ous measures and by inducing the Camisards to
submit. Now the baron had no connection with the court, and was not
personally acquainted with a single Huguenot chief.

The first thing necessary to enable the baron to begin his efforts was a
passport for Paris, and he felt sure that as he was a Protestant neither
M. de Baville nor M. de Montrevel would give him one. A lucky accident,
however, relieved his embarrassment and strengthened his resolution, for
he thought he saw in this accident the hand of Providence.

Baron d'Aygaliers found one day at the house of a friend a M. de Paratte,
a colonel in the king's army, and who afterwards became major-general,
but who at the time we are speaking of was commandant at Uzes. He was of
a very impulsive disposition, and so zealous in matters relating to the
Catholic religion and in the service of the king, that he never could
find himself in the presence of a Protestant without expressing his
indignation at those who had taken up arms against their prince, and also
those who without taking up arms encouraged the rebels in their designs.
M. d'Aygaliers understood that an allusion was meant to himself, and he
resolved to take advantage of it.

So the next day he paid a visit to M. de Paratte, and instead of
demanding satisfaction, as the latter quite expected, for the rudeness of
his remarks on the previous day, he professed himself very much obliged
for what he had said, which had made such a deep impression on him that
he had made up his mind to give proof of his zeal and loyalty by going to
Paris and petitioning the king for a position at court. De Paratte,
charmed with what he had heard, and enchanted with his convert, embraced
d'Aygaliers, and gave him, says the chronicler, his blessing; and with
the blessing a passport, and wished him all the success that a father
could wish for his son. D'Aygaliers had now attained his object, and
furnished with the lucky safe-conduct, he set out for Paris, without
having communicated his intentions to anyone, not even to his mother.

On reaching Paris he put up at a friend's house, and drew up a statement
of his plan: it was very short and very clear.

"The undersigned has the honour to point out humbly to His Majesty:

"That the severities and the persecutions which have been employed by
some of the village priests have caused many people in the country
districts to take up arms, and that the suspicions which new converts
excited h