massacres of the south-第11节

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heretics　that　they　had　not　realised　the　danger　of　the　revolt。　　He
immediately　proceeded　to　inspect　in　person　the　different　points　where
M。　de　Broglie　had　placed　detachments　of　the　Tournon　and　Marsily
regiments。　　It　is　true　that　he　arrived　by　the　light　of　thirty　burning
village　churches。

M。　de　Broglie；　M。　de　Baville；　M。　de　Julien；　and　Captain　Poul　met
together　to　consult　as　to　the　best　means　of　putting　an　end　to　these
disorders。　　It　was　agreed　that　the　royal　troops　should　be　divided
into　two　bodies；　one　under　the　command　of　M。　de　Julien　to　advance　on
Alais；　where　it　was　reported　large　meetings　of　the　rebels　were　taking
place；　and　the　other　under　M。　de　Brogue；　to　march　about　in　the
neighbourhood　of　Nimes。

Consequently；　the　two　chiefs　separated。　　M。　le　Comte　de　Broglie　at
the　head　of　sixty…two　dragoons　and　some　companies　of　foot；　and　having
under　him　Captain　Poul　and　M。　de　Dourville；　set　out　from　Cavayrac　on
the　12th　of　January　at　2　a。　m。；　and　having　searched　without　finding
anything　the　vineyards　of　Nimes　and　La　Garrigue　de　Milhau；　took　the
road　to　the　bridge　of　Lunel。　　There　he　was　informed　that　those　he　was
in　search　of　had　been　seen　at　the　chateau　of　Caudiac　the　day　before；
he　therefore　at　once　set　out　for　the　forest　which　lies　around　it；　not
doubting　to　find　the　fanatics　entrenched　there；　but；　contrary　to　his
expectations；　it　was　vacant。　　He　then　pushed　on　to　Vauvert；　from
Vauvert　to　Beauvoisin；　from　Beauvoisin　to　Generac；　where　he　learned
that　a　troop　of　rebels　had　passed　the　night　there；　and　in　the　morning
had　left　for　Aubore。　　Resolved　to　give　them　no　rest；　M；　de　Broglie
set　out　at　once　for　this　village。

When　half…way　there；　a　member　of　his　staff　thought　he　could
distinguish　a　crowd　of　men　near　a　house　about　half　a　league　distant；
M。　de　Broglie　instantly　ordered　Sieur　de　Gibertin；　Captain　Paul's
lieutenant；　who　was　riding　close　by；　at　the　head　of　his　company；　to
take　eight　dragoons　and　make　a　reconnaissance；　in　order　to　ascertain
who　these　men　were；　while　the　rest　of　the　troops　would　make　a　halt。

This　little　band；　led　by　its　officer；　crossed　a　clearing　in　the　wood；
and　advanced　towards　the　farmhouse；　which　was　called　the　Mas　de
Gafarel；　and　which　now　seemed　deserted。　　But　when　they　were　within
half　a　gun…shot　of　the　wall　the　charge　was　sounded　behind　it；　and　a
band　of　rebels　rushed　towards　them；　while　from　a　neighbouring　house　a
second　troop　emerged；　and　looking　round；　he　perceived　a　third　lying
on　their　faces　in　a　small　wood。　　These　latter　suddenly　stood　up　and
approached　him；　singing　psalms。　　As　it　was　impossible　for　M。　de
Gibertin　to　hold　his　ground　against　so　large　a　force；　he　ordered　two
shots　to　be　fired　as　a　warning　to　de　Brogue　to　advance　to　meet　him；
and　fell　back　on　his　comrades。　　Indeed；　the　rebels　had　only　pursued
him　till　they　had　reached　a　favourable　position；　on　which　they　took
their　stand。

M。　de　Brogue　having　surveyed　the　whole　position　with　the　aid　of　a
telescope；　held　a　council　of　war；　and　it　was　decided　that　an　attack
should　be　made　forthwith。　　They　therefore　advanced　on　the　rebels　in
line：　Captain　Poul　on　the　right；　M。　de　Dourville　on　the　left；　and
Count　Broglie　in　the　centre。

