massacres of the south-第26章

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and　be　buried　according　to　the　ordinances　of　their　own　faith。〃

〃Where　may　you　have　seen　anyone　who　was　ever　made　to　communicate　by
force？〃　asked　Chamillard。

D'Aygaliers　looked　at　the　minister　in　surprise；　thinking　he　spoke　in
joke；　but　seeing　he　was　quite　serious；　he　answered：

〃Alas；　monseigneur；　my　late　father　and　my　mother；　who　is　still
living；　are　both　instances　of　people　subjected　to　this　indignity。〃

〃Are　you；　then；　not　a　Catholic？〃　asked　Chamillard。

〃No；　monseigneur；〃　replied　d'Aygaliers。

〃Then　how　did　you　manage　to　return　to　France？〃

〃To　speak　the　truth；　sir；　I　only　came　back　to　help　my　mother　to
escape；　but　she　never　could　make　up　her　mind　to　leave　France；　as　such
a　step　was　surrounded　by　many　difficulties　which　she　feared　she　could
never　surmount。　　So　she　asked　my　other　relations　to　persuade　me　to
remain。　　I　yielded　to　their　importunities　on　condition　that　they
would　never　interfere　with　my　beliefs。　　To　accomplish　this　end　they
got　a　priest　with　whom　they　were　intimate　to　say　that　I　had　changed
my　views　once　more；　and　I　did　not　contradict　the　report。　　It　was　a
great　sin　on　my　part；　and　I　deeply　repent　it。　　I　must　add；　however；
that　whenever　anyone　has　asked　me　the　question　your　Excellency　asked
me　just　now　I　have　always　given　the　same　reply。〃

The　minister　did　not　seem　to　take　the　baron's　frankness　in　bad　part；
only　he　remarked；　when　dismissing　him；　that　he　hoped　he　would　find
out　some　way　of　ridding　the　kingdom　of　those　who　refused　to　think　in
religious　matters　as　His　Majesty　commanded。

D'Aygaliers　replied　that　it　was　a　problem　to　which　he　had　given　much
thought；　but　without　ever　being　able　to　find　a　solution；　but　that　he
would　think　about　it　more　earnestly　in　future。　　He　then　withdrew。

Some　days　later；　Chamillard　sent　ward　to　d'Aygaliers　that　the　king
would　graciously　give　him　a　farewell　audience。　　The　baron　relates
what　took　place　at　this　second　interview；　as　follows。

〃His　Majesty；〃　says　he；　〃received　me　in　the　council　chamber；　and　was
so　good　as　to　repeat　once　more　in　the　presence　of　all　his　ministers
that　he　was　very　much　pleased　with　my　services；　but　that　there　was
one　thing　about　me　he　should　like　to　correct。　　I　begged　His　Majesty
to　tell　me　what　the　fault　was；　and　I　should　try　to　get　rid　of　it　at；
the　peril　of　my　life。〃

〃'It　is　your　religion；'　said　the　king。　　'I　should　like　to　have　you
become　a　good　Catholic；　so　that　I　might　be　able　to　grant　you　favours
and　enable　you　to　serve　me　better。'　　His　Majesty　added　that　I　ought
to　seek　instruction；　and　that　then　I　should　one　day　recognise　what　a
great　benefit　he　desired　to　bring　within　my　reach。

〃I　answered　that　I　would　esteem　myself　happy　if　at　the　cost　of　my
life　I　could　prove　the　burning　zeal　with　which　I　was　filled　for　the
service　of　the　greatest　of　earthly　kings；　but　that　I　should　be
unworthy　of　the　least　of　his　favours　if　I　obtained　it　by　hypocrisy　or
by　anything　of　which　my　conscience　did　not　approve；　but　that　I　was
grateful　for　the　goodness　which　made　him　anxious　for　my　salvation。
I　told　him　also　that　I　had　already　taken　every　opportunity　of
receiving　instruction；　and　had　tried　to　put　aside　the　prejudices
arising　from　my　birth；　such　as　often　hindered　people　from　recognising
the　truth；　with　the　result　that　I　had　at　one　time　almost　lost　all
sense　of　religion；　until　God；　taking　pity　on　me；　had　opened　my　eyes
and　brought　me　out　of　that　deplorable　condition；　making　me　see　that
the　faith　in　which　I　had　been　born　was　the　only　one　for　me。　　'And　I
can　assure　your　Majesty；'　I　added；　'that　many　of　the　Languedoc
bishops　who　ought；　it　seems　to　me；　to　try　to　make　us　Catholics；　are
the　instruments　which　Providence　uses　to　prevent　us　from　becoming　so。
For　instead　of　attracting　us　by　gentleness　and　good　example；　they
ceaselessly　subject　us　to　all　kinds　of　persecutions；　as　if　to
convince　us　that　God　is　punishing　us　for　our　cowardice　in　giving　up　a
religion　which　we　know　to　be　good；　by　delivering　us　up　to　pastors
who；　far　from　labouring　to　assure　our　salvation；　use　all　their
efforts　to　drive　us　to　despair。〃

