massacres of the south-第21章

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subject　there　could　be　no　mistake；　for　he　had　approached　near　enough
to　recognise　Cavalier　himself　in　the　front　rank。

This　was　enough　for　M。　de　La　Jonquiere：　he　put　himself　at　the　head　of
his　men　and　rode　straight　to　the　ravine；　beyond　which　Cavalier　and
his　comrades　awaited　him　in　order　of　battle。　　Having　got　within　a
pistol…shot；　M。　de　La　Jonquiere　gave　the　order　to　fire；　but　he　was　so
near　that　Cavalier　heard　the　words　and　saw　the　motion　made　by　the　men
as　they　made　ready；　he　therefore　gave　a　rapid　sign　to　his　men；　who
threw　themselves　on　their　faces；　as　did　their　leader；　and　the　bullets
passed　over　them　without　doing　any　harm　M。M。　de　La　Jonquiere；　who
believed　them　all　dead；　was　astonished　when　Cavalier　and　his
Camisards　rose　up　and　rushed　upon　the　royal　troops；　advancing　to　the
sound　of　a　psalm。　　At　a　distance　of　ten　paces　they　fired；　and　then
charged　the　enemy　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet。　　At　this　moment　the
sixty　men　in　ambush　to　the　right　opened　fire；　while　the　thirty
horsemen　to　the　left；　uttering　loud　shouts；　charged　at　a　gallop。
Hearing　this　noise；　and　seeing　death　approach　them　in　three　different
directions；　the　royals　believed　themselves　surrounded；　and　did　not
attempt　to　make　a　stand；　the　men；　throwing　away　their　weapons；　took
to　their　heels；　the　officers　alone　and　a　few　dragoons　whom　they　had
succeeded　in　rallying　making　a　desperate　resistance。

Cavalier　was　riding　over　the　field　of　battle；　sabring　all　the
fugitives　whom　he　met；　when　he　caught　sight　of　a　group；　composed　of
ten　naval　officers；　standing　close　together　and　back　to　back；
spontoon　in　hand；　facing　the　Camisards；　who　surrounded　them。　　He
spurred　up　to　them；　passing　through　the　ranks　of　his　soldiers；　and
not　pausing　till　he　was　within　fifteen　paces　of　them；　although　they
raised　their　weapons　to　fire。　　Then　making　a　sign　with　his　hand　that
he　wished　to　speak　to　them；　he　said；　〃Gentlemen；　surrender。　　I　shall
give　quarter；　and　in　return　for　the　ten　lives　I　now　spare　you；　will
ask　that　my　father；　who　is　in　prison　at　Nimes；　be　released。〃

For　sole　answer；　one　of　the　officers　fired　and　wounded　the　young
chief's　horse　in　the　head。　　Cavalier　drew　a　pistol　from　his　belt；
took　aim　at　the　officer　and　killed　him；　then　turning　again　to　the
others；　he　asked；　〃Gentlemen；　are　you　as　obstinate　as　your　comrade；
or　do　you　accept　my　offer？　　〃A　second　shot　was　the　reply；　and　a
bullet　grazed　his　shoulder。　　Seeing　that　no　other　answer　was　to　be
hoped　for；　Cavalier　turned　to　his　soldiers。　　〃Do　your　duty；〃　said　he；
and　withdrew；　to　avoid　seeing　the　massacre。　　The　nine　officers　were
shot。

M。　de　La　Jonquiere；　who　had　received　a　slight　wound　in　the　cheek；
abandoned　his　horse　in　order　to　climb　over　a　wall。　　On　the　other　side
he　made　a　dragoon　dismount　and　give　him　his　horse；　on　which　he
crossed　the　river　Gardon；　leaving　behind　him　on　the　battlefield
twenty…five　officers　and　six　hundred　soldiers　killed。　　This　defeat
was　doubly　disastrous　to　the　royal　cause；　depriving　it　of　the　flower
of　its　officers；　almost　all　of　those　who　fell　belonging　to　the
noblest　families　of　France；　and　also　because　the　Camisards　gained
what　they　so　badly　needed；　muskets；　swords；　and　bayonets　in　great
quantities；　as　well　as　eighty　horses；　these　latter　enabling　Cavalier
to　complete　the　organisation　of　a　magnificent　troop　of　cavalry。

The　recall　of　the　Marechal　de　Montrevel　was　the　consequence　of　this
defeat；　and　M。　de　Villars；　as　he　had　anticipated；　was　appointed　in
his　place。　　But　before　giving　up　his　governorship　Montrevel　resolved
to　efface　the　memory　of　the　check　which　his　lieutenant's
foolhardiness　had　caused；　but　for　which；　according　to　the　rules　of
war；　the　general　had　to　pay　the　penalty。　　His　plan　was　by　spreading
false　rumours　and　making　feigned　marches　to　draw　the　Camisards　into　a
trap　in　which　they；　in　their　turn；　would　be　caught。　　This　was　the
less　difficult　to　accomplish　as　their　latest　great　victory　had　made
Cavalier　over　confident　both　in　himself　and　his　men。

