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hanged like brigands。 His sole answer was an inclination of the head
as he turned and led the way to his little escort。 M。 de Lalande
followed him with perfect confidence； and； passing by the eight
horsemen who were grouped on the road； he walked up to the infantry；
and taking out of his pocket a handful of gold； he scattered it
before them； saying：
〃There； my men！ that is to drink the king's health with。〃
Not a man stooped to pick the money up； and one of them said； shaking
his head
〃It is not money we want； but liberty of conscience。〃
〃My men；〃 answered Lalande； 〃it is unfortunately not in my power to
grant your demand； but I advise you to submit to the king's will ；and
trust in his clemency。〃
〃Sir；〃 answered Cavalier； 〃we are all ready to obey him； provided
that he graciously grant us our just demands； if not； we shall die
weapon in hand； rather than expose ourselves once more to such
outrages as have already been inflicted on us。〃
〃Your demands shall be transmitted word for word to M。 de Villars；
who will lay them before the king；〃 said Lalande； 〃and you may be
sure； sir； that my most sincere wish is that His Majesty may not find
them exorbitant。〃
With these words； M。 de Lalande saluted Cavalier； and turned to
rejoin his escort； but Cavalier； wishing to return confidence with
confidence； crossed the bridge with him； and accompanied the general
to where his soldiers had halted。 There； with another salute； the
two chiefs parted； M。 de Lalande taking the road to Uzes； while
Cavalier rejoined his comrades。
Meantime d'Aygaliers； who； as we have seen； had not left Uzes until
the 5th May； in order to join Cavalier； did not come up with him
until the 13th； that is to say； the day after his conference with
Lalande。 D'Aygaliers gives us an account of their interview； and we
cannot do better than quote it。
〃Although it was the first time that we had met face to face； we
embraced each other as if we were old acquaintances。 My little band
mixed with his and sang psalms together； while Cavalier and I talked。
I was very much pleased with what； he said； and convinced him without
difficulty that he should submit for the sake of the brethren； who
could then choose whichever course best suited them； and either leave
the kingdom or serve the king。 I said that I believed the last
course to be the best； provided we were allowed to worship God
according to our consciences； because I hoped that； seeing their
faithful service； His Majesty would recognise that he had been
imposed upon by those who had described us as disloyal subjects； and
that we should thus obtain for the whole nation that liberty of
conscience which had been granted to us； that in no other way； as far
as I could see； could our deplorable condition be ameliorated； for
although Cavalier and his men might be able to exist for some time
longer in the forests and mountains； they would never be strong
enough to save the inhabitants of towns and other enclosed places
from perishing。
〃Upon this he replied； that although the Catholics seldom kept a
promise made to those of our religion； he was willing to risk his
life for the welfare of his brethren and the province but that he
trusted if he confided in the clemency of the king for whom he had
never ceased to pray； no harm would happen him。〃
Thereupon d'Aygaliers； delighted to find him so well inclined； begged
him to give him a letter for M。 de Villars； and as Cavalier knew the
marechal to be loyal and zealous； and had great confidence in him； he
wrote without any hesitation the following letter：
〃MONSEIGNEUR；Permit me to address your Excellency in order to beg
humbly for the favour of your protection for myself and for my
soldiers。 We are filled with the most ardent desire to repair the
fault which we have committed by bearing arms； not against the king；
as our enemies have so falsely asserted； but to defend our lives
against those who persecuted us； attacking us so fiercely that we
believed it was done by order of His Majesty。 We know that it was
written by St。 Paul that subjects ought to submit themselves to their
king； and if in spite of these sincere protestations our sovereign
should still demand our blood； we shall soon be ready to throw
ourselves on his justice or his mercy； but we should； Monseigneur；
regard ourselves as happy； if His Majesty； moved by our repentance；
would grant us his pardon and receive us into his service； according
to the example of the God of mercy whose representative His Majesty
is on earth。 We trust； Monseigneur； by our faithfulness and zeal to
