massacres of the south-第27章

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this　pause　was　broken　by　the　report　of　a　gun：　the　arm　which　Roland
had　stretched　out　against　his　adversaries　fell　to　his　side；　the　sword
with　which　he　had　threatened　them　escaped　from　his　hand；　his　knees
gave　way；　so　that　his　body；　which　was　only　supported　by　the　tree
against　which　he　leaned；　after　remaining　an　instant　erect；　gradually
sank　to　the　ground。　　Collecting　all　his　strength；　Roland　raised　his
two　hands　to　Heaven；　as　if　to　call　down　the　vengeance　of　God　upon　his
murderers；　then；　without　having　uttered　a　single　word；　he　fell
forward　dead；　shot　through　the　heart。　　The　name　of　the　dragoon　who
killed　him　was　Soubeyrand。

Maillie；　Grimaud；　Coutereau；　Guerin；　and　Ressal；　the　five　Camisard
officers；　seeing　their　chief　dead；　let　themselves　be　taken　as　if　they
were　children；　without　thinking　of　making　any　resistance。

The　dead　body　of　Roland　was　carried　back　in　triumph　to　Uzes；　and　from
there　to　Nimes；　where　it　was　put　upon　trial　as　if　still　alive。　　It
was　sentenced　to　be　dragged　on　hurdles　and　then　burnt。　　The　execution
of　this　sentence　was　carried　out　with　such　pomp　as　made　it　impossible
for　the　one　party　to　forget　the　punishment　and　for　the　other　to
forget　the　martyrdom。　　At　the　end　the　ashes　of　Roland　were　scattered
to　the　four　winds　of　heaven。

The　execution　of　the　five　officers　followed　close　on　that　of　their
chief's　body；　they　were　condemned　to　be　broken　on　the　wheel；　and　the
sentence　was　carried　out　on　all　at　once。　　But　their　death；　instead　of
inspiring　the　Calvinists　with　terror；　gave　them　rather　fresh　courage；
for；　as　an　eye…witness　relates；　the　five　Camisards　bore　their
tortures　not　only　with　fortitude；　but　with　a　light…heartedness　which
surprised　all　present；　especially　those　who　had　never　seen　a　Camisard
executed　before。

Malarte　received　his　200　Louis；　but　to…day　his　name　is　coupled　with
that　of　Judas　in　the　minds　of　his　countrymen。

》From　this　time　on　fortune　ceased　to　smile　on　the　Camisards。　　Genius
had　gone　with　Cavalier；　and；　faith　with　Roland。　　The　very　day　of　the
death　of　the　latter；　one　of　their　stores；　containing　more　than　eighty
sacks　of　corn；　had　been　taken　at　Toiras。　　The　next　day；　Catinat；　who；
with　a　dozen　men；　was　in　hiding　in　a　vineyard　of　La　Vaunage；　was
surprised　by　a　detachment　of　Soissonnais；　eleven　of　his　men　were
killed；　the　twelfth　made　prisoner；　and　he　himself　barely　escaped　with
a　severe　wound。　　The　25th　of　the　same　month；　a　cavern　near　Sauve；
which　the　rebels　used　as　a　store；　and　which　contained　one　hundred　and
fifty　sacks　of　fine　wheat；　was　discovered；　lastly；　Chevalier　de
Froulay　had　found　a　third　hiding…place　near　Mailet。　　In　this；　which
had　been　used　not　only　as　a　store　but　as　a　hospital；　besides　a
quantity　of　salt　beef；　wine；　and　flour；　six　wounded　Camisards　were
found；　who　were　instantly　shot　as　they　lay。

The　only　band　which　remained　unbroken　was　Ravanel's；　but　since　the
departure　of　Cavalier　things　had　not　gone　well　with　his　lieutenant。

In　consequence　of　this；　and　also　on　account　of　the　successive　checks
which　the　other　bodies　of　Camisard　troops　had　met　with；　Ravanel
proclaimed　a　solemn　fast；　in　order　to　intercede　with　God　to　protect
the　Huguenot　cause。　　On　Saturday；　the　13th　September；　he　led　his
entire　force　to　the　wood　of　St。　Benazet；　intending　to　pass　the　whole
of　the　next　day　with　them　there　in　prayer。　　But　treason　was　rife。
Two　peasants　who　knew　of　this　plan　gave　information　to　M。　Lenoir；
mayor　of　Le　Vigan；　and　he　sent　word　to　the　marechal　and　M。　de
Saville；　who　were　at　Anduze。

