massacres of the south-第30章

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from　M。　de　Villars'　own　mouth　what　the　exact　terms　were　which
Cavalier　had　accepted　and　now　offered　to　Roland。

In　a　couple　of　hours　Cavalier　and　Salomon　set　out　together；　and
arrived　at　Nimes　on　the　27th　May；　escorted　by　twenty…five　men；　they
halted　at　the　tower　of　Magne；　and　the　Protestants　of　the　city　came
out　to　meet　them；　bringing　refreshments；　then；　after　prayers　and　a
hasty　meal；　they　advanced　to　the　barracks　and　crossed　the　courtyards。
The　concourse　of　people　and　the　enthusiasm　was　no　whit　less　than　on
Cavalier's　first　entry；　more　than　three　hundred　persons　kissing　his
hands　and　knees。　　Cavalier　was　dressed　on　this　occasion　in　a　doublet
of　grey　cloth；　and　a　beaver　hat；　laced　with　gold；　and　adorned　with　a
white　feather。

Cavalier　and　his　travelling…companion　went　direct　to　the　garden　of
the　Recollets；　and　hardly　had　they　got　there　than　MM。　de　Villars　and
de　Baville；　accompanied　by　Lalande　and　Sandricourt；　came　out　to　meet
them：　the　conference　lasted　three　hours；　but　all　that　could　be
learned　of　the　result　was　that　Salomon　had　declared　that　his　brethren
would　never　lay　down　their　arms　till　full　liberty　of　conscience　had
been　secured　to　them。　In　consequence　of　this　declaration；　it　was
decided　that　Cavalier　and　his　regiment　should　be　despatched　to　Spain
without　delay；　in　order　to　weaken　the　Calvinist　forces　to　that
extent；　meantime　Salomon　was　sent　back　to　Roland　with　a　positive
promise　that　if　he　would　surrender；　as　Cavalier　had　done；　he　would　be
granted　the　same　conditionsthat　is　to　say；　receive　a　commission　as
colonel；　have　the　right　to　name　the　officers　of　his　regiment；　and
receive　a　pension　of　1200　livres。　　On　quitting　the　garden　of　the
Recollets；　Cavalier　found　as　great　a　crowd　as　ever　waiting　for　him；
and　so　closely　did　they　press　on　him　that　two　of　his　men　were　obliged
to　ride　before　him　with　drawn　sabres　to　clear　a　way　for　him　till　the
Montpellier　road　was　reached。　　He　lay　that　night　at　Langlade；　in
order　to　rejoin　his　troops　early　next　morning。

But　during　his　absence　things　had　happened　among　these　men；　who　had
hitherto　obeyed　him　blindly；　which　he　little　expected。　　He　had　left；
as　usual；　Ravanel　in　command；　but　hardly　had　he　ridden　away　when
Ravanel　began　to　take　all　kinds　of　precautions；　ordering　the　men　not
to　lay　aside　their　arms。　　The　negotiations　with　M。　de　Villars　had
made　him　most　anxious；　he　looked　upon　all　the　promises　given　as
snares；　and　he　regarded　the　compromise　favoured　by　his　chief　as　a
defection　on　Cavalier's　part。　　He　therefore　called　all　the　officers
and　men　together；　told　them　of　his　fears；　and　ended　by　imbuing　them
with　his　suspicions。　　This　was　all　the　more　easily　done；　as　it　was
very　well　known　that　Cavalier　had　joined　the　Huguenots　less　from
devotion　to　the　cause　than　to　avenge　a　private　wrong；　and　on　many
occasions　had　given　rise　to　the　remark　that　he　had　more　genius　than
religion。

So；　on　getting　back　to　Calvisson；　the　young　chief　found　his　principal
officers；　Ravanel　at　their　head；　drawn　up　in　the　market…place；
waiting　for　him。　　As　soon　as　he　drew　near　they　told　him　that　they
were　determined　to　know　at　once　what　were　the　conditions　of　the
treaty　he　had　signed　with　the　marechal；　they　had　made　up　their　minds
to　have　a　plain　answer　without　delay。　　Such　a　way　of　speaking　to　him
was　so　strange　and　unexpected；　that　Cavalier　shrugged　his　shoulders
and　replied　that　such　matters　were　no　business　of　theirs；　being　too
high　for　their　intelligence；　that　it　was　his　business　to　decide　what
course　to　take　and　theirs　to　take　it；　it　had　always　been　so　in　the
past；　and　with　the　help　of　God　and　his　own；　Cavalier's；　goodwill；　it
should　still　be　so　in　future；　and　having　so　spoken；　he　told　them　to
disperse。　　Ravanel　upon　this　came　forward；　and　in　the　name　of　all　the
others　said　they　would　not　go　away　until　they　knew　what　orders
Cavalier　was　about　to　give　the　troops；　that　they　might　consult　among
themselves　whether　they　should　obey　them　or　not。　　This
insubordination　was　too　much　for　Cavalier's　patience。

〃The　orders　are；〃　he　said；　〃to　put　on　the　uniforms　that　are　being
made　for　you；　and　to　follow　me　to　Portugal。〃

