massacres of the south-第22章

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his　men；　who　had　been　sent　to　find　out　where　the　Camisards　were；　had
suddenly　come　upon　them。

The　infantry　formed；　the　cavalry　sprang　to　their　saddles；　Cavalier
leaped　on　his　horse；　and　drawing　his　sword；　led　his　soldiers　as　usual
against　the　dragoons；　and　these；　as　was　also　usual；　ran　away；　leaving
twelve　of　their　number　dead　on　the　field。　　The　Camisard　cavalry　soon
gave　up　the　pursuit；　as　they　found　themselves　widely　separated　from
the　infantry　and　from　their　leader；　for　Cavalier　had　been　unable　to
keep　up　with　them；　his　horse　having　received　a　bullet　through　its
neck。

Still　they　followed　the　flying　dragoons　for　a　good　hour；　from　time　to
time　a　wounded　dragoon　falling　from　his　horse；　till　at　last　the
Camisard　cavalry　found　itself　confronted　by　the　Charolais　regiment；
drawn　up　in　battle　array；　and　behind　them　the　royal　dragoons；　who　had
taken　refuge　there；　and　were　re…forming。

Carried　on　by　the　rapidity　of　their　course；　the　Camisards　could　not
pull　up　till　they　were　within　a　hundred　yards　of　the　enemy；　they
fired　once；　killing　several；　then　turned　round　and　retreated。

When　a　third　of　the　way；　back　had　been　covered；　they　met　their　chief；
who　had　found　a　fresh　horse　by　the　wayside　standing　beside　its　dead
master。　　He　arrived　at　full　gallop；　as　he　was　anxious　to　unite　his
cavalry　and　infantry　at　once；　as　he　had　seen　the　forces　of　the
marechal　advancing；　who；　as　we　have　already　said；　had　turned　in　the
direction　of　the　firing。　　Hardly　had　Cavalier　effected　the　desired
junction　of　his　forces　than　he　perceived　that　his　retreat　was　cut
off。　　He　had　the　royal　troops　both　before　and　behind　him。

The　young　chief　saw　that　a　desperate　dash　to　right　or　left　was　all
that　remained　to　him；　and　not　knowing　this　country　as　well　as　the
Cevennes；　he　asked　a　peasant　the　way　from　Soudorgues　to　Nages；　that
being　the　only　one　by　which　he　could　escape。　　There　was　no　time　to
inquire　whether　the　peasant　was　Catholic　or　Protestant；　he　could　only
trust　to　chance；　and　follow　the　road　indicated。　　But　a　few　yards　from
the　spot　where　the　road　from　5oudorgues　to　Nages　joins　the　road　to
Nimes　he　found　himself　in　face　of　Marechal　Montrevel's　troops　under
the　command　of　Menon。　　However；　as　they　hardly　outnumbered　the
Camisards；　these　did　not　stop　to　look　for　another　route；　but　bending
forward　in　their　saddles；　they　dashed　through　the　lines　at　full
gallop；　taking　the　direction　of　Nages；　hoping　to　reach　the　plain
round　Calvisson。　　But　the　village；　the　approaches；　the　issues　were
all　occupied　by　royal　troops；　and　at　the　same　time　Grandval　and　the
marechal　joined　forces；　while　Menon　collected　his　men　together　and
pushed　forward。　　Cavalier　was　completely　surrounded：　he　gave　the
situation　a　comprehensive　glancehis　foes；　were　five　to　one。

Rising　in　his　stirrups；　so　that　he　could　see　over　every　head；
Cavalier　shouted　so　loud　that　not　only　his　own　men　heard　but　also
those　of　the　enemy：。　　〃My　children；　if　our　hearts　fail　us　now；　we
shall　be　taken　and　broken　on　the　wheel。　　There　is　only　one…means　of
safety：　we　must　cut　our　way　at　full　gallop　through　these　people。
Follow　me；　and　keep　close　order！〃

So　speaking；　he　dashed　on　the　nearest　group；　followed　by　all　his　men；
who　formed　a　compact　mass；　round　which　the　three　corps　of　royal
troops　closed。　　Then　there　was　everywhere　a　hand…to…hand　battle　there
was　no　time　to　load　and　fire；　swords　flashed　and　fell；　bayonets
stabbed；　the　royals　and　the　Camisards　took　each　other　by　the　throat
and　hair。　　For　an　hour　this　demoniac　fight　lasted；　during　which
Cavalier　lost　five　hundred　men　and　slew　a　thousand　of　the　enemy。　　At
last　he　won　through；　followed　by　about　two　hundred　of　his　troops；　and
drew　a　long　breath；　but　finding　himself　in　the　centre　of　a　large
circle　of　soldiers；　he　made　for　a　bridge；　where　alone　it　seemed
possible　to　break　through；　it　being　only　guarded　by　a　hundred
dragoons。

He　divided　his　men　into　two　divisions；　one　to　force　the　bridge；　the
other　to　cover　the　retreat。　　Then　he　faced　his　foes　like　a　wild　boar
driven　to　bay。

