massacres of the south-第29章

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Furthermore；　they　had　made　an　estimate　of　what　each　city；　town；　and
village　ought　to　contribute　in　money　or　in　kind　to　theLeague　of　the
Children　of　God；　so　that　they　could　count　on　having　eight　or　ten
thousand　men　ready　to　rise　at　the　first　signal。　　They　had　furthermore
resolved　that　there　should　be　risings　in　several　places　at　the　same
time；　which　places　were　already　chosen；　and　each　of　those　who　were　to
take　part　in　the　movement　knew　his　exact　duty。　　At　Montpellier　a
hundred　of　the　most　determined　amongst　the　disaffected　were　to　set
fire　in　different　quarters　to　the　houses　of　the　Catholics；　killing
all　who　attempted　to　extinguish　the　fires；　and　with　the　help　of　the
Huguenot　inhabitants　were；　to　slaughter　the　garrison；　seize　the
citadel；　and　carry　off　the　Duke　of　Berwick　and　M。　de　Baville。　　The
same　things　were　to　be　done　at　Nimes；　Uzes；　Alais；　Anduze；
Saint…Hippolyte；　and　Sommieres。　　Lastly；　he　said；　this　conspiracy　had
been　going　on　for　more　than　three　months；　and　the　conspirators；　in
order　not　to　be　found　out；　had　only　revealed　their　plans　to　those
whom　they　knew　to　be　ready　to　join　them：　they　had　not　admitted　a
single　woman　to　their　confidence；　or　any　man　whom　it　was　possible　to
suspect。　　Further；　they　had　only　met　at　night　and　a　few　persons　at　a
time；　in　certain　country　houses；　to　which　admittance　was　gained　by
means　of　a　countersign；　the　25th　of　April　was　the　day　fixed　for　the
general　rising　and　the　execution　of　these　projects。〃

As　may　be　seen；　the　danger　was　imminent；　as　there　was　only　six　days'
interval　between　the　revelation　and　the　expected　outburst；　so　the
Genevois　was　consulted；　under　renewed　promises　of　safety　for　himself；
as　to　the　best　means　of　seizing　on　the　principal　chiefs　in　the
shortest　possible　time。　　He　replied　that　he　saw　no　other　way　but　to
accompany　them　himself　to　Nimes；　where　Catinat　and　Ravanel　were　in
hiding；　in　a　house　of　which　he　did　not　know　the　number　and　in　a
street　of　which　he　did　not　know　the　name；　but　which　he　was　sure　of
recognising　when　he　saw　them。　　If　this　advice　were　to　be　of　any
avail；　there　was　no　time　to　be　lost；　for　Ravanel　and　Catinat　were　to
leave　Nimes　on　the　20th　or　the　21st　at　latest；　consequently；　if　they
did　not　set　off　at　once；　the　chiefs　would　no　longer　be　there　when
they　arrived。　　The　advice　seemed　good；　so　the　marechal　and　the
intendant　hastened　to　follow　it：　the　informer　was　sent　to　Nimes
guarded　by　six　archers；　the　conduct　of　the　expedition　was　given　to
Barnier；　the　provost's　lieutenant；　a　man　of　intellect　and　common
sense；　and　in　whom　the　provost　had　full　confidence。　　He　carried
letters　for　the　Marquis　of　Sandricourt。

As　they　arrived　late　on　the　evening　of　the　19th；　the　Genevois　was　at
once　led　up　and　down　the　streets　of　Nimes；　and；　as　he　had　promised；
he　pointed　out　several　houses　in　the　district　of　Sainte…Eugenie。
Sandricourt　at　once　ordered　the　garrison　officers；　as　well　as　those
of　the　municipal　and　Courten　regiments；　to　put　all　their　soldiers
under　arms　and　to　station　them　quietly　throughout　the　town　so　as　to
surround　that　district。　　At　ten　o'clock；　the　Marquis　of　Sandricourt；
having　made　certain　that　his　instructions　had　been　carefully　carried
out；　gave　orders　to　MM。　de　L'Estrade；　Barnier；　Joseph　Martin；　Eusebe；
the　major　of　the　Swiss　regiment；　and　several　other　officers；　along
with　ten　picked　men；　to　repair　to　the　house　of　one　Alison；　a　silk
merchant；　this　house　having　been　specially　pointed　out　by　the
prisoner。　　This　they　did；　but　seeing　the　door　open；　they　had　little
hope　of　finding　the　chiefs　of　a　conspiracy　in　a　place　so　badly
guarded；　nevertheless；　determined　to　obey　their　instructions；　they
glided　softly　into　the　hall。　　In　a　few　moments；　during　which　silence
and　darkness　reigned；　they　heard　people　speaking　rather　loudly　in　an
adjoining　room；　and　by　listening　intently　they　caught　the　following
words：　〃It　is　quite　sure　that　in　less　than　three　weeks　the　king　will
be　no　longer　master　of　Dauphine；　Vivarais；　and　Languedoc。　　I　am　being
sought　for　everywhere；　and　here　I　am　in　Nimes；　with　nothing　to　fear。〃

