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Those thus sorted out were then conducted to a spot which had been
chosen beforehand as the place of execution。
This was the palace courtyard in the middle of which yawned a well
twenty…four feet in circumference and fifty deep。 The fanatics thus
found a grave ready…digged as it were to their hand； and to save
time； made use of it。
The unfortunate Catholics； led thither in groups； were either stabbed
with daggers or mutilated with axes； and the bodies thrown down the
well。 Guy…Rochette was one of the first to be dragged up。 For
himself he asked neither mercy nor favour； but he begged that the
life of his young brother might be spared； whose only crime was the
bond of blood which united them； but the assassins； paying no heed to
his prayers； struck down both man and boy and flung them into the
well。 The corpse of the vicar…general； who had been killed the day
before； was in its turn dragged thither by a rope and added to the
others。 All night the massacre went on； the crimsoned water rising
in the well as corpse after corpse was thrown in； till； at break of
day； it overflowed； one hundred and twenty bodies being then hidden
in its depths。
Next day； October 1st； the scenes of tumult were renewed： from early
dawn Captain Bouiilargues ran from street to street crying； 〃Courage；
comrades！ Montpellier； Pezenas； Aramon； Beaucaire； Saint…Andeol； and
Villeneuve are taken； and are on our side。 Cardinal de Lorraine is
dead； and the king is in our power。〃 This aroused the failing
energies of the assassins。 They joined the captain； and demanded
that the houses round the palace should be searched； as it was almost
certain that the bishop； who had； as may be remembered； escaped the
day before； had taken refuge in one of them。 This being agreed to； a
house…to…house visitation was begun： when the house of M。 de
Sauvignargues was reached； he confessed that the bishop was in his
cellar； and proposed to treat with Captain Bouillargues for a ransom。
This proposition being considered reasonable； was accepted； and after
a short discussion the sum of 120 crowns was agreed on。 The bishop
laid down every penny he had about him； his servants were despoiled；
and the sum made up by the Sieur de Sauvignargues； who having the
bishop in his house kept him caged。 The prelate； however； made no
objection； although under other circumstances he would have regarded
this restraint as the height of impertinence； but as it was he felt
safer in M。 de Sauvignargues' cellar than in the palace。
But the secret of the worthy prelate's hiding〃 place was but badly
kept by those with whom he had treated； for in a few moments a second
crowd appeared； hoping to obtain a second ransom。 Unfortunately； the
Sieur de Sauvignargues； the bishop； and the bishop's servants had
stripped themselves of all their ready money to make up the first； so
the master of the house； fearing for his own safety； having
barricaded the doors； got out into a lane and escaped； leaving the
bishop to his fate。 The Huguenots climbed in at the windows； crying；
〃No quarter！ Down with the Papists！ 〃The bishop's servants were cut
down； the bishop himself dragged out of the cellar and thrown into
the street。 There his rings and crozier were snatched from him； he
was stripped of his clothes and arrayed in a grotesque and ragged
garment which chanced to be at hand； his mitre was replaced by a
peasant's cap； and in this condition he was dragged back to the
palace and placed on the brink of the well to be thrown in。 One of
the assassins drew attention to the fact that it was already full。
〃Pooh！〃 replied another； 〃they won't mind a little crowding for a
bishop。〃 Meantime the prelate； seeing he need expect no mercy from
man； threw himself on his knees and commended his soul to God。
Suddenly； however； one of those who had shown himself most ferocious
during the massacre； Jean Coussinal by name； was touched as if by
miracle with a feeling of compassion at the sight of so much
resignation； and threw himself between the bishop and those about to
strike； and declaring that whoever touched the prelate must first
overcome himself； took him under his protection； his comrades
retreating in astonishment。 Jean Coussinal raising the bishop；
carried him in his arms into a neighbouring house； and drawing his
sword； took his stand on the threshold。
The assassins； however； soon recovered from their surprise； and
reflecting that when all was said and done they were fifty to one；
considered it would be shameful to let themselves be intimidated by a