The　effect　of　such　words　on　men　who　were　expecting　nothing　less　than
the　re…enactment　of　the　Edict　of　Nantes；　can　be　easily　imagined；　the
words　〃coward〃　and　〃traitor〃　could　be　distinguished　above　the
murmurs；　as　Cavalier　noticed　with　increasing　astonishment。　　Raising
himself　in　his　stirrups；　and　glancing　round　with　that　look　before
which　they　had　been　used　to　tremble；　he　asked　in　a　voice　as　calm　as
if　all　the　demons　of　anger　were　not　raging　in　his　heart；　〃Who　called
Jean　Cavalier　traitor　and　coward？〃

〃I；〃　said　Ravanel；　crossing　his　arms　on　his　breast。

Cavalier　drew　a　pistol　from　his　holsters；　and　striking　those　near　him
with　the　butt　end；　opened　a　way　towards　his　lieutenant；　who　drew　his
sword；　but　at　this　moment　the　commissary…general；　Vincel；　and　Captain
Cappon　threw　themselves　between　the　two　and　asked　the　cause　of　the
quarrel。

〃The　cause；〃　said　Ravanel；　〃is　that　the　Cadets　of　the　Cross；　led　by
the　'Hermit；'　have　just　knocked　out　the　brains　of　two　of　our
brethren；　who　were　coming　to　join　us；　and　are　hindering　others　front
attending　our　meetings　to　worship　God：　the　conditions　of　the　truce
having　been　thus　broken；　is　it　likely　they　will　keep　those　of　the
treaty？　　We　refuse　to　accept　the　treaty。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Vincel；　〃if　the　'Hermit'　has　done　what　you　say；　it　is
against　the　orders　of　the　marachal；　and　the　misdoer　will　be　punished；
besides；　the　large　number　of　strangers　at　present　in　Calvisson　ought
to　be　sufficient　proof　that　no　attempt　has　been　made　to　prevent　the
new　converts　from　coming　to　the　town；　and　it　seems　to　me　that　you
have　been　too　easily　led　to　believe　everything　that　malicious　people
have　told　you。〃

〃I　believe　what　I　choose　to　believe；〃　said　Ravanel　impatiently；　〃but
what　I　know　and　say　is；　that　I　shall　never　lay　down　arms　till　the
king　grants　us　full　liberty　of　conscience；　permission　to　rebuild　our
places　of　worship；　and　sends　us　back　all　prisoners　and　exiles。〃

〃But；　judging　by　your　tone；〃　said　Cavalier；　who　had　till　now　remained
silent　while　toying　with　his　pistol；　〃you　seem　to　be　in　command　here；
have　we　changed；　parts　without　my　being　aware？〃

〃It　is　possible；〃　said　Ravanel。

Cavalier　burst　out　laughing。

〃It　seems　to　astonish　you；〃　said　Ravanel；　〃but　it　is　true。　　Make
peace　for　yourself；　lay　down　what　conditions　suit　you；　sell　yourself
for　whatever　you　will　bring；　my　only　reply　is；　You　are　a　coward　and　a
traitor。　But　as　to　the　troops；　they　will　not　lay　down　arms　except　on
the　conditions　formulated　by　me。〃

Cavalier　tried　to　get　at　Ravanel；　but　seeing　from　his　paleness　and
his　smile　that　terrible　things　would　happen　if　he　reached　his
lieutenant；　Vincel　and　Cappon；　backed　by　some　Camisards；　threw
themselves　before　his　horse。　Just　then　the　whole　band　shouted　with
one　voice；　〃No　peace！　no　peace！　no　reconciliation　till　our　temples
are　restored！〃　　Cavalier　then　saw　for　the　first　time　that　things　were
more　serious　than　he　had　believed；　but　Vincel；　Cappon；　Berlie；　and
about　twenty　Camisards　surrounded　the　young　chief　and　forced　him　to
enter　a　house；　it　was　the　house　of　Vincel。

They　had　hardly　got　indoors　when　the　'generale'　was　sounded：
resisting　all　entreaties；　Cavalier　sprang　to　the　door；　but　was
detained　by　Berlie；　who　said　that　the　first　thing　he　ought　to　do　was
to　write　M。　de　Villars　an　account　of　what　had　happened；　who　would
then　take　measures　to　put　things　straight。

〃You　are　right；〃　said　Cavalier；　〃as　I　have　so　many　enemies；　the
general　might　be　told　if　I　were　killed　that　I　had　broken　my　word。
Give　me　pen　and　ink。〃

Writing　materials　were　brought；　and　he　wrote　to　M。　de　Villars。

〃Here；〃　he　said；　giving　the　letter　unsealed　to　Vincel；　〃set　out　for
Nimes　and　give　this　to　the　marechal；　and　tell　him；　if　I　am　killed　in
the　attempt　I　am　about　to　make；　I　died　his　humble　servant。〃

With　these　words；　he　darted　out　of　the　house　and　mounted　his　horse；
being　met　at　the　door　by　twelve　to　fifteen　men　who　had　remained
faithful　to　him。　　He　asked　them　where　Ravanel　and　his　troops　were；
not　seeing　a　single　Camisard　in　the　streets；　one　of　the　soldiers
an