acquire the honour of your protection； and we glory in the thought of
being permitted； under the command of such an illustrious and
noble…minded general as yourself； to shed our blood for the king；
this being so； I hope that your Excellency will be pleased to allow
me to inscribe myself with profound respect and humility；
Monseigneur； your most humble and obedient servant；
〃CAVALIER。〃
D'Aygaliers； as soon as he got possession of this letter； set out for
Nimes in the best of spirits； for he felt sure that he was bringing
M。 de Villars more than he had expected。 And； indeed； as soon as the
marechal saw how far things had gone； in spite of everything that
Lalande could say； who in his jealousy asserted that d'Aygaliers
would spoil everything； he sent him back to Cavalier with an
invitation to come to Nimes。 D'Aygaliers set out at once； promising
to bring the young chief back with him； at which Lalande laughed
loudly； pretending to be very much amused at the baron's confident
way of speaking； and protesting that Cavalier would not come。
In the meantime events were happening in the mountains which might
easily have changed the state of mind of the young chief。 The Comte
de Tournan； who was in command at Florae； had encountered Roland's
army in the plain of Fondmortes； and had lost two hundred men； a
considerable sum of money； and eighty mules loaded with provisions。
The anxiety which this news caused to M。 de Villars was soon
relieved； for six days after the defeat he received a letter from
Cavalier by the hands of Lacombe； the same who had brought about the
interview on the bridge of Avenes。 In this letter Cavalier expressed
the greatest regret for what had just happened。
D'Aygaliers therefore found Cavalier in the best of humours when he
joined him at Tarnac。 The first feeling that the young chief felt on
receiving the invitation was one of stupefaction； for an interview
with the marechal was an honour so unexpected and so great； that his
impression was that some treason lay behind it； but he was soon
reassured when he recalled the character for loyalty which the
marechal bore； and how impossible it was that d'Aygaliers should lend
himself to treachery。 So Cavalier sent back word that he would obey
the marechal's orders； and that he put himself entirely into his
hands in what concerned the arrangements for the interview。 M。 de
Villars let him know that he would expect him on the 16th in the
garden of the convent of the Recollets of Nimes； which lay just
outside the city； between the gates of Beaucaire and the Madeleine；
and that Lalande would meet him beyond Carayrac to receive him and to
bring him hostages。
CHAPTER IV
On the 15th May Cavalier set out from Tarnac at the head of one
hundred and sixty foot…soldiers and fifty horse； he was accompanied
by his young brother and by d'Aygaliers and Lacombe。 They all passed
the night at Langlade。
The next day they set out for Nimes； and； as had been agreed upon；
were met by Lalande between Saint…Cesaire and Carayrac。 Lalande
advanced to greet Cavalier and present the hostages to him。 These
hostages were M。 de La Duretiere； captain of the Fimarcon regiment； a
captain of infantry； several other officers； and ten dragoons。
Cavalier passed them over to his lieutenant； Ravanel； who was in
command of the infantry； and left them in his charge at
Saint…Cesaire。 The cavalry accompanied him to within a musket…shot
of Nimes； and encamped upon the heights。 Besides this； Cavalier
posted sentinels and mounted orderlies at all the approaches to the
camp； and even as far off as the fountain of Diana and the tennis…
court。 These precautions taken； he entered the city； accompanied by
his brother； d'Aygaliers； Lacombe； and a body…guard of eighteen
cavalry； commanded by Catinat。 Lalande rode on before to announce
their arrival to the marechal； whom he found waiting with MM。 de
Baville and Sandricourt； in the garden of the Recollets； dreading
every moment to receive word that Cavalier had refused to come； for
he expected great results from this interview。 Lalande； however；
reassured him by telling him the young Huguenot was behind。
In a few minutes a great tumult was heard： it was the people
hastening to welcome their hero。 Not a Protestant； except paralytic
old people and infants in the cradle； remained indoors； for the
Huguenots； who had long looked on Cavalier as their champion； now
considered him their saviour； so that men and women threw themselves
under the feet of his horse in their efforts to kiss the skirts of
his coat。 It was more l