massacres of the south-第31节

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from　M。　d'Aygaliers；　who　had　come　again　to　Paris；　in　the　hope　of
obtaining　more　from　the　king　than　M。　de　Villars　could　or　would　grant。

Cavalier；　without　telling　his　comrades　of　the　strange　manner　in　which
the　king　had　received　him；　gave　them　to　understand　that　he　was
beginning　to　fear　that　not　only　would　the　promises　they　had　received
be　broken；　but　that　some　strange　trick　would　be　played　upon　them。

Thereupon　these　men；　whose　chief　and　oracle　he　had　been　for　so　long；
asked　him　what　they　ought　to　do；　Cavalier　replied　that　if　they　would
follow　him；　their　best　course　and　his　would　be　to　take　the　first
opportunity　of　gaining　the　frontier　and　leaving　the　country。　　They
all　declared　themselves　ready　to　follow　him　anywhere。　　This　caused
Cavalier　a　new　pang　of　regret；　for　he　could　not　help　recollecting
that　he　had　once　had　under　his　command　fifteen　hundred　men　like
these。

The　next　day　Cavalier　and　his　comrades　set　out　on　their　march　without
knowing　whither　they　were　being　taken；　not　having　been　able　to　obtain
any　information　as　to　their　destination　from　their　escorta　silence
which　confirmed　them　in　their　resolution。　　As　soon；　therefore；　as
they　reached　Onnan；　Cavalier　declared　that　he　considered　that　the
looked…for　opportunity　had　arrived；　asking　them　if　they　were　still　in
the　same　mind：　they　returned　that　they　would　do　whatever　he　advised。
Cavalier　then　ordered　them　to　hold　themselves　in　readiness；　Daniel
offered　up　a　prayer；　and　the　prayer　ended；　the　whole　company　deserted
in　a　body；　and；　crossing　Mont　Belliard；　entered　Porentruy；　and　took
the　road　to　Lausanne。

Meantime　d'Aygaliers；　in　his　turn；　arrived　at　Versailles；　with
letters　from　M。　de　Villars　for　the　Duke　of　Beauvilliers；　president　of
the　king's　council；　and　for　Chamillard。　　The　evening　of　his　arrival
he　delivered　these　letters　to　those　to　whom　they　were　addressed；　and
both　gentlemen　promised　to　present　him　to　the　king。

Four　days　later；　Chamillard　sent　word　to　d'Aygaliers　that　he　was　to
be　next　day　at　the　door　of　the　king's　chamber　at　the　time　when　the
council　entered。　　D'Aygaliers　was　punctual；　the　king　appeared　at　the
usual　hour；　and　as　he　paused　before　d'Aygaliers；　Chamillard　came
forward　and　said

Baron　d'Aygaliers；　sire。〃

〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you；　sir；〃　said　the　king；　〃for　I　am　very　much
pleased　with　the　zeal　you　have　displayed　in　Languedoc　in　my　service
very　much　pleased　indeed。〃

〃Sire；〃　answered　d'Aygaliers；　〃I　consider　myself　most　unfortunate　in
that　I　have　been　able　to　accomplish　nothing　deserving　of　the　gracious
words　which　your　Majesty　deigns　to　address　me；　and　I　pray　God　of　His
grace　to　grant　me　in　the　future　an　opportunity　of　proving　my　zeal　and
loyalty　in　your　Majesty's　service　more　clearly　than　hitherto。〃

〃Never　mind；　never　mind；〃　said　the　king。　　〃I　repeat；　sir；　that　I　am
very　much　pleased　with　what　you　have　done。〃

And　he　entered　the　room　where　the　council　was　waiting。

D'Aygaliers　went　away　only　half　satisfied：　he　had　not　come　so　far
only　to　receive　commendation　from　the　king；　but　in　the　hope　of
obtaining　some　concession　for　his　brethren；　but　with　Louis　XIV　it　was
impossible　either　to　intercede　or　complain；　one　could　only　wait。

The　same　evening　Chamillard　sent　for　the　baron；　and　told　him　that　as
Marechal　Villars　had　mentioned　in　his　letter　that　the　Camisards　had
great　confidence　in　him；　d'Aygaliers；　he　wished　to　ask　him　if　he　were
willing　to　go　once　more　to　them　and　try　and　bring　them　back　to　the
path　of　duty。

〃Certainly　I　am　willing；　but　I　fear　things　have　now　got　so　far　that
there　will　be　great　difficulty　in　calming　the　general　perturbation　of
mind。〃

〃But　what　can　these　people　want？〃　asked　Chamillard；　as　if　he　had　just
heard　them　spoken　of　for　the　first　time；　〃and　by　what　means　can　we
pacify　them？〃

〃In　my　opinion；〃　said　the　baron；　〃the　king　should　allow　to　all　his
subjects　the　free　exercise　of　their　religion。〃

〃What！　legalise　once　more　the　exercise　of　the　so…called　Reformed
religion！〃　exclaimed　the　minister。　　〃Be　sure　you　never　mention　such　a
thing　again。　　The　king　would　rather　see　his　kingdom　destroyed　than
consent　to　such　a　measure。〃

〃Monseigneur；〃　replied　the　baron；　〃if　that　is　the　case；　then　I　must
say　with　great　regret　that　I　know　of　no　other　way　to　calm　the
discontent　which　will　ultimately　result　in　the　ruin　of　one　of　the
fairest　provinces　in　France。〃

〃But　that　is　unheard…of　obstinacy；〃　said　the　minister；　lost　in
astonishment；　〃these　people　will　destroy　themselves；　and　drag　their
country　down　with　them。　　If　they　cannot　conform　to　our　religion；　why
do　they　not　worship　God　in　their　own　way　at　home？　　No　one　will
disturb　them　as　long　as　they　don't　insist　on　public　worship。〃

