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Maduron then obliterated all traces of his file by daubing the bars
with mud and wax； and withdrew。 For three consecutive nights he
returned to his task； taking the same precautions； and before the
fourth was at an end he found that by means of a slight effort the
grating could be removed。 That was all that was needed； so he gave
notice to Messire Nicolas de Calviere that the moment had arrived。
Everything was favourable to the undertaking： as there was no moon；
the next night was chosen to carry out the plan； and as soon as it
was dark Messire Nicolas de Calviere set out with his men； who；
slipping down into the moat without noise； crossed； the water being
up to their belts； climbed up the other side； and crept along at the
foot of the wall till they reached the grating without being
perceived。 There Maduron was waiting； and as soon as he caught sight
of them he gave a slight blow to the loose bars； which fell； and the
whole party entered the drain； led by de Calviere； and soon found
themselves at the farther endthat is to say； in the Place de la
Fontaine。 They immediately formed into companies twenty strong； four
of which hastened to the principal gates； while the others patrolled
the streets shouting； 〃The city taken！ Down with the Papists！ A new
world！ 〃Hearing this； the Protestants in the city recognised their
co…religionists； and the Catholics their opponents： but whereas the
former had been warned and were on the alert； the latter were taken
by surprise； consequently they offered no resistance； which； however；
did not prevent bloodshed。 M。 de St。 Andre； the governor of the
town； who during his short period of office had drawn the bitter
hatred of the Protestants on him； was shot dead in his bed； and his
body being flung out of the window； was torn in pieces by the
populace。 The work of murder went on all night； and on the morrow
the victors in their turn began an organised persecution； which fell
more heavily on the Catholics than that to which they had subjected
the Protestants； for； as we have explained above； the former could
only find shelter in the plain； while the latter used the Cevennes as
a stronghold。
It was about this time that the peace； which was called； as we have
said； 〃the insecurely seated；〃 was concluded。 Two years later this
name was justified by the Massacre of St。 Bartholomew。
When this event took place； the South； strange as it may seem； looked
on： in Nimes both Catholics and Protestants； stained with the other's
blood； faced each other； hand on hilt； but without drawing weapon。
It was as if they were curious to see how the Parisians would get
through。 The massacre had one result； however； the union of the
principal cities of the South and West： Montpellier； Uzes； Montauban；
and La Rochelle； with Nimes at their head； formed a civil and
military league to last； as is declared in the Act of Federation；
until God should raise up a sovereign to be the defender of the
Protestant faith。 In the year 1775 the Protestants of the South
began to turn their eyes towards Henri IV as the coming defender。
At that date Nimes； setting an example to the other cities of the
League； deepened her moats； blew up her suburbs； and added to the
height of her ramparts。 Night and day the work of perfecting the
means of defence went on； the guard at every gate was doubled； and
knowing how often a city had been taken by surprise； not a hole
through which a Papist could creep was left in the fortifications。
In dread of what the future might bring； Nimes even committed
sacrilege against the past； and partly demolished the Temple of Diana
and mutilated the amphitheatreof which one gigantic stone was
sufficient to form a section of the wall。 During one truce the crops
were sown； during another they were garnered in； and so things went
on while the reign of the Mignons lasted。 At length the prince
raised up by God； whom the Huguenots had waited for so long；
appeared； Henri IV ascended the； throne。
But once seated； Henri found himself in the same difficulty as had
confronted Octavius fifteen centuries earlier； and which confronted
Louis Philippe three centuries laterthat is to say； having been
raised to sovereign power by a party which was not in the majority；
he soon found himself obliged to separate from this party and to
abjure his religious beliefs； as others have abjured or will yet
abjure their political beliefs； consequently； just as Octavius had
his Antony； and Louis Philippe was to have his Lafayette； Henri IV
was to have his Biron。 When monarchs are in this position they can
no longer have a will of their own or personal likes and dislikes；
they submit to the force of circumstances； and feel compelled to rely
on the masses； no sooner are they freed from the ban under which they
laboured than they are obliged to bring others under it。
However； before having recourse to extreme measures； Henri IV with
soldierly frankness gathered round him all those who had been his
comrades of old in war and in religion； he spread out before them a
map of France； and showed them that hardly a tenth of the immense
number of its inhabitants were Protestants； and that even that tenth
was shut up in the mountains； some in Dauphine； which had been won
for them by their three principal leaders； Baron des Adrets； Captain
Montbrun； and Lesdiguieres； others in the Cevennes； which had become
Protestant through their great preachers； Maurice Secenat and
Guillaume Moget； and the rest in the mountains of Navarre； whence he
himself had come。 He recalled to them further that whenever they
ventured out of their mountains they had been beaten in every battle；
at Jarnac； at Moncontour； and at Dreux。 He concluded by explaining
how impossible it was for him； such being the case； to entrust the
guidance of the State to their party； but he offered them instead
three things； viz。； his purse to supply their present needs； the
Edict of Nantes to assure their future safety； and fortresses to
defend themselves should this edict one day be revoked； for with
profound insight the grandfather divined the grandson： Henri IV
feared Louis XIV。
The Protestants took what they were offered； but of course like all
who accept benefits they went away filled with discontent because
they had not been given more。
Although the Protestants ever afterwards looked on Henri IV as a
renegade； his reign nevertheless was their golden age； and while it
lasted Nines was quiet； for； strange to say； the Protestants took no
revenge for St。 Bartholomew； contenting themselves with debarring the
Catholics from the open exercise of their religion； but leaving them
free to use all its rites and ceremonies in private。 They even
permitted the procession of the Host through the streets in case of
illness； provided it took place at night。 Of course death would not
always wait for darkness； and the Host was sometimes carried to the
dying during the day； not without danger to the priest； who； however；
never let himself be deterred thereby from the performance of his
duty； indeed； it is of the essence of religious devotion to be
inflexible； and few soldiers； however brave； have equalled the
martyrs in courage。
During this time； taking advantage of the truce to hostilities and
the impartial protection meted out to all without distinction by the
Constable Damville； the Carmelites and Capuchins； the Jesuits and
monks of all orders and colours； began by degrees to return to Nines；
without any display； it is true； rather in a surreptitious manner；
preferring darkness to daylight； but however this may be； in the
course of three or four years they had all regained foothold in the
town； only now they were in the position in which the Protestants had
been formerly； they were without churches； as their enemies were in
possession of all the places of worship。 It also happened that a
Jesuit high in authority； named Pere Coston； preached with such
success that the Protestants； not wishing to be beaten； but desirous
of giving word for word； summoned to their aid the Rev。 Jeremie
Ferrier； of Alais； who at the moment was regarded as the most
eloquent preacher they had。 Needless to say； Alais was situated in
the mountains； that inexhaustible source of Huguenot eloquence。 At
once the controversial spirit was aroused； it did not as yet amount
to war； but still less could it be called peace： people were no
longer assassinated； but they were anathematised； the body was safe；
but the soul was consigned to damnation： the days as they passed were
used by both sides to keep their hand in； in readiness for the moment
when the massacres should again begin。
CHAPTER II
The death of Henri IV led to new conflicts； in which although at
first success was on the side of the Protestants it by degrees went
over to the Catholics； for with the accession of Louis XIII Richelieu
had taken possession of the throne： beside the king sat the cardinal；
under the purple mantle gleamed the red robe。 It was at this crisis
that Henri de Rohan rose to eminence in the South。 He was one of the
most illustrious representatives of that great race which； allied as
it was to the roya