massacres of the south-第33章

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among　their　troops。　　Maille　and　Malplach　were　dragged　from　their
horses。　　As　to　Cavalier；　who　was　somewhat　behind；　as　soon　as　he　saw
people　coming　towards　him　with　uplifted　sabres　and　shouting　Traitor！
he　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　went　off　at　full　gallop；　followed　by
some　townspeople　from　Anduze　who　had　come　with　us；　and　who；　now　that
they　saw　the　reception　we　met　with；　were　ready　to　die　with　fear。

〃I　was　too　far　forward　to　escape：　five　or　six　muskets　rested　on　my
breast　and　a　pistol　pressed　each　ear；　so　I　made　up　my　mind　to　be
bold。　　I　told　the　troopers　to　fire；　I　was　willing　to　die　in　the
service　of　my　prince；　my　country；　and　my　religion；　as　well　as　for
themselves；　whom　I　was　trying　to　benefit　by　procuring　them　the　king's
goodwill。

〃These　words；　which　I　repeated　several　times　in　the　midst　of　the
greatest　uproar；　gave　them　pause。

〃They　commanded　me　to　retire；　as　they　did　not　want　to　kill　me。　　I
said　I　should　do　nothing　of　the　kind：　I　was　going　into　the　middle　of
the　troops　to　defend　Roland　against　the　charge　of　treason；　or　be　put
to　death　myself；　unless　I　could　convince　them　that　what　I　had
proposed　to　him　and　Cavalier　was　for　the　good　of　the　country；　of　our
religion；　and　the　brethren；　and　having　thus　expostulated　at　the　top
of　my　voice　against　thirty　voices　all　trying　to　drown　mine　for　about
an　hour；　I　offered　to　fight　the　man　who　had　induced　them　to　oppose
us。

〃At　this　offer　they　pointed　their　muskets　at　me　once　more；　but
Maille；　Malplach；　and　some　others　threw　themselves　before　me；　and
although　they　were　unarmed；　had　enough　influence　to　hinder　my　being
insulted；　I　was　forced；　however；　to　retreat。

〃In　leaving；　I　warned　them　that　they　were　about　to　bring　great
misfortunes　on　the　province；　whereupon　a　man　named　Claris　stepped　out
from　among　the　troops；　and　approaching　me　exclaimed；　'Go　on；　sir；　and
God　bless　you！　　We　know　that　you　mean　well；　and　were　the　first　to　be
taken　in。　　But　go　on　working　for　the　good　of　the　country；　and　God
will　bless　you。'〃

D'Aygaliers　returned　to　the　marechal；　who；　furious　at　the　turn　things
had　taken；　resolved　instantly　to　break　off　all　negotiations　and　have
recourse　once　more　to　measures　of　severity。　　However；　before　actually
carrying　out　this　determination；　he　wrote　the　following　letter　to　the
king：

〃SIRE；It　is　always　my　glory　to　execute　faithfully　your　Majesty's
orders；　whatever　those　orders　may　be；　but　I　should　have　been　able；　on
many　occasions　since　coming　here；　to　display　my　zeal　for　your
Majesty's　service　in　other　ways　if　I　had　not　had　to　deal　with　madmen
on　whom　no　dependence　could　be　placed。　　As　soon　as　we　were　ready　to
attack　them；　they　offered　to　submit；　but　a　little　later　changed　their
minds　again。　　Nothing　could　be　a　greater　proof　of　madness　than　their
hesitation　to　accept　a　pardon　of　which　they　were　unworthy；　and　which
was　so　generously　offered　by　your　Majesty。　　If　they　do　not　soon　make
up　their　minds；　I　shall　bring　them　back　to　the　paths　of　duty　by
force；　and　thus　restore　this　province　to　that　state　of　peace　which
has　been　disturbed　by　these　fools。〃

The　day　after　writing　this　letter　to　the　king；　Roland　sent　Maille　to
M。　de　Villars　to　beg　him　to　wait　till　Saturday　and　Sunday　the　7th　and
the　8th　June　were　over；　before　resorting　to　severity；　that　being　the
end　of　the　truce。　　He　gave　him　a　solemn　promise　that　he　would；　in　the
interval；　either　bring　in　his　troops　to　the　last　man；　or　would
himself　surrender　along　with　a　hundred　and　fifty　followers。　　The
marechal　consented　to　wait　till　Saturday　morning；　but　as　soon　as
Saturday　arrived　he　gave　orders　to　attack　the　Camisards；　and　the　next
day　led　a　considerable　body　of　troops　to　Carnoulet；　intending　to　take
the　Huguenots　by　surprise；　as　word　had　been　brought　that　they　were
all　gathered　there。　　They；　however；　received　intelligence　of　his
plan；　and　evacuated　the　village　during　the　night。

The　village　had　to　pay　dearly　for　its　sin　of　hospitality；　it　was
pillaged　and　burnt　down：　the　miquelets　even　murdered　two　women　whom
they　found　there；　and　d'Aygaliers　failed　to　obtain　any　satisfaction
for　this　crime。　　In　this　manner　M；　de　Villars　kept　the　fatal　promise
he　had　given；　and　internecine　war　raged　once　more。

