Goose-Skin (stupefied)—"One moment! What the devil! I have abjured; I did! I am a good Catholic!"
Karvel (to Montfort)—"So, then, count, we are to die? I thank you for this death!"
Mylio (to Montfort)—"I also thank you for this death, coward! Felon! Knight without word and without faith! Miserable fanatic!"
The count drops his head at the reproach. His soldier's heart is touched to the quick by the just charge of felony.
Abbot Reynier—"These wretches dare to mention the word 'faith'! And will you, Montfort, be affected by reproaches that issue from such mouths? Have you forgotten that our Holy Father, Innocent III, said: 'None need to keep faith with those who fail in their faith to God'? Would you protect the lives of these maddened heretics and thus enable them to lure thousands of unhappy beings into their detestable heresy?"
Montfort (affrighted)—"Oh! No, Father! A thousand times, no!"
Abbot Reynier—"Come, then! Hold high your head, intrepid soldier of our Church! The Lord will cause Lavaur to fall into your hands!"
Montfort (with fanatic exaltation)—"To arms, knights! To the assault! God is with us! No mercy when we take Lavaur! Kill, slay women, children, old men and young! Kill them all! As at Beziers, the Lord will distinguish His own. (Pointing to the three prisoners) Let these three men be pinioned! Let them be kept in a safe place until the moment of their execution!"
Goose-Skin (distracted with terror, throwing himself at Montfort's feet and seizing his robe)—"Gracious god-father! You promised me that you would hold me over the baptismal font. I wish to live henceforth a good Catholic. I believe in the Church, I believe in all her past, present and future saints. I believe the most incredible miracles. I shall believe anything that you want."
Montfort (to Abbot Reynier)—"You were right. This wretch yields to fear and not to the faith. He is a miscreant."