massacres of the south-第13章

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over　a　small　river　not　far　off；　so　as　to　outflank　the　royal　forces；
which　they　were　to　attack　in　the　rear　as　soon　as　Cavalier　and　Ravanel
should　have　engaged　them　in　front。

M。　de　Vergetot；　on　his　side；　continued　to　advance；　so　that　the
Calvinists　and　the　Catholics　were　soon　face　to　face。　　The　battle
began　on　both　sides　by　a　volley；　but　Cavalier　having　seen　his　cavalry
emerging　from　a　neighbouring　wood；　and　counting　upon　their
assistance；　charged　the　enemy　at　the　double　quick。　　Catinat　judging
by　the　noise　of　the　firing　that　his　presence　was　necessary；　charged
also　at　a　gallop；　falling　on　the　flank　of　the　Catholics。

In　this　charge；　one　of　M。　de　Vergetot's　captains　was　killed　by　a
bullet；　and　the　other　by　a　sabre…cut；　and　the　grenadiers　falling　into
disorder；　first　lost　ground　and　then　fled；　pursued　by　Catinat　and　his
horsemen；　who；　seizing　them　by　the　hair；　despatched　them　with　their
swords。　　Having　tried　in　vain　to　rally　his　men；　M；　de　Vergetot；
surrounded　by　a　few　Irish；　was　forced　in　his　turn　to　fly；　he　was
hotly　pursued；　and　on　the　point　of　being　taken；　when　by　good　luck　he
reached　the　height　of　Gamene；　with　its　walls　of　rock。　　Jumping　off
his　horse；　he　entered　the　narrow　pathway　which　led　to　the　top；　and
entrenched　himself　with　about　a　hundred　men　in　this　natural　fort。
Cavalier　perceiving　that　further　pursuit　would　be　dangerous；　resolved
to　rest　satisfied　with　his　victory；　as　he　knew　by　his　own　experience
that　neither　men　nor　horses　had　eaten　for　eighteen　hours；　he　gave　the
signal　far　retreat；　and　retired　on　Seyne；　where　he　hoped　to　find
provisions。

This　defeat　mortified　the　royal　forces　very　deeply；　and　they　resolved
to　take　their　revenge。　　Having　learnt　by　their　spies　that　on　a
certain　night　in　November　Cavalier　arid　his　band　intended　to　sleep　on
a　mountain　called　Nages；　they　surrounded　the　mountain　during　the
night；　so　that　at　dawn　Cavalier　found　himself　shut　in　on　every　side。
As　he　wished　to　see　with　his　own　eyes　if　the　investment　was　complete；
he　ordered　his　troops　to　fall　into　rank　on　the　top　of　the　mountain；
giving　the　command　to　Ravanel　and　Catinat；　and　with　a　pair　of　pistols
in　his　belt　and　his　carbine　on　his　shoulder；　he　glided　from　bush　to
bush　and　rock　to　rock；　determined；　if　any　weak　spot　existed；　to
discover　it；　but　the　information　he　had　received　was　perfectly
correct；　every　issue　was　guarded。

Cavalier　now　set　off　to　rejoin　his　troops；　passing　through　a　ravine；
but　he　had　hardly　taken　thirty　steps　when　he　found　himself　confronted
by　a　cornet　and　two　dragoons　who　were　lying　in　ambush。　　There　was　no
time　to　run　away；　and　indeed　such　a　thought　never　entered　the　young
commander's　head；　he　walked　straight　up　to　them。　　On　their　side；　the
dragoons　advanced　towards　him；　and　the　cornet　covering　him　with　his
pistol；　called　out；　〃Halt！　you　are　Cavalier；　I　know　you。　　It　is　not
possible　for　you　to　escape；　surrender　at　discretion。〃　　Cavalier's
answer　was　to　blow　out　the　cornet's　brains　with　a　shot　from　his
carbine；　then　throwing　it　behind　him　as　of　no　further　use；　he　drew
his　two　pistols　from　his　belt；　walked　up　to　the　two　dragoons；　shot
them　both　dead；　and　rejoined　his　comrades　unwounded。　　These；　who　had
believed　him　lost；　welcomed　him　with　cheers。

