massacres of the south-第19章

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hanged　like　brigands。　　His　sole　answer　was　an　inclination　of　the　head
as　he　turned　and　led　the　way　to　his　little　escort。　　M。　de　Lalande
followed　him　with　perfect　confidence；　and；　passing　by　the　eight
horsemen　who　were　grouped　on　the　road；　he　walked　up　to　the　infantry；
and　taking　out　of　his　pocket　a　handful　of　gold；　he　scattered　it
before　them；　saying：

〃There；　my　men！　that　is　to　drink　the　king's　health　with。〃

Not　a　man　stooped　to　pick　the　money　up；　and　one　of　them　said；　shaking
his　head

〃It　is　not　money　we　want；　but　liberty　of　conscience。〃

〃My　men；〃　answered　Lalande；　〃it　is　unfortunately　not　in　my　power　to
grant　your　demand；　but　I　advise　you　to　submit　to　the　king's　will　；and
trust　in　his　clemency。〃

〃Sir；〃　answered　Cavalier；　〃we　are　all　ready　to　obey　him；　provided
that　he　graciously　grant　us　our　just　demands；　if　not；　we　shall　die
weapon　in　hand；　rather　than　expose　ourselves　once　more　to　such
outrages　as　have　already　been　inflicted　on　us。〃

〃Your　demands　shall　be　transmitted　word　for　word　to　M。　de　Villars；
who　will　lay　them　before　the　king；〃　said　Lalande；　〃and　you　may　be
sure；　sir；　that　my　most　sincere　wish　is　that　His　Majesty　may　not　find
them　exorbitant。〃

With　these　words；　M。　de　Lalande　saluted　Cavalier；　and　turned　to
rejoin　his　escort；　but　Cavalier；　wishing　to　return　confidence　with
confidence；　crossed　the　bridge　with　him；　and　accompanied　the　general
to　where　his　soldiers　had　halted。　　There；　with　another　salute；　the
two　chiefs　parted；　M。　de　Lalande　taking　the　road　to　Uzes；　while
Cavalier　rejoined　his　comrades。

Meantime　d'Aygaliers；　who；　as　we　have　seen；　had　not　left　Uzes　until
the　5th　May；　in　order　to　join　Cavalier；　did　not　come　up　with　him
until　the　13th；　that　is　to　say；　the　day　after　his　conference　with
Lalande。　　D'Aygaliers　gives　us　an　account　of　their　interview；　and　we
cannot　do　better　than　quote　it。

〃Although　it　was　the　first　time　that　we　had　met　face　to　face；　we
embraced　each　other　as　if　we　were　old　acquaintances。　　My　little　band
mixed　with　his　and　sang　psalms　together；　while　Cavalier　and　I　talked。
I　was　very　much　pleased　with　what；　he　said；　and　convinced　him　without
difficulty　that　he　should　submit　for　the　sake　of　the　brethren；　who
could　then　choose　whichever　course　best　suited　them；　and　either　leave
the　kingdom　or　serve　the　king。　　I　said　that　I　believed　the　last
course　to　be　the　best；　provided　we　were　allowed　to　worship　God
according　to　our　consciences；　because　I　hoped　that；　seeing　their
faithful　service；　His　Majesty　would　recognise　that　he　had　been
imposed　upon　by　those　who　had　described　us　as　disloyal　subjects；　and
that　we　should　thus　obtain　for　the　whole　nation　that　liberty　of
conscience　which　had　been　granted　to　us；　that　in　no　other　way；　as　far
as　I　could　see；　could　our　deplorable　condition　be　ameliorated；　for
although　Cavalier　and　his　men　might　be　able　to　exist　for　some　time
longer　in　the　forests　and　mountains；　they　would　never　be　strong
enough　to　save　the　inhabitants　of　towns　and　other　enclosed　places
from　perishing。

〃Upon　this　he　replied；　that　although　the　Catholics　seldom　kept　a
promise　made　to　those　of　our　religion；　he　was　willing　to　risk　his
life　for　the　welfare　of　his　brethren　and　the　province　but　that　he
trusted　if　he　confided　in　the　clemency　of　the　king　for　whom　he　had
never　ceased　to　pray；　no　harm　would　happen　him。〃

Thereupon　d'Aygaliers；　delighted　to　find　him　so　well　inclined；　begged
him　to　give　him　a　letter　for　M。　de　Villars；　and　as　Cavalier　knew　the
marechal　to　be　loyal　and　zealous；　and　had　great　confidence　in　him；　he
wrote　without　any　hesitation　the　following　letter：

