massacres of the south-第31章

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not　seeing　a　single　Camisard　in　the　streets；　one　of　the　soldiers
answered　that　they　were　probably　still　in　town；　but　that　they　were
moving　towards　Les　Garrigues　de　Calvisson。　　Cavalier　set　off　at　a
gallop　to　overtake　them。

In　crossing　the　market…place　he　met　Catinat；　walking　between　two
prophets；　one　called　Moses　and　the　other　Daniel　Guy；　Catinat　was　just
back　from　a　visit　to　the　mountains；　so　that　he　had　taken　no　part　in
the　scene　of　insubordination　that　had　so　lately　been　enacted。

Cavalier　felt　a　ray　of　hope；　he　was　sure　he　could　depend　on　Catinat
as　on　himself。　　He　hurried　to　greet　him；　holding　out　his　hand；　but
Catinat　drew　back　his。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　cried　Cavalier；　the　blood　mounting　to　his
forehead。

〃It　means；〃　answered　Catinat；　〃that　you　are　a　traitor；　and　I　cannot
give　my　hand　to　a　traitor。〃

Cavalier　gave　a　cry　of　rage；　and　advancing　on　Catinat；　raised　his
cane　to　strike　him；　but　Moses　and　Daniel　Guy　threw　themselves
between；　so　that　the　blow　aimed　at　Catinat　fell　on　Moses。　　At　the
same　moment　Catinat；　seeing　Cavalier's　gesture；　drew　a　pistol　from
his　belt。　　As　it　was　at　full　cock；　it　went　off　in　his　hand；　a　bullet
piercing　Guy's　hat；　without；　however；　wounding　him。

At　the　noise　of　the　report　shouts　were　heard　about　a　hundred　yards
away。　　It　was　the　Camisards；　who　had　been　on　the　point　of　leaving　the
town；　but　hearing　the　shot　had　turned　back；　believing　that　some　of
their　brethren　were　being　murdered。　　On　seeing　them　appear；　Cavalier
forgot　Catinat；　and　rode　straight　towards　them。　　As　soon　as　they
caught　sight　of　him　they　halted；　and　Ravanel　advanced　before　them
ready　for　every　danger。

〃Brethren；〃　he　cried；　〃the　traitor　has　come　once　more　to　tempt　us。
Begone；　Judas！　　You　have　no　business　here。〃

〃But　I　have；〃　exclaimed　Cavalier。　　〃I　have　to　punish　a　scoundrel
called　Ravanel；　if　he　has　courage　to　follow　me。〃

〃Come　on；　then；〃　cried　Ravanel；　darting　down　a　small　side…street；
〃and　let　us　have　done　with　it。〃　　The　Camisards　made　a　motion　as　if　to
follow　them；　but　Ravanel　turning　towards　them　ordered　them　to　remain
where　they　were。

They　obeyed；　and　thus　Cavalier　could　see　that；　insubordinate　as　they
had　been　towards　him；　they　were　ready　to　obey　another。

Just　at　the　moment　as　he　turned　into　the　narrow　street　where　the
dispute　was　to　be　settled　once　for　all；　Moses　and　Guy　came　up；　and
seizing　the　bridle　of　his　horse　stopped　him；　while　the　Camisards　who
were　on　the　side　of　Cavalier　surrounded　Ravanel　and　forced　him　to
return　to　his　soldiers。　　The　troops　struck　up　a　psalm；　and　resumed
their　march；　while　Cavalier　was　held　back　by　force。

At　last；　however；　the　young　Cevenol　succeeded　in　breaking　away　from
those　who　surrounded　him；　and　as　the　street　by　which　the　Camisards
had　retired　was　blocked；　he　dashed　down　another。　　The　two　prophets
suspecting　his　intention；　hurried　after　the　troops　by　the　most　direct
route；　and　got　up　with　them；　just　as　Cavalier；　who　had　made　the
circuit　of　the　town；　came　galloping　across　the　plain　to　intercept
their　passage。　　The　troops　halted；　and　Ravanel　gave　orders　to　fire。
The　first　rank　raised　their　muskets　and　took　aim；　thus　indicating
that　they　were　ready　to　obey。　　But　it　was　not　a　danger　of　this　kind
that　could　frighten　Cavalier；　he　continued　to　advance。　　Then　Moses
seeing　his　peril；　threw　himself　between　the　Camisards　and　him；
stretching　out　his　arms　and　shouting；　〃Stop！　stop！　misguided　men！
Are　you　going　to　kill　Brother　Cavalier　like　a　highwayman　and　thief？
You　must　pardon　him；　my　brethren！　you　must　pardon　him！　　If　he　has
done　wrong　in　the　past；　he　will　do　better　in　future。〃