Nothing　could　have　been　more　welcome　to　the　governor　than　this
important　information：　he　made　the　most　careful　disposition　of　his
forces；　hoping　to　destroy　the　rebellion　at　one　blow。　　He　ordered
M。　de　Courten；　a　brigadier…colonel　in　command　at　Alais；　to　take　a
detachment　of　the　troops　under　him　and　patrol　the　banks　of　the　Gardon
between　Ners　and　Castagnols。　　He　was　of　opinion　that　if　the　Camisards
were　attacked　on　the　other　side　by　a　body　of　soldiers　drawn　from
Anduze；　which　he　had　stationed　during　the　night　at　Dommersargues；
they　would　try　to　make　good　their　retreat　towards　the　river。　　The
force　at　Dommersargues　might　almost　be　called　a　small　army；　for　it
was　composed　of　a　Swiss　battalion；　a　battalion　of　the　Hainault
regiment；　one　from　the　Charolais　regiment；　and　four　companies　of
dragoons　from　Fimarcon　and　Saint…Sernin。

Everything　took　place　as　the　peasants　had　said：　on　Saturday　the　13th；
the　Camisards　entered；　as　we　have　seen；　the　wood　of　St。　Benazet；　and
passed　the　night　there。

At　break　of　day　the　royals　from　Dommersargues　began　their　advance。
The　Camisard　outposts　soon　perceived　the　movement；　and　warned
Ravanel；　who　held　his　little　council　of　war。　　Everyone　was　in　favour
of　instant　retreat；　so　they　retired　towards　Ners；　intending　to　cross
the　Gardon　below　that　town：　just　as　M。　de　Villars　had　foreseen；　the
Camisards　did　everything　necessary　for　the　success　of　his　plans；　and
ended　by　walking　right　into　the　trap　set　for　them。

On　emerging　from　the　wood　of　St。　Benazet；　they　caught　sight　of　a
detachment　of　royals　drawn　up　and　waiting　for　them　between　Marvejols
and　a　mill　called　the　Moulin…du…Pont。　Seeing　the　road　closed　in　this
direction；　they　turned　sharp　to　the　left；　and　gained　a　rocky　valley
which　ran　parallel　to　the　Gardon。　This　they　followed　till　they　came
out　below　Marvejols；　where　they　crossed　the　river。　　They　now　thought
themselves　out　of　danger；　thanks　to　this　manoeuvre；　but　suddenly　they
saw　another　detachment　of　royals　lying　on　the　grass　near　the　mill　of
La　Scie。　　They　at　once　halted　again；　and　then；　believing　themselves
undiscovered；　turned　back；　moving　as　noiselessly　as　possible；
intending　to　recross　the　river　and　make　for　Cardet。　　But　they　only
avoided　one　trap　to　fall　into　another；　for　in　this　direction　they
were　met　by　the　Hainault　battalion；　which　swooped　down　upon　them。
A　few　of　these　ill…fated　men　rallied　at　the　sound　of　Ravanel's　voice
and　made　an　effort　to　defend　themselves　in　spite　of　the　prevailing
confusion；　but　the　danger　was　so　imminent；　the　foes　so　numerous；　and
their　numbers　decreased　so　rapidly　under　the　fierce　assault；　that
their　example　failed　of　effect；　and　flight　became　general：　every　man
trusted　to　chance　for　guidance；　and；　caring　nothing　for　the　safety　of
others；　thought　only　of　his　own。

Then　it　ceased　to　be　a　battle　and　become　a　massacre；　for　the　royals
were　ten　to　one；　and　among　those　they　encountered；　only　sixty　had
firearms；　the　rest；　since　the　discovery　of　their　various　magazines；
having　been　reduced　to　arm　themselves　with　bad　swords；　pitchforks；
and　bayonets　attached　to　sticks。　　Hardly　a　man　survived　the　fray。
Ravanel　himself　only　succeeded　in　escaping　by　throwing　himself　into
the　river；　where　he　remained　under　water　between　two　rocks　for　seven
hours；　only　coming　to　the　surface　to　breathe。　　When　night　fell　and
the　dragoons　had　retired；　he　also　fled。

This　was　the　last　battle　of　the　war；　which　had　lasted　four　years。
With　Cavalier　and　Roland；　those　two　mountain　giants；　the　power　of　the
rebels　disappeared。　　As　the　news　of　the　defeat　spread；　the　Camisard
chiefs　and　soldiers　becoming　convinced　that　the　Lord　had　hidden　His
face　from　them；　surrendered　one　by　one。　　The　first　to　set　an　example
was　Castanet。　　On　September　6th；　a　week　after　the　defeat　of　Ravanel；
he　surrendered　to　the　marechal。　　On　the　19th；　Catinat　and　his
lieutenant；　Franqois　Souvayre；　tendered　their　submission；　on　the
22nd；　Amet；　Roland's　brother；　came　in；　on　October　4th；　Joanny；　on　the
9th；　Larose；　Valette；　Salomon；　Laforet；　Moulieres；　Salles；　Abraham
and　Marion；　on　the　20th；　Fidele；　and　on　the　25th；　Rochegude。

