marechal advancing,
who, as we have already said, had turned in the direction of the firing.
Hardly had Cavalier effected the desired junction of his forces than he
perceived that his retreat was cut off. He had the royal troops both
before and behind him.

The young chief saw that a desperate dash to right or left was all that
remained to him, and not knowing this country as well as the Cevennes, he
asked a peasant the way from Soudorgues to Nages, that being the only one
by which he could escape. There was no time to inquire whether the
peasant was Catholic or Protestant; he could only trust to chance, and
follow the road indicated. But a few yards from the spot where the road
from Doudorgues to Nages joins the road to Nimes he found himself in face
of Marechal Montrevel's troops under the command of Menon. However, as
they hardly outnumbered the Camisards, these did not stop to look for
another route, but bending forward in their saddles, they dashed through
the lines at full gallop, taking the direction of Nages, hoping to reach
the plain round Calvisson. But the village, the approaches, the issues
were all occupied by royal troops, and at the same time Grandval and the
marechal joined forces, while Menon collected his men together and pushed
forward. Cavalier was completely surrounded: he gave the situation a
comprehensive glance--his foes, were five to one.

Rising in his stirrups, so that he could see over every head, Cavalier
shouted so loud that not only his own men heard but also those of the
enemy: "My children, if our hearts fail us now, we shall be taken and
broken on the wheel. There is only one means of safety: we must cut our
way at full gallop through these people. Follow me, and keep close
order!"

So speaking, he dashed on the nearest group, followed by all his men, who
formed a compact mass; round which the three corps of royal troops
closed. Then there was everywhere a hand-to-hand battle there was no
time to load and fire; swords flashed and fell, bayonets stabbed, the
royals and the Camisards took each other by the throat and hair. For an
hour this demoniac fight lasted, during which Cavalier lost five hundred
men and slew a thousand of the enemy. At last he won through, followed
by about two hundred of his troops, and drew a long breath; but finding
himself in the centre of a large circle of soldiers, he made for a
bridge, where alone it seemed possible to break through, it being onl