massacres of the south- 第26部分

The　next　day；　in　order　to　leave　no　doubt　as　to　his　good　intentions；
the　marechal　had　the　gibbets　and　scaffolds　taken　down；　which　until
then　had　been　permanent　erections。

At　the　same　time　all　the　Huguenots　were　ordered　to　make　a　last　effort
to　induce　the　Camisard　chiefs　to　accept　the　conditions　offered　them
by　M。　de　Villars。　　The　towns　of　Alais；　Anduze；　Saint…Jean；　Sauve；
Saint…Hippolyte；　and　Lasalle；　and　the　parishes　of　Cros；　Saint…Roman；
Manoblet；　Saint…Felix；　Lacadiere；　Cesas；　Cambo；　Colognac；　and　Vabre
were　ordered　to　send　deputies　to　Durfort　to　confer　as　to　the　best
means　of　bringing　about　that　peace　which　everyone　desired。　　These
deputies　wrote　at　once　to　M。　de　Villars　to　beg　him　to　send　them　M。
d'Aygaliers；　and　to　M。　d'Aygaliers　to　request　him　to　come。

Both　consented　to　do　as　they　were　asked；　and　M。　d'Aygaliers　arrived
at　Durfort　on　the　3rd　of　June　1704。

The　deputies　having　first　thanked　him　for　the　trouble　which　he　had
taken　to　serve　the　common　cause　during　the　past　year；　resolved　to
divide　their　assembly　into　two　parts；　one　of　which；　was　to　remain
permanently　sitting；　while　the　other　went　to　seek　Roland　and　Ravanel
to　try　and　obtain　a　cessation　of　hostilities。　　The　deputies　charged
with　this　task　were　ordered　to　make　it　quite　clear　to　the　two　chiefs
that　if　they　did　not　accept　the　proposals　made　by　M。　de　Villars；　the
Protestants　in　general　would　take　up　arms　and　hunt　them　down；　and
would　cease　to　supply　them　with　the　means　of　subsistence。

On　hearing　this；　Roland　made　reply　that　the　deputies　were　to　go　back
at　once　to　those　who　sent　them；　and　threatened；　should　they　ever　show
him　their　faces　again；　to　fire　on　them。

This　answer　put　an　end　to　the　assembly；　the　deputies　dispersed；　and
d'Aygaliers　returned　to　the　Marechal　de　Villars　to　make　his　report。

Hardly　had　he　done　this　when　a　letter　from　Roland　arrived；　in　which
the　Camisard　chief　asked　M。　de　Villars　to　grant　him　an　interview；
such　as　he　had　granted　to　Cavalier。　　This　letter　was　addressed　to
d'Aygaliers；　who　immediately　communicated　its　contents　to　the
marechal；　from　whom　he　received　orders　to　set　out　at　once　to　find
Roland　and　to　spare　no　pains　to　bring　him　round。

D'Aygaliers；　who　was　always　indefatigable　when　working　for　his
country；　started　the　same　day；　and　went　to　a　mountain　about
three…quarters　of　a　league　from　Anduze；　where　Roland　awaited　him。
After　a　conference　of　two　hours；　it　was　agreed　that　hostages　should
be　exchanged　and　negotiations　entered　upon。

Consequently；　M。　de　Villars　on　his　side　sent　Roland　M。　de　Montrevel；
an　officer　commanding　a　battalion　of　marines；　and　M。　de　la
Maison…Blanche；　captain　of　the　Froulay　regiment；　while　Roland　in
return　sent　M。　de　Villars　four　of　his　principal　officers　with　the
title　of　plenipotentiaries。

Unskilled　in　diplomacy　as　these　envoys　were；　and　laughable　as　they
appeared　to　contemporary　historians；　they　received　nevertheless　the
marechal's　consent　to　the　following　conditions：

1。　　That　Cavalier　and　Roland　should　each　be　placed　in　charge　of　a
regiment　serving　abroad；　and　that　each　of　them　should　be　allowed　a
minister。

2。　　That　all　the　prisoners　should　be　released　and　the　exiles
recalled。

3。　　That　the　Protestants　should　be　permitted　to　leave　the　kingdom；
taking　their　effects　with　them。

4。　　That　those　Camisards　who　desired　to　remain　might　do　so；　on　giving
up　their　arms。

