massacres of the south-第19节

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For　sole　answer；　one　of　the　officers　fired　and　wounded　the　young
chief's　horse　in　the　head。　　Cavalier　drew　a　pistol　from　his　belt；
took　aim　at　the　officer　and　killed　him；　then　turning　again　to　the
others；　he　asked；　〃Gentlemen；　are　you　as　obstinate　as　your　comrade；
or　do　you　accept　my　offer？　　〃A　second　shot　was　the　reply；　and　a
bullet　grazed　his　shoulder。　　Seeing　that　no　other　answer　was　to　be
hoped　for；　Cavalier　turned　to　his　soldiers。　　〃Do　your　duty；〃　said　he；
and　withdrew；　to　avoid　seeing　the　massacre。　　The　nine　officers　were
shot。

M。　de　La　Jonquiere；　who　had　received　a　slight　wound　in　the　cheek；
abandoned　his　horse　in　order　to　climb　over　a　wall。　　On　the　other　side
he　made　a　dragoon　dismount　and　give　him　his　horse；　on　which　he
crossed　the　river　Gardon；　leaving　behind　him　on　the　battlefield
twenty…five　officers　and　six　hundred　soldiers　killed。　　This　defeat
was　doubly　disastrous　to　the　royal　cause；　depriving　it　of　the　flower
of　its　officers；　almost　all　of　those　who　fell　belonging　to　the
noblest　families　of　France；　and　also　because　the　Camisards　gained
what　they　so　badly　needed；　muskets；　swords；　and　bayonets　in　great
quantities；　as　well　as　eighty　horses；　these　latter　enabling　Cavalier
to　complete　the　organisation　of　a　magnificent　troop　of　cavalry。

The　recall　of　the　Marechal　de　Montrevel　was　the　consequence　of　this
defeat；　and　M。　de　Villars；　as　he　had　anticipated；　was　appointed　in
his　place。　　But　before　giving　up　his　governorship　Montrevel　resolved
to　efface　the　memory　of　the　check　which　his　lieutenant's
foolhardiness　had　caused；　but　for　which；　according　to　the　rules　of
war；　the　general　had　to　pay　the　penalty。　　His　plan　was　by　spreading
false　rumours　and　making　feigned　marches　to　draw　the　Camisards　into　a
trap　in　which　they；　in　their　turn；　would　be　caught。　　This　was　the
less　difficult　to　accomplish　as　their　latest　great　victory　had　made
Cavalier　over　confident　both　in　himself　and　his　men。

In　fact；　since　the　incident　connected　with　the　naval　officers　the
troops　of　Cavalier　had　increased　enormously　in　numbers；　everyone
desiring　to　serve　under　so　brave　a　chief；　so　that　he　had　now　under
him　over　one　thousand　infantry　and　two　hundred　cavalry；　they　were
furnished；　besides；　just　like　regular　troops；　with　a　bugler　for　the
cavalry；　and　eight　drums　and　a　fife　for　the　infantry。

The　marechal　felt　sure　that　his　departure　would　be　the　signal　for
some　expedition　into　the　level　country　under　Cavalier；　so　it　was
given　out　that　he　had　left　for　Montpellier；　and　had　sent　forward　some
of　his　baggage…waggons　to　that　place。　　On　April　15th　he　was　informed
that　Cavalier；　deceived　by　the　false　news；　had　set　out　on　the　16th
April；　intending　to　pass　the　night　at　Caveyrac；　a　small　town　about　a
league　from　Nimes；　that　he　might　be　ready　next　day　to　make　a　descent
on　La　Vannage。　　This　news　was　brought　to　M。　de　Montrevel　by　a　village
priest　called　Verrien；　who　had　in　his　pay　vigilant　and　faithful　spies
in　whom　he　had　every　confidence。

Montrevel　accordingly　ordered　the　commandant　of　Lunel；　M。　de
Grandval；　to　set　out　the　next　day；　very　early　in　the　morning；　with
the　Charolais　regiment　and　five　companies　of　the　Fimarcon　and　Saint…
Sernin　dragoons；　and　to　repair　to　the　heights　of　Boissieres；　where
instructions　would　await　him。　　Sandricourt；　governor　of　Nimes；　was　at
the　same　time　directed　to　withdraw　as　many　men　as　possible　from　the
garrison；　both　Swiss　and　dragoons；　and　send　them　by　night　towards
Saint…Come　and　Clarensac；　lastly；　he　himself　set　out；　as　he　had　said；
but　instead　of　going　on　to　Montpellier；　he　stopped　at　Sommieres；
whence　he　could　observe　the　movements　of　Cavalier。

Cavalier；　as　M。　de　Montrevel　already　knew；　was　to　sleep　on　the　15th
at　Caveyrac。　　On　this　day　Cavalier　reached　the　turning…point　in　his
magnificent　career。　　As　he　entered　the　town　with　his　soldiers；　drums
beating　and　flags　flying；　he　was　at　the　zenith　of　his　power。　　He　rode
the　splendid　horse　M。　de　La　Jonquiere　had　abandoned　in　his　flight；
behind　him；　serving　as　page；　rode　his　young　brother；　aged　ten；
followed　by　four　grooms；　he　was　preceded　by　twelve　guards　dressed　in
red；　and　as　his　colleague　Roland　had　taken　the　title　of　Comte；　he
allowed　himself　to　be　called　Duke　of　the　Cevennes。

