massacres of the south-第11章

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peasants；　who　once　scattered　were　unable　to　rally。　　They　were
therefore　completely　routed。　　Poul　killed　several　with　his　own　hand；
among　whom　were　two　whose　heads　he　cut　off　as　cleverly　as　the　most
experienced　executioner　could　have　done；　thanks　to　the　marvellous
temper　of　his　Damascus　blade。　　At　this　sight　all　who　had　till　then
stood　their　ground　took　to　flight；　Poul　at　their　heels；　slashing　with
his　sword　unceasingly；　till　they　disappeared　among　the　mountains。　　He
then　returned　to　the　field　of　battle；　picked　up　the　two　heads；　and
fastening　them　to　his　saddlebow；　rejoined　his　soldiers　with　his
bloody　trophies；that　is　to　say；　he　joined　the　largest　group　of
soldiers　he　could　find；　for　the　fight　had　turned　into　a　number　of
single　combats；　every　soldier　fighting　for　himself。　　Here　he　found
three　prisoners　who　were　about　to　be　shot；　but　Poul　ordered　that　they
should　not　be　touched：　not　that　he　thought　for　an　instant　of　sparing
their　lives；　but　that　he　wished　to　reserve　them　for　a　public
execution。　　These　three　men　were　Nouvel；　a　parishioner　of　Vialon；
Moise　Bonnet　of　Pierre…Male；　and　Esprit　Seguier　the　prophet。

Captain　Poul　returned　to　Barre　carrying　with　him　his　two　heads　and
his　three　prisoners；　and　immediately　reported　to　M。　Just　de　Baville；
intendant　of　Languedoc；　the　important　capture　he　had　made。　　The
prisoners　were　quickly　tried。　　Pierre　Nouvel　was　condemned　to　be
burnt　alive　at　the　bridge　of　Montvert；　Molise　Bonnet　to　be　broken　on
the　wheel　at　Deveze；　and　Esprit　Seguier　to　be　hanged　at
Andre…de…Lancise。　　Thus　those　who　were　amateurs　in　executions　had　a
sufficient　choice。

However；　Moise　Bonnet　saved　himself　by　becoming　Catholic；　but　Pierre
Nouvel　and　Esprit　Seguier　died　as　martyrs；　making　profession　of　the
new　faith　and　praising　God。

Two　days　after　the　sentence　on　Esprit　Seguier　had　been　carried　out；
the　body　disappeared　from　the　gallows。　　A　nephew　of　Laporte　named
Roland　had　audaciously　carried　it　off；　leaving　behind　a　writing
nailed　to　the　gibbet。　　This　was　a　challenge　from　Laporte　to　Poul；　and
was　dated　from　the　〃Camp　of　the　Eternal　God；　in　the　desert　of
Cevennes；〃　Laporte　signing　himself　〃Colonel　of　the　children　of　God
who　seek　liberty　of　conscience。〃　　Poul　was　about　to　accept　the
challenge　when　he　learned　that　the　insurrection　was　spreading　on
every　side。　　A　young　man　of　Vieljeu；　twenty…six　years　of　age；　named
Solomon　Couderc；　had　succeeded　Esprit　Seguier　in　the　office　of
prophet；　and　two　young　lieutenants　had　joined　Laporte。　　One　of　these
was　his　nephew　Roland；　a　man　of　about　thirty；　pock…marked；　fair；
thin；　cold；　and　reserved；　he　was　not　tall；　but　very　strong；　and　of
inflexible　courage。　　The　other；　Henri　Castanet　of　Massevaques；　was　a
keeper　from　the　mountain　of　Laygoal；　whose　skill　as　a　marksman　was　so
well　known　that　it　was　said　he　never　missed　a　shot。　　Each　of　these
lieutenants　had　fifty　men　under　him。

Prophets　and　prophetesses　too　increased　apace；　so　that　hardly　a　day
passed　without　reports　being　heard　of　fresh　ones　who　were　rousing
whole　villages　by　their　ravings。

In　the　meantime　a　great　meeting　of　the　Protestants　of　Languedoc　had
been　held　in　the　fields　of　Vauvert；　at　which　it　had　been　resolved　to
join　forces　with　the　rebels　of　the　Cevennes；　and　to　send　a　messenger
thither　to　make　this　resolution　known。

Laporte　had　just　returned　from　La　Vaunage；　where　he　had　been　making
recruits；　when　this　good　news　arrived；　he　at　once　sent　his　nephew
Roland　to　the　new　allies　with　power　to　pledge　his　word　in　return　for
theirs；　and　to　describe　to　them；　in　order　to　attract　them；　the
country　which　he　had　chosen　as　the　theatre　of　the　coming　war；　and
which；　thanks　to　its　hamlets；　its　woods；　its　defiles；　its　valleys；
its　precipices；　and　its　caves；　was　capable　of　affording　cover　to　as
many　bands　of　insurgents　as　might　be　employed；　would　be　a　good
rallying…ground　after　repulse；　and　contained　suitable　positions　for
ambuscades。　　Roland　was　so　successful　in　his　mission　that　these　new
〃soldiers　of　the　Lord；〃　as　they　called　themselves；　on　learning　that
he　had　once　been　a　dragoon；　offered　him　the　post　of　leader；　which　he
accepted；　and　returned　to　his　uncle　at　the　head　of　an　army。