In　fact；　since　the　incident　connected　with　the　naval　officers　the
troops　of　Cavalier　had　increased　enormously　in　numbers；　everyone
desiring　to　serve　under　so　brave　a　chief；　so　that　he　had　now　under
him　over　one　thousand　infantry　and　two　hundred　cavalry；　they　were
furnished；　besides；　just　like　regular　troops；　with　a　bugler　for　the
cavalry；　and　eight　drums　and　a　fife　for　the　infantry。

The　marechal　felt　sure　that　his　departure　would　be　the　signal　for
some　expedition　into　the　level　country　under　Cavalier；　so　it　was
given　out　that　he　had　left　for　Montpellier；　and　had　sent　forward　some
of　his　baggage…waggons　to　that　place。　　On　April　15th　he　was　informed
that　Cavalier；　deceived　by　the　false　news；　had　set　out　on　the　16th
April；　intending　to　pass　the　night　at　Caveyrac；　a　small　town　about　a
league　from　Nimes；　that　he　might　be　ready　next　day　to　make　a　descent
on　La　Vannage。　　This　news　was　brought　to　M。　de　Montrevel　by　a　village
priest　called　Verrien；　who　had　in　his　pay　vigilant　and　faithful　spies
in　whom　he　had　every　confidence。

Montrevel　accordingly　ordered　the　commandant　of　Lunel；　M。　de
Grandval；　to　set　out　the　next　day；　very　early　in　the　morning；　with
the　Charolais　regiment　and　five　companies　of　the　Fimarcon　and　Saint…
Sernin　dragoons；　and　to　repair　to　the　heights　of　Boissieres；　where
instructions　would　await　him。　　Sandricourt；　governor　of　Nimes；　was　at
the　same　time　directed　to　withdraw　as　many　men　as　possible　from　the
garrison；　both　Swiss　and　dragoons；　and　send　them　by　night　towards
Saint…Come　and　Clarensac；　lastly；　he　himself　set　out；　as　he　had　said；
but　instead　of　going　on　to　Montpellier；　he　stopped　at　Sommieres；
whence　he　could　observe　the　movements　of　Cavalier。

Cavalier；　as　M。　de　Montrevel　already　knew；　was　to　sleep　on　the　15th
at　Caveyrac。　　On　this　day　Cavalier　reached　the　turning…point　in　his
magnificent　career。　　As　he　entered　the　town　with　his　soldiers；　drums
beating　and　flags　flying；　he　was　at　the　zenith　of　his　power。　　He　rode
the　splendid　horse　M。　de　La　Jonquiere　had　abandoned　in　his　flight；
behind　him；　serving　as　page；　rode　his　young　brother；　aged　ten；
followed　by　four　grooms；　he　was　preceded　by　twelve　guards　dressed　in
red；　and　as　his　colleague　Roland　had　taken　the　title　of　Comte；　he
allowed　himself　to　be　called　Duke　of　the　Cevennes。

At　his　approach　half　of　the　garrison；　which　was　commanded　by　M。　de
Maillan；　took　possession　of　the　church　and　half　of　the　citadel；　but
as　Cavalier　was　more　bent　on　obtaining　food　and　rest　for　his　soldiers
than　of　disturbing　the　town；　he　billeted　his　men　on　the　townspeople；
and　placed　sentinels　at　the　church　and　fortress；　who　exchanged　shots
all　the　night　through　with　the　royal　troops。　　The　next　morning；
having　destroyed　the　fortifications；　he　marched　out　of　the　town
again；　drums　beating　and　flags　flying　as　before。　　When　almost　in
sight　of　Nimes　he　made　his　troops；　which　had　never　before　been　so
numerous　or　so　brilliant；　perform　a　great　many　evolutions；　and　then
continued　his　way　towards　Nages。

M。　de　Montrevel　received　a　report　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　of
the　direction　Cavalier　and　his　troops　had　taken；　and　immediately　left
Sommieres；　followed　by　six　companies　of　Fimarqon　dragoons；　one
hundred　Irish　free…lances；　three　hundred　rank　and　file　of　the
Hainault　regiment；　and　one　company　each　of　the　Soissonnais；
Charolais；　and　Menon　regiments；　forming　in　all　a　corps　over　nine
hundred　strong。　　They　took　the　direction　of　Vaunages；　above
Clarensac；　but　suddenly　hearing　the　rattle　of　musketry　behind　them；
they　wheeled　and　made　for　Langlade。

They　found　that　Grandval　had　already　encountered　the　Camisards。
These　being　fatigued　had　withdrawn　into　a　hollow　between　Boissieres
and　the　windmill　at　Langlade；　in　order　to　rest。　　The　infantry　lay
down；　their　arms　beside　them；　the　cavalry　placed　themselves　at　the
feet　of　their　horses；　the　bridle　on　arm。　　Cavalier　himself；　Cavalier
the　indefatigable；　broken　by　the　fatigues　of　the　preceding　days；　had
fallen　asleep；　with　his　young　brother　watching　beside　him。　　Suddenly
he　felt　himself　shaken　by　the　arm；　and　rousing　up；　he　heard　on　all
sides　cries　of　〃Kill！　　Kill！〃　and　〃To　arms！　　To　arms！〃　　Grandval　and
his　men；　who　had　been　sent　to　find　out　w