massacres of the south- 第8部分

Esprit　Seguier　fell　on　his　knees　and　covered　his　face　with　his
mantle；　like　Samuel；　and　sought　the　Lord　in　prayer；　asking　to　know
His　will。

In　a　short　time　he　rose　and　said；　〃This　man　is　not　to　die；　for
inasmuch　as　he　has　showed　mercy　to　our　brethren　we　must　show　mercy　to
him。〃

Whether　this　fact　had　been　miraculously　revealed　to　Seguier；　or
whether　he　had　gained　his　information　from　other　sources；　the　newly
released　prisoners　confirmed　its　truth；　calling　out　that　the　man　had
indeed　treated　them　with　humanity。　　Just　then　a　roar　as　of　a　wild
beast　was　heard：　one　of　the　fanatics；　whose　brother　had　been　put　to
death　by　the　abbe；　had　just　caught　sight　of　him；　the　whole
neighbourhood　being　lit　up　by　the　fire；　he　was　kneeling　in　an　angle
of　the　wall；　to　which　he　had　dragged　himself。

〃Down　with　the　son　of　Belial！〃　shouted　the　crowd；　rushing　towards　the
priest；　who　remained　kneeling　and　motionless　like　a　marble　statue。
His　valet　took　advantage　of　the　confusion　to　escape；　and　got　off
easily；　for　the　sight　of　him　on　whom　the　general　hate　was
concentrated　made　the　Huguenots　forget　everything　else：

Esprit　Seguier　was　the　first　to　reach　the　priest；　and　spreading　his
hands　over　him；　he　commanded　the　others　to　hold　back。　〃God　desireth
not　the　death　of　a　sinner；'〃　said　he；　〃'but　rather　that　he　turn　from
his　wickedness　and　live。'〃

〃No；　no！〃　shouted　a　score　of　voices；　refusing　obedience　for　the　first
time；　perhaps；　to　an　order　from　the　prophet；　〃let　him　die　without
mercy；　as　he　struck　without　pity。　　Death　to　the　son　of　Belial；
death！〃

〃Silence！〃　exclaimed　the　prophet　in　a　terrible　voice；　〃and　listen　to
the　word　of　God　from　my　mouth。　　If　this　man　will　join　us　and　take
upon　him　the　duties　of　a　pastor；　let　us　grant　him　his　life；　that　he
may　henceforward　devote　it　to　the　spread　of　the　true　faith。〃

〃Rather　a　thousand　deaths　than　apostasy！〃　answered　the　priest。

〃Die；　then！〃　cried　Laporte；　stabbing　him；　〃take　that　for　having　burnt
my　father　in　Nimes。〃

And　he　passed　on　the　dagger　to　Esprit　Seguier。

Duchayla　made　neither　sound　nor　gesture：　it　would　have　seemed　as　if
the　dagger　had　been　turned　by　the　priest's　gown　as　by　a　coat　of　mail
were　it　not　that　a　thin　stream　of　blood　appeared。　　Raising　his　eyes
to　heaven；　he　repeated　the　words　of　the　penitential　psalm：　〃Out　of
the　depths　have　I　cried　unto　Thee；　O　Lord！　　Lord；　hear　my　voice！〃

Then　Esprit　Seguier　raised　his　arm　and　struck　in　his　turn；　saying；
〃Take　that　for　my　son；　whom　you　broke　on　the　wheel　at　Montpellier。〃

And　he　passed　on　the　dagger。

But　this　blow　also　was　not　mortal；　only　another　stream　of　blood
appeared；　and　the　abbe　said　in　a　failing　voice；　〃Deliver　me；　O　my
Saviour；　out　of　my　well…merited　sufferings；　and　I　will　acknowledge
their　justice；　far　I　have　been　a　man　of　blood。〃

The　next　who　seized　the　dagger　came　near　and　gave　his　blow；　saying；
〃Take　that　for　my　brother；　whom　you　let　die　in　the　'ceps。'〃

This　time　the　dagger　pierced　the　heart；　and　the　abbe　had　only　time　to
ejaculate；　〃Have　mercy　on　me；　O　God；　according　to　Thy　great　mercy！〃
before　he　fell　back　dead。

But　his　death　did　not　satisfy　the　vengeance　of　those　who　had　not　been
able　to　strike　him　living；　one　by　one　they　drew　near　and　stabbed；
each　invoking　the　shade　of　some　dear　murdered　one　and　pronouncing　the
same　words　of　malediction。

