massacres of the south-第7章

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barred　the　gate　on　the　inside；　and　hastily　erected　a　barricade　under
an　arch　leading　to　the　apartments　of　the　abbe。　　Just　as　these
preparations　were　complete；　Esprit　Seguier　caught　sight　of　a　heavy
beam　of　wood　lying　in　a　ditch；　this　was　raised　by　a　dozen　men　and
used　as　a　battering…ram　to　force　in　the　gate；　which　soon　showed　a
breach。　　Thus　encouraged；　the　workers；　cheered　by　the　chants　of　their
comrades；　soon　got　the　gate　off　the　hinges；　and　thus　the　outside
court　was　taken。　　The　crowd　then　loudly　demanded　the　release　of　the
prisoners；　using　dire　threats。

The　commanding　officer　sent　to　ask　the　abbe　what　he　was　to　do；　the
abbe　replied　that　he　was　to　fire　on　the　conspirators。　　This　imprudent
order　was　carried　out；　one　of　the　fanatics　was　killed　on　the　spot；
and　two　wounded　men　mingled　their　groans　with　the　songs　and　threats
of　their　comrades。

The　barricade　was　next　attacked；　some　using　axes；　others　darting
their　swords　and　halberts　through　the　crevices　and　killing　those
behind；　as　for　those　who　had　firearms；　they　climbed　on　the　shoulders
of　the　others；　and　having　fired　at　those　below；　saved　themselves　by
tumbling　down　again。　　At　the　head　of　the　besiegers　were　Laporte　and
Esprit　Seguier；　one　of　whom　had　a　father　to　avenge　and　the　other　a
son；　both　of　whom　had　been　done　to　death　by　the　abbe。　　They　were　not
the　only　ones　of　the　party　who　were　fired　by　the　desire　of　vengeance；
twelve　or　fifteen　others　were　in　the　same　position。

The　abbe　in　his　room　listened　to　the　noise　of　the　struggle；　and
finding　matters　growing　serious；　he　gathered　his　household　round　him；
and　making　them　kneel　down；　he　told　them　to　make　their　confession；
that　he　might；　by　giving　them　absolution；　prepare　them　for　appearing
before　God。　　The　sacred　words　had　just　been　pronounced　when　the
rioters　drew　near；　having　carried　the　barricade；　and　driven　the
soldiers　to　take　refuge　in　a　hall　on　the　ground　floor　just　under　the
Arch…priest's　room。

But　suddenly；　the　assault　was　stayed；　some　of　the　men　going　to
surround　the　house；　others　setting　out　on　a　search　for　the　prisoners。
These　were　easily　found；　for　judging　by　what　they　could　hear　that
their　brethren　had　come　to　their　rescue；　they　shouted　as　loudly　as
they　could。

The　unfortunate　creatures　had　already　passed　a　whole　week　with　their
legs　caught　and　pressed　by　the　cleft　beams　which　formed　these
inexpressibly　painful　stocks。　　When　the　unfortunate　victims　were
released；　the　fanatics　screamed　with　rage　at　the　sight　of　their
swollen　bodies　and　half…broken　bones。　　None　of　the　unhappy　people
were　able　to　stand。　　The　attack　on　the　soldiers　was　renewed；　and
these　being　driven　out　of　the　lower　hall；　filled　the　staircase
leading　to　the　abbe's　apartments；　and　offered　such　determine。
resistance　that　their　assailants　were　twice　forced　to　fall　back。
Laporte；　seeing　two　of　his　men　killed　and　five　or　six　wounded；　called
out　loudly；　〃Children　of　God；　lay　down　your　arms：　this　way　of　going
to　work　is　too　slow；　let　us　burn　the　abbey　and　all　in　it。　　To　work！
to　work！　　〃The　advice　was　good；　and　they　all　hastened　to　follow　it：
benches；　chairs；　and　furniture　of　all　sorts　were　heaped　up　in　the
hall；　a　palliasse　thrown　on　the　top；　and　the　pile　fired。　　In　a　moment
the　whole　building　was　ablaze；　and　the　Arch…priest；　yielding　to　the
entreaties　of　his　servants；　fastened　his　sheets　to　the　window…bars；
and　by　their　help　dropped　into　the　garden。　　The　drop　was　so　great
that　he　broke　one　of　his　thigh　bones；　but　dragging　himself　along　on
his　hands　and　one　knee；　he；　with　one　of　his　servants；　reached　a
recess　in　the　wall；　while　another　servant　was　endeavouring　to　escape
through　the　flames；　thus　falling　into　the　hands　of　the　fanatics；　who
carried　him　before　their　captain。　　Then　cries　of　〃The　prophet！　the
prophet！〃　were　heard　on　all　sides。　　Esprit　Seguier；　feeling　that
something　fresh　had　taken　place；　came　forward；　still　holding　in　his
hand　the　blazing　torch　with　which　he　had　set　fire　to　the　pile。