Then　those　who　had　taken　aim　at　Cavalier　grounded　their　muskets；　and
Cavalier　changing　menace　for　entreaty；　begged　them　not　to　break　the
promise　that　he　had　made　in　their　name；　whereupon　the　prophets　struck
up　a　psalm；　and　the　rest　of　the　soldiers　joining　in；　his　voice　was
completely　drowned。　　Nevertheless；　Cavalier　did　not　lose　heart；　but
accompanied　them　on　their　march　to　Saint…Esteve；　about　a　league
farther　on；　unable　to　relinquish　all　hope。　　On　reaching　Saint…Esteve
the　singing　ceased　for　a　moment；　and　he　made　another　attempt　to
recall　them　to　obedience。　　Seeing；　however；　that　it　was　all　in　vain；
he　gave　up　hope；　and　％…　calling　out；　〃At　least　defend　yourselves　as
well　as　you　can；　for　the　dragoons　will　soon　be　on　you；〃　he　set　his
horse's　head　towards　the　town。　　Then　turning　to　them　for　the　last
time；　he　said；　〃Brethren；　let　those　who　love　me　follow　me！〃　　He
pronounced　these　words　in　tones　so　full　of　grief　and　affection　that
many　were　shaken　in　their　resolution；　but　Ravanel　and　Moses　seeing
the　effect　he　had　produced；　began　to　shout；　〃The　sword　of　the　Lord！〃
Immediately　all　the　troops　turned　their　back　on　Cavalier　except　about
forty　men　who　had　joined　him　on　his　first　appearance。

Cavalier　went　into　a　house　near　by；　and　wrote　another　letter　to　M。　de
Villars；　in　which　he　told　him　what　had　just　taken　place；　the　efforts
he　had　made　to　win　back　his　troops；　and　the　conditions　they　demanded。
He　ended　by　assuring　him　that　he　would　make　still　further　efforts；
and　promised　the　marechal　that　he　would　keep　him　informed　of
everything　that　went　on。　　He　then　withdrew　to　Cardet；　not　venturing
to　return　to　Calvisson。

Both　Cavalier's　letters　reached　M。　de　Villars　at　the　same　time；　in
the　first　impulse　of　anger　aroused　by　this　unexpected　check；　he
issued　the　following　order：

〃Since　coming　to　this　province　and　taking　over　the　government　by
order　of　the　king；　our　sole　thought　has　been　how　to　put　an　end　to　the
disorders　we　found　existing　here　by　gentle　measures；　and　to　restore
peace　and　to　preserve　the　property　of　those　who　had　taken　no　part　in
the　disturbances。　　To　that　end　we　obtained　His　Majesty's　pardon　for
those　rebels　who　had；　by　the　persuasion　of　their　chiefs；　been　induced
to　lay　down　their　arms；　the　only　condition　exacted　being　that　they
should　throw　themselves　on　the　king's　clemency　and　beg　his　permission
to　expiate　their　crime　by　adventuring　their　lives　in　his　service。
But；　being　informed　that　instead　of　keeping　the　engagements　they　had
made　by　signing　petitions；　by　writing　letters；　and　by　speaking　words
expressing　their　intentions；　some　among　them　have　been　trying　to
delude　the　minds　of　the　people　with　false　hopes　of　full　liberty　for
the　exercise　of　this　so…called　Reformed　religion；　which　there　has
never　been　any　intention　of　granting；　but　which　we　have　always
declared　as　clearly　as　we　could；　to　be　contrary　to　the　will　of　the
king　and　likely　to　bring　about　great　evils　for　which　it　would　be
difficult　to　find　a　remedy；　it　becomes　necessary　to　prevent　those　who
give　belief　to　these　falsehoods　from　expecting　to　escape　from
well…deserved　chastisement。　　We　therefore　declare　hereby　that　all
religious　assemblies　are　expressly　forbidden　under　the　penalties
proclaimed　in　the　edicts　and　ordinances　of　His　Majesty；　and　that
these　will　be　more　strictly　enforced　in　the　future　than　in　the　past。

〃Furthermore；　we　order　all　the　troops　under　our　command　to　break　up
such　assemblies　by　force；　as　having　been　always　illegal；　and　we
desire　to　impress　on　the　new　converts　of　this　province　that　they　are
to　give　their　obedience　where　it　is　due；　and　we　forbid　them　to　give
any　credence　to　the　false　reports　which　the　enemies　of　their　repose
are　spreading　abroad。　　If　they　let　themselves　be　led　astray；　they
will　soon　find　themselves　involved　in　troubles　and　misfortunes；　such
as　the　loss　of　their　lands；　the　ruin　of　their　families；　and　the
desolation　of　their　country；　and　we　shall　take　care　that　the　true
authors　of　these　misfortunes　shall　receive　punishment　proportioned　to
their　crime。

〃　MARECHAL　DE　VILLARS

〃　Given　at　Nimes　the　27th　day　of　May　1704　〃


This　order；　which　put　everything　back　upon　the　footing　on　which　it
had　been　in　the　time　of　M。　de　Montrevel；　had　hardly　been　issued　than
d'Aygaliers；　in　despair　at　seeing　the　result　of　so　much　labour
destroyed　in　one　day；　set　off　for　the　mountains　to　try　and　find
Cavalier。　　He　found　him　at　Cardet；　whither；　as　we　have　said；　he　had
retired　after　the　day　of　Calvisson。　　Despite　the　resolution　which
Cavalier　had　taken　never　to　show　his　face　again　to　the　marechal；　the