massacres of the south-第28章

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Moselle　in　the　next　campaign。〃

The；　Duke　of　Berwick　arrived　at　Montpellier　on　the　17th　March　to
replace　Marechal　Villars。　　His　first　care　was　to　learn　from　M。　de
Baville　the　exact　state　of　affairs。　　M。　de　Baville　told　him　that　they
were　not　at　all　settled　as　they　appeared　to　be　on　the　surface。
In　fact；　England　and　Holland；　desiring　nothing　so　much　as　that　an
intestine　war　should　waste　France；　were　making　unceasing　efforts　to
induce　the　exiles　to　return　home；　promising　that　this　time　they　would
really　support　them　by　lending　arms；　ammunition；　and　men；　and　it　was
said　that　some　were　already　on　their　way　back；　among　the　number
Castanet。

And　indeed　the　late　rebel　chief；　tired　of　inaction；　had　left　Geneva
in　the　end　of　February；　and　arrived　safely　at　Vivarais。　　He　had　held
a　religious　meeting　in　a　cave　near　La　Goree；　and　had　drawn　to　his
side　Valette　of　Vals　and　Boyer　of　Valon。　　Just　as　the　three　had
determined　to　penetrate　into　the　Cevennes；　they　were　denounced　by
some　peasants　before　a　Swiss　officer　named　Muller；　who　was　in　command
of　a　detachment　of　troops　in　the　village　of　Riviere。　　Muller
instantly　mounted　his　horse；　and　guided　by　the　informers　made　his　way
into　the　little　wood　in　which　the　Camisards　had　taken　refuge；　and
fell　upon　them　quite　unexpectedly。　　Boyer　was　killed　in　trying　to
escape；　Castanet　was　taken　and　brought　to　the　nearest　prison；　where
he　was　joined　the　next　day　by　Valette；　who　had　also　been　betrayed　by
some　peasants　whom　he　had　asked　for　assistance。

The　first　punishment　inflicted　on　Castanet　was；　that　he　was　compelled
to　carry　in　his　hand　the　head　of　Boyer　all　the　way　from　La　Goree　to
Montpellier。　　He　protested　vehemently　at　first；　but　in　vain：　it　was
fastened　to　his　wrist　by　the　hair；　whereupon　he　kissed　it　on　both
cheeks；　and　went　through　the　ordeal　as　if　it　were　a　religious　act；
addressing　words　of　prayer　to　the　head　as　he　might　have　done　to　a
relic　of　a　martyr。

Arrived　at　Montpellier；　Castanet　was　examined；　and　at　first　persisted
in　saying　that　he　had　only　returned　from　exile　because　he　had　not　the
wherewithal　to　live　abroad。　　But　when　put　to　the　torture　he　was　made
to　endure　such　agony　that；　despite　his　courage　and　constancy；　he
confessed　that　he　had　formed　a　plan　to　introduce　a　band　of　Huguenot
soldiers　with　their　officers　into　the　Cevennes　by　way　of　Dauphine　or
by　water；　and　while　waiting　for　their　arrival　he　had　sent　on
emissaries　in　advance　to　rouse　the　people　to　revolt；　that　he　himself
had　also　shared　in　this　work；　that　Catinat　was　at　the　moment　in
Languedoc　or　Vivarais　engaged　in　the　same　task；　and　provided　with　a
considerable　sum　of　money　sent　him　by　foreigners　for　distribution；
and　that　several　persons　of　still　greater　importance　would　soon　cross
the　frontier　and　join　him。

Castanet　was　condemned　to　be　broken　on　the　wheel。　　As　he　was　about　to
be　led　to　execution；　Abbe　Tremondy；　the　cure　of　Notre…Dame；　and　Abbe
Plomet；　canon　of　the　cathedral；　came　to　his　cell　to　make　a　last
effort　to　convert　him；　but　he　refused　to　speak。　　They　therefore　went
on　before；　and　awaited　him　on　the　scaffold。　　There　they　appeared　to
inspire　Castanet　with　more　horror　than　the　instruments　of　torture；
and　while　he　addressed　the　executioner　as　〃brother；〃　he　called　out　to
the　priests；　〃Go　away　out　of　my　sight；　imps　from　the　bottomless　pit！
What　are　you　doing　here；　you　accursed　tempters？　　I　will　die　in　the
religion　in　which　I　was　born。　　Leave　me　alone；　ye　hypocrites；　leave
me　alone！〃　　But　the　two　abbes　were　unmoved；　and　Castanet　expired
cursing；　not　the　executioner　but　the　two　priests；　whose　presence
during　his　death…agony　disturbed　his　soul；　turning　it　away　from
things　which　should　have　filled　it。