〃At　first　that　was　all　they　wanted；　monseigneur；　and　I　am　convinced
that　if　people　had　not　been　dragged　to　confession　and　communion　by
force；　it　would　have　been　easy　to　keep　them　in　that　submissive　frame
of　mind　from　which　they　were　only　driven　by　despair；　but　at　present
they　say　that　it　is　not　enough　to　pray　at　home；　they　want　to　be
married；　to　have　their　children　baptised　and　instructed；　and　to　die
and　be　buried　according　to　the　ordinances　of　their　own　faith。〃

〃Where　may　you　have　seen　anyone　who　was　ever　made　to　communicate　by
force？〃　asked　Chamillard。

D'Aygaliers　looked　at　the　minister　in　surprise；　thinking　he　spoke　in
joke；　but　seeing　he　was　quite　serious；　he　answered：

〃Alas；　monseigneur；　my　late　father　and　my　mother；　who　is　still
living；　are　both　instances　of　people　subjected　to　this　indignity。〃

〃Are　you；　then；　not　a　Catholic？〃　asked　Chamillard。

〃No；　monseigneur；〃　replied　d'Aygaliers。

〃Then　how　did　you　manage　to　return　to　France？〃

〃To　speak　the　truth；　sir；　I　only　came　back　to　help　my　mother　to
escape；　but　she　never　could　make　up　her　mind　to　leave　France；　as　such
a　step　was　surrounded　by　many　difficulties　which　she　feared　she　could
never　surmount。　　So　she　asked　my　other　relations　to　persuade　me　to
remain。　　I　yielded　to　their　importunities　on　condition　that　they
would　never　interfere　with　my　beliefs。　　To　accomplish　this　end　they
got　a　priest　with　whom　they　were　intimate　to　say　that　I　had　changed
my　views　once　more；　and　I　did　not　contradict　the　report。　　It　was　a
great　sin　on　my　part；　and　I　deeply　repent　it。　　I　must　add；　however；
that　whenever　anyone　has　asked　me　the　question　your　Excellency　asked
me　just　now　I　have　always　given　the　same　reply。〃

The　minister　did　not　seem　to　take　the　baron's　frankness　in　bad　part；
only　he　remarked；　when　dismissing　him；　that　he　hoped　he　would　find
out　some　way　of　ridding　the　kingdom　of　those　who　refused　to　think　in
religious　matters　as　His　Majesty　commanded。

D'Aygaliers　replied　that　it　was　a　problem　to　which　he　had　given　much
thought；　but　without　ever　being　able　to　find　a　solution；　but　that　he
would　think　about　it　more　earnestly　in　future。　　He　then　withdrew。

Some　days　later；　Chamillard　sent　ward　to　d'Aygaliers　that　the　king
would　graciously　give　him　a　farewell　audience。　　The　baron　relates
what　took　place　at　this　second　interview；　as　follows。

〃His　Majesty；〃　says　he；　〃received　me　in　the　council　chamber；　and　was
so　good　as　to　repeat　once　more　in　the　presence　of　all　his　ministers
that　he　was　very　much　pleased　with　my　services；　but　that　there　was
one　thing　about　me　he　should　like　to　correct。　　I　begged　His　Majesty
to　tell　me　what　the　fault　was；　and　I　should　try　to　get　rid　of　it　at；
the　peril　of　my　life。〃

〃'It　is　your　religion；'　said　the　king。　　'I　should　like　to　have　you
become　a　good　Catholic；　so　that　I　might　be　able　to　grant　you　favours
and　enable　you　to　serve　me　better。'　　His　Majesty　added　that　I　ought
to　seek　instruction；　and　that　then　I　should　one　day　recognise　what　a
great　benefit　he　desired　to　bring　within　my　reach。

〃I　answered　that　I　would　esteem　myself　happy　if　at　the　cost　of　my
life　I　could　prove　the　burning　zeal　with　which　I　was　filled　for　the
service　of　the　greatest　of　earthly　kings；　but　that　I　should　be
unworthy　of　the　least　of　his　favours　if　I　obtained　it　by　hypocrisy　or
by　anything　of　which　my　conscience　did　not　approve；　but　that　I　was
grateful　for　the　goodness　which　made　him　anxious　for　my　salvation。
I　told　him　also　that　I　had　already　taken　every　opportunity　of
receiving　instruction；　and　had　tried　to　put　aside　the　prejudices
arising　from　my　birth；　such　as　often　hindered　people　from　recognising
the　truth；　with　the　result　that　I　had　at　one　time　almost　lost　all
sense　of　religion；　until　God；　taking　pity　on　me；　had　opened　my　eyes
and　brought　me　out　of　that　deplorable　condition；　making　me　see　that
the　faith　in　which　I　had　been　born　was　the　only　one　for　me。　　'And　I
can　assure　your　Majesty；'　I　added；　'that　many　of　the　Languedoc
bishops　who　ought；　it　seems　to　me；　to　try　to　make　us　Catholics；　are
the　instruments　which　Providence　uses　to　prevent　us　from　becoming　so。
For　instead　of　attracting　us　by　gentleness　and　good　example；　they
ceaselessly　subject　us　to　all　kinds　of　persecutions；　as　if　to
convince　us　that　God　is　punishing　us　for　our　cowardice　in　giving　up　a
religion　which　we　know　to　be　good；　by　delivering　us　up　to　pastors
who；　far　from　labouring　to　assure　our　salvation；　use　all　their
efforts　to　drive　us　to　despair。〃

〃At　this　the　king　shrugged　his　shoulders