But　Cavalier　had　something　else　to　do　than　to　celebrate　his　return；
mounting　his　horse；　he　put　himself　at　the　head　of　his　men；　and　fell
upon　the　royal　troops　with　such　impetuosity　that　they　gave　way　at　the
first　onset。　　Then　a　strange　incident　occurred。　　About　thirty　women
who　had　come　to　the　camp　with　provisions；　carried　away　by　their
enthusiasm　at　the　sight　of　this　success；　threw　themselves　upon　the
enemy；　fighting　like　men。　　One　young　girl　of　about　seventeen；　Lucrese
Guigon　by　name；　distinguished　herself　amongst　the　others　by　her　great
valour。　　Not　content　with　encouraging　her　brethren　by　the　cry　of　〃The
sword　of　the　Lord　and　of　Gideon！〃　she　tore　sabres　from　the　hands　of
the　dead　dragoons　to　despatch　the　dying。　　Catinat；　followed　by　ten　of
his　men；　pursued　the　flying　troops　as　far　as　the　plain　of　Calvisson。
There　they　were　able　to　rally；　thanks　to　the　advance　of　the　garrison
to　meet　them。

Eighty　dragoons　lay　dead　on　the　field　of　battle；　while　Cavalier　had
only　lost　five　men。

As　we　shall　see；　Cavalier　was　not　only　a　brave　soldier　and　a　skilful
captain；　but　also　a　just　judge。　　A　few　days　after　the　deed　of　arms
which　we　have　just　related；　he　learned　that　a　horrible　murder　had
been　committed　by　four　Camisards；　who　had　then　retired　into　the
forest　of　Bouquet。　　He　sent　a　detachment　of　twenty　men　with　orders　to
arrest　the　murderers　and　bring　them　before　him。　　The　following　are
the　details　of　the　crime　：

The　daughter　of　Baron　Meyrargues；　who　was　not　long　married　to　a
gentleman　named　M。　de　Miraman；　had　set　out　on　the　29th　November　for
Ambroix　to　join　her　husband；　who　was　waiting　for　her　there。　　She　was
encouraged　to　do　this　by　her　coachman；　who　had　often　met　with
Camisards　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　although　a　Catholic；　had　never
received　any　harm　from　them。　　She　occupied　her　own　carriage；　and　was
accompanied　by　a　maid；　a　nurse；　a　footman；　and　the　coachman　who　had
persuaded　her　to　undertake　the　journey。　　Two…thirds　of　the　way
already　lay　safely　behind　them；　when　between　Lussan　and　Vaudras　she
was　stopped　by　four；　men；　who　made　her　get　out　of　her　carriage　and
accompany　them　into　the　neighbouring　forest。　　The　account　of　what
then　happened　is　taken　from　the　deposition　of　the　maid。　　We　copy　it
word　for　word：

〃These　wretches　having　forced　us；〃　says　she；　〃to　walk　into　the　forest
till　we　were　at　some　distance　from　the　high　road；　my　poor　mistress
grew　so　tired　that　she　begged　the　man　who　walked　beside　her　to　allow
her　to　lean　on　his　shoulder。　　He　looking　round　and　seeing　that　they
had　reached　a　lonely　spot；　replied；　'We　need　hardly　go　any　farther；'
and　made　us　sit　dawn　on　a　plot　of　grass　which　was　to　be　the　scene　of
our　martyrdom。　　My　poor　mistress　began　to　plead　with　the　barbarians
in　the　most　touching　manner；　and　so　sweetly　that　she　would　have
softened　the　heart　of　a　demon。　　She　offered　them　her　purse；　her　gold
waistband；　and　a　fine　diamond　which　she　drew　from　her　finger；　but
nothing　could　move　these　tigers；　and　one　of　them　said；　'I　am　going　to
kill　all　the　Catholics　at　once；　and　shall　be　gin　with　you。'　　'What
will　you　gain　by　my　death？'　asked　my　mistress。　　'Spare　my　life。'
'No；　shut　up！'　replied　he。　　　'You　shall　die　by　my　hand。　　Say　your
prayers。'　　My　good　mistress　threw　herself　at　once　on　her　knees　and
prayed　aloud　that　God　would　show　mercy　to　her　and　to　her　murderers；
and　while　she　was　thus　praying　she　received　a　pistol…shot　in　her　left
breast；　and　fell；　a　second　assassin　cut　her　across　the　face　with　his
sword；　and　a　third　dropped　a　large　stone　on　her　head；　while　the
fourth　killed　the　nurse　with　a　shot　from　his　pistol。　　Whether　it　was
that　they　had　no　more　loaded　firearms；　or　that　they　wished　to　save
their　ammunition；　they　were　satisfied　with　only　giving　me　several
bayonet　wounds。　　I　pretended　to　be　dead：　they　thought　it　was　really
the　case；　and　went　away。　　Some　time　after；　seeing　that　everything　had
become　quiet；　and　hearing　no　sound；　I　dragged　myself；　dying　as　I　was；
to　where　my　dear　mistress　lay；　and　called　her。　　As　it　happened；　she
was　not　quite　dead；　and　she　said　in　a　faint　voice；　'Stay　with　me；
Suzon；　till　I　die。'　　She　added；　after　a　short　pause；　for　she　was
hardly　able　to　speak；　'I　die　for　my　religion；　and　I　hope　that　God
will　have　pity　on　me。　　Tell　my　husband　that　I　confide　our　little　one
to　his　care。'　　Having　said　this；　she　turned　her　thoughts　from　the
world；　praying　to　God　in　broken　and　tender　words；　and　drew　her　last
breath　as　the　night　fell。〃

