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course。　　They　did　not　conceal　from　themselves　that　this　would　be
difficult；　but　as　they　could　command　means　of　corruption　which　were
not　within　the　power　of　d'Aygaliers；　they　did　not　despair　of　success。

They　therefore　sent　for　a　countryman　called　Lacombe；　in　order　to
enlist　him　on　their　side；　for　Cavalier；　when　a　boy；　had　been　his
shepherd　for　two　years；　and　both　had　remained　friends　ever　since：
this　man　undertook　to　try　and　bring　about　a　meeting　between　the　two
gentlemen　and　Cavalieran　enterprise　which　would　have　been　dangerous
for　anyone　else。　　He　promised　first　of　all　to　explain　to　Cavalier　the
offers　of　MM。　de　Baville　and　de　Lalande。

Lacombe　kept　his　word：　he　set　off　the　same　day；　and　two　days　later
appeared　before　Cavalier。　　The　first　feeling　of　the　young　chief　was
astonishment；　the　second　pleasure。　　Lacombe　could　not　have　chosen　a
better　moment　to　speak　of　peace　to　his　former　shepherd。

〃Indeed；〃　says　Cavalier　in　his　Memoirs；　〃the　loss　which　I　had　just
sustained　at　Nages　was　doubly　painful　to　me　because　it　was
irreparable。　　I　had　lost　at　one　blow　not　only　a　great　number　of
weapons；　all　my　ammunition；　and　all　my　money；　but　also　a　body　of　men；
inured　to　danger　and　fatigue；　and　capable　of　any　undertaking；
besides　all　this；　I　had　been　robbed　of　my　storesa　loss　which　made
itself　felt　more　than　all　the　others　put　together；　because　as　long　as
the　secret　of　the　cavern　was　kept；　in　all　our　misfortunes　we　were
never　without　resources；　but　from　the　moment　it　got　into　the
possession　of　our　enemies　we　were　quite　destitute。　　The　country　was
ravaged；　my　friends　had　grown　cold；　their　purses　were　empty；　a
hundred　towns　had　been　sacked　and　burned；　the　prisons　were　full　of
Protestants；　the　fields　were　uncultivated。　　Added　to　all　this；　the
long　promised　help　from　England　had　never　arrived；　and　the　new
marechal　had　appeared　in　the　province　accompanied　by　fresh　troops。〃

Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　his　desperate　position；　Cavalier　listened
to　the　propositions　laid　before　him　by　Lacombe　with　cold　and　haughty
front；　and　his　reply　was　that　he　would　never　lay　down　arms　till　the
Protestants　had　obtained　the　right　to　the　free　exercise　of　their
religion。

Firm　as　was　this　answer；　Lalande　did　not　despair　of　inducing　Cavalier
to　come　to　terms：　he　therefore　wrote　him　a　letter　with　his　own　hand；
asking　him　for　an　interview；　and　pledging　his　word　that　if　they　came
to　no　agreement　Cavalier　should　be　free　to　retire　without　any　harm
being　done　him；　but　he　added　that；　if　he　refused　this　request；　he
should　regard　him　as　an　enemy　to　peace；　and　responsible　for　all　the
blood　which　might　be　shed　in　future。

This　overture；　made　with　a　soldier's　frankness；　had　a　great　effect　on
Cavalier；　and　in　order　that　neither　his　friends　nor　his　enemies
should　have　the　least　excuse　for　blaming　him；　he　resolved　to　show
everyone　that　he　was　eager　to　seize　the　first　chance　of　making　peace
on　advantageous　terms。

He　therefore　replied　to　Lalande；　that　he　would　come　to　the　bridge　of
Avene　on　that　very　day；　the　12th　May；　at　noon；　and　sent　his　letter　by
Catinat；　ordering　him　to　deliver　it　into　the　hands　of　the　Catholic
general　himself。

