massacres of the south-第23章

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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　wounded　in　the　cave；　whose　existence　was　a　secret；　he
came　across　a　hundred　miquelets　who　had　penetrated　thus　far；　and　who
would　have　taken　him　prisoner　if　he　had　not；　with　his；　accustomed
presence　of　mind　and　courage；　sprung　from　a　rock　twenty　feet　high。
The　miquelets　fired　at　him；　but　no　bullet　reached　him。　　Cavalier
rejoined　his　troops；　but　fearing　to　attract　the　rest　of　the　royalists
to　the　place；retreated　to　some　distance　from　the　cave；　as　it　was　of
the　utmost　importance　that　it　should　not　be　discovered；　since　it
contained　all　his　resources。

Cavalier　had　now　reached　one　of　those　moments　when　Fortune；　tired　of
conferring　favours；　turns　her　back　on　the　favourite。　　The　royalists
had　often　noticed　an　old　woman　from　the　village　of　Hieuzet　going
towards　the　forest；　sometimes　carrying　a　basket　in　her　hand；
sometimes　with　a　hamper　on　her　head；　and　it　occurred　to　them　that　she
was　supplying　the　hidden　Camisards　with　provisions。　　She　was　arrested
and　brought　before　General　Lalande；　who　began　his　examination　by
threatening　that　he　would　have　her　hanged　if　she　did　not　at　once
declare　the　object　of　her　frequent　journeys　to　the　forest　without
reserve。　　At　first　she　made　use　of　all　kinds　of　pretexts；　which　only
strengthened　the　suspicions　of　Lalande；　who；　ceasing　his　questions；
ordered　her　to　be　taken　to　the　gallows　and　hanged。　　The　old　woman
walked　to　the　place　of　execution　with　such　a　firm　step　that　the
general　began　to　think　he　would　get　no　information　from　her；　but　at
the　foot　of　the　ladder　her　courage　failed。　　She　asked　to　be　taken
back　before　the　general；　and　having　been　promised　her　life；　she
revealed　everything。

M。　de　Lalande　put　himself　at　once　at　the　head　of　a　strong　detachment
of　miquelets；　and　forced　the　woman　to　walk　before　them　till　they
reached　the　cavern；　which　they　never　would　have　discovered　without　a
guide；　so　cleverly　was　the　entrance　hidden　by　rocks　and　brushwood。
On　entering；　the　first　thing　that　met　their　eye　was　the　wounded；
about　thirty　in　number。　　The　miquelets　threw　themselves　upon　them　and
slaughtered　them。　　This　deed　accomplished；　they　went　farther　into　the
cave；　which　to　their　great　surprise　contained　a　thousand　things　they
never　expected　to　find　thereheaps　of　grain；　sacks　of　flour；　barrels
of　wine；　casks　of　brandy；　quantities　of　chestnuts　and　potatoes；　and
besides　all　this；　chests　containing　ointments；　drugs　and　lint；　and
lastly　a　complete　arsenal　of　muskets；　swords；　and　bayonets；　a
quantity　of　powder　ready…made；　and　sulphur；　saltpetre；　and
charcoal…in　short；　everything　necessary　for　the　manufacture　of　more；
down　to　small　mills　to　be　turned　by　hand。　　Lalande　kept　his　word：　the
life　of　an　old　woman　was　not　too　much　to　give　in　return　for　such　a
treasure。

Meantime　M。　de　Villars；　as　he　had　promised；　took　up　Baron　d'Aygaliers
in　passing　through　Lyons；　so　that　during　the　rest　of　the　journey　the
peacemaker　had　plenty　of　time　to　expatiate　on　his　plans。　　As　M。　de
Villars　was　a　man　of　tact　and　a　lover　of　justice；　and　desired　above
all　things　to　bring　a　right　spirit　to　bear　on　the　performance　of　the
duties　of　his　new　office；　in　which　his　two　predecessors　had　failed；
he　promised　the　baron　〃to　keep；〃　as　he　expressed　himself；　his　〃two
ears　open〃　and　listen　to　both　sides；　and　as　a　first　proof　of
impartialityhe　refused　to　give　any　opinion　until　he　had　heard　M；　de
Julien；　who　was　coming　to　meet　him　at　Tournon。

When　they　arrived　at　Tournon；　M。　de　Julien　was　there　to　receive　them；
and　had　a　very　different　story　to　tell　from　that　which　M。　de　Villars
had　heard　from　d'Aygaliers。　　According　to　him；　the　only　pacific
ration　possible　was　the　complete　extermination　of　the　Camisards。　　He
felt　himself　very　hardly　treated　in　that　he　had　been　allowed　to
destroy　only　four　hundred　villages　and　hamlets　in　the　Upper　Cevennes；
assuring　de　Villars　with　the　confidence　of　a　man　who　had　studied
the　matter　profoundly；　that　they　should　all　have　been　demolished
without　exception；　and　all　the　peasants　killed　to　the　last　man。