Valette　was　sentenced　to　be　hanged；　and　was　executed　on　the　same　day
as　Castanet。

In　spite　of　the　admissions　wrung　from　Castanet　in　March；　nearly　a
month　passed　without　any　sign　of　fresh　intrigues　or　any　attempt　at
rebellion。　　But　on　the　17th　of　April；　about　seven　o'clock　in　the
evening；　M。　de　Baville　received　intelligence　that　several　Camisards
had　lately　returned　from　abroad；　and　were　in　hiding　somewhere；　though
their　retreat　was　not　known。　　This　information　was　laid　before　the
Duke　of　Berwick；　and　he　and　M。　de　Baville　ordered　certain　houses　to
be　searched；　whose　owners　were　in　their　opinion　likely　to　have　given
refuge　to　the　malcontents。　　At　midnight　all　the　forces　which　they
could　collect　were　divided　into　twelve　detachments；　composed　of
archers　and　soldiers；　and　at　the　head　of　each　detachment　was　placed　a
man　that　could　be　depended　upon。　　Dumayne；　the　king's　lieutenant；
assigned　to　each　the　districts　they　were　to　search；　and　they　all　set
out　at　once　from　the　town　hall；　at　half…past　twelve；　marching　in
silence；　and　separating　at　signs　from　their　leaders；　so　anxious　were
they　to　make　no　noise。　　At　first　all　their　efforts　were　of　no　avail；
several　houses　being　searched　without　any　result；　but　at　length
Jausserand；　the　diocesan　provost；　having　entered　one　of　the　houses
which　he　and　Villa；　captain　of　the　town　troops；　had　had　assigned　to
them；　they　found　three　men　sleeping　on　mattresses　laid　on　the　floor。
The　provost　roused　them　by　asking　them　who　they　were；　whence　they
came；　and　what　they　were　doing　at　Montpellier；　and　as　they；　still
half　asleep；　did　not　reply　quite　promptly；　he　ordered　them　to　dress
and　follow　him。

These　three　men　were　Flessiere；　Gaillard；　and　Jean…Louis。　　Flessiere
was　a　deserter　from　the　Fimarcon　regiment：　he　it　was　who　knew　most
about　the　plot。　　Gaillard　had　formerly　served　in　the　Hainault
regiment；　and　Jean…Louis；　commonly　called　〃the　Genevois；〃　was　a
deserter　from　the　Courten　regiment。

Flessiere；　who　was　the　leader；　felt　that　it　would　be　a　great　disgrace
to　let　themselves　be　taken　without　resistance；　he　therefore　pretended
to　obey；　but　in　lifting　up　his　clothes；　which　lay　upon　a　trunk；　he
managed　to　secure　two　pistols；　which　he　cocked。　　At　the　noise　made　by
the　hammers　the　provost's　suspicions　were　aroused；　and　throwing
himself　on　Flessiere；　he　seized　him　round　the　waist　from　behind。
Flessiere；　unable　to　turn；　raised　his　arm　and　fired　over　his
shoulder。　　The　shot　missed　the　provost；　merely　burning　a　lock　of　his
hair；　but　slightly　wounded　one　of　his　servants；　who　was　carrying　a
lantern。　　He　then　tried　to　fire　a　second　shot；　but　Jausserand；
seizing　him　by　the　wrist　with　one　hand；　blew　out　his　brains　with　the
other。　　While　Jausserand　and　Flessiere　were　thus　struggling；　Gaillard
threw　himself　on　Villa；　pinning　his　arms　to　his　sides。　　As　he　had　no
weapons；　he　tried　to　push　him　to　the　wall；　in　order　to　stun　him　by
knocking　his　head　against　it；　but　when　the　servant；　being　wounded；
let　the　lantern　fall；　he　took　advantage　of　the　darkness　to　make　a
dash　for　the　door；　letting　go　his　hold　of　his　antagonist。
Unfortunately　for　him；　the　doors；　of　which　there　were　two；　were
guarded；　and　the　guards；　seeing　a　half…naked　man　running　away　at　the
top　of　his　speed；　ran　after　him；　firing　several　shots。　　He　received　a
wound　which；　though　not　dangerous；　impeded　his　flight；　so　that　he　was
boon　overtaken　and　captured。　　They　brought　him　back　a　prisoner　to　the
town　hall；　where　Flessiere's　dead　body　already　lay。

