of those moments when Fortune, tired of
conferring favours, turns her back on the favourite. The royalists had
often noticed an old woman from the village of Hieuzet going towards the
forest, sometimes carrying a basket in her hand, sometimes with a hamper
on her head, and it occurred to them that she was supplying the hidden
Camisards with provisions. She was arrested and brought before General
Lalande, who began his examination by threatening that he would have her
hanged if she did not at once declare the object of her frequent journeys
to the forest without reserve. At first she made use of all kinds of
pretexts, which only strengthened the suspicions of Lalande, who, ceasing
his questions, ordered her to be taken to the gallows and hanged. The
old woman walked to the place of execution with such a firm step that the
general began to think he would get no information from her, but at the
foot of the ladder her courage failed. She asked to be taken back before
the general, and having been promised her life, she revealed everything.

M. de Lalande put himself at once at the head of a strong detachment of
miquelets, and forced the woman to walk before them till they reached the
cavern, which they never would have discovered without a guide, so
cleverly was the entrance hidden by rocks and brushwood. On entering, the
first thing that met their eye was the wounded, about thirty in number.
The miquelets threw themselves upon them and slaughtered them. This deed
accomplished, they went farther into the cave, which to their great
surprise contained a thousand things they never expected to find
there--heaps of grain, sacks of flour, barrels of wine, casks of brandy,
quantities of chestnuts and potatoes; and besides all this, chests
containing ointments, drugs and lint, and lastly a complete arsenal of
muskets, swords, and bayonets, a quantity of powder ready-made, and
sulphur, saltpetre, and charcoal-in short, everything necessary for the
manufacture of more, down to small mills to be turned by hand. Lalande
kept his word: the life of an old woman was not too much to give in
return for such a treasure.

Meantime M. de Villars, as he had promised, took up Baron d'Aygaliers in
passing through Lyons, so that during the rest of the journey the
peacemaker had plenty of time to expatiate on his plans. As M. de
Villars was a man of tact and a lover of justice, and desired above all
things to bring a right spirit to bear on