massacres of the south-第10章

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Isabeau；　and　the　Marquis　de　Florac；　instead　of　pursuing　Jean
Cavalier；　occupied　himself　in　reviving　Isabeau。

As　it　was；　however；　a　serious　affair；　and　as　the　entire　regiment　had
sworn　Cavalier's　death；　his　friends　advised　him　to　leave　the　country
for　a　time。　　La　belle　Isabeau；　trembling　for　the　safety　of　her　lover；
joined　her　entreaties　to　those　of　his　friends；　and　Jean　Cavalier
yielded。　　The　young　girl　promised　him　inviolable　fidelity；　and　he；
relying　on　this　promise；　went　to　Geneva。

There　he　made　the　acquaintance　of　a　Protestant　gentleman　called　Du
Serre；　who　having　glass…works　at　the　Mas　Arritas；　quite　near　the　farm
of　St。　Andeol；　had　undertaken　several　times；　at　the　request　of　Jean's
father；　Jerome；　to　convey　money　to　Jean；　for　Du　Serre　went　very　often
to　Geneva；　professedly　on　business　affairs；　but　really　in　the
interests　of　the　Reformed　faith。　　Between　the　outlaw　and　the　apostle
union　was　natural。　　Du　Serre　found　in　Cavalier　a　young　man　of　robust
nature；　active　imagination；　and　irreproachable　courage；　he　confided
to　him　his　hopes　of　converting　all　Languedoc　and　Vivarais。　　Cavalier
felt　himself　drawn　back　there　by　many　ties；　especially　by　patriotism
and　love。　　He　crossed　the　frontier　once　more；　disguised　as　a　servant；
in　the　suite　of　a　Protestant　gentleman；　he　arrived　one　night　at
Anduze；　and　immediately　directed　his　steps　to　the　house　of　Isabeau。

He　was　just　about　to　knock；　although　it　was　one　o'clock　in　the
morning；　when　the　door　was　opened　from　within；　and　a　handsome　young
man　came　out；　who　took　tender　leave　of　a　woman　on　the　threshold。　　The
handsome　young　man　was　the　Marquis　de　Florac；　the　woman　was　Isabeau。
The　promised　wife　of　the　peasant　had　become　the　mistress　of　the
noble。

Our　hero　was　not　the　man　to　suffer　such　an　outrage　quietly。　　He
walked　straight　up　to　the　marquis　and　stood　right　in　his　way。　　The
marquis　tried　to　push　him　aside　with　his　elbow；　but　Jean　Cavalier；
letting　fall　the　cloak　in　which　he　was　wrapped；　drew　his　sword。　　The
marquis　was　brave；　and　did　not　stop　to　inquire　if　he　who　attacked　him
was　his　equal　or　not。　　Sword　answered　sword；　the　blades　crossed；　and
at　the　end　of　a　few　instants　the　marquis　fell；　Jean's　sword　piercing
his　chest。

Cavalier　felt　sure　that　he　was　dead；　for　he　lay　at　his　feet
motionless。　He　knew　he　had　no　time　to　lose；　for　he　had　no　mercy　to
hope　for。　　He　replaced　his　bloody　sword　in　the　scabbard；　and　made　for
the　open　country；　from　the　open　country　he　hurried　into　the
mountains；　and　at　break　of　day　he　was　in　safety。

The　fugitive　remained　the　whole　day　in　an　isolated　farmhouse　whose
inmates　offered　him　hospitality。　　As　he　very　soon　felt　that　he　was　in
the　house　of　a　co…religionist；　he　confided　to　his　host　the
circumstances　in　which　he　found　himself；　and　asked　where　he　could
meet　with　an　organised　band　in　which　he　could　enrol　himself　in　order
to　fight　for　the　propagation　of　the　Reformed　religion。　　The　farmer
mentioned　Generac　as　being　a　place　in　which　he　would　probably　find　a
hundred　or　so　of　the　brethren　gathered　together。　　Cavalier　set　out
the　same　evening　for　this　village；　and　arrived　in　the　middle　of　the
Camisards　at　the　very　moment　when　they　had　just　caught　sight　of　M。　de
Broglie　and　his　troops　in　the　distance。　　The　Calvinists　happening　to
have　no　leader；　Cavalier　with　governing　faculty　which　some　men
possess　by　nature；　placed　himself　at　their　head　and　took　those
measures　for　the　reception　of　the　royal　forces　of　which　we　have　seen
the　result；　so　that　after　the　victory　to　which　his　head　and　arm　had
contributed　so　much　he　was　confirmed　in　the　title　which　he　had
arrogated　to　himself；　by　acclamation。

