massacres of the south-第23章

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follow　them；　but　Ravanel　turning　towards　them　ordered　them　to　remain
where　they　were。

They　obeyed；　and　thus　Cavalier　could　see　that；　insubordinate　as　they
had　been　towards　him；　they　were　ready　to　obey　another。

Just　at　the　moment　as　he　turned　into　the　narrow　street　where　the
dispute　was　to　be　settled　once　for　all；　Moses　and　Guy　came　up；　and
seizing　the　bridle　of　his　horse　stopped　him；　while　the　Camisards　who
were　on　the　side　of　Cavalier　surrounded　Ravanel　and　forced　him　to
return　to　his　soldiers。　　The　troops　struck　up　a　psalm；　and　resumed
their　march；　while　Cavalier　was　held　back　by　force。

At　last；　however；　the　young　Cevenol　succeeded　in　breaking　away　from
those　who　surrounded　him；　and　as　the　street　by　which　the　Camisards
had　retired　was　blocked；　he　dashed　down　another。　　The　two　prophets
suspecting　his　intention；　hurried　after　the　troops　by　the　most　direct
route；　and　got　up　with　them；　just　as　Cavalier；　who　had　made　the
circuit　of　the　town；　came　galloping　across　the　plain　to　intercept
their　passage。　　The　troops　halted；　and　Ravanel　gave　orders　to　fire。
The　first　rank　raised　their　muskets　and　took　aim；　thus　indicating
that　they　were　ready　to　obey。　　But　it　was　not　a　danger　of　this　kind
that　could　frighten　Cavalier；　he　continued　to　advance。　　Then　Moses
seeing　his　peril；　threw　himself　between　the　Camisards　and　him；
stretching　out　his　arms　and　shouting；　〃Stop！　stop！　misguided　men！
Are　you　going　to　kill　Brother　Cavalier　like　a　highwayman　and　thief？
You　must　pardon　him；　my　brethren！　you　must　pardon　him！　　If　he　has
done　wrong　in　the　past；　he　will　do　better　in　future。〃

Then　those　who　had　taken　aim　at　Cavalier　grounded　their　muskets；　and
Cavalier　changing　menace　for　entreaty；　begged　them　not　to　break　the
promise　that　he　had　made　in　their　name；　whereupon　the　prophets　struck
up　a　psalm；　and　the　rest　of　the　soldiers　joining　in；　his　voice　was
completely　drowned。　　Nevertheless；　Cavalier　did　not　lose　heart；　but
accompanied　them　on　their　march　to　Saint…Esteve；　about　a　league
farther　on；　unable　to　relinquish　all　hope。　　On　reaching　Saint…Esteve
the　singing　ceased　for　a　moment；　and　he　made　another　attempt　to
recall　them　to　obedience。　　Seeing；　however；　that　it　was　all　in　vain；
he　gave　up　hope；　and　％…　calling　out；　〃At　least　defend　yourselves　as
well　as　you　can；　for　the　dragoons　will　soon　be　on　you；〃　he　set　his
horse's　head　towards　the　town。　　Then　turning　to　them　for　the　last
time；　he　said；　〃Brethren；　let　those　who　love　me　follow　me！〃　　He
pronounced　these　words　in　tones　so　full　of　grief　and　affection　that
many　were　shaken　in　their　resolution；　but　Ravanel　and　Moses　seeing
the　effect　he　had　produced；　began　to　shout；　〃The　sword　of　the　Lord！〃
Immediately　all　the　troops　turned　their　back　on　Cavalier　except　about
forty　men　who　had　joined　him　on　his　first　appearance。

Cavalier　went　into　a　house　near　by；　and　wrote　another　letter　to　M。　de
Villars；　in　which　he　told　him　what　had　just　taken　place；　the　efforts
he　had　made　to　win　back　his　troops；　and　the　conditions　they　demanded。
He　ended　by　assuring　him　that　he　would　make　still　further　efforts；
and　promised　the　marechal　that　he　would　keep　him　informed　of
everything　that　went　on。　　He　then　withdrew　to　Cardet；　not　venturing
to　return　to　Calvisson。

Both　Cavalier's　letters　reached　M。　de　Villars　at　the　same　time；　in
the　first　impulse　of　anger　aroused　by　this　unexpected　check；　he
issued　the　following　order：

