massacres of the south-第17章

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themselves　abundantly　with　provisions　for　man　and　beast。　　In　Vauvert；
which　was　almost　entirely　inhabited　by　his　co…religionists；　Cavalier
assembled　the　inhabitants　in　the　market…place；　and　made　them　join
with　him　in　prayer　to　God；　that　He　would　prevent　the　king　from
following　evil　counsel；　he　also　exhorted　his　brethren　to　be　ready　to
sacrifice　their　goods　and　their　lives　for　the　re…establishment　of
their　religion；　affirming　that　the　Holy　Spirit　had　revealed　to　him
that　the　arm　of　the　Lord；　which　had　always　come　to　their　aid；　was
still　stretched　out　over　them。

Cavalier　undertook　these　movements　in　the　hope　of　interrupting　the
work　of　destruction　going　on　in　Upper　Cevennes；　and　partly　obtained
the　desired　result；　for　M。　de　Julien　received　orders　to　come　down
into　the　open　country　and　disperse　the　Camisards。

The　troops　tried　to　fulfil　this　task；　but；　thanks　to　the　knowledge
that　the　rebels　had　of　the　country；　it　was　impossible　to　come　up　with
them；　so　that　Fleshier；　who　was　in　the　thick　of　the　executions；
conflagrations；　and　massacres；　but　who　still　found　time　to　write
Latin　verse　and　gallant　letters；　said；　in　speaking　of　them；　〃They
were　never　caught；　and　did　all　the　damage　they　wished　to　do　without
let　or　hindrance。　　We　laid　their　mountains　waste；　and　they　laid　waste
our　plain。　　There　are　no　more　churches　left　in　our　dioceses；　and　not
being　able　either　to　plough　or　sow　our　lands；　we　have　no　revenues。
We　dread　serious　revolt；　and　desire　to　avoid　a　religious　civil　war；
so　all　our　efforts　are　relaxing；　we　let　our　arms　fall　without　knowing
why；　and　we　are　told；　'You　must　have　patience；　it　is　not　possible　to
fight　against　phantoms。'〃　　Nevertheless；　from　time　to　time；　these
phantoms　became　visible。　　Towards　the　end　of　October；　Cavalier　came
down　to　Uzes；　carried　off　two　sentinels　who　were　guarding　the　gates；
and　hearing　the　call　to　arms　within；　shouted　that　he　would　await　the
governor　of　the　city；　M。　de　Vergetot；　near　Lussan。

And　indeed　Cavalier；　accompanied　by　his　two　lieutenants；　Ravanel　and
Catinat；　took　his　way　towards　this　little　town；　between　Uzes　and
Bargeac；　which　stands　upon　an　eminence　surrounded　upon　all　sides　by
cliffs；　which　serve　it　as　ramparts　and　render　it　very　difficult　of
access。　　Having　arrived　within　three　gun…shots　of　Lussan；　Cavalier
sent　Ravanel　to　demand　provisions　from　the　inhabitants；　but　they；
proud　of　their　natural　ramparts；　and　believing　their　town
impregnable；　not　only　refused　to　comply　with　the　requisition；　but
fired　several　shots　on　the　envoy；　one　of　which　wounded　in　the　arm　a
Camisard　of　the　name　of　La　Grandeur；　who　had　accompanied　Ravanel。
Ravanel　withdrew；　supporting　his　wounded　comrade；　followed　by　shots
and　the　hootings　of　the　inhabitants。　　When　they　rejoined　Cavalier　and
made　their　report；　the　young　commander　issued　orders　to　his　soldiers
to　make　ready　to　take　the　town　the　next　morning；　for；　as　night　was
already　falling；　he　did　not　venture　to　start　in　the　dark。　　In　the
meantime　the　besieged　sent　post…haste　to　M。　de　Vergetot　to　warn　him
of　their　situation；　and　resolving　to　defend　themselves　as　long　as
they　could；　while　waiting　for　a　response　to　their　message　they　set
about　barricading　their　gates；　turned　their　scythes　into　weapons；
fastened　large　hooks　on　long　poles；　and　collected　all　the　instruments
they　could　find　that　could　be　used　in　attack　or　defence。　　As　to　the
Camisards；　they　encamped　for　the　night　near　an　old　chateau　called
Fan；　about　a　gun…shot　from　Lussan。

At　break　of　day　loud　shouts　from　the　town　told　the　Camisards　that　the
expected　relief　was　in　sight；　and　looking　out　they　saw　in　the
distance　a　troop　of　soldiers　advancing　towards　them；　it　was　M。　de
Vergetat　at　the　head　of　his　regiment；　accompanied　by　forty　Irish
officers。

The　Protestants　prepared　themselves；　as　usual；　by　reciting　psalms　and
prayers；　notice　without　taking　of　the　shouts　and　threats　of　any　of
the　townspeople；　and　having　finished　their　invocations；　they　marched
out　to　meet　the　approaching　column。　　The　cavalry；　commanded　by
Catinat；　made　a　detour；　taking　a　sheltered　way　to　an　unguarded　bridge
over　a　small　river　not　far　off；　so　as　to　outflank　the　royal　forces；
which　they　were　to　attack　in　the　rear　as　soon　as　Cavalier　and　Ravanel
should　have　engaged　them　in　front。