Such　was　the　famous　Jean　Cavalier　when　the　Royalists　first　learned　of
his　existence；　through　the　repulse　of　their　bravest　troops　and　the
death　of　their　most　intrepid　captain。

The　news　of　this　victory　soon　spread　through　the　Cevennes；　and　fresh
conflagrations　lit　up　the　mountains　in　sign　of　joy。　　The　beacons　were
formed　of　the　chateau　de　la　Bastide；　the　residence　of　the　Marquis　de
Chambonnas；　the　church　of　Samson；　and　the　village　of　Grouppieres；
where　of　eighty　houses　only　seven　were　left　standing。

Thereupon　M。　de　Julien　wrote　to　the　king；　explaining　the　serious　turn
things　had　taken；　and　telling　him　that　it　was　no　longer　a　few
fanatics　wandering　through　the　mountains　and　flying　at　the　sight　of　a
dragoon　whom　they　had　to　put　down；　but　organised　companies　well　led
and　officered；　which　if　united　would　form　an　army　twelve　to　fifteen
hundred　strong。　　The　king　replied　by　sending　M。　le　Comte　de　Montrevel
to　Nimes。　　He　was　the　son　of　the　Marechal　de　Montrevel；　chevalier　of
the　Order　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　major…general；　lieutenant　of　the　king
in　Bresse　and　Charolais；　and　captain　of　a　hundred　men…at…arms。

In　their　struggle　against　shepherds；　keepers；　and　peasants；　M。　de
Brogue；　M。　de　Julien；　and　M。　de　Baville　were　thus　joined　together
with　the　head　of　the　house　of　Beaune；　which　had　already　at　this　epoch
produced　two　cardinals；　three　archbishops；　two　bishops；　a　viceroy　of
Naples；　several　marshals　of　France；　and　many　governors　of　Savoy；
Dauphine；　and　Bresse。

He　was　followed　by　twenty　pieces　of　ordnance；　five　thousand　bullets；
four　thousand　muskets；　and　fifty　thousand　pounds　of　powder；　all　of
which　was　carried　down　the　river　Rhone；　while　six　hundred　of　the
skilful　mountain　marksmen　called　'miquelets'　from　Roussillon　came
down　into　Languedoc。

M。　de　Montrevel　was　the　bearer　of　terrible　orders。　　Louis　XIV　was
determined；　no　matter　what　it　cost；　to　root　out　heresy；　and　set　about
this　work　as　if　his　eternal　salvation　depended　on　it。　　As　soon　as　M。
de　Baville　had　read　these　orders；　he　published　the　following
proclamation：

〃The　king　having　been　informed　that　certain　people　without　religion
bearing　arms　have　been　guilty　of　violence；　burning　down　churches　and
killing　priests；　His　Majesty　hereby　commands　all　his　subjects　to　hunt
these　people　down；　and　that　those　who　are　taken　with　arms　in　their
hands　or　found　amongst　their　bands；　be　punished　with　death　without
any　trial　whatever；　that　their　houses　be　razed　to　the　ground　and
their　goods　confiscated；　and　that　all　buildings　in　which　assemblies
of　these　people　have　been　held；　be　demolished。　　The　king　further
forbids　fathers；　mothers；　brothers；　sisters；　and　other　relations　of
the　fanatics；　or　of　other　rebels；　to　give　them　refuge；　food；　stores；
ammunition；　or　other　assistance　of　any　kind；　under　any　pretext
whatever；　either　directly　or　indirectly；　on　pain　of　being　reputed
accessory　to　the　rebellion；　and　he　commands　the　Sieur　de　Baville　and
whatever　officers　he　may　choose　to　prosecute　such　and　pronounce
sentence　of　death　on　them。　　Furthermore；　His　Majesty　commands　that
all　the　inhabitants　of　Languedoc　who　may　be　absent　at　the　date　of　the
issue　of　this　proclamation；　return　home　within　a　week；　unless　their
absence　be　caused　by　legitimate　business；　in　which　case　they　shall
declare　the　same　to　the　commandant；　the　Sieur　de　Montrevel；　or　to　the
intendant；　the　Sieur　de　Baville；　and　also　to　the　mayors　and　consuls
of　the　places　where　they　may　be；　receiving　from　the　latter
certificates　that　there　is　a　sufficient　reason　for　their　delay；　which
certificates　they　shall　forward　to　the　above…mentioned　commandant　or
intendant。　　And　His　Majesty　furthermore　commands　the　said　commandant
and　intendant　to　admit　no　foreigner　or　inhabitant　of　any　other
province　into　Languedoc　for　commercial　purposes　or　for　any　other
reason　whatsoever；　unless　provided　with　certificates　from　the
commandants　or　intendants　of　the　provinces　whence　they　come；　or　from
the　judges　of　the　royal　courts　in　the　places　whence　they　come；　or
from　the　nearest　place　containing　such　courts。　　Foreigners　must　be
provided　with　passports　from　the　ambassadors　or　ministers　of　the　king
accredited　to　the　countries　to　which　they　belong；　or　from　the
commandants　or　intendants　of　the　provinces；　or　from　the　judges　of　the
royal　courts　of　the　places　in　which　they　may　be　at　the　date　of　this
proclamation。　　Furthermore；　it　is　His　Majesty's　will　that　those　who
are　found　in　the；　aforesaid　province　of　Languedoc　without　such
certificates　be　regarded　as　fanatics　and　rebels；　and　that　they　be
prosecuted　as　such；　and　punished　with　death；　and　that　they　be　brought
for　this　purpose　before　the　aforesaid　Sieur　de　Baville　or　the
officers　whom　he　may　choose。

