massacres of the south-第8节

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as　St。　Peter　by　the　angel；　he　had　passed　through　the　guards　invisible
to　all；　leaving　his　fetters　behind。

This　incomprehensible　escape　redoubled　the　severity　of　the
Arch…priest；　till　at　last　the　prophets；　feeling　that　their　only
chance　of　safety　lay　in　getting　rid　of　him；　began　to　preach　against
him　as　Antichrist；　and　advocate　his　death。　The　abbe　was　warned　of
this；　but　nothing　could　abate　his　zeal。　　In　France　as　in　India；
martyrdom　was　his　longed…for　goal；　and　with　head　erect　and
unfaltering　step　he　〃pressed　toward　the　mark。〃

At　last；　on　the　evening　of　the　24th　of　July；　two　hundred　conspirators
met　in　a　wood　on　the　top　of　a　hill　which　overlooked　the　bridge　of
Montvert；　near　which　was　the　Arch…priest's　residence。　　Their　leader
was　a　man　named　Laporte；　a　native　of　Alais；　who　had　become　a
master…blacksmith　in　the　pass　of　Deze。　　He　was　accompanied　by　an
inspired　man；　a　former　wool…carder；　born　at　Magistavols；　Esprit
Seguier　by　name。　　This　man　was；　after　Laquoite；　the　most　highly
regarded　of　the　twenty　or　thirty　prophets　who　were　at　that　moment
going　up　and　down　the　Cevennes　in　every　direction。　　The　whole　party
was　armed　with　scythes；　halberts；　and　swords；　a　few　had　even　pistols
and　guns。

On　the　stroke　of　ten；　the　hour　fixed　for　their　departure；　they　all
knelt　down　and　with　uncovered　heads　began　praying　as　fervently　as　if
they　were　about　to　perform　some　act　most　pleasing　to　God；　and　their
prayers　ended；　they　marched　down　the　hill　to　the　town；　singing
psalms；　and　shouting　between　the　verses　to　the　townspeople　to　keep
within　their　homes；　and　not　to　look　out　of　door　or　window　on　pain　of
death。

The　abbe　was　in　his　oratory　when　he　heard　the　mingled　singing　and
shouting；　and　at　the　same　moment　a　servant　entered　in　great　alarm；
despite　the　strict　regulation　of　the　Arch…priest　that　he　was　never　to
be　interrupted　at　his　prayers。　　This　man　announced　that　a　body　of
fanatics　was　coming　down　the　hill；　but　the　abbe　felt　convinced　that
it　was　only　an　unorganised　crowd　which　was　going　to　try　and　carry　off
six　prisoners；　at　that　moment　in　the　'ceps。'　＇　A　terrible　kind　of
stocksa　beam　split　in　two；　no　notches　being　made　for　the　legs：　the
victim's　legs　were　placed　between　the　two　pieces　of　wood；　which　were
then；　by　means　of　a　vice　at　each　end；　brought　gradually　together。
Translators　Note。＇

These　prisoners　were　three　young　men　and　three　girls　in　men's
clothes；　who　had　been　seized　just　as　they　were　about　to　emigrate。　　As
the　abbe　was　always　protected　by　a　guard　of　soldiers；　he　sent　for　the
officer　in　command　and　ordered　him　to　march　against；　the　fanatics　and
disperse　them。　　But　the　officer　was　spared　the　trouble　of　obeying；
for　the　fanatics　were　already　at　hand。　　On　reaching　the　gate　of　the
courtyard　he　heard　them　outside；　and　perceived　that　they　were　making
ready　to　burst　it　in。　　Judging　of　their　numbers　by　the　sound　of　their
voices；　he　considered　that　far　from　attacking　them；　he　would　have
enough　to　do　in　preparing　for　defence；　consequently　he　bolted　and
barred　the　gate　on　the　inside；　and　hastily　erected　a　barricade　under
an　arch　leading　to　the　apartments　of　the　abbe。　　Just　as　these
preparations　were　complete；　Esprit　Seguier　caught　sight　of　a　heavy
beam　of　wood　lying　in　a　ditch；　this　was　raised　by　a　dozen　men　and
used　as　a　battering…ram　to　force　in　the　gate；　which　soon　showed　a
breach。　　Thus　encouraged；　the　workers；　cheered　by　the　chants　of　their
comrades；　soon　got　the　gate　off　the　hinges；　and　thus　the　outside
court　was　taken。　　The　crowd　then　loudly　demanded　the　release　of　the
prisoners；　using　dire　threats。

