第 15 节
作者:铲除不公      更新:2021-02-20 18:50      字数:9322
  Brenoux; drunk with the lust of destruction。  There they massacred
  fifty…two persons; among them mothers with unborn children; and with
  these babes; which they tore from them; impaled on their pikes and
  halberts; they continued their march towards the villages of St。
  Denis and Castagnols。
  Very soon these volunteers organised themselves into companies; and
  became known under the name of Cadets de la Croix; from a small white
  cross which they wore on their coats; so the poor Huguenots had a new
  species of enemy to contend with; much more bloodthirsty than the
  dragoons and the miquelets; for while these latter simply obeyed
  orders from Versailles; Nimes; or Montpellier; the former gratified a
  personal hatea hate which had come down to them from their fathers;
  and which they would pass on to their children。
  On the other hand; the young Huguenot leader; who every day gained
  more influence over his soldiers; tried to make the dragoons and
  Cadets de la Croix suffer in return everything they inflicted on the
  Huguenots; except the murders。  In the night from the 2nd to the 3rd
  October; about ten o'clock; he came down into the plain and attacked
  Sommieres from two different points; setting fire to the houses。  The
  inhabitants seizing their arms; made a sortie; but Cavalier charged
  them at the head of the Cavalry and forced them to retreat。 Thereupon
  the governor; whose garrison was too small to leave the shelter of
  the walls; turned his guns on them and fired; less in the hope of
  inflicting injury on them than in that of being heard by the
  neighbouring garrisons。
  The Camisards recognising this danger; retired; but not before they
  had burnt down the hotels of the Cheval…Blanc; the Croix…d'Or; the
  Grand…Louis; and the Luxembourg; as well as a great number of other
  houses; and the church and the presbytery of Saint…Amand。
  Thence the Camisards proceeded to Cayla and Vauvert; into which they
  entered; destroying the fortifications。  There they provided
  themselves abundantly with provisions for man and beast。  In Vauvert;
  which was almost entirely inhabited by his co…religionists; Cavalier
  assembled the inhabitants in the market…place; and made them join
  with him in prayer to God; that He would prevent the king from
  following evil counsel; he also exhorted his brethren to be ready to
  sacrifice their goods and their lives for the re…establishment of
  their religion; affirming that the Holy Spirit had revealed to him
  that the arm of the Lord; which had always come to their aid; was
  still stretched out over them。
  Cavalier undertook these movements in the hope of interrupting the
  work of destruction going on in Upper Cevennes; and partly obtained
  the desired result; for M。 de Julien received orders to come down
  into the open country and disperse the Camisards。
  The troops tried to fulfil this task; but; thanks to the knowledge
  that the rebels had of the country; it was impossible to come up with
  them; so that Fleshier; who was in the thick of the executions;
  conflagrations; and massacres; but who still found time to write
  Latin verse and gallant letters; said; in speaking of them; 〃They
  were never caught; and did all the damage they wished to do without
  let or hindrance。  We laid their mountains waste; and they laid waste
  our plain。  There are no more churches left in our dioceses; and not
  being able either to plough or sow our lands; we have no revenues。
  We dread serious revolt; and desire to avoid a religious civil war;
  so all our efforts are relaxing; we let our arms fall without knowing
  why; and we are told; 'You must have patience; it is not possible to
  fight against phantoms。'〃  Nevertheless; from time to time; these
  phantoms became visible。  Towards the end of October; Cavalier came
  down to Uzes; carried off two sentinels who were guarding the gates;
  and hearing the call to arms within; shouted that he would await the
  governor of the city; M。 de Vergetot; near Lussan。
  And indeed Cavalier; accompanied by his two lieutenants; Ravanel and
  Catinat; took his way towards this little town; between Uzes and
  Bargeac; which stands upon an eminence surrounded upon all sides by
  cliffs; which serve it as ramparts and render it very difficult of
  access。  Having arrived within three gun…shots of Lussan; Cavalier
  sent Ravanel to demand provisions from the inhabitants; but they;
  proud of their natural ramparts; and believing their town
  impregnable; not only refused to comply with the requisition; but
  fired several shots on the envoy; one of which wounded in the arm a