It　was　now　quite　clear　to　the　listeners　that　close　at　hand　were　some
at　least　of　those　for　whom　they　were　looking。　　They　ran　to　the　door；
which　was　ajar；　and　entered　the　room；　sword　in　hand。　　They　found
Ravanel；　Jonquet；　and　Villas　talking　together；　one　sitting　on　a
table；　another　standing　on　the　hearth；　and　the　third　lolling　on　a
bed。

Jonquet　was　a　young　man　from　Sainte…Chatte；　highly　thought　of　among
the　Camisards。　　He　had　been；　it　may　be　remembered；　one　of　Cavalier's
principal　officers。　　Villas　was　the　son　of　a　doctor　in　Saint…
Hippolyte；　he　was　still　young；　though　he　had　seen　ten　years'　service；
having　been　cornet　in　England　in　the　Galloway　regiment。　　As　to
Ravanel；　he　is　sufficiently　known　to　our　readers　to　make　any　words　of
introduction　unnecessary。

De　l'Estrade　threw　himself　on　the　nearest　of　the　three；　and；　without
using　his　sword；　struck　him　with　his　fist。　　Ravanel　（for　it　was　he）
being　half　stunned；　fell　back　a　step　and　asked　the　reason　of　this
violent　assault；　while　Barnier　exclaimed；　〃Hold　him　fast；　M。　de
1'Estrade；　it　is　Ravanel！〃　　〃Well；　yes；　I　am　Ravanel；〃　said　the
Camisard；〃　but　that　is　no　reason　for　making　so　much　noise。〃　　As　he
said　these　words　he　made　an　attempt　to　reach　his　weapons；　but　de
1'Estrade　and　Barnier　prevented　him　by　throwing　themselves　on　him；
and　succeeded　in　knocking　him　down　after　a　fierce　struggle。　　While；
this　was　going　on；　his　two　companions　were　secured；　and　the　three
were　removed　to　the　fort；　where　their　guard　never　left　them　night　or
day。

The　Marquis　of　Sandricourt　immediately　sent　off　a　courier　to　the　Duke
of　Berwick　and　M。　de　Baville　to　inform　them　of　the　important　capture
he　had　made。　　They　were　so　delighted　at　the　news　that　they　came　next
day　to　Nimes。

They　found　the　town　intensely　excited；　soldiers　with　fixed　bayonets
at　every　street　corner；　all　the　houses　shut　up；　and　the　gates　of　the
town　closed；　and　no　one　allowed　to　leave　without　written　permission
from　Sandricourt。　　On　the　20th；　and　during　the　following　night；　more
than　fifty　persons　were　arrested；　amongst　whom　were　Alison；　the
merchant　in　whose　house　Ravanel；　Villas；　and　Jonquet　were　found；
Delacroix；　Alison's　brother…in…law；　who；　on　hearing　the　noise　of　the
struggle；　had　hidden　on　the　roof　and　was　not　discovered　till　next
day；　Jean　Lauze；　who　was　accused　of　having　prepared　Ravanel's　supper；
Lauze's　mother；　a　widow；　Tourelle；　the　maid…servant；　the　host　of　the
Coupe　d'Or；　and　a　preacher　named　La　Jeunesse。

Great；　however；　as　was　the　joy　felt　by　the　duke；　the　marquis；　and　de
Baville；　it　fell　short　of　full　perfection；　for　the　most　dangerous　man
among　the　rebels　was　still　at　large；　in　spite　of　every　effort；
Catinat's　hiding…place　had　not　till　now　been　discovered。

Accordingly；　the　duke　issued　a　proclamation　offering　a　reward　of　one
hundred　Louis…d'or　to　whoever　would　take　Catinat；　or　cause　him　to　be
taken　prisoner；　and　granting　a　free　pardon　to　anyone　who　had
sheltered　him；　provided　that　he　was　denounced　before　the
house…to…house　visitation　which　was　about　to　be　made　took　place。
After　the　search　began；　the　master　of　the　house　in　which　he　might　be
found　would　be　hung　at　his　own　door；　his　family　thrown　into　prison；
his　goods　confiscated；　his　house　razed　to　the　ground；　without　any
form　of　trial　whatever。

