massacres of the south-第13章

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without　avail；　and　while　he　was　thus　occupied　his　own　troop　ran　away；
so　seeing　there　was　no　prospect　of　winning　the　battle；　he　and　a　few
valiant　men　who　had　remained　near　him　dashed　forward　to　extricate　M。
Dourville；　who；　taking　advantage　of　the　opening　thus　made；　retreated；
his　wound　bleeding　profusely。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　Camisards
perceiving　at　some　distance　bodies　of　infantry　coming　up　to　reinforce
the　royals；　instead　of　pursuing　their　foes；　contented　themselves　with
keeping　up　a　thick　and　well…directed　musketry…fire　from　the　position
in　which　they　had　won　such　a　quick　and　easy　victory。

As　soon　as　the　royal　forces　were　out　of　reach　of　their　weapons；　the
rebel　chief　knelt　down　and　chanted　the　song　the　Israelites　sang　when；
having　crossed　the　Red　Sea　in　safety；　they　saw　the　army　of　Pharaoh
swallowed　up　in　the　waters；　so　that　although　no　longer　within　reach
of　bullets　the　defeated　troops　were　still　pursued　by　songs　of
victory。　　Their　thanksgivings　ended；　the　Calvinists　withdrew　into　the
forest；　led　by　their　new　chief；　who　had　at　his　first　assay　shown　the
great　extent　of　his　knowledge；　coolness；　and　courage。

This　new　chief；　whose　superiors　were　soon　to　become　his　lieutenants；
was　the　famous　Jean　Cavalier。

Jean　Cavalier　was　then　a　young　man　of　twenty…three；　of　less　than
medium　height；　but　of　great　strength。　　His　face　was　oval；　with
regular　features；　his　eyes　sparkling　and　beautiful；　he　had　long
chestnut　hair　falling　on　his　shoulders；　and　an　expression　of
remarkable　sweetness。　　He　was　born　in　168o　at　Ribaute；　a　village　in
the　diocese　of　Alais；　where　his　father　had　rented　a　small　farm；　which
he　gave　up　when　his　son　was　about　fifteen；　coming　to　live　at　the　farm
of　St。　Andeol；　near　Mende。

Young　Cavalier；　who　was　only　a　peasant　and　the　son　of　a　peasant；
began　life　as　a　shepherd　at　the　Sieur　de　Lacombe's；　a　citizen　of
Vezenobre；　but　as　the　lonely　life　dissatisfied　a　young　man　who　was
eager　for　pleasure；　Jean　gave　it　up；　and　apprenticed　himself　to　a
baker　of　Anduze。

There　he　developed　a　great　love　for　everything　connected　with　the
military；　he　spent　all　his　free　time　watching　the　soldiers　at　their
drill；　and　soon　became　intimate　with　some　of　them；　amongst　others
with　a　fencing…master　who　gave　him　lessons；　and　a　dragoon　who　taught
him　to　ride。

On　a　certain　Sunday；　as　he　was　taking　a　walk　with　his　sweetheart　on
his　arm；　the　young　girl　was　insulted　by　a　dragoon　of　the　Marquis　de
Florae's　regiment。　　Jean　boxed　the　dragoon's　ears；　who　drew　his
sword。　　Cavalier　seized　a　sword　from　one　of　the　bystanders；　but　the
combatants　were　prevented　from　fighting　by　Jean's　friends。　　Hearing
of　the　quarrel；　an　officer　hurried　up：　it　was　the　Marquis　de　Florae
himself；　captain　of　the　regiment　which　bore　his　name；　but　when　he
arrived　on　the　scene　he　found；　not　the　arrogant　peasant　who　had　dared
to　attack　a　soldier　of　the　king；　but　only　the　young　girl；　who　had
fainted；　the　townspeople　having　persuaded　her　lover　to　decamp。

The　young　girl　was　so　beautiful　that　she　was　commonly　called　la　belle
Isabeau；　and　the　Marquis　de　Florac；　instead　of　pursuing　Jean
Cavalier；　occupied　himself　in　reviving　Isabeau。

As　it　was；　however；　a　serious　affair；　and　as　the　entire　regiment　had
sworn　Cavalier's　death；　his　friends　advised　him　to　leave　the　country
for　a　time。　　La　belle　Isabeau；　trembling　for　the　safety　of　her　lover；
joined　her　entreaties　to　those　of　his　friends；　and　Jean　Cavalier
yielded。　　The　young　girl　promised　him　inviolable　fidelity；　and　he；
relying　on　this　promise；　went　to　Geneva。

There　he　made　the　acquaintance　of　a　Protestant　gentleman　called　Du
Serre；　who　having　glass…works　at　the　Mas　Arritas；　quite　near　the　farm
of　St。　Andeol；　had　undertaken　several　times；　at　the　request　of　Jean's
father；　Jerome；　to　convey　money　to　Jean；　for　Du　Serre　went　very　often
to　Geneva；　professedly　on　business　affairs；　but　really　in　the
interests　of　the　Reformed　faith。　　Between　the　outlaw　and　the　apostle
union　was　natural。　　Du　Serre　found　in　Cavalier　a　young　man　of　robust
nature；　active　imagination；　and　irreproachable　courage；　he　confided
to　him　his　hopes　of　converting　all　Languedoc　and　Vivarais。　　Cavalier
felt　himself　drawn　back　there　by　many　ties；　especially　by　patriotism
and　love。　　He　crossed　the　frontier　once　more；　disguised　as　a　servant；
in　the　suite　of　a　Protestant　gentleman；　he　arrived　one　night　at
Anduze；　and　immediately　directed　his　steps　to　the　house　of　Isabeau。

