A large company was invited at the Marshal's at Nismes. The Intendant,
the Lord of Basville, sat by the side of the Lord of Montrevel, many
officers and respectable inhabitants of the town surrounded the table,
and at the head the beautiful Lady of Andreux added lustre to the
assembly, who with her husband was present to do honour to this
banquet. Some of her female relatives, distinguished ladies of Nismes,
sat between the gentlemen, and all seemed as merry as if they were not
pondering on the common oppression of the country. The Intendant of the
province alone preserved his serious demeanour and joined not in the
repeated laughter of the others; he was deeply engaged in earnest
conversation with Colonel Julien, who also seemed to be totally
regardless of the lively mood of the company. An important advantage
had been obtained the day before over the rebels, and all were
flattering themselves, that in a short time they would see these
unhappy insurrections brought to an end. The Marshal was in higher
spirits than people had been used to see him for a long time; his
sallies were laughed at and the homage which he conspicuously addressed
to the Lady of Andreux, was gratefully received by her and returned
with pointed elegance.
"Colonel Julien related to the Intendant the wonderful manner in which
he had effected his escape from the recesses of the mountains of the
Cevennes, three months previously. He was in command of a small
expedition and thought to have entirely defeated the rebels in a hot
encounter, when he perceived himself on all sides suddenly surrounded
towards evening. 'Around us,' said he, 'were steep, barren mountains,
while we were preparing for a retreat, all the heights were suddenly
occupied by multitudes of people, before and behind us were swarms of
dark figures, we could not long remain doubtful of our position; for
suddenly large stones rolled down on our troop, which in their heavy
descent crushed our people murderously. Here there was no rallying to
be thought of, therefore we retreated almost flying towards a mill near
a mountain stream. I was convinced I should find this pass also
occupied, and gave myself up for lost. The rocks crushed my soldiers
right and left, resistance being impossible. Now sprung from the other
side, like chamois, more than a hundred down from the steep heights,
and in this disorder, where we could not hold our footing, a bloody
fight ensued; I had been already wounded three times, and my fighting
men were rapidly decreasing, darkness came on, when, in a moment, while
the Camisards burst into their howling hymns, a panic seized the rest
of my troop, and they all rushed towards the opening of the valley. The
victorious band pursued them from the other side, new foes beset them.
Bleeding, I leaned solitarily against a rock and saw through the
twilight my company hewn down, the former could not perceive me,
however, firmly they had sworn my death. I dragged myself sideways
towards the little bridge that leads to the mill on the other side,
certain of meeting death; but I found it undefended. A fault that I
should not have expected from the rebels, for they were headed by
Cavalier, as I heard in the midst of the cries and hubbub. All this
misfortune, however, happened to me only in consequence of false
informers, who brought me lying accounts; men, that I had long known,
and whose fidelity seemed to me to have been tried; but they merely
played this part, the better to deceive me, for they belonged to the
Camisards.'
"The worst of this is," said the Intendant, "that we dare trust no one,
not a single one. The most sincere, the most zealous patriots in
appearance, betray us. We are reproached for severity and harshness,
but I fear we are yet too mild and compassionate, for these faithless
rebels deserve no quarter; they can only be subdued by continued,
inexorable severity."
"They should be wholly extirpated," interrupted the Marshal, who in the
middle of his own lively conversation had only listened to the last
words.
Julien looked gravely at the Intendant, while he sighed: "You really
believe then that these unfortunate men are no longer deserving of
human consideration." "Hardly so indeed," said the Lord of Basville,
"for through their own cruelty and disgraceful conduct of every kind,
they have rendered themselves unworthy of any sympathy. But go on
Colonel: how were you saved in this pressing position?"
"With scarcely strength sufficient to advance a single step, I dragged
myself across the river, through the copse and over a meadow towards
the mill, for no choice was left me. It was now become quite dark, and
yet I would have willingly avoided this mill, for the people there were
more than merely suspicious. Two of the sons had gone over to the
rebels some time before, and it had been my intention after my victory
to take all these people from their houses along with me, and to have
them interrogated in prison. A dog announced my arrival; this was the
last thing I was conscious of, for I fell fainting before the door of
the house. When I recovered from my insensibility, I found myself
undressed upon a bed, my wounds bound up, and many strange faces
gathered round me, which, by the glimmering light of a lamp caused me a
most disagreeable impression. An old man with white hair, who seemed to
have the most authority, was the only one in whom I could have any
confidence; the more horrible among them, were some women, particularly
an elderly one, whom I took for the old man's wife. 'Your wounds are
not mortal,' said the old miller, 'you will soon recover, be tranquil
on this point.'--May I in reality have no cause for uneasiness?
rejoined I. Am I with loyal subjects of the king?--'By heaven, we are
such!' exclaimed the aged man with tears in his eyes, 'we have already
made many sacrifices to him, and we will protect you, although you seem
to know us well, nor are you either unknown to us. My two sons have
both suffered martyrdom--but the king commanded it should be so, and
God permitted it, we dispute no more with him.' Hereupon the women,
particularly the old ones, set up a terrific howling; some young
fellows gazed at me with cruel, sanguinary looks; I was prepared for
all. 'Peace,' cried the old man, 'this man has not come under my roof
as a foe, but as one requiring assistance, who injures a hair of his
head, will have to answer for it to me!--We found you lifeless at our
door, we recognized you on the spot,' continued he turning to me; 'we
need only to have left you without assistance, and _we_ did not murder
you; but I have staunched the blood, you may return to-morrow to the
town, and I will take care that you shall be conveyed with all speed to
the nearest village in an easy manner, for when our companions arrive
in a mass, as it may happen to-morrow, I might not be able to protect
you any longer.' And so it happened. During the night some rebels, who
were seeking after me, were sent away even in the twilight of morning;
I was placed comfortably in a small vehicle and conveyed to the opening
of the valley from whence I could be carried in safety to the town."