Catinat　was　worthy　of　his　mission。　　He　was　a　peasant　from　Cayla；
whose　real　name　was　Abdias　Maurel。　　He　had　served　under　Marshal
Catinat　in　Italy；　the　same　who　had　maintained　so　gallant　a　struggle
against　Prince　Eugene。　　When　Maurel　returned　home　he　could　talk　of
nothing　but　his　marshal　and　his　campaigns；　so　that　he　soon　went　among
his　neighbours　by　the　name　of　〃Catinat。〃　　He　was；　as　we　have　seen；
Cavalier's　right　hand；　who　had　placed　him　in　command　of　his　cavalry；
and　who　now　entrusted　him　with　a　still　more　dangerous　post；　that　of
envoy　to　a　man　who　had　often　said　that　he　would　give　2000　livres　to
him　who　would　bring　him　the　head　of　Cavalier；　and　1000　livres　each
for　the　heads　of　his　two　lieutenants。　　Catinat　was　quite　well　aware
of　this　offer　of　Lalande's；　yet　he　appeared　before　the　general
perfectly　cool　and　calm；　only；　either　from　a　feeling　of　propriety　or
of　pride；　he　was　dressed　in　full　uniform。

The　bold　and　haughty　expression　of　the　man　who　presented　Cavalier's
letter　astonished　the　general；　who　asked　him　his　name。

〃I　am　Catinat；〃　he　answered。

〃Catinat！〃　exclaimed　Lalande　in　surprise。

〃Yes；　Catinat；　commander　of　the　cavalry　of　Cavalier。〃

〃What！〃　said　Lalande；　〃are　you　the　Catinat　who　massacred　so　many
people　in　Beaucaire？〃

〃Yes；　I　am。　　I　did　it；　but　it　was　my　duty。〃

〃Well；〃　exclaimed　M。　de　Lalande；　〃you　show　great　hardihood　in　daring
to　appear　before　me。〃

〃I　came；〃　said　Catinat　proudly；　〃trusting　to　your　honour　and　to　the
promise　that　Brother　Cavalier　gave　me　that　nothing　should　happen　to
me。〃

〃He　was　quite　right；〃　returned　Lalande；　taking　the　letter。　　Having
read　it；　he　said；　〃Go　back　to　Cavalier　and　assure　him　that　I　shall　be
at　the　bridge　of　Avene　at　noon；　accompanied　only　by　a　few　officers
and　thirty　dragoons。　　I　expect　to　find　him　there　with　a　similar
number　of　men。〃

〃But；〃　answered　Catinat；　〃it　is　possible　that　Brother　Cavalier　may
not　wish…to　come　with　so　poor　a　following。〃

〃If　so；〃　returned　Lalande；　〃then　tell　him　that　he　may　bring　his　whole
army　if　he　likes；　but　that　I　shall　not　take　a　single　man　with　me　more
than　I　have　said；　as　Cavalier　has　confidence　in　me；　I　have　confidence
in　him。〃

Catinat　reported　Lalande's　answer　to　his　chief　it　was　of　a　kind　that
he　understood　and　liked；　so　leaving　the　rest　of　his　troops　at
Massanes；　he　chose　sixty　men　from　his　infantry；　and　eight　horsemen　as
escort。　　On　coming　in　sight　of　the　bridge；　he　saw　Lalande　approaching
from　the　other　side。　　He　at　once　ordered　his　sixty　men　to　halt；　went
a　few　steps　farther　with　his　eight　horsemen；　and　then　ordered　them　in
their　turn　to　stop；　and　advanced　alone　towards　the　bridge。　　Lalande
had　acted　in　the　same　manner　with　regard　to　his　dragoons　and
officers；　and　now　dismounting；　came　towards　Cavalier。