  Camisard of the name of La Grandeur; who had accompanied Ravanel。
  Ravanel withdrew; supporting his wounded comrade; followed by shots
  and the hootings of the inhabitants。  When they rejoined Cavalier and
  made their report; the young commander issued orders to his soldiers
  to make ready to take the town the next morning; for; as night was
  already falling; he did not venture to start in the dark。  In the
  meantime the besieged sent post…haste to M。 de Vergetot to warn him
  of their situation; and resolving to defend themselves as long as
  they could; while waiting for a response to their message they set
  about barricading their gates; turned their scythes into weapons;
  fastened large hooks on long poles; and collected all the instruments
  they could find that could be used in attack or defence。  As to the
  Camisards; they encamped for the night near an old chateau called
  Fan; about a gun…shot from Lussan。
  At break of day loud shouts from the town told the Camisards that the
  expected relief was in sight; and looking out they saw in the
  distance a troop of soldiers advancing towards them; it was M。 de
  Vergetat at the head of his regiment; accompanied by forty Irish
  officers。
  The Protestants prepared themselves; as usual; by reciting psalms and
  prayers; notice without taking of the shouts and threats of any of
  the townspeople; and having finished their invocations; they marched
  out to meet the approaching column。  The cavalry; commanded by
  Catinat; made a detour; taking a sheltered way to an unguarded bridge
  over a small river not far off; so as to outflank the royal forces;
  which they were to attack in the rear as soon as Cavalier and Ravanel
  should have engaged them in front。
  M。 de Vergetot; on his side; continued to advance; so that the
  Calvinists and the Catholics were soon face to face。  The battle
  began on both sides by a volley; but Cavalier having seen his cavalry
  emerging from a neighbouring wood; and counting upon their
  assistance; charged the enemy at the double quick。  Catinat judging
  by the noise of the firing that his presence was necessary; charged
  also at a gallop; falling on the flank of the Catholics。
  In this charge; one of M。 de Vergetot's captains was killed by a
  bullet; and the other by a sabre…cut; and the grenadiers falling into
  disorder; first lost ground and then fled; pursued by Catinat and his
  horsemen; who; seizing them by the hair; despatched them with their
  swords。  Having tried in vain to rally his men; M; de Vergetot;
  surrounded by a few Irish; was forced in his turn to fly; he was
  hotly pursued; and on the point of being taken; when by good luck he
  reached the height of Gamene; with its walls of rock。  Jumping off
  his horse; he entered the narrow pathway which led to the top; and
  entrenched himself with about a hundred men in this natural fort。
  Cavalier perceiving that further pursuit would be dangerous; resolved
  to rest satisfied with his victory; as he knew by his own experience
  that neither men nor horses had eaten for eighteen hours; he gave the
  signal far retreat; and retired on Seyne; where he hoped to find
  provisions。
  This defeat mortified the royal forces very deeply; and they resolved
  to take their revenge。  Having learnt by their spies that on a
  certain night in November Cavalier arid his band intended to sleep on
  a mountain called Nages; they surrounded the mountain during the
  night; so that at dawn Cavalier found himself shut in on every side。
  As he wished to see with his own eyes if the investment was complete;
  he ordered his troops to fall into rank on the top of the mountain;
  giving the command to Ravanel and Catinat; and with a pair of pistols
  in his belt and his carbine on his shoulder; he glided from bush to
  bush and rock to rock; determined; if any weak spot existed; to
  discover it; but the information he had received was perfectly
  correct; every issue was guarded。
  Cavalier now set off to rejoin his troops; passing through a ravine;
  but he had hardly taken thirty steps when he found himself confronted
  by a cornet and two dragoons who were lying in ambush。  There was no
  time to run away; and indeed such a thought never entered the young
  commander's head; he walked straight up to them。  On their side; the
  dragoons advanced towards him; and the cornet covering him with his
  pistol; called out; 〃Halt! you are Cavalier; I know you。  It is not
  possible for you to escape; surrender at discretion。〃  Cavalier's
  answer was to blow out the cornet's brains with a shot from his
  carbine; then throwing it behind him as of no further use; he drew
  his two pistols from his belt; walked up to the two dragoons; shot
  them b