224 ISAAC JOGUES. [1642. 



town, consoling themselves with prayer, and mutu- 

 ally exhorting each other to suffer patiently for the 

 sake of Christ and the Virgin, when, as they were 

 returning, reciting their rosaries, they met the two 

 young Indians, and read in their sullen visages an 

 augury of ill. The Indians joined them, and ac- 

 companied them to the entrance of the town, where 

 one of the two, suddenly drawing a hatchet from 

 beneath his blanket, struck it into the head of 

 Goupil, who fell, murmuring the name of Christ. 

 Jogues dropped on his knees, and, bowing his head 

 in prayer, awaited the blow, when the murderer 

 ordered him to get up and go home. He obeyed, 

 but not until he had given absolution to his still 

 breathing friend, and presently saw the lifeless 

 body dragged through the town amid hootings and 

 rejoicings. 



Jogues passed a night of anguish and desola- 

 tion, and in the morning, reckless of life, set forth 

 in search of Goupil's remains. "Where are you 

 going so fast ? " demanded the old Indian, his mas- 

 ter. " Do you not see those fierce young braves, 

 who are watching to kill you ? " Jogues persisted, 

 and the old man asked another Indian to go with 

 him as a protector. The corpse had been flung 

 into a neighboring ravine, at the bottom of which 

 ran a torrent ; and here, with the Indian's help, 

 Jogues found it, stripped naked, and gnawed by 

 dogs. He dragged it into the water, and covered 

 it with stones to save it from further mutilation, 

 resolving to return alone on the following day and 

 secretly bury it. But with the night there came 



