massacres of the south-第37节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


carried　off　by　the　plague　in　1720。

All　these　sentences　were　carried　out　with　the　utmost　rigour。

Thus；　as　may　be　seen；　the　suppression　of　the　revolt　proceeded　apace；
only　two　young　Camisard　chiefs　were　still　at　large；　both　of　whom　had
formerly　served　under　Cavalier　and　Catinat。　　The　name　of　the　one　was
Brun　and　of　the　other　Francezet。　　Although　neither　of　them　possessed
the　genius　and　influence　of　Catinat　and　Ravanel；　yet　they　were　both
men　to　be　feared；　the　one　on　account　of　his　personal　strength；　the
other　for　his　skill　and　agility。　　Indeed；　it　was　said　of　him　that　he
never　missed　a　shot；　and　that　one　day　being　pursued　by　dragoons　he
had　escaped　by　jumping　over　the　Gardon　at　a　spot　where　it　was
twenty…two　feet　wide。

For　a　long　time　all　search　was　in　vain；　but　one　day　the　wife　of　a
miller　named　Semenil　came　into　town　ostensibly　to　buy　provisions；　but
really　to　denounce　them　as　being　concealed；　with　two　other　Camisards；
in　her　husband's　house。

This　information　was　received　with　an　eager　gratitude；　which　showed
the　importance　which　the　governor　of　Nimes　attached　to　their　capture。
The　woman　was　promised　a　reward　of　fifty　Louis　if　they　were　taken；
and　the　Chevalier　de　la　Valla；　Grandidier；　and　fifty　Swiss；　the　major
of　the　Saint…Sernin　regiment；　a　captain；　and　thirty　dragoons；　were
sent　off　to　make　the　capture。　　When　they　were　within　a　quarter　of　a
league　of　the　mill；　La　Valla；　who　was　in　command　of　the　expedition；
made　the　woman　give　him　all　the　necessary　topographical　information。

Having　learned　that　besides　the　door　by　which　they　hoped　to　effect　an
entrance；　the　mill　possessed　only　one　other；　which　opened　on　a　bridge
over　the　Vistre；　he　despatched　ten　dragoons　and　five　Swiss　to　occupy
this　bridge；　whilst　he　and　the　rest　of　the　troops　bore　down　on　the
main　entrance。　　As　soon　as　the　four　Camisards　perceived　the　approach
of　the　soldiers；　their　first　thought　was　to　escape　by　the　bridge；　but
one　of　them　having　gone　up　to　the　roof　to　make　sure　that　the　way　was
clear；　came　down　exclaiming　that　the　bridge　was　occupied。　　On　hearing
this；　the　four　felt　that　they　were　lost；　but　nevertheless　resolved　to
defend　themselves　as　valiantly　and　to　sell　their　lives　as　dearly　as
possible。　　As　soon　as　the　royals　were　within　musket　range　of　the
mill；　four　shots　were　fired；　and　two　dragoons；　one　Swiss；　and　one
horse；　fell。　　M。　de　Valla　thereupon　ordered　the　troops　to　charge　at
full　gallop；　but　before　the　mill　door　was　reached　three　other　shots
were　heard；　and　two　more　men　killed。　　Nevertheless；　seeing　they　could
not　long　hold　out　against　such　numbers；　Francezet　gave　the　signal　for
retreat；　calling　out；　〃Sauve　qui　petit！〃　at　the　same　instant　he
jumped　out　of　a　lattice　window　twenty　feet　from　the　ground；　followed
by　Brun。　　Neither　of　them　being　hurt；　both　set　off　across　country；
one　trusting　to　his　strength　and　the　other　to　his　fleetness　of　foot。
The　two　other　Camisards；　who　had　tried　to　escape　by　the　door；　were
captured。