5。　　That　those　who　were　abroad　might　return。

6。　　That　no　one　should　be　molested　on　account　of　his　religion
provided　everyone　remained　quietly　at　home。

7。　　That　indemnities　should　be　borne　by　the　whole　province；　and　not
exacted　specially　from　the　Protestants。

8。　　That　a　general　amnesty　should　be　granted　to　all　without　reserve。

These　articles　were　laid　before　Roland　and　Ravanel　by　d'Aygaliers。
Cavalier；　who　from　the　day　he　went　back　to　Nimes　had　remained　in　the
governor's　suite；　asked　leave　to　return　with　the　baron；　and　was
permitted　to　do　so。　　D'Aygaliers　and　he　set　out　together　in
consequence　for　Anduze；　and　met　Roland　and　Ravanel　about　a　quarter　of
a　league　from　the　town；　waiting　to　know　the　result　of　the
negotiations。　　They　were　accompanied　by　MM。　de　Montbel　and　de
Maison…Blanche；　the　Catholic　hostages。

As　soon　as　Cavalier　and　Roland　met　they　burst　out　into　recriminations
and　reproaches；　but　through　the　efforts　of　d'Aygaliers　they　soon
became　more　friendly；　and　even　embraced　on　parting。

But　Ravanel　was　made　of　harder　stuff：　as　soon　as　he　caught　sight　of
Cavalier　he　called　him　〃traitor；〃　saying　that　for　his　part　he　would
never　surrender　till　the　Edict　of　Nantes　was　re…enacted；　then；　having
warned　them　that　the　governor's　promises　were　not　to　be　trusted；　and
having　predicted　that　a　day　would　come　when　they　would　regret　their
too　great　confidence　in　him；　he　left　the　conference　and　rejoined　his
troops；　which；　with　those　of　Roland；　were　drawn　up　on　a　mountain
about　three…quarters　of　a　league　distant。

The　negotiators　did　not；　however；　despair。　　Ravanel　had　gone　away；
but　Roland　had　debated　with　them　at　some　length；　so　they　determined
to　speak　to　〃the　brethren〃that　is；　to　the　troops　under　Roland　and
Ravanel；　whose　headquarters　at　the　moment　were　at　Leuzies；　in　order
that　they　might　know　exactly　what　articles　had　been　agreed　on　between
Roland's　envoys　and　the　marechal。　　Those　who　made　up　their　minds　to
take　this　step　were；　Cavalier；　Roland；　Moise；　Saint…Paul；　Laforet；
Maille；　and　d'Aygaliers。　　We　take　the　following　account　of　what
happened　in　consequence　of　this　decision　from　d'Aygaliers'　Memoirs：

〃We　had　no　sooner　determined　on　this　plan；　than；　anxious　to　carry　it
out；　we　set　off。　　We　followed　a　narrow　mountain　path　on　the　face　of
the　cliff　which　rose　up　to　our　right；　to　our　left　flowed　the　Gardon。

〃Having　gone　about　a　league；　we　came　in　sight　of　the　troops；　about
3000　strong；　an　advanced　post　barred　our　way。

〃Thinking　it　was　placed　there　in　our　honour；　I　was　advancing
unsuspiciously；　when　suddenly　we　found　our　road　cut　off　by　Camisards
to　right　and　left；　who　threw　themselves　on　Roland　and　forced　him　in
among　their　troops。　　Maille　and　Malplach　were　dragged　from　their
horses。　　As　to　Cavalier；　who　was　somewhat　behind；　as　soon　as　he　saw
people　coming　towards　him　with　uplifted　sabres　and　shouting　Traitor！
he　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　went　off　at　full　gallop；　followed　by
some　townspeople　from　Anduze　who　had　come　with　us；　and　who；　now　that
they　saw　the　reception　we　met　with；　were　ready　to　die　with　fear。

〃I　was　too　far　forward　to　escape：　five　or　six　muskets　rested　on　my
breast　and　a　pistol　pressed　each　ear；　so　I　made　up　my　mind　to　be
bold。　　I　told　the　troopers　to　fire；　I　was　willing　to　die　in　the
service　of　my　prince；　my　country；　and　my　religion；　as　well　as　for
themselves；　whom　I　was　trying　to　benefit　by　procuring　them　the　king's
goodwill。