〃Brother；〃　asked　Laporte；　pointing　to　the　prisoner；　〃is　this　man　to
die？〃

Esprit　Seguier　fell　on　his　knees　and　covered　his　face　with　his
mantle；　like　Samuel；　and　sought　the　Lord　in　prayer；　asking　to　know
His　will。

In　a　short　time　he　rose　and　said；　〃This　man　is　not　to　die；　for
inasmuch　as　he　has　showed　mercy　to　our　brethren　we　must　show　mercy　to
him。〃

Whether　this　fact　had　been　miraculously　revealed　to　Seguier；　or
whether　he　had　gained　his　information　from　other　sources；　the　newly
released　prisoners　confirmed　its　truth；　calling　out　that　the　man　had
indeed　treated　them　with　humanity。　　Just　then　a　roar　as　of　a　wild
beast　was　heard：　one　of　the　fanatics；　whose　brother　had　been　put　to
death　by　the　abbe；　had　just　caught　sight　of　him；　the　whole
neighbourhood　being　lit　up　by　the　fire；　he　was　kneeling　in　an　angle
of　the　wall；　to　which　he　had　dragged　himself。

〃Down　with　the　son　of　Belial！〃　shouted　the　crowd；　rushing　towards　the
priest；　who　remained　kneeling　and　motionless　like　a　marble　statue。
His　valet　took　advantage　of　the　confusion　to　escape；　and　got　off
easily；　for　the　sight　of　him　on　whom　the　general　hate　was
concentrated　made　the　Huguenots　forget　everything　else：

Esprit　Seguier　was　the　first　to　reach　the　priest；　and　spreading　his
hands　over　him；　he　commanded　the　others　to　hold　back。　〃God　desireth
not　the　death　of　a　sinner；'〃　said　he；　〃'but　rather　that　he　turn　from
his　wickedness　and　live。'〃

〃No；　no！〃　shouted　a　score　of　voices；　refusing　obedience　for　the　first
time；　perhaps；　to　an　order　from　the　prophet；　〃let　him　die　without
mercy；　as　he　struck　without　pity。　　Death　to　the　son　of　Belial；
death！〃

〃Silence！〃　exclaimed　the　prophet　in　a　terrible　voice；　〃and　listen　to
the　word　of　God　from　my　mouth。　　If　this　man　will　join　us　and　take
upon　him　the　duties　of　a　pastor；　let　us　grant　him　his　life；　that　he
may　henceforward　devote　it　to　the　spread　of　the　true　faith。〃

〃Rather　a　thousand　deaths　than　apostasy！〃　answered　the　priest。

〃Die；　then！〃　cried　Laporte；　stabbing　him；　〃take　that　for　having　burnt
my　father　in　Nimes。〃

And　he　passed　on　the　dagger　to　Esprit　Seguier。

Duchayla　made　neither　sound　nor　gesture：　it　would　have　seemed　as　if
the　dagger　had　been　turned　by　the　priest's　gown　as　by　a　coat　of　mail
were　it　not　that　a　thin　stream　of　blood　appeared。　　Raising　his　eyes
to　heaven；　he　repeated　the　words　of　the　penitential　psalm：　〃Out　of
the　depths　have　I　cried　unto　Thee；　O　Lord！　　Lord；　hear　my　voice！〃

Then　Esprit　Seguier　raised　his　arm　and　struck　in　his　turn；　saying；
〃Take　that　for　my　son；　whom　you　broke　on　the　wheel　at　Montpellier。〃

And　he　passed　on　the　dagger。

But　this　blow　also　was　not　mortal；　only　another　stream　of　blood
appeared；　and　the　abbe　said　in　a　failing　voice；　〃Deliver　me；　O　my
Saviour；　out　of　my　well…merited　sufferings；　and　I　will　acknowledge
their　justice；　far　I　have　been　a　man　of　blood。〃

The　next　who　seized　the　dagger　came　near　and　gave　his　blow；　saying；
〃Take　that　for　my　brother；　whom　you　let　die　in　the　'ceps。'〃

This　time　the　dagger　pierced　the　heart；　and　the　abbe　had　only　time　to
ejaculate；　〃Have　mercy　on　me；　O　God；　according　to　Thy　great　mercy！〃
before　he　fell　back　dead。

But　his　death　did　not　satisfy　the　vengeance　of　those　who　had　not　been
able　to　strike　him　living；　one　by　one　they　drew　near　and　stabbed；
each　invoking　the　shade　of　some　dear　murdered　one　and　pronouncing　the
same　words　of　malediction。

In　all；　the　body　of　the　abbe　received　fifty…two　dagger　thrusts；　of
which　twenty…four　would　have　been　mortal。