As　they　got　near　they　could　see　that　the　rebels　had　chosen　their
ground　with　an　amount　of　strategical　sagacity　they　had　never　till
then　displayed。　　This　skill　in　making　their　dispositions　was
evidently　due　to　their　having　found　a　new　leader　whom　no　one　knew；
not　even　Captain　Poul；　although　they　could　see　him　at　the　head　of　his
men；　carbine　in　hand。

However；　these　scientific　preparations　did　not　stop　M。　de　Brogue：　he
gave　the　order　to　charge；　and　adding　example　to　precept；　urged　his
horse　to　a　gallop。　　The　rebels　in　the　first　rank　knelt　on　one　knee；
so　that　the　rank　behind　could　take　aim；　and　the　distance　between　the
two　bodies　of　troops　disappeared　rapidly；　thanks　to　the　impetuosity
of　the　dragoons；　but　suddenly；　when　within　thirty　paces　of　the　enemy；
the　royals　found　themselves　on　the　edge　of　a　deep　ravine　which
separated　them　from　the　enemy　like　a　moat。　　Some　were　able　to　check
their　horses　in　time；　but　others；　despite　desperate　efforts；　pressed
upon　by　those　behind；　were　pushed　into　the　ravine；　and　rolled
helplessly　to　the　bottom。　At　the　same　moment　the　order　to　fire　was
given　in　a　sonorous　voice；　there　was　a　rattle　of　musketry；　and
several　dragoons　near　M。　de　Broglie　fell。

〃Forward！〃　cried　Captain　Poul；　〃forward！〃　and　putting　his　horse　at　a
part　of　the　ravine　where　the　sides　were　less　steep；　he　was　soon
struggling　up　the　opposite　side；　followed　by　a　few　dragoons。

〃Death　to　the　son　of　Belial！〃　cried　the　same　voice　which　had　given
the　order　to　fire。　　At　that　moment　a　single　shot　rang　out；　Captain
Poul　threw　up　his　hands；　letting　his　sabre　go；　and　fell　from　his
horse；　which　instead　of　running　away；　touched　his　master　with　its
smoking　nostrils；　then　lifting　its　head；　neighed　long　and　low。　　The
dragoons　retreated。

〃So　perish　all　the　persecutors　of　Israel！〃　cried　the　leader；
brandishing　his　carbine。　　He　then　dashed　down　into　the　ravine；　picked
up　Captain　Poul's　sabre　and　jumped　upon　his　horse。　　The　animal；
faithful　to　its　old　master；　showed　some　signs　of　resistance；　but　soon
felt　by　the　pressure　of　its　rider's　knees　that　it　had　to　do　with　one
whom　it　could　not　readily　unseat。　　Nevertheless；　it　reared　and
bounded；　but　the　horseman　kept　his　seat；　and　as　if　recognising　that
it　had　met　its　match；　the　noble　animal　tossed　its　head；　neighed　once
more；　and　gave　in。　　While　this　was　going　on；　a　party　of　Camisards
＇Name　given　to　the　insurgent　Calvinists　after　the　Revocation　of　the
Edict　of　Nantes。Translator's　Note。＇　and　one　of　the　dragoons　had　got
down　into　the　ravine；　which　had　in　consequence　been　turned　into　a
battlefield；　while　those　who　remained　above　on　either　side　took
advantage　of　their　position　to　fire　down　at　their　enemies。　　M。　de
Dourville；　in　command　of　the　dragoons；　fought　among　the　others　like　a
simple　soldier；　and　received　a　serious　wound　in　the　head；　his　men
beginning　to　lose　ground；　M。　de　Brogue　tried　to　rally　them；　but
without　avail；　and　while　he　was　thus　occupied　his　own　troop　ran　away；
so　seeing　there　was　no　prospect　of　winning　the　battle；　he　and　a　few
valiant　men　who　had　remained　near　him　dashed　forward　to　extricate　M。
Dourville；　who；　taking　advantage　of　the　opening　thus　made；　retreated；
his　wound　bleeding　profusely。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　Camisards
perceiving　at　some　distance　bodies　of　infantry　coming　up　to　reinforce
the　royals；　instead　of　pursuing　their　foes；　contented　themselves　with
keeping　up　a　thick　and　well…directed　musketry…fire　from　the　position
in　which　they　had　won　such　a　quick　and　easy　victory。

