216 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book iv.

the drawbridge, we may still remain masters withinthis city. And may then decide in a chapter generalwhat is to be done for the safety of the order ; evenwhen it be to renounce onr wealth and most frugallysecluded from the world live within this same inexpug-nable fortress ; resisting whatsoever force may comeagainst us; after some weeks perhaps extending ourpossessions to the whole island—if these islanderscordially unite with us—and in this state ofhonourable penury wait until the actual storm beover ; though it may blow hard for several ”—per-haps years he would have said, but the biu’sting inof the doors by a whole body of French bayonetswith poor vile Hompesch held forcibly at their head,dissolved the assembly, and unfortunate Boisgelinhad but to sheathe his sword and retire with his com-panions. Yet his proposal however extravagant,was not more so than several that succeeded in his-tory. Though it afterwards seemed superfluous andbombast. Perhaps it only proved that he was notcapable of executing what he nobly thought; notin the least equal to those historic heroes who in oneincluded both thought and act. Both must be in thesame person in such situations. ISTo time for infusingyour idea into others. Example not by words but ac-tion is the only thing. Yet such simultaneousness,is it not cruel to expect it ? Here it was not, andeverything was gone !