Thus　perished；　at　the　age　of　fifty…five；　Messire　Francois　de　Langlade
Duchayla；　prior　of　Laval；　inspector　of　missions　in　Gevaudan；　and
Arch…priest　of　the　Cevennes　and　Mende。

Their　vengeance　thus　accomplished；　the　murderers　felt　that　there　was
no　more　safety　for　them　in　either　city　or　plain；　and　fled　to　the
mountains；　but　in　passing　near　the　residence　of　M。　de　Laveze；　a
Catholic　nobleman　of　the　parish　of　Molezon；　one　of　the　fugitives
recollected　that　he　had　heard　that　a　great　number　of　firearms　was
kept　in　the　house。　　This　seemed　a　lucky　chance；　for　firearms　were
what　the　Huguenots　needed　most　of　all。　　They　therefore　sent　two
envoys　to　M。　de　Laveze　to　ask　him　to　give　them　at；　least　a　share　of
his　weapons；　but　he；　as　a　good　Catholic；　replied　that　it　was　quite
true　that　he　had　indeed　a　store　of　arms；　but　that　they　were　destined
to　the　triumph　and　not　to　the　desecration　of　religion；　and　that　he
would　only　give　them　up　with　his　life。　　With　these　words；　he
dismissed　the　envoys；　barring　his　doors　behind　them。

But　while　this　parley　was　going　on　the　conspirators　had　approached
the　chateau；　and　thus　received　the　valiant　answer　to　their　demands
sooner　than　M。　de　Laveze　had　counted　on。　　Resolving　not　to　leave　him
time　to　take　defensive　measures；　they　dashed　at　the　house；　and　by
standing　on　each　other's　shoulders　reached　the　room　in　which　M。　de
Laveze　and　his　entire　family　had　taken　refuge。　　In　an　instant　the
door　was　forced；　and　the　fanatics；　still　reeking　with　the　life…blood
of　Abbe　Duchayla；　began　again　their　work　of　death。　　No　one　was
spared；　neither　the　master　of　the　house；　nor　his　brother；　nor　his
uncle；　nor　his　sister；　who　knelt　to　the　assassins　in　vain；　even　his
old　mother；　who　was　eighty　years　of　age；　having　from　her　bed　first
witnessed　the　murder　of　all　her　family；　was　at　last　stabbed　to　the
heart；　though　the　butchers　might　have　reflected　that　it　was　hardly
worth　while　thus　to　anticipate　the　arrival　of　Death；　who　according　to
the　laws　of　nature　must　have　been　already　at　hand。

The　massacre　finished；　the　fanatics　spread　over　the　castle；　supplying
themselves　with　arms　and　under…linen；　being　badly　in　need　of　the
latter；　for　when　they　left　their　homes　they　had　expected　soon　to
return；　and　had　taken　nothing　with　them。　　They　also　carried　off　the
copper　kitchen　utensils；　intending　to　turn　them　into　bullets。
Finally；　they　seized　on　a　sum　of　5000　francs；　the　marriage…portion　of
M。　de　Laveze's　sister；　who　was　just　about　to　be　married；　and　thus
laid　the　foundation　of　a　war　fund

The　news　of　these　two　bloody　events　soon　reached　not　only　Nimes　but
all　the　countryside；　and　roused　the　authorities　to　action。　　M。　le
Comte　de　Broglie　crossed　the　Upper　Cevennes；　and　marched　down　to　the
bridge　of　Montvert；　followed　by　several　companies　of　fusiliers。　　From
another　direction　M。　le　Comte　de　Peyre　brought　thirty…two　cavalry　and
three　hundred　and　fifty　infantry；　having　enlisted　them　at　Marvejols；
La　Canourgue；　Chiac；　and　Serverette。　　M。　de　St。　Paul；　Abbe　Duchayla's
brother；　and　the　Marquis　Duchayla；　his　nephew；　brought　eighty
horsemen　from　the　family　estates。　　The　Count　of　Morangiez　rode　in
from　St。　Auban　and　Malzieu　with　two　companies　of　cavalry；　and　the
town　of　Mende　by　order　of　its　bishop　despatched　its　nobles　at　the
head　of　three　companies　of　fifty　men　each。

But　the　mountains　had　swallowed　up　the　fanatics；　and　nothing　was　ever
known　of　their　fate；　except　that　from　time　to　time　a　peasant　would
relate　that　in　crossing　the　Cevennes　he　had　heard　at　dawn　or　dusk；　on
mountain　peak　or　from　valley　depths；　the　sound　going　up　to　heaven　of
songs　of　praise。　　It　was　the　fanatic　assassins　worshipping　God。

Or　occasionally　at　night；　on　the　tops　of　the　lofty　mountains；　fires
shone　forth　which　app