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