father had been a methodist preacher, an enthusiastic man with simple

intentions; but whose pernicious doctrines of election and special grace

had contributed to destroy all conscientious feeling in his son. During the

progress of the pestilence he had entered upon various schemes, by which to

acquire adherents and power. Adrian had discovered and defeated these

attempts; but Adrian was absent; the wolf assumed the shepherd's garb, and

the flock admitted the deception: he had formed a party during the few

weeks he had been in Paris, who zealously propagated the creed of his

divine mission, and believed that safety and salvation were to be afforded

only to those who put their trust in him.

When once the spirit of dissension had arisen, the most frivolous causes

gave it activity. The first party, on arriving at Paris, had taken

possession of the Tuileries; chance and friendly feeling had induced the

second to lodge near to them. A contest arose concerning the distribution

of the pillage; the chiefs of the first division demanded that the whole

should be placed at their disposal; with this assumption the opposite party

refused to comply. When next the latter went to forage, the gates of Paris

were shut on them. After overcoming this difficulty, they marched in a body

to the Tuileries. They found that their enemies had been already expelled

thence by the Elect, as the fanatical party designated themselves, who

refused to admit any into the palace who did not first abjure obedience to

all except God, and his delegate on earth, their chief. Such was the

beginning of the strife, which at length proceeded so far, that the three

divisions, armed, met in the Place Vendome, each resolved to subdue by

force the resistance of its adversaries. They assembled, their muskets were

494

The Last Man