tchers, and to get over the business more
quickly, the marshal, who was anxious to return to his dinner, gave
orders that the mill should be set on fire. This being done, the
dragoons, the marshal still at their head, no longer exerted themselves
so violently, but were satisfied with pushing back into the flames the
few unfortunates who, scorched and burnt, rushed out, begging only for a
less cruel death.

Only one victim escaped. A beautiful young girl of sixteen was saved by
the marshal's valet: both were taken and condemned to death; the young
girl was hanged, and the valet was on the point of being executed when
some Sisters of Mercy from the town threw themselves at the marshal's
feet end begged for his life: after long supplication, he granted their
prayer, but he banished the valet not only from his service, but from
Nimes.

The very same evening at supper word was brought to the marshal that
another gathering had been discovered in a garden near the still smoking
mill. The indefatigable marshal again rose from table, and taking with
him his faithful dragoons, surrounded the garden, and caught and shot on
the spot all those who were assembled in it. The next day it turned out
that he had made a mistake: those whom he had shot were Catholics who had
gathered together to rejoice over the execution of the Calvinists. It is
true that they had assured the marshal that they were Catholics, but he
had refused to listen to them. Let us, however, hasten to assure the
reader that this mistake caused no further annoyance to the marshal,
except that he received a paternal remonstrance from the Bishop of Nimes,
begging him in future not to confound the sheep with the wolves.

In requital of these bloody deeds, Cavalier took the chateau of Serras,
occupied the town of Sauve, formed a company of horse, and advancing to
Nimes, took forcible possession of sufficient ammunition for his
purposes. Lastly, he did something which in the eyes of the courtiers
seemed the most incredible thing of all, he actually wrote a long letter
to Louis XIV himself. This letter was dated from the "Desert, Cevennes,"
and signed "Cavalier, commander of the troops sent by God"; its purpose
was to prove by numerous passages from Holy Writ that Cavalier and his
comrades had been led to revolt solely from a sense of duty, feeling that
liberty of conscience was their right; and it dilated on the subject of
the persecutions under which Protestants