"We may well be astonished at this false virtue," said the Intendant,
"but we must refuse it our consideration, for that will not be
necessary, if these unfortunate men remain faithful to the king and
obey his mandates."
The company was still sitting at desert and sipping choice wines, when,
suddenly, a great uproar was raised in the house, several men's
footsteps were heard hastening up the steps, the doors burst open and
in rushed the clergyman of St. Sulpice, pale, and trembling, followed
by a few citizens, and among these a young man who seemed quite beside
himself, "What is the matter?" demanded the Marshal in an authoritative
tone, and the Intendant arose and addressed himself to the young
citizen. "Now Clement," said he, "recollect yourself, what has happened
to you?" "Is not this the leader of the city militia at Nismes?" asked
the Marshal with contempt.
"Even so," replied the Lord of Basville, "he led the troop of
volunteers." "He seems to have lost the power of speech in his
expedition," said the Lord of Montrevel, laughing.
"They are behind us--they will be here directly," stammered out young
Clement.
"Who?" enquired the Marshal, who had resumed his seat.
"Cavalier and the Camisards!" cried the young man.
"Not so bad, not quite so bad as that," rejoined the priest, who seemed
more composed. "But our troop is totally defeated and the rebels have
been all along in our rear, and they have the insolence to appear on
the plain of Nismes, as if they were going to threaten the town
itself."
"Thus it is," said the Marshal cuttingly, "when citizens meddle with
affairs to which they are not equal; give the young man a glass of wine
to revive him." Casting at the same time a side glance at the
Intendant, "Sit down reverend priest," he continued, "you appear more
composed, give us a little more circumstantial account."
"According to the order of the gracious Lord Marshal," said the priest,
bowing profoundly, "We set fire yesterday to the village, which had
furnished provisions to the rebels, when they had quartered themselves
there; we then set out five hundred men strong, and three hundred
soldiers marched at the same time, with a hundred dragoons on the other
side of the river. The wretched, burned out creatures ran howling into
the wood and we pursued our way whilst we saw about a hundred rebels
flying before us. Behind the wood we joined the royal troops and
surrounded the vineyards on three sides near Nages. Some Camisards
showed themselves sideways, who, however, after a few shots
disappeared, We now advanced on the right, the soldiers on the left, in
between the mountains; we fell among the brambles, and--as if fire was
vomited forth from all sides, balls flew in among us without our being
able to see any one, we hesitate, we halt. Now the villains in the
mountains spring to their feet yelling and psalm-singing bellow down
upon us, together with hissing balls; we defend ourselves and put our
hopes in the royal troops, but the superiority is too great, our people
fall, we are compelled to retreat. Difficult enough it was to retire
from the mountains, the greater part of our men remain lying there:
arriving on the plain, there we beheld the military also beaten and
taking flight."
"Defeated!" screamed the Marshal.
"They are most likely following us," replied the priest.
"The volunteers," said the Intendant, "have apparently not been
properly supported, as it has often happened already, and how shall the
citizen bear up if the soldier takes flight?"
The Marshal, his face crimsoned, would have retorted angrily, when some
officers, covered in dust and bewildered, entered hastily. "The rebels,
Lord Marshal," said a young captain, "are seen before the gates of
Nismes; Cavalier has played us a fine trick this time; our informers
enticed us among the vineyards, the volunteers did not unite with us as
had been agreed upon and we are entirely routed. Cavalier knows how to
dispose of his men like an old soldier.
"Lord Marshal," exclaimed a veteran colonel entering the room, "the foe
is without! and the fearful Catinat has, through retribution, as he
calls it, reduced three catholic villages to ashes, and with his own
hands set fire to the churches."
Some prisoners were brought in, among whom there was a child of twelve
years of age. "What means this lad?" exclaimed the Marshal.
"He is a brother of Cavalier," replied the old colonel, "we had already
made this dangerous leader prisoner, we had taken possession of a
bridge and he could not rejoin his people, when this brat, this boy
here, rallied the rebels, harangued them, brandished his sword in his
outstretched hand, fell upon us, retook the bridge, made his brother
free, but became himself our prisoner."
"Satan's brood!" growled the Marshal, "away with them all to prison,
and we, gentlemen, to our posts!" all hastened out, the guests had
already retired without taking leave: the boy looked boldly and
smilingly round the saloon, and carelessly followed his guard; no one
remained behind but Colonel Julien and the Intendant, who took their
hats and sticks to go to their respective houses. "This cannot
continue," said the Lord of Basville, "the king sacrifices his army
fruitlessly and the rebellion becomes more obstinate and stronger."
"Things will change," said the Colonel, "I have the surest intelligence
from Paris;--but you testify too openly your contempt of him; he also
knows what you report concerning him at court."
"Can I do otherwise," said the Intendant, "if I am a faithful servant
to the king? you have witnessed all, and must acknowledge in your
heart, that but for this Marshal, this rebellion would never have
become a war; he nourishes it, he is rejoicing at the idea of becoming
important through it, he squanders all his time with women and is brave
as a soldier only through pityful vanity, and he piques himself in
gaining the affections of silly women."
"If we now obtain a better general," said Julien, "it is to be hoped,
that this system of overreached severity and cruelty would be given up
and trial made of gentle means."
"No good subject of the king can counsel that," said the Intendant
taking a hasty leave of the Colonel.
The streets were in an uproar and every one was hastening to make
resistance against the rebels, who appeared more dangerous than ever.