single opponent； so they advanced again on Coussinal； who with a
back…handed stroke cut off the head of the first…comer。 The cries
upon this redoubled； and two or three shots were fired at the
obstinate defender of the poor bishop； but they all missed aim。 At
that moment Captain Bouillargues passed by； and seeing one man
attacked by fifty； inquired into the cause。 He was told of
Coussinal's odd determination to save the bishop。 〃He is quite
right；〃 said the captain； 〃the bishop has paid ransom； and no one has
any right to touch him。〃 Saying this； he walked up to Coussinal；
gave him his hand； and the two entered the house； returning in a few
moments with the bishop between them。 In this order they crossed the
town； followed by the murmuring crowd； who were； however； afraid to
do more than murmur； at the gate the bishop was provided with an
escort and let go； his defenders remaining there till he was out of
sight。
The massacres went on during the whole of the second day； though
towards evening the search for victims relaxed somewhat； but still
many isolated acts of murder took place during the night。 On the
morrow； being tired of killing； the people began to destroy； and this
phase lasted a long time； it being less fatiguing to throw stones
about than corpses。 All the convents； all the monasteries； all the
houses of the priests and canons were attacked in turn； nothing was
spared except the cathedral； before which axes and crowbars seemed to
lose their power； and the church of Ste。 Eugenie； which was turned
into a powder…magazine。 The day of the great butchery was called
〃La Michelade；〃 because it took place the day after Michaelmas； and
as all this happened in the year 1567 the Massacre of St。
Bartholomew must be regarded as a plagiarism。
At last； however； with the help of M。 Damville； the Catholics again
got the upper hand； and it was the turn of the Protestants to fly。
They took refuge in the Cevennes。 From the beginning of the troubles
the Cevennes had been the asylum of those who suffered for the
Protestant faith； and still the plains are Papist； and the mountains
Protestant。 When the Catholic party is in the ascendant at Nimes；
the plain seeks the mountain； when the Protestants come into power；
the mountain comes down into the plain。
However； vanquished and fugitive though they were； the Calvinists did
not lose courage： in exile one day； they felt sure their luck would
turn the next； and while the Catholics were burning or hanging them
in effigy for contumacy； they were before a notary； dividing the
property of their executioners。
But it was not enough for them to buy or sell this property amongst
each other； they wanted to enter into possession； they thought of
nothing else； and in 1569that is； in the eighteenth month of their
exilethey attained their wish in the following manner：
One day the exiles perceived a carpenter belonging to a little
village called Cauvisson approaching their place of refuge。 He
desired to speak to M。 Nicolas de Calviere； seigneur de St。 Cosme；
and brother of the president； who was known to be a very enterprising
man。 To him the carpenter； whose name was Maduron； made the
following proposition：
In the moat of Nimes； close to the Gate of the Carmelites； there was
a grating through which the waters from the fountain found vent。
Maduron offered to file through the bars of this grating in such a
manner that some fine night it could be lifted out so as to allow a
band of armed Protestants to gain access to the city。 Nicolas de
Calviere approving of this plan； desired that it should be carried
out at once； but the carpenter pointed out that it would be necessary
to wait for stormy weather； when the waters swollen by the rain would
by their noise drown the sound of the file。 This precaution was
doubly necessary as the box of the sentry was almost exactly above
the grating。 M。 de Calviere tried to make Maduron give way； but the
latter； who was risking more than anyone else； was firm。 So whether
they liked it or not； de Calviere and the rest had to await his good
pleasure。
Some days later rainy weather set in； and as usual the fountain
became fuller； Maduron seeing that the favourable moment had arrived；
glided at night into the moat and applied his file； a friend of his
who was hidden on the ramparts above pulling a cord attached to
Maduron's arm every time the sentinel； in pacing his narrow round；
approached the spot。 Before break of day the work was well begun。
Maduron then obliterated all traces of his file by daubing the bars
with mud and wax； and withdrew。 For three consec