At　his　approach　half　of　the　garrison；　which　was　commanded　by　M。　de
Maillan；　took　possession　of　the　church　and　half　of　the　citadel；　but
as　Cavalier　was　more　bent　on　obtaining　food　and　rest　for　his　soldiers
than　of　disturbing　the　town；　he　billeted　his　men　on　the　townspeople；
and　placed　sentinels　at　the　church　and　fortress；　who　exchanged　shots
all　the　night　through　with　the　royal　troops。　　The　next　morning；
having　destroyed　the　fortifications；　he　marched　out　of　the　town
again；　drums　beating　and　flags　flying　as　before。　　When　almost　in
sight　of　Nimes　he　made　his　troops；　which　had　never　before　been　so
numerous　or　so　brilliant；　perform　a　great　many　evolutions；　and　then
continued　his　way　towards　Nages。

M。　de　Montrevel　received　a　report　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　of
the　direction　Cavalier　and　his　troops　had　taken；　and　immediately　left
Sommieres；　followed　by　six　companies　of　Fimarqon　dragoons；　one
hundred　Irish　free…lances；　three　hundred　rank　and　file　of　the
Hainault　regiment；　and　one　company　each　of　the　Soissonnais；
Charolais；　and　Menon　regiments；　forming　in　all　a　corps　over　nine
hundred　strong。　　They　took　the　direction　of　Vaunages；　above
Clarensac；　but　suddenly　hearing　the　rattle　of　musketry　behind　them；
they　wheeled　and　made　for　Langlade。

They　found　that　Grandval　had　already　encountered　the　Camisards。
These　being　fatigued　had　withdrawn　into　a　hollow　between　Boissieres
and　the　windmill　at　Langlade；　in　order　to　rest。　　The　infantry　lay
down；　their　arms　beside　them；　the　cavalry　placed　themselves　at　the
feet　of　their　horses；　the　bridle　on　arm。　　Cavalier　himself；　Cavalier
the　indefatigable；　broken　by　the　fatigues　of　the　preceding　days；　had
fallen　asleep；　with　his　young　brother　watching　beside　him。　　Suddenly
he　felt　himself　shaken　by　the　arm；　and　rousing　up；　he　heard　on　all
sides　cries　of　〃Kill！　　Kill！〃　and　〃To　arms！　　To　arms！〃　　Grandval　and
his　men；　who　had　been　sent　to　find　out　where　the　Camisards　were；　had
suddenly　come　upon　them。

The　infantry　formed；　the　cavalry　sprang　to　their　saddles；　Cavalier
leaped　on　his　horse；　and　drawing　his　sword；　led　his　soldiers　as　usual
against　the　dragoons；　and　these；　as　was　also　usual；　ran　away；　leaving
twelve　of　their　number　dead　on　the　field。　　The　Camisard　cavalry　soon
gave　up　the　pursuit；　as　they　found　themselves　widely　separated　from
the　infantry　and　from　their　leader；　for　Cavalier　had　been　unable　to
keep　up　with　them；　his　horse　having　received　a　bullet　through　its
neck。

Still　they　followed　the　flying　dragoons　for　a　good　hour；　from　time　to
time　a　wounded　dragoon　falling　from　his　horse；　till　at　last　the
Camisard　cavalry　found　itself　confronted　by　the　Charolais　regiment；
drawn　up　in　battle　array；　and　behind　them　the　royal　dragoons；　who　had
taken　refuge　there；　and　were　re…forming。

Carried　on　by　the　rapidity　of　their　course；　the　Camisards　could　not
pull　up　till　they　were　within　a　hundred　yards　of　the　enemy；　they
fired　once；　killing　several；　then　turned　round　and　retreated。

When　a　third　of　the　way；　back　had　been　covered；　they　met　their　chief；
who　had　found　a　fresh　horse　by　the　wayside　standing　beside　its　dead
master。　　He　arrived　at　full　gallop；　as　he　was　anxious　to　unite　his
cavalry　and　infantry　at　once；　as　he　had　seen　the　forces　of　the
marechal　advancing；　who；　as　we　have　already　said；　had　turned　in　the
direction　of　the　firing。　　Hardly　had　Cavalier　effected　the　desired
junction　of　his　forces　than　he　perceived　that　his　retreat　was　cut
off。　　He　had　the　royal　troops　both　before　and　behind　him。

The　young　chief　saw　that　a　desperate　dash　to　right　or　left　was　all
that　remained　to　him；　and　not　knowing　this　country　as　well　as　the
Cevennes；　he　asked　a　peasant　the　way　from　Soudorgues　to　Nages；　that
being　the　only　one　by　which　he　could　escape。　　There　was　no　time　to
inquire　whether　the　peasant　was　Catholic　or　Protestant；　he　could　only
trust　to　chance；　and　follow　the　road　indicated。　　But　a　few　yards　from
the　spot　where　the　road　from　5oudorgues　to　Nages　joins　the　road　to
Nimes　he　found　himself　in　face　of　Marechal　Montrevel's　troops　under
the　command　of　Menon。　　However；　as　they　hardly　outnumbered　the
Camisards；　these　did　not　stop　to　look　for　another　route；　but　bending
forward　in　their　saddles；　they　dashed　through　the　lines　at　full
gallop；　taking　the　direction　of　Nages；　hoping　to　reach　the　plain
round　Calvisson。　　But　the　village；　the　approaches；　the　issues　were
all　occupied　by　royal　troops；　and　at　the　same　time　Grandval　and　the
marechal　joined　forces；　while　Menon　collected　his　men　together　and
pushed　forward。　　Cavalier　was　completely　surrounded：　he　gave　the
situation　a　comprehensive　glancehis　foes；　were　five　to　one。

Rising　in　his　stirrups；　so　that　he　could　see　over　every　head；
Cavalier　shouted　so　loud　that　not　only　his　own　men　heard　but　also
those　of　the　enemy：。　　〃My　children；　if　our　hearts　fail　us　now；　we
shall　be　taken　and　broken　on　the　wheel。　　There　is　only　one…means　of
safety：　we　must　cut　our　way　at　full　gallop　through　these　people。
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