〃Since　coming　to　this　province　and　taking　over　the　government　by
order　of　the　king；　our　sole　thought　has　been　how　to　put　an　end　to　the
disorders　we　found　existing　here　by　gentle　measures；　and　to　restore
peace　and　to　preserve　the　property　of　those　who　had　taken　no　part　in
the　disturbances。　　To　that　end　we　obtained　His　Majesty's　pardon　for
those　rebels　who　had；　by　the　persuasion　of　their　chiefs；　been　induced
to　lay　down　their　arms；　the　only　condition　exacted　being　that　they
should　throw　themselves　on　the　king's　clemency　and　beg　his　permission
to　expiate　their　crime　by　adventuring　their　lives　in　his　service。
But；　being　informed　that　instead　of　keeping　the　engagements　they　had
made　by　signing　petitions；　by　writing　letters；　and　by　speaking　words
expressing　their　intentions；　some　among　them　have　been　trying　to
delude　the　minds　of　the　people　with　false　hopes　of　full　liberty　for
the　exercise　of　this　so…called　Reformed　religion；　which　there　has
never　been　any　intention　of　granting；　but　which　we　have　always
declared　as　clearly　as　we　could；　to　be　contrary　to　the　will　of　the
king　and　likely　to　bring　about　great　evils　for　which　it　would　be
difficult　to　find　a　remedy；　it　becomes　necessary　to　prevent　those　who
give　belief　to　these　falsehoods　from　expecting　to　escape　from
well…deserved　chastisement。　　We　therefore　declare　hereby　that　all
religious　assemblies　are　expressly　forbidden　under　the　penalties
proclaimed　in　the　edicts　and　ordinances　of　His　Majesty；　and　that
these　will　be　more　strictly　enforced　in　the　future　than　in　the　past。

〃Furthermore；　we　order　all　the　troops　under　our　command　to　break　up
such　assemblies　by　force；　as　having　been　always　illegal；　and　we
desire　to　impress　on　the　new　converts　of　this　province　that　they　are
to　give　their　obedience　where　it　is　due；　and　we　forbid　them　to　give
any　credence　to　the　false　reports　which　the　enemies　of　their　repose
are　spreading　abroad。　　If　they　let　themselves　be　led　astray；　they
will　soon　find　themselves　involved　in　troubles　and　misfortunes；　such
as　the　loss　of　their　lands；　the　ruin　of　their　families；　and　the
desolation　of　their　country；　and　we　shall　take　care　that　the　true
authors　of　these　misfortunes　shall　receive　punishment　proportioned　to
their　crime。

〃　MARECHAL　DE　VILLARS

〃　Given　at　Nimes　the　27th　day　of　May　1704　〃


This　order；　which　put　everything　back　upon　the　footing　on　which　it
had　been　in　the　time　of　M。　de　Montrevel；　had　hardly　been　issued　than
d'Aygaliers；　in　despair　at　seeing　the　result　of　so　much　labour
destroyed　in　one　day；　set　off　for　the　mountains　to　try　and　find
Cavalier。　　He　found　him　at　Cardet；　whither；　as　we　have　said；　he　had
retired　after　the　day　of　Calvisson。　　Despite　the　resolution　which
Cavalier　had　taken　never　to　show　his　face　again　to　the　marechal；　the
baron　repeated　to　him　so　many　times　that　M。　de　Villars　was　thoroughly
convinced　that　what　had　happened　had　not　been　his　fault；　he　having
done　everything　that　he　could　to　prevent　it；　that　the　young　chief
began　to　feel　his　self…confidence　and　courage　returning；　and　hearing
that　the　marachal　had　expressed　himself　as　very　much　pleased　with　his
conduct；　to　which　Vincel　had　borne　high　testimony；　made　up　his　mind
to　return　to　Nimes。　　They　left　Cardet　at　once；　followed　by　the　forty
men　who　had　remained　true　to　Cavalier；　ten　on　horse　and　thirty　on
foot；　and　arrived　on　the　3lst　May　at　Saint…Genies；　whither　M。　de
Villars　had　come　to　meet　them。

The　assurances　of　d'Aygaliers　were　justified。　　The　marechal　received
Cavalier　as　if　he　were　still　the　chief　of　a　powerful　party　and　able
to　negotiate　with　him　on　terms　of　equality。　　At　Cavalier's　request；
in　order　to　prove　to　him　that　he　stood　as　high　in　his　good　opinion　as
ever；　the　marechal　returned　once　more　to　gentle　methods；　and
mitigated　the　severity　of　his　first　proclamation　by　a　second；
granting　an　extension　of　the　amnesty：