Suddenly　loud　shouts　behind　him　announced　that　the　bridge　was　forced；
but　the　Camisards；　instead　of　keeping　the　passage　open　for　their
leader；　scattered　over　the　plain　and　sought　safety　in　flight。　　But
a　child　threw　himself　before　them；　pistol　in　hand。　　It　was　Cavalier's
young　brother；　mounted　on　one　of　the　small　wild　horses　of　Camargues
of　that　Arab　breed　which　was　introduced　into　Languedoc　by　the　Moors
from　Spain。　　Carrying　a　sword　and　carbine　proportioned　to　his　size；
the　boy　addressed　the　flying　men。　　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　he　cried；
〃Instead　of　running　away　like　cowards；　line　the　river　banks　and
oppose　the　enemy　to　facilitate　my　brother's　escape。〃　　Ashamed　of
having　deserved　such　reproaches；　the　Camisards　stopped；　rallied；
lined　the　banks　of　the　river；　and　by　keeping　up　a　steady　fire；
covered　Cavalier's　retreat；　who　crossed　without　having　received　a
single　wound；　though　his　horse　was　riddled　with　bullets　and　he　had
been　forced　to　change　his　sword　three　times。

Still　the　combat　raged；　but　gradually　Cavalier　managed　to　retreat：　a
plain　cut　by　trenches；　the　falling　darkness；　a　wood　which　afforded
cover；　all　combined　to　help　him　at　last。　　Still　his　rearguard；
harassed　by　the　enemy；　dotted　the　ground　it　passed　over　with　its
dead；　until　at　last　both　victors　and　vanquished　were　swallowed　up　by
night。　　The　fight　had　lasted　ten　hours；　Cavalier　had　lost　more　than
five　hundred　men；　and　the　royals　about　a　thousand。

〃Cavalier；〃　says　M。　de　Villars；　in　his　Memoirs；　〃acted　on　this　day　in
a　way　which　astonished　everyone。　　For　who　could　help　being　astonished
to　see　a　nobody；　inexperienced　in　the　art　of　warfare；　bear　himself　in
such　difficult　and　trying　circumstances　like　some　great　general？　　At
one　period　of　the　day　he　was　followed　everywhere　by　a　dragoon；
Cavalier　shot　at　him　and　killed　his　horse。　　The　dragoon　returned　the
shot；　but　missed。　　Cavalier　had　two　horses　killed　under　him；　the
first　time　he　caught　a　dragoon's　horse；　the　second　time　he　made　one
of　his　own　men　dismount　and　go　on　foot。〃

M。　de　Montrevel　also　showed　himself　to　be　a　gallant　soldier；　wherever
there　was　danger　there　was　he；　encouraging　officers　and　soldiers　by
his　example：　one　Irish　captain　was　killed　at　his　side；　another
fatally　wounded；　and　a　third　slightly　hurt。　　Grandval；　on　his　part；
had　performed　miracles：　his　horse　was　shot　under　him；　and　M。　de
Montrevel　replaced　it　by　one　of　great　value；　on　which　he　joined　in
the　pursuit　of　the　Camisards。　　After　this　affair　M；　de　Montrevel　gave
up　his　place　to　M。　de　Villars；　leaving　word　for　Cavalier　that　it　was
thus　he　took　leave　of　his　friends。

Although　Cavalier　came　out　of　this　battle　with　honour；　compelling
even　his　enemies　to　regard　him　as　a　man　worthy　of　their　steel；　it　had
nevertheless　destroyed　the　best　part　of　his　hopes。　　He　made　a
halt…near　Pierredon　to　gather　together　the　remnant　of　his　troops；　and
truly　it　was　but　a　remnant　which　remained。　　Of　those　who　came　back
the　greater　number　were　without　weapons；　for　they　had　thrown　them
away　in　their　flight。　　Many　were　incapacitated　for　service　by　their
wounds；　and　lastly；　the　cavalry　could　hardly　be　said　to　exist　any
longer；　as　the　few　men　who　survived　had　been　obliged　to　abandon　their
horses；　in　order　to　get　across　the　high　ditches　which　were　their　only
cover　from　the　dragoons　during　the　flight。

Meantime　the　royalists　were　very　active；　and　Cavalier　felt　that　it
would　be　imprudent　to　remain　long　at　Pierredon；　so　setting　out　during
the　night；　and　crossing　the　Gardon；　he　buried　himself　in　the　forest
of　Hieuzet；　whither　he　hoped　his　enemies　would　not　venture　to　follow
him。　　And　in　fact　the　first　two　days　were　quiet；　and　his　troops
benefited　greatly　by　the　rest；　especially　as　they　were　able　to　draw
stores　of　all　kindswheat；　hay；　arms；　and　ammunitionfrom　an
immense　cave　which　the　Camisards　had　used　for　a　long　time　as　a
magazine　and　arsenal。　　Cavalier　now　also　employed　it　as　a　hospital；
and　had　the　wounded　carried　there；　that　their　wounds　might　receive
attention。

Unfortunately；　Cavalier　was　soon　obliged　to　quit　the　forest；　in　spite
of　his　hopes　of　being　left　in　peace；　for　one　day　on　his　way　back　from
a　visit　to　the