massacres of the south-第38节

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the　scaffold。

The　scaffold　was　erected　on　the　Esplanade：　being；　as　was　usual　when
this　sort　of　death　was　to　be　inflicted；　a　wooden　platform　five　or　six
feet　high；　on　which　was　fastened　flat　a　St。　Andrew's　cross；　formed　of
two　beams　of　wood　in　the　form　of　an　X。　　In　each　of　the　four　arms　two
square　pieces　were　cut　out　to　about　half　the　depth　of　the　beam；　and
about　a　foot　apart；　so　that　when　the　victim　was　bound　on　the　cross
the　outstretched　limbs　were　easy　to　break　by　a　blow　at　these　points；
having　no　support　beneath。　　Lastly；　near　the　cross；　at　one　corner　of
the　scaffold　an　upright　wooden　post　was　fixed；　on　which　was　fastened
horizontally　a　small　carriage　wheel；　as　on　a　pivot；　the　projecting
part　of　the　nave　being　sawn　off　to　make　it　flat。　　On　this　bed　of　pain
the　sufferer　was　laid；　so　that　the　spectators　might　enjoy　the　sight
of　his　dying　convulsions　when；　the　executioner　having　accomplished
his　part；　the　turn　of　death　arrived。

Boeton　was　carried　to　execution　in　a　cart；　and　drums　were　beaten　that
his　exhortations　might　not　be　heard。　　But　above　the　roll　of　drums　his
voice　rose　unfalteringly；　as　he　admonished　his　brethren　to　uphold
their　fellowship　in　Christ。

Half…way　to　the　Esplanade　a　friend　of　the　condemned　man；　who　happened
to　be　in　the　street；　met　the　procession；　and　fearing　that　he　could
not　support　the　sight；　he　took　refuge　in　a　shop。　　When　Boeton　was
opposite　the　door；　he　stopped　the　cart　and　asked　permission　of　the
provost　to　speak　to　his　friend。　　The　request　being　granted；　he　called
him　out；　and　as　he　approached；　bathed　in　tears；　Boeton　said；　〃Why　do
you　run　away　from　me？　　Is　it　because　you　see　me　covered　with　the
tokens　of　Jesus　Christ？　　Why　do　you　weep　because　He　has　graciously
called　me　to　Himself；　and　all　unworthy　though　I　be；　permits　me　to
seal　my　faith　with　my　blood？〃　　Then；　as　the　friend　threw　himself　into
Boeton's　arms　and　some　signs　of　sympathetic　emotion　appeared　among
the　crowd；　the　procession　was　abruptly　ordered　to　move　on；　but　though
the　leave…taking　was　thus　roughly　broken　short；　no　murmur　passed　the
lips　of　Boeton。

In　turning　out　of　the　first　street；　the　scaffold　came　in　sight；　the
condemned　man　raised　his　hands　towards　heaven；　and　exclaimed　in　a
cheerful　voice；　while　a　smile　lit　up　his　face；　〃Courage；　my　soul！　　I
see　thy　place　of　triumph；　whence；　released　from　earthly　bonds；　thou
shah　take　flight　to　heaven。〃

When　he　got　to　the　foot　of　the　scaffold；　it　was　found　he　could　not
mount　without　assistance；　for　his　limbs；　crushed　in　the　terrible
〃boot；〃　could　no　longer　sustain　his　weight。　　While　they　were
preparing　to　carry　him　up；　he　exhorted　and　comforted　the　Protestants；
who　were　all　weeping　round　him。　　When　he　reached　the　platform　he　laid
himself　of　his　own　accord　on　the　cross；　but　hearing　from　the
executioner　that　he　must　first　be　undressed；　he　raised　himself　again
with　a　smile；　so　that　the　executioner's　assistant　could　remove　his
doublet　and　small…clothes。　　As　he　wore　no　stockings；　his　legs　being
bandaged　the　man　also　unwound　these　bandages；　and　rolled　up　Boeton's
shirts…sleeves　to　the　elbow；　and　then　ordered　him　to　lay　himself
again　on　the　cross。　　Boeton　did　so　with　unbroken　calm。　　All　his　limbs
were　then　bound　to　the　beams　with　cords　at　every　joint；　this
accomplished；　the　assistant　retired；　and　the　executioner　came
forward。　　He　held　in　his　hand　a　square　bar　of　iron；　an　inch　and　a
half　thick；　three　feet　long；　and　rounded　at　one　end　so　as　to　form　a
handle。

When　Boeton　saw　it　he　began　singing　a　psalm；　but　almost　immediately
the　melody　was　interrupted　by　a　cry：　the　executioner　had　broken　a
bone　of　Boeton's　right　leg；　but　the　singing　was　at　once　resumed；　and
continued　without　interruption　till　each　limb　had　been　broken　in　two
places。　　Then　the　executioner　unbound　the　formless　but　still　living
body　from　the　cross；　and　while　from　its　lips　issued　words　of　faith　in
God　he　laid　it　on　the　wheel；　bending　it　back　on　the　legs　in　such　a
manner　that　the　heels　and　head　met；　and　never　once　during　the
completion　of　this　atrocious　performance　did　the　voice　of　the
sufferer　cease　to　sound　forth　the　praises　of　the　Lord。

No　execution　till　then　had　ever　produced　such　an　effect　on　the　crowd；
so　that　Abbe　Massilla；　who　was　present；　seeing　the　general　emotion；
hastened　to　call　M。　de　Baville's　attention　to　the　fact　that；　far　from
Boeton's　death　inspiring　the　Protestants　with　terror；　they　were　only
encouraged　to　hold　out；　as　was　proved　by　their　tears；　and　the　praises
they　lavished　on　the　dying　man。