〃MONSEIGNEUR；Permit　me　to　address　your　Excellency　in　order　to　beg
humbly　for　the　favour　of　your　protection　for　myself　and　for　my
soldiers。　　We　are　filled　with　the　most　ardent　desire　to　repair　the
fault　which　we　have　committed　by　bearing　arms；　not　against　the　king；
as　our　enemies　have　so　falsely　asserted；　but　to　defend　our　lives
against　those　who　persecuted　us；　attacking　us　so　fiercely　that　we
believed　it　was　done　by　order　of　His　Majesty。　　We　know　that　it　was
written　by　St。　Paul　that　subjects　ought　to　submit　themselves　to　their
king；　and　if　in　spite　of　these　sincere　protestations　our　sovereign
should　still　demand　our　blood；　we　shall　soon　be　ready　to　throw
ourselves　on　his　justice　or　his　mercy；　but　we　should；　Monseigneur；
regard　ourselves　as　happy；　if　His　Majesty；　moved　by　our　repentance；
would　grant　us　his　pardon　and　receive　us　into　his　service；　according
to　the　example　of　the　God　of　mercy　whose　representative　His　Majesty
is　on　earth。　　We　trust；　Monseigneur；　by　our　faithfulness　and　zeal　to
acquire　the　honour　of　your　protection；　and　we　glory　in　the　thought　of
being　permitted；　under　the　command　of　such　an　illustrious　and
noble…minded　general　as　yourself；　to　shed　our　blood　for　the　king；
this　being　so；　I　hope　that　your　Excellency　will　be　pleased　to　allow
me　to　inscribe　myself　with　profound　respect　and　humility；
Monseigneur；　your　most　humble　and　obedient　servant；

〃CAVALIER。〃


D'Aygaliers；　as　soon　as　he　got　possession　of　this　letter；　set　out　for
Nimes　in　the　best　of　spirits；　for　he　felt　sure　that　he　was　bringing
M。　de　Villars　more　than　he　had　expected。　　And；　indeed；　as　soon　as　the
marechal　saw　how　far　things　had　gone；　in　spite　of　everything　that
Lalande　could　say；　who　in　his　jealousy　asserted　that　d'Aygaliers
would　spoil　everything；　he　sent　him　back　to　Cavalier　with　an
invitation　to　come　to　Nimes。　　D'Aygaliers　set　out　at　once；　promising
to　bring　the　young　chief　back　with　him；　at　which　Lalande　laughed
loudly；　pretending　to　be　very　much　amused　at　the　baron's　confident
way　of　speaking；　and　protesting　that　Cavalier　would　not　come。

In　the　meantime　events　were　happening　in　the　mountains　which　might
easily　have　changed　the　state　of　mind　of　the　young　chief。　　The　Comte
de　Tournan；　who　was　in　command　at　Florae；　had　encountered　Roland's
army　in　the　plain　of　Fondmortes；　and　had　lost　two　hundred　men；　a
considerable　sum　of　money；　and　eighty　mules　loaded　with　provisions。
The　anxiety　which　this　news　caused　to　M。　de　Villars　was　soon
relieved；　for　six　days　after　the　defeat　he　received　a　letter　from
Cavalier　by　the　hands　of　Lacombe；　the　same　who　had　brought　about　the
interview　on　the　bridge　of　Avenes。　　In　this　letter　Cavalier　expressed
the　greatest　regret　for　what　had　just　happened。

D'Aygaliers　therefore　found　Cavalier　in　the　best　of　humours　when　he
joined　him　at　Tarnac。　　The　first　feeling　that　the　young　chief　felt　on
receiving　the　invitation　was　one　of　stupefaction；　for　an　interview
with　the　marechal　was　an　honour　so　unexpected　and　so　great；　that　his
impression　was　that　some　treason　lay　behind　it；　but　he　was　soon
reassured　when　he　recalled　the　character　for　loyalty　which　the
marechal　bore；　and　how　impossible　it　was　that　d'Aygaliers　should　lend
himself　to　treachery。　　So　Cavalier　sent　back　word　that　he　would　obey
the　marechal's　orders；　and　that　he　put　himself　entirely　into　his
hands　in　what　concerned　the　arrangements　for　the　interview。　　M。　de
Villars　let　him　know　that　he　would　expect　him　on　the　16th　in　the
garden　of　the　convent　of　the　Recollets　of　Nimes；　which　lay　just
outside　the　city；　between　the　gates　of　Beaucaire　and　the　Madeleine；
and　that　Lalande　would　meet　him　beyond　Carayrac　to　receive　him　and　to
bring　him　hostages。




CHAPTER　IV

On　the　15th　May　Cavalier　set　out　from　Tarnac　at　the　head　of　one
hundred　and　sixty　foot…soldiers　and　fifty　horse；　he　was　accompanied
by　his　young　brother　and　by　d'Aygaliers　and　Lacombe。　　They　all　passed
the　night　at　Langlade。

