at a lonely barn. They knocked, it was opened to us. I cannot describe the feeling with which I entered into this rustic assembly. It was a loathing of mind and body. Some were kneeling, others were standing praying, I approached the latter and tried to imitate them. Everything went on quietly, all eyes were bent on the ground, a few old women only muttered their psalms between their teeth. All at once a boy about eight years old fell down as if in convulsions. My repugnance was at its highest pitch, for now I saw before me the deformed spectacle, the relation of which had for