The　two　met　in　the　middle　of　the　bridge；　and　saluted　with　the
courtesy　of　men　who　had　learned　to　esteem　each　other　on　the　field　of
battle。　　Then　after　a　short　silence；　during　which　they　examined　each
other；　Lalande　spoke。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃the　king　in　his　clemency　desires　to　put　an　end　to
the　war　which　is　going　on　between　his　subjects；　and　which　can　only
result　in　the　ruin　of　his　kingdom。　　As　he　knows　that　this　war　has
been　instigated　and　supported　by　the　enemies　of　France；　he　hopes　to
meet　no　opposition　to　his　wishes　among　those　of　his　subjects　who　were
momentarily　led　astray；　but　to　whom　he　now　offers　pardon。〃

〃Sir；〃　answered　Cavalier；　〃the　war　not　having　been　begun　by　the
Protestants；　they　are　always　ready　for　peacebut　a　real　peace；
without　restriction　or　reserve。　　They　have　no　right；　I　know；　to　lay
down　conditions；　but　I　hope　they　will　be　permitted　to　discuss　those
which　may　be　laid　down　for　them。　　Speak　openly；　sir；　and　let　me　know
what　the　offers　are　that　you　have　been　authorised　to　make　to　us；　that
I　may　judge　if　we　can　accept　them。〃

〃But　how　would　it　be；〃　said　Lalande；　〃if　you　were　mistaken；　and　if
the　king　desired　to　know　what　conditions　you　would　consider
reasonable？〃

〃If　that　is　so；〃　answered　Cavalier；　〃I　will　tell　you　our　conditions
at　once；　in　order　not　to　prolong　the　negotiations；　for　every　minute's
delay；　as　you　know；　costs　someone　his　life　or　fortune。〃

〃Then　tell　me　what　your　conditions　are；〃　returned　Lalande。

〃Well；〃　said　Cavalier；　〃our　demands　are　three　first；　liberty　of
conscience；　secondly；　the　release　of　all　prisoners　who　have　been
condemned　to　imprisonment　or　the　galleys　because　of　their　religion；
and　thirdly；　that　if　we　are　not　granted　liberty　of　conscience　we　may
be　at　least　permitted　to　leave　the　kingdom。〃

〃As　far　as　I　can　judge；〃　replied　Lalande；　〃I　do　not　believe　that　the
king　will　accept　the　first　proposition；　but　it　is　possible　that　he
may　accede　to　the　third。　　In　that　case；　how　many　Protestants　would
you　take　with　you？〃

〃Ten　thousand　of　all　ages　and　both　sexes。〃

〃The　number　is　excessive；　sir。　　I　believe　that　His　Majesty　is　not
disposed　to　go　beyond　three　thousand。〃

〃Then；〃　replied　Cavalier；　〃there　is　nothing　more　to　be　said；　for　I
could　not　accept　passports　for　any　smaller　number；　and　I　could　accept
for　the　ten　thousand　only　on　condition　that　the　king　would　grant　us
three　months　in　which　to　dispose　of　our　possessions　and　withdraw　from
the　country　without　being　molested。　　Should　His　Majesty；　however；　not
be　pleased　to　allow　us　to　leave　the　kingdom；　then　we　beg　that　our
edicts　be　re…enacted　and　our　privileges　restored；　whereupon　we　shall
become　once　more；　what　we　were　formerly；　His　Majesty's　loyal　and
obedient　servants。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Lalande；　〃I　shall　lay　your　conditions　before　M。　le
marechal；　and　if　no　satisfactory　conclusion　can　be　arrived　at；　it
will　be　to　me　a　matter　of　profound　regret。　　And　now；　sir；　will　you
permit

me　to　inspect　more　closely　the　gallant　men　with　whose　help　you　have
done　such　astounding　deeds？〃　　Cavalier　smiled；　for　these　〃gallant
men〃　when　caught　had　been　broken　on　the　wheel；　burnt　at　the　stake；　or
hanged　like　brigands。　　His　sole　answer　was　an　inclination　of　the　head
as　he　turned　and　led　the　way　to　his　little　escort。　　M。　de　Lalande