The　next　day　they　set　out　for　Nimes；　and；　as　had　been　agreed　upon；
were　met　by　Lalande　between　Saint…Cesaire　and　Carayrac。　　Lalande
advanced　to　greet　Cavalier　and　present　the　hostages　to　him。　These
hostages　were　M。　de　La　Duretiere；　captain　of　the　Fimarcon　regiment；　a
captain　of　infantry；　several　other　officers；　and　ten　dragoons。
Cavalier　passed　them　over　to　his　lieutenant；　Ravanel；　who　was　in
command　of　the　infantry；　and　left　them　in　his　charge　at
Saint…Cesaire。　　The　cavalry　accompanied　him　to　within　a　musket…shot
of　Nimes；　and　encamped　upon　the　heights。　　Besides　this；　Cavalier
posted　sentinels　and　mounted　orderlies　at　all　the　approaches　to　the
camp；　and　even　as　far　off　as　the　fountain　of　Diana　and　the　tennis…
court。　　These　precautions　taken；　he　entered　the　city；　accompanied　by
his　brother；　d'Aygaliers；　Lacombe；　and　a　body…guard　of　eighteen
cavalry；　commanded　by　Catinat。　　Lalande　rode　on　before　to　announce
their　arrival　to　the　marechal；　whom　he　found　waiting　with　MM。　de
Baville　and　Sandricourt；　in　the　garden　of　the　Recollets；　dreading
every　moment　to　receive　word　that　Cavalier　had　refused　to　come；　for
he　expected　great　results　from　this　interview。　　Lalande；　however；
reassured　him　by　telling　him　the　young　Huguenot　was　behind。

In　a　few　minutes　a　great　tumult　was　heard：　it　was　the　people
hastening　to　welcome　their　hero。　　Not　a　Protestant；　except　paralytic
old　people　and　infants　in　the　cradle；　remained　indoors；　for　the
Huguenots；　who　had　long　looked　on　Cavalier　as　their　champion；　now
considered　him　their　saviour；　so　that　men　and　women　threw　themselves
under　the　feet　of　his　horse　in　their　efforts　to　kiss　the　skirts　of
his　coat。　　It　was　more　like　a　victor　making　his　entry　into　a
conquered　town　than　a　rebel　chief　coming　to　beg　for　an　amnesty　for
himself　and　his　adherents。　　M。　de　Villars　heard　the　outcry　from　the
garden　of　Recollets；　and　when　he　learned　its　cause　his　esteem　for
Cavalier　rose　higher；　for　every　day　since　his　arrival　as　governor　had
showed　him　more　and　more　clearly　how　great　was　the　young　chief's
influence。　　The　tumult　increased　as　Cavalier　came　nearer；　and　it
flashed　through　the　marechal's　mind　that　instead　of　giving　hostages
he　should　have　claimed　them。　　At　this　moment　Cavalier　appeared　at　the
gate；　and　seeing　the　marechal's　guard　drawn　up　in　line；　he　caused　his
own　to　form　a　line　opposite　them。　　The　memoirs　of　the　time　tell　us
that　he　was　dressed　in　a　coffee…coloured　coat；　with　a　very　full　white
muslin　cravat；　he　wore　a　cross…belt　from　which　depended　his　sword；
and　on　his　head　a　gold…laced　hat　of　black　felt。　　He　was　mounted　on　a
magnificent　bay　horse；　the　same　which　he　had　taken　from　M。　de　La
Jonquiere　on　the　bloody　day　of　Vergenne。

The　lieutenant　of　the　guard　met　him　at　the　gate。　　Cavalier　quickly
dismounted；　and　throwing　the　bridle　of　his　horse　to　one　of　his　men；
he　entered　the　garden；　and　advanced　towards　the　expectant　group；
which　was　composed；　as　we　have　said；　of　Villars；　Baville；　and
Sandricourt。　　As　he　drew　near；　M。　de　Villars　regarded　him　with
growing　astonishment；　for　he　could　not　believe　that　in　the　young
man；　or　rather　boy；　before　him　he　saw　the　terrible　Cevenol　chief；
whose　name　alone　made　the　bravest　soldiers　tremble。　　Cavalier　at　this
period　had　just　completed　his　twenty…fourth　year；　but；　thanks　to　his
fair　hair　which　fell　in　long　locks　over　his　shoulders；　and　to　the
gentle　expression　of　his　eyes　he　did　not　appear　more　than　eighteen。
Cavalier　was　acquainted　with　none　of　the　men　in　whose　presence　he
stood；　but　he　noticed　M。　de　Villars'　rich　dress　and　air　of　command。
He　therefore　saluted　him　first；　afterwards；　turning　towards　the
others；　he　bowed　to　each；　but　less　profoundly；　then　somewhat
em