M；　de　Baville；　recognising　the　truth　of　this　observation；　ordered
that　Boeton　should　be　put　out　of　misery。　　This　order　being　conveyed
to　the　executioner；　he　approached　the　wheel　to　break　in　Boeton's
chest　with　one　last　blow；　but　an　archer　standing　on　the　scaffold
threw　himself　before　the　sufferer；　saying　that　the　Huguenot　had　not
yet　suffered　half　enough。　　At　this；　Boeton；　who　had　heard　the
dreadful　dispute　going　on　beside　him；　interrupted　his　prayers　for　an
instant；　and　raising　his　head；　which　hung　down　over　the　edge　of　the
wheel；　said；　〃Friend；　you　think　I　suffer；　and　in　truth　I　do；　but　He
for　whom　I　suffer　is　beside　me　and　gives　me　strength　to　bear
everything　joyfully。〃　　Just　then　M。　de　Baville's　order　was　repeated；
and　the　archer；　no　longer　daring　to　interfere；　allowed　the
executioner　to　approach。　　Then　Boeton；　seeing　his　last　moment　had
come；　said；　〃My　dear　friends；　may　my　death　be　an　example　to　you；　to
incite　you　to　preserve　the　gospel　pure；　bear　faithful　testimony　that
I　died　in　the　religion　of　Christ　and　His　holy　apostles。〃　　Hardly　had
these　words　passed　his　lips；　than　the　death…blow　was　given　and　his
chest　crushed；　a　few　inarticulate　sounds；　apparently　prayers；　were
heard；　the　head　fell　back；　the　martyrdom　was　ended。

This　execution　ended　the　war　in　Languedoc。　　A　few　imprudent　preachers
still　delivered　belated　sermons；　to　which　the　rebels　listened
trembling　with　fear；　and　for　which　the　preachers　paid　on　the　wheel　or
gibbet。　　There　were　disturbances　in　Vivarais；　aroused　by　Daniel
Billard；　during　which　a　few　Catholics　were　found　murdered　on　the
highway；　there　were　a　few　fights；　as　for　instance　at　Sainte…Pierre…
Ville；　where　the　Camisards；　faithful　to　the　old　traditions　which　had
come　to　them　from　Cavalier；　Catinat；　and　Ravenal；　fought　one　to
twenty；　but　they　were　all　without　importance；　they　were　only　the　last
quiverings　of　the　dying　civil　strife；　the　last　shudderings　of　the
earth　when　the　eruption　of　the　volcano　is　over。

Even　Cavalier　understood　that　the　end　had　come；　for　he　left　Holland
for　England。　　There　Queen　Anne　distinguished　him　by　a　cordial
welcome；　she　invited　him　to　enter　her　service；　an　offer　which　he
accepted；　and　he　was　placed　in　command　of　a　regiment　of　refugees；　so
that　he　actually　received　in　England　the　grade　of　colonel；　which　he
had　been　offered　in　France。　　At　the　battle　of　Almanza　the　regiment
commanded　by　Cavalier　found　itself　opposed　by　a　French　regiment。　　The
old　enemies　recognised　each　other；　and　with　a　howl　of　rage；　without
waiting　for　the　word　of　command　or　executing　any　military　evolutions；
they　hurled　themselves　at　each　other　with　such　fury　that；　if　we　may
believe　the　Duke　of　Berwick；　who　was　present；　they　almost　annihilated
each　other　in　the　conflict。　　Cavalier；　however；　survived　the
slaughter；　in　which　he　had　performed　his　part　with　energy；　and　for
his　courage　was　made　general　and　governor　of　the　island　of　Jersey。
He　died　at　Chelsea　in　May　1740；　aged　sixty　years。　　〃I　must　confess；〃
says　Malesherbes；　〃that　this　soldier；　who　without　training　became　a
great　general　by　means　of　his　natural　gifts；　this　Camisard；　who　dared
in　the　face　of　fierce　troopers　to　punish　a　crime　similar　to　those　by
which　the　troopers　existed；　this　rude　peasant；　who；　admitted　into　the
best　society；　adopted　its　manners　and　gained　its　esteem　and　love；
this　man；　who　though　accustomed　to　an　adventurous　life；　and　who　might
justly　have　been　puffed　up　by　success；　had　yet　enough　philosophy　to
lead　for　thirty…five　years　a　tranquil　private　existence；　appears　to
me　to　be　one　of　the　rarest　characters　to　be　met　with　in　the　pages　of
history。〃




CHAPTER　VI

At　length　Louis　XIV；　bowed　beneath　the　weight　of　a　reign　of　sixty
years；　was　summoned　in　his　turn　to　appear　before　God；　from　whom；　as
some　said；　he　looked　for　reward；　and　others　for　pardon。　　But　Nimes；
that　city　with　the　heart　of　fire；　was　quiet；　like　the　wounded　who
have　lost　the　best　part　of　their　blood；　she　thought　only；　with　the
egotism　of　a　convalescent；　of　being　left　in　peace　to　regain　the
strength　which　had　become　exhausted　through　the　terrible　wounds　which
Montrevel　and　the　Duke　of　Berwick　had　dealt　her。　　For　sixty　years
petty　ambition　had　taken　the　place　of　sublime　self…sacrifice；　and
disputes　about　etiquette　succeeded　mortal　combats。　　Then　the
philosophic　era　dawned；　and　the　sarcasms　of　the　encyclopedists
withered　the　monarchical　intolerance　of　Louis　XIV　and　Charles　IX。
Thereupon　the　Protestants　resumed　their　preaching；　baptized　their
children　and　buried　their　dead；　commerce　flourished　once　more；　and
the　two　religions　lived　side　by　side；　one　concealing　under　a　peaceful
exterior　the　memory　of　its　martyrs；　the　other　the　memory　of　its