〃At　this　the　king　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said；　'Enough；　do　not
say　any　more。'　I　asked　for　his　blessing　as　the　king　and　father　of　all
his　subjects。　　The　king　burst　out　laughing；　and　told　me　that　M。　de
Chamillard　would　give　me　his　orders。〃

In　virtue　of　this　intimation　d'Aygaliers　went　next　day　to　the
minister's　country　house；　for　Chamillard　had　given　him　that　address；
and　there　he　learned　that　the　king　had　granted　him　a　pension　of　800
livres。　　The　baron　remarked　that；　not　having　worked　for　money；　he　had
hoped　for　a　better　reward；　as　far　as　money　was　concerned；　he　desired
only　the　reimbursement　of　the　actual　expenses　of　his　journeys　to　and
from；　but　Chamillard　answered　that　the　king　expected　all　that　he
offered　and　whatever　he　offered　to　be　accepted　with　gratitude。　　To
this　there　was　no　possible　reply；　so　the　same　evening　d'Aygaliers　set
out　on　his　return　to　Languedoc。

Three　months　later；　Chamillard　forwarded　him　an　order　to　leave　the
kingdom；　telling　him　that　he　was　to　receive　a　pension　of　four　hundred
crowns　per　annum；　and　enclosing　the　first　quarter　in　advance。

As　there　was　no　means　of　evading　this　command；　D'Aygaliers　set　out
for　Geneva；　accompanied　by　thirty…three　followers；　arriving　there　on
the　23rd　of　September。　　Once　rid　of　him；　Louis　the　Magnificent
thought　that　he　had　done　his　part　nobly　and　that　he　owed　him　nothing
further；　so　that　d'Aygaliers　waited　a　whole　year　in　vain　for　the
second　quarter　of　his　pension。

At　the　end　of　this　time；　as　his　letters　to　Chamillard　remained
unanswered；　and　finding　himself　without　resources　in　a　foreign
country；　he　believed　himself　justified　in　returning　to　France　and
taking　up　his　residence　on　his　family　estate。　　Unfortunately；　on　his
way　through　Lyons；　the　provost　of　merchants；　hearing　of　his　return；
had　him　arrested；　and　sent　word　to　the　king；　who　ordered　him　to　be
taken　to　the　chateau　de　Loches。　　After　a　year's　imprisonment；
d'Aygaliers；　who　had　just　entered　on　his　thirty…fifth　year；　resolved
to　try　and　escape；　preferring　to　die　in　the　attempt　rather　than
remain　a　prisoner　for　life。　　He　succeeded　in　getting　possession　of　a
file　with　which　he　removed　one　of　the　bars　of　his　window；　and　by
means　of　knotting　his　sheets　together；　he　got　down；　taking　the
loosened　bar　with　him　to　serve；　in　case　of　need；　as　a　weapon。　　A
sentinel　who　was　near　cried；　〃Who　goes　there？〃　but　d'Aygaliers
stunned　him　with　his　bar。　　The　cry；　however；　had　given　the　alarm：　a
second　sentinel　saw　a　man　flying；　fired　at　him；　and　killed　him　on　the
spot。

Such　was　the　reward　of　the　devoted　patriotism　of　Baron　d'Aygaliers！

Meantime　Roland's　troops　had　increased　greatly　in　number；　having　been
joined　by　the　main　body　of　those　who　had　once　been　commanded　by
Cavalier；　so　that　he　had；　about　eight　hundred　men　at　his　disposal。
Some　distance　away；　another　chief；　named　Joanny；　had　four　hundred；
Larose；　to　whom　Castanet　had　transferred　his　command；　found　himself
at　the　head　of　three　hundred；　Boizeau　de　Rochegude　was　followed　by
one　hundred；　Saltet　de　Soustel　by　two　hundred；　Louis　Coste　by　fifty；
and　Catinat　by　forty；　so　that；　in　spite　of　the　victory　of　Montrevel
and　the　negotiations　of　M。　de　Villars；　the　Camisards　still　formed　an
effective　force　of　eighteen　hundred　and　ninety　men；　not　to　speak　of
many　single　troopers　who　owned　no　commander　but　acted　each　for
himself；　and　were　none　the　less　mischievous　for　that。　　All　these
troops；　except　these　latter；　obeyed　Roland；　who　since　the　defection
of　Cavalier　had　been　recognised　as　generalissimo　of　the　forces。
M。　de　Villars　thought　if　he　could　separate　Roland　from　his　troops　as
he　had　separated　Cavalier；　his　plans　would　be　more　easy　to　carry　out。