In　all；　the　body　of　the　abbe　received　fifty…two　dagger　thrusts；　of
which　twenty…four　would　have　been　mortal。

Thus　perished；　at　the　age　of　fifty…five；　Messire　Francois　de　Langlade
Duchayla；　prior　of　Laval；　inspector　of　missions　in　Gevaudan；　and
Arch…priest　of　the　Cevennes　and　Mende。

Their　vengeance　thus　accomplished；　the　murderers　felt　that　there　was
no　more　safety　for　them　in　either　city　or　plain；　and　fled　to　the
mountains；　but　in　passing　near　the　residence　of　M。　de　Laveze；　a
Catholic　nobleman　of　the　parish　of　Molezon；　one　of　the　fugitives
recollected　that　he　had　heard　that　a　great　number　of　firearms　was
kept　in　the　house。　　This　seemed　a　lucky　chance；　for　firearms　were
what　the　Huguenots　needed　most　of　all。　　They　therefore　sent　two
envoys　to　M。　de　Laveze　to　ask　him　to　give　them　at；　least　a　share　of
his　weapons；　but　he；　as　a　good　Catholic；　replied　that　it　was　quite
true　that　he　had　indeed　a　store　of　arms；　but　that　they　were　destined
to　the　triumph　and　not　to　the　desecration　of　religion；　and　that　he
would　only　give　them　up　with　his　life。　　With　these　words；　he
dismissed　the　envoys；　barring　his　doors　behind　them。

But　while　this　parley　was　going　on　the　conspirators　had　approached
the　chateau；　and　thus　received　the　valiant　answer　to　their　demands
sooner　than　M。　de　Laveze　had　counted　on。　　Resolving　not　to　leave　him
time　to　take　defensive　measures；　they　dashed　at　the　house；　and　by
standing　on　each　other's　shoulders　reached　the　room　in　which　M。　de
Laveze　and　his　entire　family　had　taken　refuge。　　In　an　instant　the
door　was　forced；　and　the　fanatics；　still　reeking　with　the　life…blood
of　Abbe　Duchayla；　began　again　their　work　of　death。　　No　one　was
spared；　neither　the　master　of　the　house；　nor　his　brother；　nor　his
uncle；　nor　his　sister；　who　knelt　to　the　assassins　in　vain；　even　his
old　mother；　who　was　eighty　years　of　age；　having　from　her　bed　first
witnessed　the　murder　of　all　her　family；　was　at　last　stabbed　to　the
heart；　though　the　butchers　might　have　reflected　that　it　was　hardly
worth　while　thus　to　anticipate　the　arrival　of　Death；　who　according　to
the　laws　of　nature　must　have　been　already　at　hand。

The　massacre　finished；　the　fanatics　spread　over　the　castle；　supplying
themselves　with　arms　and　under…linen；　being　badly　in　need　of　the
latter；　for　when　they　left　their　homes　they　had　expected　soon　to
return；　and　had　taken　nothing　with　them。　　They　also　carried　off　the
copper　kitchen　utensils；　intending　to　turn　them　into　bullets。
Finally；　they　seized　on　a　sum　of　5000　francs；　the　marriage…portion　of
M。　de　Laveze's　sister；　who　was　just　about　to　be　married；　and　thus
laid　the　foundation　of　a　war　fund

The　news　of　these　two　bloody　events　soon　reached　not　only　Nimes　but
all　the　countryside；　and　roused　the　authorities　to　action。　　M。　le
Comte　de　Broglie　crossed　the　Upper　Cevennes；　and　marched　down　to　the
bridge　of　Montvert；　followed　by　several　companies　of　fusiliers。　　From
another　direction　M。　le　Comte　de　Peyre　brought　thirty…two　cavalry　and
three　hundred　and　fifty　infantry；　having　enlisted　them　at　Marvejols；
La　Canourgue；　Chiac；　and　Serverette。　　M。　de　St。　Paul；　Abbe　Duchayla's
brother；　and　the　Marquis　Duchayla；　his　nephew；　brought　eighty
horsemen　from　the　family　estates。　　The　Count　of　Morangiez　rode　in
from　St。　Auban　and　Malzieu　with　two　companies　of　cavalry；　and　the
town　of　Mende　by　order　of　its　bishop　despatched　its　nobles　at　the
head　of　three　companies　of　fifty　men　each。