This　proclamation　had　the　effect　expected　by　the　duke：　whether　the
man　in　whose　house　Catinat　was　concealed　grew　frightened　and　asked
him　to　leave；　or　whether　Catinat　thought　his　best　course　would　be　to
try　and　get　away　from　the　town；　instead　of　remaining　shut　up　in　it；
he　dressed　himself　one　morning　in　suitable　clothes；　and　went　to　a
barber's；　who　shaved　him；　cut　his　hair；　and　made　up　his　face　so　as　to
give　him　as　much　the　appearance　of　a　nobleman　as　possible；　and　then
with　wonderful　assurance　he　went　out　into　the　streets；　and　pulling
his　hat　over　his　eyes　and　holding　a　paper　in　his　hand　as　if　reading
it；　he　crossed　the　town　to　the　gate　of　St。　Antoine。　　He　was　almost
through　when　Charreau；　the　captain　of　the　guard；　having　his　attention
directed　to　Catinat　by　a　comrade　to　whom　he　was　talking；　stopped　him；
suspecting　he　was　trying　to　escape。　　Catinat　asked　what　he　wanted
with　him；　and　Charreau　replied　that　if　he　would　enter　the　guard…house
he　would　learn；　as　under　such　circumstances　any　examination　was　to　be
avoided；　Catinat　tried　to　force　his　way　out；　whereupon　he　was　seized
by　Charreau　and　his　brother…officer；　and　Catinat　seeing　that
resistance　would　be　not　only　useless　but　harmful；　allowed　himself　to
be　taken　to　the　guard…room。

He　had　been　there　about　an　hour　without　being　recognised　by　any　of
those　who；　drawn　by　curiosity；　came　to　look　at　him；　when　one　of　the
visitors　in　going　out　said　he　bore　a　strong　resemblance　to　Catinat；
some　children　hearing　these　words；　began　to　shout；　〃Catinat　is　taken！
Catinat　is　taken！　　〃This　cry　drew　a　large　crowd　to　the　guard…house；
among　others　a　man　whose　name　was　Anglejas；　who；　looking　closely　at
the　prisoner；　recognised　him　and　called　him　by　name。

Instantly　the　guard　was　doubled；　and　Catinat　searched：　a　psalm…book
with　a　silver　clasp　and　a　letter　addressed　to　〃M。　Maurel；　called
Catinat；〃　were　found　on　him；　leaving　no　doubt　as　to　his　identity；
while　he　himself；　growing　impatient；　and　desiring　to　end　all　these
investigations；　acknowledged　that　he　was　Catinat　and　no　other。

He　was　at　once　taken　to　the　palace；　where　the　Presidial　Court　was
sitting；　M。　de　Baville　and　the　president　being　occupied　in　trying
Ravanel；　Villas；　and　Jonquet。　　On　hearing　the　news　of　this　important
capture；　the　intendant；　hardly　daring　to　believe　his　ears；　rose　and
went　out　to　meet　the　prisoner；　in　order　to　convince　himself　that　it
was　really　Catinat。

》From　the　Presidial　Court　he　was　brought　before　the　Duke　of　Berwick；
who　addressed　several　questions　to　him；　which　Catinat　answered；　he
then　told　the　duke　he　had　something　of　importance　to　impart　to　him
and　to　him　alone。　　The　duke　was　not　very　anxious　for　a　tete…a…tete
with　Catinat；　however；　having　ordered　his　hands　to　be　securely　bound；
and　telling　Sandricourt　not　to　go　away；　he　consented　to　hear　what　the
prisoner　had　to　say。

Catinat　then；　in　the　presence　of　the　duke　and　Sandricourt；　proposed
that　an　exchange　of　prisoners　should　be　made；　the　Marechal　de
Tallard；　who　was　a　prisoner　of　war　in　England；　being　accepted　in　his
place。　　Catinat　added　that　if　this　offer　was　not　accepted；　the
marechal　would　meet　the　same　treatment　from　the　English　as　might　be
meted　out　to　him；　Catinat；　in　France。　　The　duke；　full　of　the
aristocratic　ideas　to　which　he　was　born；　found　the　proposal　insolent；
and　said；　〃If　that　is　all　you　have　to　propose；　I　can　assure　you　that
your　hours　are　numbered。〃

Thereupon　Catinat　was　promptly　sent　back　to　the　palace；　where　truly
his　trial　did　not　occupy　much　time。　　That　of　the　three　others　was
already　finished；　and　soon　his　was　also　at　an　end；　and　it　only
remained　to　pronounce　sentence　on　all　four。　　Catinat　and　Ravanel；　as
the　most　guilty；　were　condemned　to　be　burnt　at　the　stake。　　Some　of
the　councillors　thought　Catinat　should　have　been　torn　apart　by　four
horses；　but　the　majority　were　for　the　stake；　the　agony　lasting
longer；