The　commanding　officer　sent　to　ask　the　abbe　what　he　was　to　do；　the
abbe　replied　that　he　was　to　fire　on　the　conspirators。　　This　imprudent
order　was　carried　out；　one　of　the　fanatics　was　killed　on　the　spot；
and　two　wounded　men　mingled　their　groans　with　the　songs　and　threats
of　their　comrades。

The　barricade　was　next　attacked；　some　using　axes；　others　darting
their　swords　and　halberts　through　the　crevices　and　killing　those
behind；　as　for　those　who　had　firearms；　they　climbed　on　the　shoulders
of　the　others；　and　having　fired　at　those　below；　saved　themselves　by
tumbling　down　again。　　At　the　head　of　the　besiegers　were　Laporte　and
Esprit　Seguier；　one　of　whom　had　a　father　to　avenge　and　the　other　a
son；　both　of　whom　had　been　done　to　death　by　the　abbe。　　They　were　not
the　only　ones　of　the　party　who　were　fired　by　the　desire　of　vengeance；
twelve　or　fifteen　others　were　in　the　same　position。

The　abbe　in　his　room　listened　to　the　noise　of　the　struggle；　and
finding　matters　growing　serious；　he　gathered　his　household　round　him；
and　making　them　kneel　down；　he　told　them　to　make　their　confession；
that　he　might；　by　giving　them　absolution；　prepare　them　for　appearing
before　God。　　The　sacred　words　had　just　been　pronounced　when　the
rioters　drew　near；　having　carried　the　barricade；　and　driven　the
soldiers　to　take　refuge　in　a　hall　on　the　ground　floor　just　under　the
Arch…priest's　room。

But　suddenly；　the　assault　was　stayed；　some　of　the　men　going　to
surround　the　house；　others　setting　out　on　a　search　for　the　prisoners。
These　were　easily　found；　for　judging　by　what　they　could　hear　that
their　brethren　had　come　to　their　rescue；　they　shouted　as　loudly　as
they　could。

The　unfortunate　creatures　had　already　passed　a　whole　week　with　their
legs　caught　and　pressed　by　the　cleft　beams　which　formed　these
inexpressibly　painful　stocks。　　When　the　unfortunate　victims　were
released；　the　fanatics　screamed　with　rage　at　the　sight　of　their
swollen　bodies　and　half…broken　bones。　　None　of　the　unhappy　people
were　able　to　stand。　　The　attack　on　the　soldiers　was　renewed；　and
these　being　driven　out　of　the　lower　hall；　filled　the　staircase
leading　to　the　abbe's　apartments；　and　offered　such　determine。
resistance　that　their　assailants　were　twice　forced　to　fall　back。
Laporte；　seeing　two　of　his　men　killed　and　five　or　six　wounded；　called
out　loudly；　〃Children　of　God；　lay　down　your　arms：　this　way　of　going
to　work　is　too　slow；　let　us　burn　the　abbey　and　all　in　it。　　To　work！
to　work！　　〃The　advice　was　good；　and　they　all　hastened　to　follow　it：
benches；　chairs；　and　furniture　of　all　sorts　were　heaped　up　in　the
hall；　a　palliasse　thrown　on　the　top；　and　the　pile　fired。　　In　a　moment
the　whole　building　was　ablaze；　and　the　Arch…priest；　yielding　to　the
entreaties　of　his　servants；　fastened　his　sheets　to　the　window…bars；
and　by　their　help　dropped　into　the　garden。　　The　drop　was　so　great
that　he　broke　one　of　his　thigh　bones；　but　dragging　himself　along　on
his　hands　and　one　knee；　he；　with　one　of　his　servants；　reached　a
recess　in　the　wall；　while　another　servant　was　endeavouring　to　escape
through　the　flames；　thus　falling　into　the　hands　of　the　fanatics；　who
carried　him　before　their　captain。　　Then　cries　of　〃The　prophet！　the
prophet！〃　were　heard　on　all　sides。　　Esprit　Seguier；　feeling　that
something　fresh　had　taken　place；　came　forward；　still　holding　in　his
hand　the　blazing　torch　with　which　he　had　set　fire　to　the　pile。

〃Brother；〃　asked　Laporte；　pointing　to　the　prisoner；　〃is　this　man　to
die？〃

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