So　it　came　to　pass　that　M。　de　Villars　arrived　at　Beaucaire　placed
like　Don　Juan　between　the　spirits　of　good　and　evil；　the　one　advising
clemency　and　the　other　murder。　　M。　de　Villars　not　being　able　to　make
up　his　mind；　on　reaching　Nimes；　d'Aygaliers　assembled　the　principal
Protestants　of　the　town；　told　them　of　his　plan；　showing　them　its
practicability；　so　that　　also　joined　in　the　good　work；　and　drew　up　a
document　in　which　they　asked　the　marechal　to　allow　them　to　take　up
arms　and　march　against　the　rebels；　as　they　were　determined　either　to
bring　them　back　into　the　good　way　by　force　of　example　or　to　fight
them　as　a　proof　of　their　loyalty。

This　petition；　which　was　signed　by　several　nobles　and　by　almost　all
the　lawyers　and　merchants　of　the　city　of　Nimes；　was　presented　to　M。
de　Villars　on　Tuesday；　22nd　April；　1704；　by　M。　de　Albenas；　at　the
head　of　seven　or　eight　hundred　persons　of　the　Reformed　religion。
M。　de　Villars　received　the　request　kindly；　thanked　its　bearer　and
those　who　accompanied　him；　assuring　them　that　he　had　no　doubt　of　the
sincerity　of　their　professions；　and　that　if　he　were　in　want　of　help
he　would　have　recourse　to　them　with　as　much　confidence　as　if　they
were　old　Catholics。　　He　hoped；　however；　to　win　the　rebels　back　by
mildness；　and　he　begged　them　to　second　his　efforts　in　this　direction
by　spreading　abroad　the　fact　that　an　amnesty　was　offered　to　all　those
who　would　lay　down　arms　and　return　to　their　houses　within　a　week。
The　very　next　day　but　one；　M。　de　Villars　set　out　from　Nimes　to　visit
all　the　principal　towns；　in　order　to　make　himself　acquainted　with
men；　things；　and　places。

Although　the　answer　to　the　petition　had　been　a　delicate　refusal；
d'Aygaliers　was　not　discouraged；　but　followed　M。　de　Villars
everywhere。　　When　the　latter　arrived　at　Alais；　the　new　governor　sent
for　MM。　de　Lalande　and　de　Baville；　in　order　to　consult　them　as　to　the
best　means　of　inducing　the　Camisards　to　lay　down　their　arms。　　Baron
d'Aygaliers　was　summoned　to　this　consultation；　and　described　his　plan
to　the　two　gentlemen。　　As　he　expected；　both　were　opposed　to　it；
however；　he　tried　to　bring　them　over　to　his　side　by　presenting　to
them　what　seemed　to　him　to　be　cogent　reasons　for　its　adoption。　　But
de　Lalande　and　de　Baville　made　light　of　all　his　reasons；　and　rejected
his　proposals　with　such　vehemence；　that　the　marechal；　however　much
inclined　to　the　side　of　d'Aygaliers；　did　not　venture　to　act　quite
alone；　and　said　he　would　not　decide　on　any　course　until　he　reached
Uzes。

D'Aygaliers　saw　clearly　that　until　he　had　obtained　the　approbation　of
either　the　general　or　the　intendant；　he　would　get　nothing　from　the
marechal。　　He　therefore　considered　which　of　the　two　he　should　try　to
persuade；　and　although　de　Baville　was　his　personal　enemy；　having
several　times　shown　his　hatred　for　him　and　his　family；　he　decided　to
address　himself　to　him。

In　consequence；　the　next　day；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　M。　de
Baville；　d'Aygaliers　paid　him　a　visit。　　The　intendant　received　him
coldly　but　politely；　asked　him　to　sit　down；　and　when　he　was　seated
begged　to　know　the　motive　which　had　brought　him。　　〃Sir；〃　replied　the
baron；　〃you　have　given　my　family　and　me　such　cause　of　offence　that　I
had　come　to　the　firm　resolution　never　to　ask　a　favour　of　you；　and　as
perhaps　you　may　have　remarked　during　the　journey　we　have　taken　with
M。　le　marechal；　I　would　rather　have　died　of　thirst　than　accept　a
glass　of　water　from　you。　　But　I　have　come　here　to…day　not　upon　any
private　matter；　to　obtain　my　own　ends；　but　upon　a　matter　which
concerns　the　welfare　of　the　State。　　I　therefore　beg　you　to　put　out　of
your　mind　the　dislike　which　you　have　to　me　and　mine；　and　I　do　this
the　more　earnestly　that　your　dislike　can　only　have　been　caused　by　the
fact　that　our　religion　is　different　from　yoursa　thing　which　could
neither　have　been　foreseen　nor　prevented。　　My　entreaty　is　that　you　do
not　try　to　set　M。　le　marechal　against　the　course　which　I　have
proposed　to　him；　which　I　am　convinced　would　bring　the　disorders　in
our　province　to　an　end；　s