（Signed）
（Countersigned）

LOUIS　PHILIPPEAU

〃Given　at　Versailles　the　25th　day；　of　the　month　of　February　1703。〃


M。　de　Montrevel　obeyed　this　proclamation　to　the　letter。　　For
instance；　one　daythe　1st　of　April　1703as　he　was　seated　at　dinner
it　was　reported　to　him　that　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　Reformers
were　assembled　in　a　mill　at　Carmes；　outside　Nimes；　singing　psalms。
Although　he　was　told　at　the　same　time　that　the　gathering　was　composed
entirely　of　old　people　and　children；　he　was　none　the　less　furious；
and　rising　from　the　table；　gave　orders　that　the　call　to　horse　should
be　sounded。　　Putting　himself　at　the　head　of　his　dragoons；　he　advanced
on　the　mill；　and　before　the　Huguenots　knew　that　they　were　about　to　be
attacked　they　were　surrounded　on　every　side。　It　was　no　combat　which
ensued；　for　the　Huguenots　were　incapable　of　resistance；　it　was　simply
a　massacre；　a　certain　number　of　the　dragoons　entered　the　mill　sword
in　hand；　stabbing　all　whom　they　could　reach；　whilst　the　rest　of　the
force　stationed　outside　before　the　windows　received　those　who　jumped
out　on　the　points　of　their　swords。　　But　soon　this　butchery　tired　the
butchers；　and　to　get　over　the　business　more　quickly；　the　marshal；　who
was　anxious　to　return　to　his　dinner；　gave　orders　that　the　mill　should
be　set　on　fire。　　This　being　done；　the　dragoons；　the　marshal　still　at
their　head；　no　longer　exerted　themselves　so　violently；　but　were
satisfied　with　pushing　back　into　the　flames　the　few　unfortunates　who；
scorched　and　burnt；　rushed　out；　begging　only　for　a　less　cruel　death。

Only　one　victim　escaped。　　A　beautiful　young　girl　of　sixteen　was　saved
by　the　marshal's　valet：　both　were　taken　and　condemned　to　death；　the
young　girl　was　hanged；　and　the　valet　was　on　the　point　of　being
executed　when　some　Sisters　of　Mercy　from　the　town　threw　themselves　at
the　marshal's　feet　end　begged　for　his　life：　after　long　supplication；
he　granted　their　prayer；　but　he　banished　the　valet　not　only　from　his
service；　but　from　Nimes。

The　very　same　evening　at　supper　word　was　brought　to　the　marshal　that
another　gathering　had　been　discovered　in　a　garden　near　the　still
smoking　mill。　　The　indefatigable　marshal　again　rose　from　table；　and
taking　with　him　his　faithful　dragoons；　surrounded　the　garden；　and
caught　and　shot　on　the　spot　all　those　who　were　assembled　in　it。　　The
next　day　it　turned　out　that　he　had　made　a　mistake：　those　whom　he　had
shot　were　Catholics　who　had　gathered　together　to　rejoice　over　the
execution　of　the　Calvinists。　　It　is　true　that　they　had　assured　the
marshal　that　they　were　Catholics；　but　he　had　refused　to　listen　to
them。　　Let　us；　however；　hasten　to　assure　the　reader　that　this　mistake
caused　no　further　annoyance　to　the　marshal；　except　that　he　received　a
paternal　remonstrance　from　the　Bishop　of　Nimes；　begging　him　in　future
not　to　confound　the　sheep　with　the　wolves。

In　requital　of　these　bloody　deed