He　was　just　about　to　knock；　although　it　was　one　o'clock　in　the
morning；　when　the　door　was　opened　from　within；　and　a　handsome　young
man　came　out；　who　took　tender　leave　of　a　woman　on　the　threshold。　　The
handsome　young　man　was　the　Marquis　de　Florac；　the　woman　was　Isabeau。
The　promised　wife　of　the　peasant　had　become　the　mistress　of　the
noble。

Our　hero　was　not　the　man　to　suffer　such　an　outrage　quietly。　　He
walked　straight　up　to　the　marquis　and　stood　right　in　his　way。　　The
marquis　tried　to　push　him　aside　with　his　elbow；　but　Jean　Cavalier；
letting　fall　the　cloak　in　which　he　was　wrapped；　drew　his　sword。　　The
marquis　was　brave；　and　did　not　stop　to　inquire　if　he　who　attacked　him
was　his　equal　or　not。　　Sword　answered　sword；　the　blades　crossed；　and
at　the　end　of　a　few　instants　the　marquis　fell；　Jean's　sword　piercing
his　chest。

Cavalier　felt　sure　that　he　was　dead；　for　he　lay　at　his　feet
motionless。　He　knew　he　had　no　time　to　lose；　for　he　had　no　mercy　to
hope　for。　　He　replaced　his　bloody　sword　in　the　scabbard；　and　made　for
the　open　country；　from　the　open　country　he　hurried　into　the
mountains；　and　at　break　of　day　he　was　in　safety。

The　fugitive　remained　the　whole　day　in　an　isolated　farmhouse　whose
inmates　offered　him　hospitality。　　As　he　very　soon　felt　that　he　was　in
the　house　of　a　co…religionist；　he　confided　to　his　host　the
circumstances　in　which　he　found　himself；　and　asked　where　he　could
meet　with　an　organised　band　in　which　he　could　enrol　himself　in　order
to　fight　for　the　propagation　of　the　Reformed　religion。　　The　farmer
mentioned　Generac　as　being　a　place　in　which　he　would　probably　find　a
hundred　or　so　of　the　brethren　gathered　together。　　Cavalier　set　out
the　same　evening　for　this　village；　and　arrived　in　the　middle　of　the
Camisards　at　the　very　moment　when　they　had　just　caught　sight　of　M。　de
Broglie　and　his　troops　in　the　distance。　　The　Calvinists　happening　to
have　no　leader；　Cavalier　with　governing　faculty　which　some　men
possess　by　nature；　placed　himself　at　their　head　and　took　those
measures　for　the　reception　of　the　royal　forces　of　which　we　have　seen
the　result；　so　that　after　the　victory　to　which　his　head　and　arm　had
contributed　so　much　he　was　confirmed　in　the　title　which　he　had
arrogated　to　himself；　by　acclamation。

Such　was　the　famous　Jean　Cavalier　when　the　Royalists　first　learned　of
his　existence；　through　the　repulse　of　their　bravest　troops　and　the
death　of　their　most　intrepid　captain。

The　news　of　this　victory　soon　spread　through　the　Cevennes；　and　fresh
conflagrations　lit　up　the　mountains　in　sign　of　joy。　　The　beacons　were
formed　of　the　chateau　de　la　Bastide；　the　residence　of　the　Marquis　de
Chambonnas；　the　church　of　Samson；　and　the　village　of　Grouppieres；
where　of　eighty　houses　only　seven　were　left　standing。

Thereupon　M。　de　Julien　wrote　to　the　king；　explaining　the　serious　turn
things　had　taken；　and　telling　him　that　it　was　no　longer　a　few
fanatics　wandering　through　the　mountains　and　flying　at　the　sight　of　a
dragoon　whom　they　had　to　put　down；　but　organised　companies　well　led
and　officered；　which　if　united　would　form　an　army　twelve　to　fifteen
hundred　strong。　　The　king　replied　by　sending　M。　le　Comte　de　Montrevel
to　Nimes。　　He　was　the　son　of　the　Marechal　de　Montrevel；　chevalier　of
the　Order　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　major…general；　lieutenant　of　the　king
in　Bresse　and　Charolais；　and　captain　of　a　hundred　men…at…arms。

In　their　struggle　against　shepherds；　keepers；　and　peasants；　M。　de
Brogue；　M。　de　Julien；　and　M。　de　Baville　were　thus　joined　together
with　the　head　of　the　house　of　Beaune；　which　had　already　at　this　epoch
produced　two　cardinals；　three　archbishops；　two　bishops；　a　viceroy　of
Naples；　several　marshals　of　France；　and　many　governors　of　Savoy；
Dauphine；　and　Bresse。

He　was　followed　by　twenty　p