Thus the
Spaniards felt sure that they had destroyed not only the books and
papers, but the unknown enemy who had so daringly risked his life to
recover and save them. At the same time they were greatly astonished
that he should have quietly permitted the fire to destroy him without
making an effort to escape, or allowing a single cry of pain or anguish
to betray his presence. After much consideration of the matter they
finally concluded that so many of the Huguenots had suffered martyrdom
at the stake that they had all learned to endure the torture of burning
in silence.
When Rene had finished storing the books and papers as carefully as the
circumstances would permit, he at last found time to consider his own
safety. Going to the end of the tunnel, and peering cautiously out to
make sure that he was not observed, he replaced the bark door beneath
its curtain of vines, and began to work his way very slowly and with
many a backward glance down the river. It was now broad daylight, and
for fear of being seen from the fort, he crept close under shelter of
the bank, sometimes crawling on his hands and knees, and often wading
in water up to his waist.
At length, by several hours' hard labor, which, coming after his
exertions of the preceding night, completely exhausted him, he reached
the high bluff which has already been described as commanding a view of
several miles both up and down the river.
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