Being　thus　reinforced；　the　Reformers　divided　themselves　into　three
bands；　in　order　to　spread　abroad　their　beliefs　through　the　entire
district。　　One　went　towards　Soustele　and　the　neighbourhood　of　Alais；
another　towards　St。　Privat　and　the　bridge　of　Montvert；　while　the
third　followed　the　mountain　slope　down　to　St。　Roman　le　Pompidou；　and
Barre。

The　first　was　commanded　by　Castanet；　the　second　by　Roland；　and　the
third　by　Laporte。

Each　party　ravaged　the　country　as　it　passed；　returning　deathblow　for
deathblow　and　conflagration　for　conflagration；　so　that　hearing　one
after　another　of　these　outrages　Captain　Poul　demanded　reinforcements
from　M。　de　Broglie　and　M。　de　Baville；　which　were　promptly　despatched。

As　soon　as　Captain　Poul　found　himself　at　the　head　of　a　sufficient
number　of　troops；　he　determined　to　attack　the　rebels。　　He　had
received　intelligence　that　the　band　led　by　Laporte　was　just　about　to
pass　through　the　valley　of　Croix；　below　Barre；　near　Temelague。　　In
consequence　of　this　information；　he　lay　in　ambush　at　a　favourable
spot　on　the　route。　　As　soon　as　the　Reformers　who　were　without
suspicion；　were　well　within　the　narrow　pass　in　which　Poul　awaited
them；　he　issued　forth　at　the　head　of　his　soldiers；　and　charged　the
rebels　with　such　courage　and　impetuosity　that　they；　taken　by
surprise；　made　no　attempt　at　resistance；　but；　thoroughly　demoralised；
spread　over　the　mountain…side；　putting　a　greater　and　greater　distance
at；　every　instant　between　themselves　and　the　enemy；　despite　the
efforts　of　Laporte　to　make　them　stand　their　ground。　　At　last；　seeing
himself　deserted；　Laporte　began　to　think　of　his　own　safety。　　But　it
was　already　too　late；　for　he　was　surrounded　by　dragoons；　and　the　only
way　of　retreat　open　to　him　lay　over　a　large　rock。　　This　he
successfully　scaled；　but　before　trying　to　get　down　the　other　side　he
raised　his　hands　in　supplication　to　Heaven；　at　that　instant　a　volley
was　fired；　two　bullets　struck　him；　and　he　fell　head　foremost　down　the
precipice。

When　the　dragoons　reached　the　foot　of　the　rock；　they　found　him　dead。
As　they　knew　he　was　the　chief　of　the　rebels；　his　body　was　searched：
sixty　Louis　was　found　in　his　pockets；　and　a　sacred　chalice　which　he
was　in　the　habit　of　using　as　an　ordinary　drinking…cup。　　Poul　cut　off
his　head　and　the　heads　of　twelve　other　Reformers　found　dead　on　the
field　of　battle；　and　enclosing　them　in　a　wicker　basket；　sent　them　to
M。　Just　de　Baville。

The　Reformers　soon　recovered　from　this　defeat　and　death；　joined　all
their　forces　into　one　body；　and　placed　Roland　at　their　head　in　the
place　of　Laporte。　　Roland　chose　a　young　man　called　Couderc　de　Mazel…
Rozade；　who　had　assumed　the　name　of　Lafleur；　as　his　lieutenant；　and
the　rebel　forces　were　not　only　quickly　reorganised；　but　made　complete
by　the　addition　of　a　hundred　men　raised　by　the　new　lieutenant；　and
soon　gave　a　sign　that　they　were　again　on　the　war…path　by　burning　down
the　churches　of　Bousquet；　Cassagnas；　and　Prunet。

Then　first　it　was　that　the　consuls　of　Mende　began　to　realise　that　it
was　no　longer　an　insurrection　they　had　on　hand　but　a　war；　and　Mende
being　the　capital　of　Gevaudan　and　liable　to　be　attacked　at　any
moment；　they　set　themselves　to　bring　into　repair　their　counterscarps；
ravelins；　bastions；　gates；　portcullises；　moats；　walls；　turrets；
ramparts；　parapets；　watchtowers；　and　the　gear　of　their　cannon；　and
having　laid　in　a　stock　of　firearms；　powder　and　ball；　they　formed
eight　companies　each　fifty　strong；　composed　of　townsmen；　and　a
further　band　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　peasants　drawn　from　the
neighbouring　country。　　Lastly；　the　States　of　the　province　sent　an
envoy　to　the　king；　praying　him　graciously　to　take　measures　to　check
the　plague　of　heresy　which　was　spreading　from　day　to　day。　　The　king
at　once　sent　M。　Julien　in　answer　to　the　petition。　　Thus　it　was　no
longer　simple　governors　of　towns　nor　even　chiefs　of　provinces　who
were　engaged　in　the　struggle；　royalty　itself　had　come　to　the　rescue。

M。　de　Julien；　born　a　Protestant；　was　a；　member　of　the　nobility　of