massacres of the south-第20节

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safety：　we　must　cut　our　way　at　full　gallop　through　these　people。
Follow　me；　and　keep　close　order！〃

So　speaking；　he　dashed　on　the　nearest　group；　followed　by　all　his　men；
who　formed　a　compact　mass；　round　which　the　three　corps　of　royal
troops　closed。　　Then　there　was　everywhere　a　hand…to…hand　battle　there
was　no　time　to　load　and　fire；　swords　flashed　and　fell；　bayonets
stabbed；　the　royals　and　the　Camisards　took　each　other　by　the　throat
and　hair。　　For　an　hour　this　demoniac　fight　lasted；　during　which
Cavalier　lost　five　hundred　men　and　slew　a　thousand　of　the　enemy。　　At
last　he　won　through；　followed　by　about　two　hundred　of　his　troops；　and
drew　a　long　breath；　but　finding　himself　in　the　centre　of　a　large
circle　of　soldiers；　he　made　for　a　bridge；　where　alone　it　seemed
possible　to　break　through；　it　being　only　guarded　by　a　hundred
dragoons。

He　divided　his　men　into　two　divisions；　one　to　force　the　bridge；　the
other　to　cover　the　retreat。　　Then　he　faced　his　foes　like　a　wild　boar
driven　to　bay。

Suddenly　loud　shouts　behind　him　announced　that　the　bridge　was　forced；
but　the　Camisards；　instead　of　keeping　the　passage　open　for　their
leader；　scattered　over　the　plain　and　sought　safety　in　flight。　　But
a　child　threw　himself　before　them；　pistol　in　hand。　　It　was　Cavalier's
young　brother；　mounted　on　one　of　the　small　wild　horses　of　Camargues
of　that　Arab　breed　which　was　introduced　into　Languedoc　by　the　Moors
from　Spain。　　Carrying　a　sword　and　carbine　proportioned　to　his　size；
the　boy　addressed　the　flying　men。　　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　he　cried；
〃Instead　of　running　away　like　cowards；　line　the　river　banks　and
oppose　the　enemy　to　facilitate　my　brother's　escape。〃　　Ashamed　of
having　deserved　such　reproaches；　the　Camisards　stopped；　rallied；
lined　the　banks　of　the　river；　and　by　keeping　up　a　steady　fire；
covered　Cavalier's　retreat；　who　crossed　without　having　received　a
single　wound；　though　his　horse　was　riddled　with　bullets　and　he　had
been　forced　to　change　his　sword　three　times。

Still　the　combat　raged；　but　gradually　Cavalier　managed　to　retreat：　a
plain　cut　by　trenches；　the　falling　darkness；　a　wood　which　afforded
cover；　all　combined　to　help　him　at　last。　　Still　his　rearguard；
harassed　by　the　enemy；　dotted　the　ground　it　passed　over　with　its
dead；　until　at　last　both　victors　and　vanquished　were　swallowed　up　by
night。　　The　fight　had　lasted　ten　hours；　Cavalier　had　lost　more　than
five　hundred　men；　and　the　royals　about　a　thousand。

〃Cavalier；〃　says　M。　de　Villars；　in　his　Memoirs；　〃acted　on　this　day　in
a　way　which　astonished　everyone。　　For　who　could　help　being　astonished
to　see　a　nobody；　inexperienced　in　the　art　of　warfare；　bear　himself　in
such　difficult　and　trying　circumstances　like　some　great　general？　　At
one　period　of　the　day　he　was　followed　everywhere　by　a　dragoon；
Cavalier　shot　at　him　and　killed　his　horse。　　The　dragoon　returned　the
shot；　but　missed。　　Cavalier　had　two　horses　killed　under　him；　the
first　time　he　caught　a　dragoon's　horse；　the　second　time　he　made　one
of　his　own　men　dismount　and　go　on　foot。〃

M。　de　Montrevel　also　showed　himself　to　be　a　gallant　soldier；　wherever
there　was　danger　there　was　he；　encouraging　officers　and　soldiers　by
his　example：　one　Irish　captain　was　killed　at　his　side；　another
fatally　wounded；　and　a　third　slightly　hurt。　　Grandval；　on　his　part；
had　performed　miracles：　his　horse　was　shot　under　him；　and　M。　de
Montrevel　replaced　it　by　one　of　great　value；　on　which　he　joined　in
the　pursuit　of　the　Camisards。　　After　this　affair　M；　de　Montrevel　gave
up　his　place　to　M。　de　Villars；　leaving　word　for　Cavalier　that　it　was
thus　he　took　leave　of　his　friends。

Although　Cavalier　came　out　of　this　battle　with　honour；　compelling
even　his　enemies　to　regard　him　as　a　man　worthy　of　their　steel；　it　had
nevertheless　destroyed　the　best　part　of　his　hopes。　　He　made　a
halt…near　Pierredon　to　gather　together　the　remnant　of　his　troops；　and
truly　it　was　but　a　remnant　which　remained。　　Of　those　who　came　back
the　greater　number　were　without　weapons；　for　they　had　thrown　them
away　in　their　flight。　　Many　were　incapacitated　for　service　by　their
wounds；　and　lastly；　the　cavalry　could　hardly　be　said　to　exist　any
longer；　as　the　few　men　who　survived　had　been　obliged　to　abandon　their
horses；　in　order　to　get　across　the　high　ditches　which　were　their　only
cover　from　the　dragoons　during　the　flight。