M。　de　Vergetot；　on　his　side；　continued　to　advance；　so　that　the
Calvinists　and　the　Catholics　were　soon　face　to　face。　　The　battle
began　on　both　sides　by　a　volley；　but　Cavalier　having　seen　his　cavalry
emerging　from　a　neighbouring　wood；　and　counting　upon　their
assistance；　charged　the　enemy　at　the　double　quick。　　Catinat　judging
by　the　noise　of　the　firing　that　his　presence　was　necessary；　charged
also　at　a　gallop；　falling　on　the　flank　of　the　Catholics。

In　this　charge；　one　of　M。　de　Vergetot's　captains　was　killed　by　a
bullet；　and　the　other　by　a　sabre…cut；　and　the　grenadiers　falling　into
disorder；　first　lost　ground　and　then　fled；　pursued　by　Catinat　and　his
horsemen；　who；　seizing　them　by　the　hair；　despatched　them　with　their
swords。　　Having　tried　in　vain　to　rally　his　men；　M；　de　Vergetot；
surrounded　by　a　few　Irish；　was　forced　in　his　turn　to　fly；　he　was
hotly　pursued；　and　on　the　point　of　being　taken；　when　by　good　luck　he
reached　the　height　of　Gamene；　with　its　walls　of　rock。　　Jumping　off
his　horse；　he　entered　the　narrow　pathway　which　led　to　the　top；　and
entrenched　himself　with　about　a　hundred　men　in　this　natural　fort。
Cavalier　perceiving　that　further　pursuit　would　be　dangerous；　resolved
to　rest　satisfied　with　his　victory；　as　he　knew　by　his　own　experience
that　neither　men　nor　horses　had　eaten　for　eighteen　hours；　he　gave　the
signal　far　retreat；　and　retired　on　Seyne；　where　he　hoped　to　find
provisions。

This　defeat　mortified　the　royal　forces　very　deeply；　and　they　resolved
to　take　their　revenge。　　Having　learnt　by　their　spies　that　on　a
certain　night　in　November　Cavalier　arid　his　band　intended　to　sleep　on
a　mountain　called　Nages；　they　surrounded　the　mountain　during　the
night；　so　that　at　dawn　Cavalier　found　himself　shut　in　on　every　side。
As　he　wished　to　see　with　his　own　eyes　if　the　investment　was　complete；
he　ordered　his　troops　to　fall　into　rank　on　the　top　of　the　mountain；
giving　the　command　to　Ravanel　and　Catinat；　and　with　a　pair　of　pistols
in　his　belt　and　his　carbine　on　his　shoulder；　he　glided　from　bush　to
bush　and　rock　to　rock；　determined；　if　any　weak　spot　existed；　to
discover　it；　but　the　information　he　had　received　was　perfectly
correct；　every　issue　was　guarded。

Cavalier　now　set　off　to　rejoin　his　troops；　passing　through　a　ravine；
but　he　had　hardly　taken　thirty　steps　when　he　found　himself　confronted
by　a　cornet　and　two　dragoons　who　were　lying　in　ambush。　　There　was　no
time　to　run　away；　and　indeed　such　a　thought　never　entered　the　young
commander's　head；　he　walked　straight　up　to　them。　　On　their　side；　the
dragoons　advanced　towards　him；　and　the　cornet　covering　him　with　his
pistol；　called　out；　〃Halt！　you　are　Cavalier；　I　know　you。　　It　is　not
possible　for　you　to　escape；　surrender　at　discretion。〃　　Cavalier's
answer　was　to　blow　out　the　cornet's　brains　with　a　shot　from　his
carbine；　then　throwing　it　behind　him　as　of　no　further　use；　he　drew
his　two　pistols　from　his　belt；　walked　up　to　the　two　dragoons；　shot
them　both　dead；　and　rejoined　his　comrades　unwounded。　　These；　who　had
believed　him　lost；　welcomed　him　with　cheers。

But　Cavalier　had　something　else　to　do　than　to　celebrate　his　return；
mounting　his　horse；　he　put　himself　at　the　head　of　his　men；　and　fell
upon　the　royal　troops　with　such　impetuosity　that　they　gave　way　at　the
first　onset。　　Then　a　strange　incident　occurred。　　About　thirty　women
who　had　come　to　the　camp　with　provisions；　carried　away　by　their
enthusiasm　at　the　sight　of　this　success；　threw　themselves　upon　the
enemy；　fighting　like　men。　　One　young　girl　of　about　seventeen；　Lucrese
Guigon　by　name；　distinguished　herself　amongst　the　others　by　her　great
valour。　　Not　content　with　encouraging　her　brethren　by　the　cry　of　〃The
sword　of　the　Lord　and　of　Gideon！〃　she　tore　sabres　from　the　hands　of
the　dead　dragoons　to　despatch　the　dying。　　Catinat；　followed　by　ten　of
his　men；　pursued　the　flying　troops　as　far　as　the　plain　of　Calvisson。
There　they　were　able　to　rally；　thanks　to