As　soon　as　the　royal　forces　were　out　of　reach　of　their　weapons；　the
rebel　chief　knelt　down　and　chanted　the　song　the　Israelites　sang　when；
having　crossed　the　Red　Sea　in　safety；　they　saw　the　army　of　Pharaoh
swallowed　up　in　the　waters；　so　that　although　no　longer　within　reach
of　bullets　the　defeated　troops　were　still　pursued　by　songs　of
victory。　　Their　thanksgivings　ended；　the　Calvinists　withdrew　into　the
forest；　led　by　their　new　chief；　who　had　at　his　first　assay　shown　the
great　extent　of　his　knowledge；　coolness；　and　courage。

This　new　chief；　whose　superiors　were　soon　to　become　his　lieutenants；
was　the　famous　Jean　Cavalier。

Jean　Cavalier　was　then　a　young　man　of　twenty…three；　of　less　than
medium　height；　but　of　great　strength。　　His　face　was　oval；　with
regular　features；　his　eyes　sparkling　and　beautiful；　he　had　long
chestnut　hair　falling　on　his　shoulders；　and　an　expression　of
remarkable　sweetness。　　He　was　born　in　168o　at　Ribaute；　a　village　in
the　diocese　of　Alais；　where　his　father　had　rented　a　small　farm；　which
he　gave　up　when　his　son　was　about　fifteen；　coming　to　live　at　the　farm
of　St。　Andeol；　near　Mende。

Young　Cavalier；　who　was　only　a　peasant　and　the　son　of　a　peasant；
began　life　as　a　shepherd　at　the　Sieur　de　Lacombe's；　a　citizen　of
Vezenobre；　but　as　the　lonely　life　dissatisfied　a　young　man　who　was
eager　for　pleasure；　Jean　gave　it　up；　and　apprenticed　himself　to　a
baker　of　Anduze。

There　he　developed　a　great　love　for　everything　connected　with　the
military；　he　spent　all　his　free　time　watching　the　soldiers　at　their
drill；　and　soon　became　intimate　with　some　of　them；　amongst　others
with　a　fencing…master　who　gave　him　lessons；　and　a　dragoon　who　taught
him　to　ride。

On　a　certain　Sunday；　as　he　was　taking　a　walk　with　his　sweetheart　on
his　arm；　the　young　girl　was　insulted　by　a　dragoon　of　the　Marquis　de
Florae's　regiment。　　Jean　boxed　the　dragoon's　ears；　who　drew　his
sword。　　Cavalier　seized　a　sword　from　one　of　the　bystanders；　but　the
combatants　were　prevented　from　fighting　by　Jean's　friends。　　Hearing
of　the　quarrel；　an　officer　hurried　up：　it　was　the　Marquis　de　Florae
himself；　captain　of　the　regiment　which　bore　his　name；　but　when　he
arrived　on　the　scene　he　found；　not　the　arrogant　peasant　who　had　dared
to　attack　a　soldier　of　the　king；　but　only　the　young　girl；　who　had
fainted；　the　townspeople　having　persuaded　her　lover　to　decamp。

The　young　girl　was　so　beautiful　that　she　was　commonly　called　la　belle
Isabeau；　and　the　Marquis　de　Florac；　instead　of　pursuing　Jean
Cavalier；　occupied　himse