Meantime　the　royalists　were　very　active；　and　Cavalier　felt　that　it
would　be　imprudent　to　remain　long　at　Pierredon；　so　setting　out　during
the　night；　and　crossing　the　Gardon；　he　buried　himself　in　the　forest
of　Hieuzet；　whither　he　hoped　his　enemies　would　not　venture　to　follow
him。　　And　in　fact　the　first　two　days　were　quiet；　and　his　troops
benefited　greatly　by　the　rest；　especially　as　they　were　able　to　draw
stores　of　all　kindswheat；　hay；　arms；　and　ammunitionfrom　an
immense　cave　which　the　Camisards　had　used　for　a　long　time　as　a
magazine　and　arsenal。　　Cavalier　now　also　employed　it　as　a　hospital；
and　had　the　wounded　carried　there；　that　their　wounds　might　receive
attention。

Unfortunately；　Cavalier　was　soon　obliged　to　quit　the　forest；　in　spite
of　his　hopes　of　being　left　in　peace；　for　one　day　on　his　way　back　from
a　visit　to　the　wounded　in　the　cave；　whose　existence　was　a　secret；　he
came　across　a　hundred　miquelets　who　had　penetrated　thus　far；　and　who
would　have　taken　him　prisoner　if　he　had　not；　with　his；　accustomed
presence　of　mind　and　courage；　sprung　from　a　rock　twenty　feet　high。
The　miquelets　fired　at　him；　but　no　bullet　reached　him。　　Cavalier
rejoined　his　troops；　but　fearing　to　attract　the　rest　of　the　royalists
to　the　place；retreated　to　some　distance　from　the　cave；　as　it　was　of
the　utmost　importance　that　it　should　not　be　discovered；　since　it
contained　all　his　resources。

Cavalier　had　now　reached　one　of　those　moments　when　Fortune；　tired　of
conferring　favours；　turns　her　back　on　the　favourite。　　The　royalists
had　often　noticed　an　old　woman　from　the　village　of　Hieuzet　going
towards　the　forest；　sometimes　carrying　a　basket　in　her　hand；
sometimes　with　a　hamper　on　her　head；　and　it　occurred　to　them　that　she
was　supplying　the　hidden　Camisards　with　provisions。　　She　was　arrested
and　brought　before　General　Lalande；　who　began　his　examination　by
threatening　that　he　would　have　her　hanged　if　she　did　not　at　once
declare　the　object　of　her　frequent　journeys　to　the　forest　without
reserve。　　At　first　she　made　use　of　all　kinds　of　pretexts；　which　only
strengthened　the　suspicions　of　Lalande；　who；　ceasing　his　questions；
ordered　her　to　be　taken　to　the　gallows　and　hanged。　　The　old　woman
walked　to　the　place　of　execution　with　such　a　firm　step　that　the
general　began　to　think　he　would　get　no　information　from　her；　but　at
the　foot　of　the　ladder　her　courage　failed。　　She　asked　to　be　taken
back　before　the　general；　and　having　been　promised　her　life；　she
revealed　everything。

M。　de　Lalande　put　himself　at　once　at　the　head　of　a　strong　detachment
of　miquelets；　and　forced　the　woman　to　walk　before　them　till　they
reached　the　cavern；　which　they　never　would　have　discovered　without　a
guide；　so　cleverly　was　the　entrance　hidden　by　rocks　and　brushwood。
On　entering；　the　first　thing　that　met　their　eye　was　the　wounded；
about　thirty　in　number。　　The　miquelets　threw　themselves　upon　them　and
slaughtered　them。　　This　deed　accomplished；　they　went　farther　into　the
cave；　which　to　their　great　surprise　contained　a　thousand　things　they
never　expected　to　find　thereheaps　of　grain；　sacks　of　flour；　barrels
of　wine；　casks　of　brandy；　quantities　of　chestnuts　and　potatoes；　and
besides　all　this；　chests　containing　ointments；　drugs　and　lint；　and
lastly　a　complete　arsenal　of　muskets；　swords；　and　bayonets；　a
quantity　of　powder　ready…made；　and　sulphur；　saltpetre；　and
charcoal…in　short；　everything　necessary　for　the　manufacture　of　more；
down　to　small　mills　to　be　turned　by　hand。　　Lalande　kept　his　word：　the
life　of　an　old　woman　was　not　too　much　to　give　in　return　for　such　a
treasure。

Meantime　M。　de　Villars；　as　he　had　promised；　took　up　Baron　d'Aygaliers
in　passing　through　Lyons；　so　that　during　the　rest　of　the　journey　the
peacemaker　had　plenty　of　time　to　expatiate　on　his　plans。　　As　M。　de
Villars　was　a　man　of　tact　and　a　lover　of　justice；　and　desired　above
all　things　to　bring　a　right　spirit　to　bear　on　the　performance　of　the
duties　of　his　new　office；　in　which　his　two　predecessors　had　failed；
he　promised　the　baron　〃to　keep；〃　as　he　expressed　himself；　his　〃two
ears　open〃　and　listen　to　both　sides；　and　as　a　first　proof　of
impartialityhe　refused　to　give　any　opinion　until　he　had　heard　M；　de
Julien；　who　was　coming　to　meet　him　at　Tournon。

When　they　arrived　at　Tournon；　M。　de　Julien　was　there　to　receive　them；
and　had　a　very　different　story　to　tell　from　that　which　M。　de　Villars
had　heard　from　d'Aygaliers。　　According　to　him；　the　only　pacific
ration　possible　was　the　complete　extermination　of　the　Camisards。　　He
felt　himself　very　hardly　treated　in　that　he　had　been　allowed　to
destroy　only　four　hundred　villages　and　hamlets　in　the　Upper　Cevennes；
assuring　de　Villars　with　the　confidence　of　a　man　who　had　studied
the　matter　profoundly；　that　they　should　all　have　been　demolished
without　exception；　and　all　the　peasants　killed　to　the　last　man。

So　it　came　to　pass　that　M。　de　Villars　arr