Meanwhile　Jean…Louis　had　had　better　luck。　　While　the　two　struggles　as
related　above　were　going　on；　he　slipped　unnoticed　to　an　open　window
and　got　out　into　the　street。　　He　ran　round　the　corner　of　the　house；
and　disappeared　like　a　shadow　in　the　darkness　before　the　eyes　of　the
guards。　　For　a　long　time　he　wandered　from　street　to　street；　running
down　one　and　up　another；　till　chance　brought　him　near
La　Poissonniere。　　Here　he　perceived　a　beggar　propped　against　a　post
and　fast　asleep；　he　awoke　him；　and　proposed　that　they　should　exchange
clothes。　　As　Jean…Louis'　suit　was　new　and　the　beggar's　in　rags；　the
latter　thought　at　first　it　was　a　joke。　　Soon　perceiving；　however；
that　the　offer　was　made　in　all　seriousness；　he　agreed　to　the
exchange；　and　the　two　separated；　each　delighted　with　his　bargain。
Jean…Louis　approached　one　of　the　gates　of　the　town；　in　order　to　be
able　to　get　out　as　soon　as　it　was　opened；　and　the　begger　hastened　off
in　another　direction；　in　order　to　get　away　from　the　man　who　had　let
him　have　so　good　a　bargain；　before　he　had　time　to　regret　the　exchange
he　had　made。

But　the　night's　adventures　were　far　from　being　over。　　The　beggar　was
taken　a　prisoner；　Jean…Louis'　coat　being　recognised；　and　brought　to
the　town　hall；　where　the　mistake　was　discovered。　　The　Genevois
meantime　got　into　a　dark　street；　and　lost　his　way。　　Seeing　three　men
approach；　one　of　whom　carried　a　lantern；　he　went　towards　the　light；
in　order　to　find　out　where　he　was；　and　saw；　to　his　surprise；　that　one
of　the　men　was　the　servant　whom　Flessiere　had　wounded；　and　who　was
now　going　to　have　his　wound　dressed。　　The　Genevois　tried　to　draw　back
into　the　shade；　but　it　was　too　late：　the　servant　had　recognised　him。
He　then　tried　to　fly；　but　the　wounded　man　soon　overtook　him；　and
although　one　of　his　hands　was　disabled；　he　held　him　fast　with　the
other；　so　that　the　two　men　who　were　with　him　ran　up　and　easily
secured　him。　　He　also　was　brought　to　the　town　hall；　where　he　found
the　Duke　of　Berwick　and　M。　de　Baville；　who　were　awaiting　the　result
of　the　affray。

Hardly　had　the　prisoner　caught　sight　of　them　than；　seeing　himself
already　hanged；　which　was　no　wonder　considering　the　marvellous
celerity　with　which　executions　were　conducted　at　that　epoch；　he　threw
himself　on　his　knees；　confessed　who　he　was；　and　related　for　what
reason　he　had　joined　the　fanatics。　　He　went　on　to　say　that　as　he　had
not　joined　them　of　his　own　free　will；　but　had　been　forced　to　do　so；
he　would；　if　they　would　spare　his　life；　reveal　important　secrets　to
them；　by　means　of　which　they　could　arrest　the　principal　conspirators。

His　offer　was　so　tempting　and　his　life　of　so　little　worth　that　the
duke　and　de　Baville　did　not　long　hesitate；　but　pledged　their　word　to
spare　his　life　if　the　revelations　he　was　about　to　make　proved　to　be
of　real　importance。　　The　bargain　being　concluded；　the　Genevois　made
the　following　statement：

〃That　several　letters　having　arrived　from　foreign　countries
containing　promises　of　men　and　money；　the　discontented　in　the
provinces　had　leagued　together　in　order　to　provoke　a　fresh　rebellion。
By　means　of　these　letters　and　other　documents　which　were　scattered
abroad；　hopes　were　raised　that　M。　de　Miremont；　the　last　Protestant
prince　of　the　house　of　Bourbon；　would　bring　them　reinforcements　five
or　six　thousand　strong。　　These　reinforcements　were　to　come　by　sea　and
make　a　descent　on　Aigues…Mortes　or　Cette；and　two　thousand　Huguenots
were　to　arrive　at　the　same　time　by　way　of　Dauphine　and　join　the
others　as　they　disembarked。

〃That　in　this　hope　Catinat；　Clary；　and　Jonquet　had　left　Geneva　and
returned　to　France；　and　having　joined　Ravanel　had　gone　secretly
through　those　parts　of　the　country　known　to　be　infected　with
fanaticism；　and　made　all　necessary　arrangements；　such　as　amassing
powder　and　lead；　munitions　of　war；　and　stores　of　all　kinds；　as　well
as　enrolling　the　names　of　all　those　who　were　of　age　to　bear　arms。
Furthermore；　they　had　made　an　estimate　of　what　each　city；　town；　and
village　ought　to　contribute　in　money　or　in　kind　to　theLeague　of