massacres of the south-第39章

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boon　overtaken　and　captured。　　They　brought　him　back　a　prisoner　to　the
town　hall；　where　Flessiere's　dead　body　already　lay。

Meanwhile　Jean…Louis　had　had　better　luck。　　While　the　two　struggles　as
related　above　were　going　on；　he　slipped　unnoticed　to　an　open　window
and　got　out　into　the　street。　　He　ran　round　the　corner　of　the　house；
and　disappeared　like　a　shadow　in　the　darkness　before　the　eyes　of　the
guards。　　For　a　long　time　he　wandered　from　street　to　street；　running
down　one　and　up　another；　till　chance　brought　him　near
La　Poissonniere。　　Here　he　perceived　a　beggar　propped　against　a　post
and　fast　asleep；　he　awoke　him；　and　proposed　that　they　should　exchange
clothes。　　As　Jean…Louis'　suit　was　new　and　the　beggar's　in　rags；　the
latter　thought　at　first　it　was　a　joke。　　Soon　perceiving；　however；
that　the　offer　was　made　in　all　seriousness；　he　agreed　to　the
exchange；　and　the　two　separated；　each　delighted　with　his　bargain。
Jean…Louis　approached　one　of　the　gates　of　the　town；　in　order　to　be
able　to　get　out　as　soon　as　it　was　opened；　and　the　begger　hastened　off
in　another　direction；　in　order　to　get　away　from　the　man　who　had　let
him　have　so　good　a　bargain；　before　he　had　time　to　regret　the　exchange
he　had　made。

But　the　night's　adventures　were　far　from　being　over。　　The　beggar　was
taken　a　prisoner；　Jean…Louis'　coat　being　recognised；　and　brought　to
the　town　hall；　where　the　mistake　was　discovered。　　The　Genevois
meantime　got　into　a　dark　street；　and　lost　his　way。　　Seeing　three　men
approach；　one　of　whom　carried　a　lantern；　he　went　towards　the　light；
in　order　to　find　out　where　he　was；　and　saw；　to　his　surprise；　that　one
of　the　men　was　the　servant　whom　Flessiere　had　wounded；　and　who　was
now　going　to　have　his　wound　dressed。　　The　Genevois　tried　to　draw　back
into　the　shade；　but　it　was　too　late：　the　servant　had　recognised　him。
He　then　tried　to　fly；　but　the　wounded　man　soon　overtook　him；　and
although　one　of　his　hands　was　disabled；　he　held　him　fast　with　the
other；　so　that　the　two　men　who　were　with　him　ran　up　and　easily
secured　him。　　He　also　was　brought　to　the　town　hall；　where　he　found
the　Duke　of　Berwick　and　M。　de　Baville；　who　were　awaiting　the　result
of　the　affray。

Hardly　had　the　prisoner　caught　sight　of　them　than；　seeing　himself
already　hanged；　which　was　no　wonder　considering　the　marvellous
celerity　with　which　executions　were　conducted　at　that　epoch；　he　threw
himself　on　his　knees；　confessed　who　he　was；　and　related　for　what
reason　he　had　joined　the　fanatics。　　He　went　on　to　say　that　as　he　had
not　joined　them　of　his　own　free　will；　but　had　been　forced　to　do　so；
he　would；　if　they　would　spare　his　life；　reveal　important　secrets　to
them；　by　means　of　which　they　could　arrest　the　principal　conspirators。

His　offer　was　so　tempting　and　his　life　of　so　little　worth　that　the
duke　and　de　Baville　did　not　long　hesitate；　but　pledged　their　word　to
spare　his　life　if　the　revelations　he　was　about　to　make　proved　to　be
of　real　importance。　　The　bargain　being　concluded；　the　Genevois　made
the　following　statement：

〃That　several　letters　having　arrived　from　foreign　countries
containing　promises　of　men　and　money；　the　discontented　in　the
provinces　had　leagued　together　in　order　to　provoke　a　fresh　rebellion。
By　means　of　these　letters　and　other　documents　which　were　scattered
abroad；　hopes　were　raised　that　M。　de　Miremont；　the　last　Protestant
prince　of　the　house　of　Bourbon；　would　bring　them　reinforcements　five
or　six　thousand　strong。　　These　reinforcements　were　to　come　by　sea　and
make　a　descent　on　Aigues…Mortes　or　Cette；and　two　thousand　Huguenots
were　to　arrive　at　the　same　time　by　way　of　Dauphine　and　join　the
others　as　they　disembarked。