The　soldiers；　horse　and　foot；　being　now　free　to　give　all　their
attention　to　Brun　and　Francezet；　a　wonderful　race　began；　for　the　two
fugitives；　being　strong　and　active；　seemed　to　play　with　their
pursuers；　stopping　every　now　and　then；　when　they　had　gained
sufficient　headway；　to　shoot　at　the　nearest　soldiers；　when　Francezet；
proving　worthy　of　his　reputation；　never　missed　a　single　shot。　　Then；
resuming　their　flight　and　loading　their　weapons　as　they　ran；　they
leaped　rivers　and　ditches；　taking　advantage　of　the　less　direct　road
which　the　troops　were　obliged　to　follow；　to　stop　and　take　breath；
instead　of　making　for　some　cover　where　they　might　have　found　safety。
Two　or　three　times　Brun　was　on　the　point　of　being　caught；　but　each
time　the　dragoon　or　Swiss　who　had　got　up　to　him　fell；　struck　by
Francezet's　unerring　bullet。　　The　chase　lasted　four　hours；　during
which　time　five　officers；　thirty　dragoons；　and　fifty　Swiss　were
baffled　by　two　men；　one　of　whom　Francezet　was　almost　a　boy；　being
only　twenty　years　old！　　Then　the　two　Camisards；　having　exhausted
their　ammunition；　gave　each　other　the　name　of　a　village　as　a
rendezvous；　and　each　taking　a　different　direction；　bounded　away　with
the　lightness　of　a　stag。　　Francezet　ran　in　the　direction　of　Milhaud
with　such　rapidity　that　he　gained　on　the　dragoons；　although　they　put
their　horses　at　full　speed。　　He　was　within　an　inch　of　safety；　when　a
peasant　named　La　Bastide；　who　was　hoeing　in　a　field；　whence　he　had
watched　the　contest　with　interest　from　the　moment　he　had　first　caught
sight　of　it；　seeing　the　fugitive　make　for　an　opening　in　a　wall；　ran
along　at　the　foot　of　the　wall　on　the　other　side；　and；　just　as
Francezet　dashed　through　the　opening　like　a　flash　of　lightning；
struck　him　such　a　heavy　blow　on　the　head　with　his　hoe　that　the　skull
was　laid　open；　and　he　fell　bathed　in　blood。

The　dragoons；　who　had　seen　in　the　distance　what　had　happened；　now
came　up；　and　rescued　Francezet　from　the　hands　of　his　assailant；　who
had　continued　to　rain　blows　upon　him；　desiring　to　put　an　end　to　him。
The　unconscious　Camisard　was　carried　to　Milhaud；　where　his　wounds
were　bandaged；　and　himself　revived　by　means　of　strong　spirits　forced
into　mouth　and　nostrils。

We　now　return　to　Brun。　　At　first　it　seemed　as　if　he　were　more
fortunate　than　his　comrade；　for；　meeting　with　no　obstacle；　he　was
soon　not　only　out　of　reach；　but　out　of　sight　of　his　enemies。　　He　now；
however；　felt　broken　by　fatigue；　and　taught　caution　by　the　treachery
to　which　he　had　almost　fallen　a　victim；　he　dared　not　ask　for　an
asylum；　so；　throwing　himself　down　in　a　ditch；　he　was　soon　fast
asleep。　　The　dragoons；　who　had　not　given　up　the　search；　presently
came　upon　him；　and　falling　on　him　as　he　lay；　overpowered　him　before
he　was　well　awake。

When　both　Camisards　met　before　the　governor；　Francezet　replied　to　all
interrogations　that　since　the　death　of　brother　Catinat　his　sole
desire　had　been　to　die　a　martyr's　death　like　him；　while　Brun　said
that　he　was　proud　and　happy　to　die　in　the　cause　of　the　Lord　along
with　such　a　brave　comrade　as　Francezet。　　This　manner　of　defence　led
to　the　application　of　the　question　both　ordinary　and　extraordinary；
and　to　the　stake；　and　our　readers　already　know　what　such　a　double
sentence　meant。　　Francezet　and　Brun　paid　both　penalties　on　the　30th
of　April；　betraying　no　secrets　and　uttering　no　complaints。