So　he　made　use　of　every　means　within　his　reach　to　gain　over　Roland；
and　as　soon　as　one　plan　failed　he　tried　another。　　At　one　moment　he
was　almost　sure　of　obtaining　his　object　by　the　help　of　a　certain
Jourdan　de　Mianet；　a　great　friend　of　his；　who　offered　his　services　as
an　intermediary；　but　who　failed　like　all　the　others；　receiving　from
Roland　a　positive　refusal；　so　that　it　became　evident　that　resort　must
be　had　to　other　means　than　those　of　persuasion。　　A　sum　of　100　Louis
had　already　been　set　on　Roland's　head：　this　sum　was　now　doubled。

Three　days　afterwards；　a　young　man　from　Uzes；　by　name　Malarte；　in
whom　Roland　had　every　confidence；　wrote　to　M。　de　Paratte　that　the
Camisard　general　intended　to　pass　the　night　of　the　14th　of　August　at
the　chateau　Castelnau。

De　Paratte　immediately　made　his　dispositions；　and　ordered
Lacoste…Badie；　at　the　head　of　two　companies　of　dragoons；　and　all　the
officers　at　Uzes　who　were　well　mounted；　to　hold　themselves　in
readiness　to　start　on　an　expedition　at　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；
but　not　revealing　its　object　to　them　till　the　time　came。　　At　eight
o'clock；　having　been　told　what　they　had　to　do；　they　set　off　at　such　a
pace　that　they　came　in　sight　of　the　chateau　within　an　hour；　and　were
obliged　to　halt　and　conceal　themselves；　lest　they　should　appear　too
soon；　before　Roland　had　retired　for　the　night。　　But　they　need　not
have　been　afraid；　the　Camisard　chief；　who　was　accustomed　to　rely　on
all　his　men　as　on　himself；　had　gone　to　bed　without　any　suspicion；
having　full　confidence　in　the　vigilance　of　one　of　his　officers；　named
Grimaud；　who　had　stationed　himself　as　sentinel　on　the　roof　of　the
chateau。　　Led　by　Malarte；　Lacoste…Badie　and　his　dragoons　took　a
narrow　covered　way；　which　led　them　to　the　foot　of　the　walls；　so　that
when　Grimaud　saw　them　it　was　already　too　late；　the　chateau　being
surrounded　on　all　sides。　　Firing　off　his　gun；　he　cried；　〃To　arms！〃
Roland；　roused　by　the　cry　and　the　shot；　leaped　out　of　bed；　and　taking
his　clothes　in　one　hand　and　his　sword　in　the　other；　ran　out　of　his
room。　　At　the　door　he　met　Grimaud；　who；　instead　of　thinking　of　his
own　safety；　had　come　to　watch　over　that　of　his　chief。　　They　both　ran
to　the　stables　to　get　horses；　but　three　of　their　menMarchand；
Bourdalie；　and　Bayoshad　been　before　them　and　had　seized　on　the　best
ones；　and　riding　them　bare…backed　had　dashed　through　the　front　gates
before　the　dragoons　could　stop　them。　　The　horses　that　were　left　were
so　wretched　that　Roland　felt　there　was　no　chance　of　out…distancing
the　dragoons　by　their　help；　so　he　resolved　to　fly　on　foot；　thus
avoiding　the　open　roads　and　being　able　to　take　refuge　in　every　ravine
and　every　bush　as　cover。　　He　therefore　hastened　with　Grimaud　and　four
other　officers　who　had　gathered　round　him　towards　a　small　back　gate
which　opened　on　the　fields；　but　as　there　was；　besides　the　troops
which　entered　the　chateau；　a　ring　of　dragoons　round　it；　they　fell　at
once　into　the　hands　of　some　men　who　had　been　placed　in　ambush。
Seeing　himself　surrounded；　Roland　let　fall　the　clothes　which　he　had
not　yet　had　time　to　put　on；　placed　his　back　against　a　tree；　drew　his
sword；　and　challenged　the　boldest；　whether　officer　or　private；　to
approach。　　His　features　expressed　such　resolution；　that　when　he　thus；
alone　and　half　naked；　defied　them　all；　there　was　a　moment's
hesitation；　during　which　no　one　ventured　to　take　a　forward　step；　but
this　pause　was　broken　by　the　report　of　a　gun：　the　arm　which　Roland
had　stretched　out　again