But　the　mountains　had　swallowed　up　the　fanatics；　and　nothing　was　ever
known　of　their　fate；　except　that　from　time　to　time　a　peasant　would
relate　that　in　crossing　the　Cevennes　he　had　heard　at　dawn　or　dusk；　on
mountain　peak　or　from　valley　depths；　the　sound　going　up　to　heaven　of
songs　of　praise。　　It　was　the　fanatic　assassins　worshipping　God。

Or　occasionally　at　night；　on　the　tops　of　the　lofty　mountains；　fires
shone　forth　which　appeared　to　signal　one　to　another；　but　on　looking
the　next　night　in　the　same　direction　all　was　dark。

So　M。　de　Broglie；　concluding　that　nothing　could　be　done　against
enemies　who　were　invisible；　disbanded　the　troops　which　had　come　to
his　aid；　and　went　back　to　Montpellier；　leaving　a　company　of　fusiliers
at　Collet；　another　at　Ayres；　one　at　the　bridge　of　Montvert；　one　at
Barre；　and　one　at　Pompidon；　and　appointing　Captain　Poul　as　their
chief；

This　choice　of　such　a　man　as　chief　showed　that　M；　de　Broglie　was　a
good　judge　of　human　nature；　and　was　also　perfectly　acquainted　with
the　situation；　for　Captain　Poul　was　the　very　man　to　take　a　leading
part　in　the　coming　struggle。　　〃He　was；〃　says　Pere　Louvreloeil；　priest
of　the　Christian　doctrine　and　cure　of　Saint…Germain　de　Calberte；　〃an
officer　of　merit　and　reputation；　born　in　Ville…Dubert；　near
Carcassonne；　who　had　when　young　served　in　Hungary　and　Germany；　and
distinguished　himself　in　Piedmont　in　several　excursions　against　the
Barbets；　＇　A　name　applied　first　to　the　Alpine　smugglers　who　lived　in
the　valleys；　later　to　the　insurgent　peasants　in　the　Cevennes。
Translator's　Note。＇　notably　in　one　of　the　later　ones；　when；　entering
the　tent　of　their　chief；　Barbanaga；　he　cut　off　his　head。　　His　tall
and　agile　figure；　his　warlike　air；　his　love　of　hard　work；　his　hoarse
voice；　his　fiery　and　austere　character；　his　carelessness　in　regard　to
dress；　his　mature　age；　his　tried　courage；　his　taciturn　habit；　the
length　and　weight　of　his　sword；　all　combined　to　render　him
formidable。　　Therefore　no　one　could　have　been　chosen　more　suitable
for　putting　down　the　rebels；　for　forcing　their　entrenchments；　and　for
putting　them　to　flight。

Hardly　had　he　taken　up　a　position　in　the　market　town　of　Labarre；
which　was　to　be　his　headquarters；　than　he　was　informed　that　a
gathering　of　fanatics　had　been　seen　on　the　little　plain　of　Fondmorte；
which　formed　a　pass　between　two　valleys。　　He　ordered　out　his　Spanish
steed；　which　he　was　accustomed　to　ride　in　the　Turkish　mannerthat
is；　with　very　short　stirrups；　so　that　he　could　throw　himself　forward
to　the　horse's　ears；　or　backward　to　the　tail；　according　as　he　wished
to　give　or　avoid　a　mortal　blow。　　Taking　with　him　eighteen　men　of　his
own　company　and　twenty…five　from　the　town；　he　at　once　set　off　for　the
place　indicated；　not　considering　any　larger　number　necessary　to　put
to　rout　a　band　of　peasants；　however　numerous。

The　information　turned　out　to　be　correct：　a　hundred　Reformers　led　by
Esprit　Seguier　had　encamped　in　the　plain　of　Fondmorte；　and　about
eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning　one　of　their　sentinels　in　the　defile
gave　the　alarm　by　firing　off　his　gun　and　running　back　to　the　camp；
shouting；　〃To　arms！〃　　But　Captain　Poul；　with　his　usual　impetuosity；
did　not　give　the　insurgents　time　to　form；　but　threw　himself　upon　them
to　the　beat　of　the　drum；　not　in　the　least　deterred　by　their　first
volley。　　As　he　had　expected；　the　band　consisted　of　undisciplined
peasants；　who　once　scattered　were　unable　to　rally。　　They　were
therefore　completely　rou