〃That　in　this　hope　Catinat；　Clary；　and　Jonquet　had　left　Geneva　and
returned　to　France；　and　having　joined　Ravanel　had　gone　secretly
through　those　parts　of　the　country　known　to　be　infected　with
fanaticism；　and　made　all　necessary　arrangements；　such　as　amassing
powder　and　lead；　munitions　of　war；　and　stores　of　all　kinds；　as　well
as　enrolling　the　names　of　all　those　who　were　of　age　to　bear　arms。
Furthermore；　they　had　made　an　estimate　of　what　each　city；　town；　and
village　ought　to　contribute　in　money　or　in　kind　to　theLeague　of　the
Children　of　God；　so　that　they　could　count　on　having　eight　or　ten
thousand　men　ready　to　rise　at　the　first　signal。　　They　had　furthermore
resolved　that　there　should　be　risings　in　several　places　at　the　same
time；　which　places　were　already　chosen；　and　each　of　those　who　were　to
take　part　in　the　movement　knew　his　exact　duty。　　At　Montpellier　a
hundred　of　the　most　determined　amongst　the　disaffected　were　to　set
fire　in　different　quarters　to　the　houses　of　the　Catholics；　killing
all　who　attempted　to　extinguish　the　fires；　and　with　the　help　of　the
Huguenot　inhabitants　were；　to　slaughter　the　garrison；　seize　the
citadel；　and　carry　off　the　Duke　of　Berwick　and　M。　de　Baville。　　The
same　things　were　to　be　done　at　Nimes；　Uzes；　Alais；　Anduze；
Saint…Hippolyte；　and　Sommieres。　　Lastly；　he　said；　this　conspiracy　had
been　going　on　for　more　than　three　months；　and　the　conspirators；　in
order　not　to　be　found　out；　had　only　revealed　their　plans　to　those
whom　they　knew　to　be　ready　to　join　them：　they　had　not　admitted　a
single　woman　to　their　confidence；　or　any　man　whom　it　was　possible　to
suspect。　　Further；　they　had　only　met　at　night　and　a　few　persons　at　a
time；　in　certain　country　houses；　to　which　admittance　was　gained　by
means　of　a　countersign；　the　25th　of　April　was　the　day　fixed　for　the
general　rising　and　the　execution　of　these　projects。〃

As　may　be　seen；　the　danger　was　imminent；　as　there　was　only　six　days'
interval　between　the　revelation　and　the　expected　outburst；　so　the
Genevois　was　consulted；　under　renewed　promises　of　safety　for　himself；
as　to　the　best　means　of　seizing　on　the　principal　chiefs　in　the
shortest　possible　time。　　He　replied　that　he　saw　no　other　way　but　to
accompany　them　himself　to　Nimes；　where　Catinat　and　Ravanel　were　in
hiding；　in　a　house　of　which　he　did　not　know　the　number　and　in　a
street　of　which　he　did　not　know　the　name；　but　which　he　was　sure　of
recognising　when　he　saw　them。　　If　this　advice　were　to　be　of　any
avail；　there　was　no　time　to　be　lost；　for　Ravanel　and　Catinat　were　to
leave　Nimes　on　the　20th　or　the　21st　at　latest；　consequently；　if　they
did　not　set　off　at　once；　the　chiefs　would　no　longer　be　there　when
they　arrived。　　The　advice　seemed　good；　so　the　marechal　and　the
intendant　hastened　to　follow　it：　the　informer　was　sent　to　Nimes
guarded　by　six　archers；　the　conduct　of　the　expedition　was　given　to
Barnier；　the　provost's　lieutenant；　a　man　of　intellect　and　common
sense；　and　in　whom　the　provost　had　full　confidence。　　He　carried
letters　for　the　Marquis　of　Sandricourt。

As　they　arrived　late　on　the　evening　of　the　19th；　the　Genevois　was　at
once　led　up　and　down　the　streets　of　Nimes；　and；　as　he　had　promised；
he　pointed　out　several　houses　in　the　district　of　Sainte…Eugenie。
Sandricourt　at　once　ordered　the　garrison　officers；　as　well　as　those
of　the　municipal　and　Courten　regiments；　to　put　all　their　soldiers
under　arms　and　to　station　them　quietly　throughout　the　town　so　as　to
surround　that　district。　　At　ten　o'clock；　the　Marquis　of　Sandricourt；
having　made　certain　that　his　instructions　had　been　carefully　carried
out；　gave　orders　to　MM。　de　L'Estrade；　Barnier；　Joseph　Martin；　Eusebe；
the　major　of　the　Swiss　regiment；　and　several　other　officers；　along
with　ten　picked　men；　to　repair　to　the　house　of　one　Alison；　a　silk
merchant；　this　house　having　been　specially　pointed　out　by　the
prisoner。　　This　they　did；　but　seeing　the　door　open；　they　had　little
hope　of　finding　the　chiefs　of　a　conspiracy　in　a　place　so　badly
guarded；　nevertheless；　determined　to　obey　their　instructions；　they
glided　softly　into　the　hall。　　In　a　few　moments；　during　which　silence
and　darkness　reigned；　they　heard　people　speaking　rather　loudly　in　an
adjoining　room；　and　by　listening　intently　they　caught　the　following
words：　〃It　is　quite　sure　that　in　less　than　three　weeks　the　king　will
be　no　longer　master　of　Dauphine；　Vivarais；　and　Languedoc。　　I　am　being
sought　for　everywhere；　and　here　I　am　in　Nimes；　with　nothing　to　fear。〃

It　was　now　quite　clear　to　the　listeners　that　close　at　hand　were　some
at　least　of　those　f