In　obedience　to　Cavalier's　orders；　the　four　criminals　were　taken　and
brought　before　him。　　He　was　then　with　his　troops　near　Saint…Maurice
de　Casevielle；　he　called　a　council　of　war；　and　having　had　the
prisoners　tried　for　their　atrocious　deed；　he　summed　up　the　evidence
in　as　clear　a　manner　as　any　lawyer　could　have　done；　and　called　upon
the　judges　to　pronounce　sentence。　　All　the　judges　agreed　that　the
prisoners　should　be　put　to　death；　but　just　as　the　sentence　was　made
known　one　of　the　assassins　pushed　aside　the　two　men　who　guarded　him；
and　jumping　down　a　rock；　disappeared　in　the　forest　before　any　attempt
could　be　made　to　stop　him。　　The　three　others　were　shot。

The　Catholics　also　condemned　many　to　be　executed；　but　the　trials
conducted　by　then　were　far　from　being　as　remarkable　for　honour　and
justice　as　was　that　which　we　have　just　described。　　We　may　instance
the　trial　of　a　poor　boy　of　fourteen；　the　son　of　a　miller　of
Saint…Christol　who　had　been　broken　the　wheel　just　a　month　before。
For　a　moment　the　judges　hesitated　to　condemn　so　young　a　boy　to　death；
but　a　witness　presented　himself　who　testified　that　the　little　fellow
was　employed　by　the　fanatics　to　strangle　Catholic　children。　　Although
no　one　believed　the　evidence；　yet　it　was　seized…on　as　a　pretext：　the
unfortunate　boy　was　condemned　to　death；　and　hanged　without　mercy　an
hour　later。

A　great　many　people　from　the　parishes　devastated　by　M。　de　Julien　had
taken　refuge　in　Aussilargues；　in　the　parish　of　St。　Andre。　　Driven　by
hunger　and　misery；　they　went　beyond　the　prescribed　limits　in　search
of　means　of　subsistence。　　Planque　hearing　of　this；　in　his　burning
zeal　for　the　Catholic　faith　resolved　not　to　leave　such　a　crime
unpunished。　　He　despatched　a　detachment　of　soldiers　to　arrest　the
culprits：　the　task　was　easy；　for　they　were　all　once　more　inside　the
barrier　and　in　their　beds。　　They　were　seized；　brought　to　St。　Andre's
Church　and　shut　in；　then；　without　trial　of　any　kind；they　were
taken；　five　at　a　time；　and　massacred：　some　were　shot　and　some　cut
down　with　sword　or　axe；　all　were　killed　without　exceptionold　and
young　women　and　children。　　One　of　the　latter；　who　had　received　three
shots　was　still　able　to　raise　his　head　and　cry；　〃Where　is　father？
Why　doesn't　he　come　and　take　me　away。〃

Four　men　and　a　young　girl　who　had　taken　refuge　in　the　town　of
Lasalle；　one　of　the　places　granted　to　the　houseless　villagers　as　an
asylum；　asked　and　received　formal　permission　from　the　captain　of　the
Soissonais　regiment；　by　name　Laplace；　to　go　home　on　important　private
business；　on　condition　that　they　returned　the　same　night。　　They
promised；　and　in　the　intention　of　keeping　this　promise　they　all　met
on　their　way　back　at　a　small　farmhouse。　　Just　as　they　reached　it　a
terrible　storm　came　on。　　The　men　were　for　continuing　their　way　in
spite　of　the　weather；　but　the　young　girl　besought　them　to　wait　till
daylight；　as　she　did　not　dare　to　venture　out　in　the　dark　during　such
a　storm；　and　would　die　of　fright　if　left　alone　at　the　farm。　　The　men；
ashamed　to　desert　their　companion；　who　was　related　to　one　of　them；
yielded　to　her　entreaties　and　remained；　hoping　that　the　storm　would
be　a　sufficient　excuse　for　the　delay。　　As　soon　as　it　was　light；　the
five　resumed　their　journey。　　But　the　news　of　their　crime　had　reached
the　ears　of　Laplace　before　they　got　back。　　They　were　arrested；　and
all　their　excuses　were　of　no　avail。　　Laplace　ordered　the　men　to　be
taken　outside　the　town　and　shot。　　The　young　girl　was　condemned　to　be
hanged；　and　the　sentence　was　to　be　carried　out　that　very　d