Boeton；　who　had　been　denounced　by　Villas　when　under　torture　（and　who
thereby　abridged　his　agony）　as　the　person　in　whose　house　the　plot　to
carry　off　the　Duke　of　Berwick　and　de　Baville　had　been　arranged；　still
remained　to　be　dealt　with。

He　was　moderate　in　his　religious　views；　but　firm　and　full　of　faith；
his　principles　resembled　those　of　the　Quakers　in　that　he　refused　to
carry　arms；　he　was；　however；　willing　to　aid　the　good　cause　by　all
other　means　within　his　reach。　　He　was　at　home　waiting；　with　that　calm
which　perfect　trust　in　God　gives；　for　the　day　to　come　which　had　been
appointed　for　the　execution　of　the　plan；　when　suddenly　his　house　was
surrounded　during　the　night　by　the　royals。　　Faithful　to　his
principles；　he　offered　no　resistance；　but　held　out　his　hands　to　be
bound。　　He　was　taken　in　triumph　to　Nimes；　and　from　there　to　the
citadel　of　Montpellier。　　On　the　way　he　encountered　his　wife　and　his
son；　who　were　going　to　the　latter　town　to　intercede　for　him。　　When
they　met　him；　they　dismounted　from　their　horse；　for　the　mother　was
riding　on　a　pillion　behind　the　son；　and　kneeling　on　the　highroad；
asked　for　Boeton's　blessing。　　Unfeeling　though　the　soldiers　were；
they　yet　permitted　their　prisoner　to　stop　an　instant；　while　he；
raising　his　fettered　hands　to　heaven；　gave　the　double　blessing　asked
for。　　So　touched　was　Baron　Saint…Chatte　by　the　scene　（be　it　remarked
in　passing　that　the　baron　and　Boeton　were　cousins　by　marriage）　that
he　permitted　them　to　embrace　one　another；　so　for　a　few　moments　they
stood；　the　husband　and　father　clasped　to　the　hearts　of　his　dear　ones；
then；　on　a　sign　from　Boeton；　they　tore　themselves　away；　Boeton
commanding　them　to　pray　for　M。　de　Saint…Chatte；　who　had　given　them
this　consolation。　　As　he　resumed　his　march　the　prisoner　set　them　the
example　by　beginning　to　sing　a　psalm　for　the　benefit　of　M。　de
Saint…Chatte。

The　next　day；　despite　the　intercession　of　his　wife　and　son；　Boeton
was　condemned　to　torture　both　ordinary　and　extraordinary；　and　then　to
be　broken　on　the　wheel。　　On　hearing　this　cruel　sentence；　he　said　that
he　was　ready　to　suffer　every　ill　that　God　might　send　him　in　order　to
prove　the　steadfastness　of　his　faith。

And　indeed　he　endured　his　torture　with　such　firmness；　that　M。　de
Baville；　who　was　present　in　the　hope　of　obtaining　a　confession；
became　more　impatient　than　the　sufferer；　and；　forgetting　his　sacred
office；　the　judge　struck　and　insulted　the　prisoner。　　Upon　this　Baeton
raised　his　eyes　to　heaven　and　cried；　〃Lord；　Lord！　how　long　shall　the
wicked　triumph？　　How　long　shall　innocent　blood　be　shed？　　How　long
wilt　Thou　not　judge　and　avenge　our　blood　with　cries　to　Thee？
Remember　Thy　jealousy；　O　Lord；　and　Thy　loving…kindness　of　old！〃　　Then
M。　de　Baville　withdrew；　giving　orders　that　he　was　to　be　brought　to
the　scaffold。

The　scaffold　was　erected　on　the　Esplanade：　being；　as　was　usual　when
this　sor