al, on his part, had performed
miracles: his horse was shot under him, and M. de Montrevel replaced it
by one of great value, on which he joined in the pursuit of the
Camisards. After this affair M, de Montrevel gave up his place to M. de
Villars, leaving word for Cavalier that it was thus he took leave of his
friends.

Although Cavalier came out of this battle with honour, compelling even
his enemies to regard him as a man worthy of their steel, it had
nevertheless destroyed the best part of his hopes. He made a halt-near
Pierredon to gather together the remnant of his troops, and truly it was
but a remnant which remained. Of those who came back the greater number
were without weapons, for they had thrown them away in their flight.
Many were incapacitated for service by their wounds; and lastly, the
cavalry could hardly be said to exist any longer, as the few men who
survived had been obliged to abandon their horses, in order to get across
the high ditches which were their only cover from the dragoons during the
flight.

Meantime the royalists were very active, and Cavalier felt that it would
be imprudent to remain long at Pierredon, so setting out during the
night, and crossing the Gardon, he buried himself in the forest of
Hieuzet, whither he hoped his enemies would not venture to follow him.
And in fact the first two days were quiet, and his troops benefited
greatly by the rest, especially as they were able to draw stores of all
kinds--wheat, hay, arms, and ammunition--from an immense cave which the
Camisards had used for a long time as a magazine and arsenal. Cavalier
now also employed it as a hospital, and had the wounded carried there,
that their wounds might receive attention.

Unfortunately, Cavalier was soon obliged to quit the forest, in spite of
his hopes of being left in peace; for one day on his way back from a
visit to the wounded in the cave, whose existence was a secret, he came
across a hundred miquelets who had penetrated thus far, and who would
have taken him prisoner if he had not, with his, accustomed presence of
mind and courage, sprung from a rock twenty feet high. The miquelets
fired at him, but no bullet reached him. Cavalier rejoined his troops,
but fearing to attract the rest of the royalists to the place,--retreated
to some distance from the cave, as it was of the utmost importance that
it should not be discovered, since it contained all his resources.

Cavalier had now reached one