〃The　principal　chiefs　of　the　rebels；　with　the　greater　number　of　their
followers；　having　surrendered；　and　having　received　the　king's　pardon；
we　declare　that　we　give　to　all　those　who　have　taken　up　arms　until
next　Thursday；　the　5th　instant　inclusive；　the　opportunity　of
receiving　the　like　pardon；　by　surrendering　to　us　at　Anduze；　or　to　M。
le　Marquis　de　Lalande　at　Alais；　or　to　M。　de　Menon　at　Saint　Hippolyte；
or　to　the　commandants　of　Uzes；　Nimes；　and　Lunel。　　But　the　fifth　day
passed；　we　shall　lay　a　heavy　hand　on　all　rebels；　pillaging　and
burning　all　the　places　which　have　given　them　refuge；　provisions；　or
help　of　any　kind；　and　that　they　may　not　plead　ignorance　of　this
proclamation；　we　order　it　to　be　publicly　read　and　posted　up　in　every
suitable　place。

〃MARECHAL　DE　VILLARS

〃At　Saint…Genies；　the　1st　June　1704〃

The　next　day；　in　order　to　leave　no　doubt　as　to　his　good　intentions；
the　marechal　had　the　gibbets　and　scaffolds　taken　down；　which　until
then　had　been　permanent　erections。

At　the　same　time　all　the　Huguenots　were　ordered　to　make　a　last　effort
to　induce　the　Camisard　chiefs　to　accept　the　conditions　offered　them
by　M。　de　Villars。　　The　towns　of　Alais；　Anduze；　Saint…Jean；　Sauve；
Saint…Hippolyte；　and　Lasalle；　and　the　parishes　of　Cros；　Saint…Roman；
Manoblet；　Saint…Felix；　Lacadiere；　Cesas；　Cambo；　Colognac；　and　Vabre
were　ordered　to　send　deputies　to　Durfort　to　confer　as　to　the　best
means　of　bringing　about　that　peace　which　everyone　desired。　　These
deputies　wrote　at　once　to　M。　de　Villars　to　beg　him　to　send　them　M。
d'Aygaliers；　and　to　M。　d'Aygaliers　to　request　him　to　come。

Both　consented　to　do　as　they　were　asked；　and　M。　d'Aygaliers　arrived
at　Durfort　on　the　3rd　of　June　1704。

The　deputies　having　first　thanked　him　for　the　trouble　which　he　had
taken　to　serve　the　common　cause　during　the　past　year；　resolved　to
divide　their　assembly　into　two　parts；　one　of　which；　was　to　remain
permanently　sitting；　while　the　other　went　to　seek　Roland　and　Ravanel
to　try　and　obtain　a　cessation　of　hostilities。　　The　deputies　charged
with　this　task　were　ordered　to　make　it　quite　clear　to　the　two　chiefs
that　if　they　did　not　accept　the　proposals　made　by　M。　de　Villars；　the
Protestants　in　general　would　take　up　arms　and　hunt　them　down；　and
would　cease　to　supply　them　with　the　means　of　subsistence。

On　hearing　this；　Roland　made　reply　that　the　deputies　were　to　go　back
at　once　to　those　who　sent　them；　and　threatened；　should　they　ever　show
him　their　faces　again；　to　fire　on　them。

This　answer　put　an　end　to　the　assembly；　the　deputies　dispersed；　and
d'Aygaliers　returned　to　the　Marechal　de　Villars　to　make　his　report。

Hardly　had　he　done　this　when　a　letter　from　Roland　arrived；　in　which
the　Camisard　chief　asked　M。　de　Villars　to　grant　him　an　interview；
such　as　he　had　granted　to　Cavalier。　　This　letter　was　addressed　to
d'Aygaliers；　who　immediately　communicated　its　contents　to　the
marechal；　from　whom　he　received　orders　to　set　out　at　once　to　find
Roland　and　to　spare　no　pains　to　bring　him　round。

D'Aygaliers；　who　was　always　indefatigable　when　working　for　his
country；　started　the　same　day；　and　went　to　a　mountain　about
three…quarters　of　a　league　from　Anduze；　where　Roland　awaited　him。
After　a　conference　of　two　hours；　it　was　agreed　that　hostages　should
be　exchanged　and　negotiations　entered　upon。

Consequently；　M。　de　Villars　on　his　side　sent　Roland　M。　de　Montrevel；
an　officer　commanding　a　battalion　of　marines；　and　M。　de　la
Maison…Blanche；　captain　of　the　Froulay　regiment；　while　Roland　in
return　sent　M。　de　Villars　four　of　his　principal　officers　with　the
title　of　plenipotentiaries。

Unskilled　in　diplomacy　as　these　envoys　were；　and　laughable　as　they
appeared　to　contemporary　historians；　they　received　nevertheless　the
marechal's　consent　to　the　following　conditions：

1。　　That　Cavalier　and　Roland　should　each　be　placed　in　charge　of　a
regiment　serving　abroad；　and　that　each　of　them　should　be　allowed　a
minister。

2。　　That　all　the　prisoners　should