Each　made　what　terms　he　could；　in　general　the　conditions　were
favourable。　　Most　of　those　who　submitted　received　rewards　of　money；
some　more；　some　less；　the　smallest　amount　given　being　200　livres。
They　all　received　passports；　and　were　ordered　to　leave　the　kingdom；
being　sent；　accompanied　by　an　escort　and　at　the　king's　expense；　to
Geneva。　　The　following　is　the　account　given　by　Marion　of　the
agreement　he　came　to　with　the　Marquis　Lalande；　probably　all　the
others　were　of　the　same　nature。

〃I　was　deputed；〃　he　says；　〃to　treat　with　this　lieutenant…general　in
regard　to　the　surrender　of　my　own　troops　and　those　of　Larose；　and　to
arrange　terms　for　the　inhabitants　of　thirty…five　parishes　who　had
contributed　to　our　support　during　the　war。　　The　result　of　the
negotiations　was　that　all　the　prisoners　from　our　cantons　should　be
set　at　liberty；　and　be　reinstated　in　their　possessions；　along　with
all　the　others。　　The　inhabitants　of　those　parishes　which　had　been
ravaged　by　fire　were　to　be　exempt　from　land…tax　for　three　years；　and
in　no　parish　were　the　inhabitants　to　be　taunted　with　the　past；　nor
molested　on　the　subject　of　religion；　but　were　to　be　free　to　worship
God　in　their　own　houses　according　to　their　consciences。〃

These　agreements　were　fulfilled　with　such　punctuality；　that　Larose
was　permitted　to　open　the　prison　doors　of　St。　Hippolyte　to　forty
prisoners　the　very　day　he　made　submission。

As　we　have　said；　the　Camisards；　according　as　they　came　in；　were　sent
off　to　Geneva。　　D'Aygaliers；　whose　fate　we　have　anticipated；　arrived
there　on　September　23rd；　accompanied　by　Cavalier's　eldest　brother；
Malpach；　Roland's　secretary；　and　thirty…six　Camisards。　　Catinat　and
Castanet　arrived　there　on　the　8th　October；　along　with　twenty…two
other　persons；　while　Larose；　Laforet；　Salomon；　Moulieres；　Salles；
Marion；　and　Fidele　reached　it　under　the　escort　of　forty　dragoons　from
Fimarcon　in　the　month　of　November。

Of　all　the　chiefs　who　had　turned　Languedoc　for　four　years　into　a　vast
arena；　only　Ravanel　remained；　but　he　refused　either　to　surrender　or
to　leave　the　country。　　On　the　8th　October　the　marechal　issued　an
order　declaring　he　had　forfeited　all　right　to　the　favour　of　an
amnesty；　and　offering　a　reward　of　150　Louis　to　whoever　delivered　him
up　living；　and　2400　livres　to　whoever　brought　in　his　dead　body；　while
any　hamlet；　village；　or　town　which　gave　him　refuge　would　be　burnt　to
the　ground　and　the　inhabitants　put　to　the　sword。

The　revolt　seemed　to　be　at　an　end　and　peace　established。　　So　the
marechal　was　recalled　to　court；　and　left　Nimes　on　January　the　6th。
Before　his　departure　he　received　the　States　of　Languedoc；　who
bestowed　on　him　not　only　the　praise　which　was　his　due　for　having
tempered　severity　with　mercy；　but　also　a　purse　of　12；000　livres；
while　a　sum　of　8000　livres　was　presented　to　his　wife。　　But　all　this
was　only　a　prelude　to　the　favours　awaiting　him　at　court。　　On　the　day
he　returned　to　Paris　the　king　decorated　him　with　all　the　royal　orders
and　created　him　a　duke。　　On　the　following　day　he　received　him；　and
thus　addressed　him：　〃Sir；　your　past　services　lead　me　to　expect　much
of　those　you　will　render　me　in　the　future。　　The　affairs　of　my　kingdom
would　be　better　conducted　if　I　had　several　Villars　at　my　disposal。
Having　only　one；　I　must　always　send　him　where　he　is　most　needed。　　It
was　for　that　reason　I　sent　you　to　Languedoc。　　You　have；　while　there；
restored　tranquillity　to　my　subjects；　you　must　now　defend　them
against　their　enemies；　for　I　shall　send　you　to　command　my　army　on　the
Moselle　in　the　next　campaign。〃

The；　Duke　of　Berwick　arrived　at　Montpellier　on　the　1