Furious　at　having　missed　the　Camisards；　de　Menon　having　heard　from
his　scouts　that　Roland　was　to　sleep　next　night　at　the　chateau　de
Prade；　went　to　M。　de　Villars　and　asked　leave　to　conduct　an　expedition
against　the　chief。　　He　was　almost　sure　of　taking　Roland　by　surprise；
having　procured　a　guide　whose　knowledge　of　the　country　was　minute。
The　marechal　gave　him　carte　blanche。　　In　the　evening　Menon　set　out
with　two　hundred　grenadiers。　　He　had　already　put　three…quarters　of
the　way　behind　him　without　being　discovered；　when　an　Englishman　met
them　by　chance。　　This　man　was　serving　under　Roland；　but　had　been
visiting　his　sweetheart　in　a　neighbouring　village；　and　was　on　his　way
home　when　he　fell　among　Menon's　grenadiers。　　Without　a　thought　for
his　own　safety；　he　fired　off　his　gun；　shouting；　〃Fly！　fly！　　The
royals　are　upon　you！〃

The　sentinels　took　up　the　cry；　Roland　jumped　out　of　bed；　and；　without
staying　for　clothes　or　horse；　ran　off　in　his　shirt；　escaping　by　a
postern　gate　which　opened　on　the　forest　just　as　de　Menon　entered　by
another。　　He　found　Roland's　bed　still　warm；　and　took　possession　of
his　clothes；　finding　in　a　coat　pocket　a　purse　containing　thirty…five
Louis；　and　in　the　stables　three　superb　horses。　　The　Camisards
answered　this　beginning　of　hostilities　by　a　murder。　　Four　of　them；
thinking　they　had　reasons　for　displeasure　against　one　of　M。　de
Baville's　subordinates；　named　Daude；　who　was　both　mayor　and
magistrate；　at　Le　Vigan；　hid　in　a　corn…field　which　he　had　to　pass　on
his　way　back　from　La　Valette；　his　country　　place。　　Their　measures
were　successful：　Daude　came　along　just　as　was　expected；　and　as　he　had
not　the　slightest　suspicion　of　the　impending　danger；　he　continued
conversing　with　M；　de　Mondardier；　a　gentleman　of　the　neighbourhood
who　had　asked　for　the；　hand　of　Daude's　daughter　in　marriage　that　very
day。　　Suddenly　he　found　himself　surrounded　by　four　men；　who；
upbraiding　him　for　his　exactions　and　cruelties；　shot　him　twice
through　the　head　with　a　pistol。　　They　offered　no　violence　to　M。　de
Mondardier　except　to　deprive　him　of　his　laced　hat　and　sword。　　The　day
on　which　M。　de　Villars　heard　of　its　murder　he　set　a　price　on　the
heads　of　Roland；　Ravanel；　and　Catinat。　　Still　the　example　set　by
Cavalier；　joined　to　the　resumption　of　hostilities；　was　not　without
influence　on　the　Camisards；　every　day　letters　arrived　from　single
troopers　offering　to　lay　down　their　arms；　and　in　one　day　thirty
rebels　came　in　and　put　themselves　into　Lalande's　hands；　while　twenty
surrendered　to　Grandval；　these　were　accorded　not　only　pardon；　but
received　a　reward；　in　hopes　that　they　might　be　able　to　induce　others
to　do　like　them；　and　on　the　15th　June　eight　of　the　troops　which　had
abandoned　Cavalier　at　Calvisson　made　submission；　while　twelve　others
asked　to　be　allowed　to　return　to　their　old　chief　to　follow　him
wherever　he　went。　　This　request　was　at　once　granted：　they　were　sent
to　Valabregues；　where　they　found　forty…two　of　their　old　comrades；
amongst　whom　were　Duplan　and　Cavalier's　young　brother；　who　had　been
ordered　there　a　few　days　before。　　As　they　arrived　they　were　given
quarters　in　the　barracks；　and　received　good　paythe　chiefs　forty
sous　a　day；　and　the　privates　ten。　　So　they　felt　as　happy　as　possible；
being　well　fed　and　well　lodged；　and　spent　their　time　preaching；
praying；　and　psalm…singing；　in　season　and　out　of　season。　　All　this；
says　La　Baume；　was　so　disagreeable　to　the　inhabitants　of　the　place；
who　were　Catholics；　that　if　they　had　not　been　guarded　by　the　king's
soldiers　they　would　have　been　pitched　into　the　Rhone。




CHAPTER　V

Meantime　the　date　of　Cavalier's　departure　drew　near。　　A　town　was　to
be　named　in　which　he　was　to　reside　at　a　sufficient　distance　from　the
theatre　of　war　to　prevent　the　rebels　from　depending　on　him　any　more；
in　this　town　he　was　to　organise　his　regiment；　and　as　soon　as　it　was
complete　it　was　to　go；　under　his　command；　to　Spain；　and　fight　for　the
king。　　M。　de　Villars　was　still　on　the　same　friendly　terms　with　him；
trea