〃These　words；　which　I　repeated　several　times　in　the　midst　of　the
greatest　uproar；　gave　them　pause。

〃They　commanded　me　to　retire；　as　they　did　not　want　to　kill　me。　　I
said　I　should　do　nothing　of　the　kind：　I　was　going　into　the　middle　of
the　troops　to　defend　Roland　against　the　charge　of　treason；　or　be　put
to　death　myself；　unless　I　could　convince　them　that　what　I　had
proposed　to　him　and　Cavalier　was　for　the　good　of　the　country；　of　our
religion；　and　the　brethren；　and　having　thus　expostulated　at　the　top
of　my　voice　against　thirty　voices　all　trying　to　drown　mine　for　about
an　hour；　I　offered　to　fight　the　man　who　had　induced　them　to　oppose
us。

〃At　this　offer　they　pointed　their　muskets　at　me　once　more；　but
Maille；　Malplach；　and　some　others　threw　themselves　before　me；　and
although　they　were　unarmed；　had　enough　influence　to　hinder　my　being
insulted；　I　was　forced；　however；　to　retreat。

〃In　leaving；　I　warned　them　that　they　were　about　to　bring　great
misfortunes　on　the　province；　whereupon　a　man　named　Claris　stepped　out
from　among　the　troops；　and　approaching　me　exclaimed；　'Go　on；　sir；　and
God　bless　you！　　We　know　that　you　mean　well；　and　were　the　first　to　be
taken　in。　　But　go　on　working　for　the　good　of　the　country；　and　God
will　bless　you。'〃

D'Aygaliers　returned　to　the　marechal；　who；　furious　at　the　turn　things
had　taken；　resolved　instantly　to　break　off　all　negotiations　and　have
recourse　once　more　to　measures　of　severity。　　However；　before　actually
carrying　out　this　determination；　he　wrote　the　following　letter　to　the
king：

〃SIRE；It　is　always　my　glory　to　execute　faithfully　your　Majesty's
orders；　whatever　those　orders　may　be；　but　I　should　have　been　able；　on
many　occasions　since　coming　here；　to　display　my　zeal　for　your
Majesty's　service　in　other　ways　if　I　had　not　had　to　deal　with　madmen
on　whom　no　dependence　could　be　placed。　　As　soon　as　we　were　ready　to
attack　them；　they　offered　to　submit；　but　a　little　later　changed　their
minds　again。　　Nothing　could　be　a　greater　proof　of　madness　than　their
hesitation　to　accept　a　pardon　of　which　they　were　unworthy；　and　which
was　so　generously　offered　by　your　Majesty。　　If　they　do　not　soon　make
up　their　minds；　I　shall　bring　them　back　to　the　paths　of　duty　by
force；　and　thus　restore　this　province　to　that　state　of　peace　which
has　been　disturbed　by　these　fools。〃

The　day　after　writing　this　letter　to　the　king；　Roland　sent　Maille　to
M。　de　Villars　to　beg　him　to　wait　till　Saturday　and　Sunday　the　7th　and
the　8th　June　were　over；　before　resorting　to　severity；　that　being　the
end　of　the　truce。　　He　gave　him　a　solemn　promise　that　he　would；　in　the
interval；　either　bring　in　his　troops　to　the　last　man；　or　would
himself　surrender　along　with　a　hundred　and　fifty　followers。　　The
marechal　consented　to　wait　till　Saturday　morning；　but　as　soon　as
Saturday　arrived　he　gave　orders　to　attack　the　Camisards；　and　the　next
day　led　a　considerable　body　of　troops　to　Carnoulet；　intending　to　take
the　Huguenots　by　surprise；　as　word　had　been　brought　that　they　were
all　gathered　there。　　They；　however；　received　intelligence　of　his
plan；　and　evacuated　the　village　during　the　night。

The　village　had　to　pay　dearly　for　its　sin　of　hospitality；　it　was
pillaged　and　burnt　down：　the　miquelets　even　murdered　two　women　whom
they　found　there；　and　d'Aygaliers　failed　to　obtain　any　satisfaction
for　this　crime。　　In　this　manner　M；　de　Villars　kept　the　fatal　promise
he　had　given；　and　i