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029 - The Discovery of Error · Huguenot- A Tale of the French Protestants

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Speaker 1: Chapter twenty nine of the Huguenot by George Payne Rainsford James.
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Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter twenty nine,
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Speaker 1: the Discovery of Error. We must now change the scene
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Speaker 1: and time. Though the spot to which we will conduct
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Speaker 1: the reader is not situated more than ten miles from
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Speaker 1: that in which the events took place recorded in the
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Speaker 1: last chapter, and only one day's interval had elapsed considerably
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Speaker 1: more inland. It presented none of that sandy appearance which
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Speaker 1: characterizes the lawned. The vegetation also was totally different, the rich,
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Speaker 1: even rank grass spreading under the tall trees of the forest,
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Speaker 1: and the ivy covering those which had lost their leaves.
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Speaker 1: As early in the year, there was a little chateau
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Speaker 1: belonging to an inferior noble of the province, situated in
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Speaker 1: the midst of one of those wide woods, which the
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Speaker 1: French of that day took the greatest pains to maintain
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Speaker 1: in a flourishing condition, both for the same of the
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Speaker 1: fuel which they afforded and the cover that they gave
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Speaker 1: to the objects of the chase. The chateau itself was built,
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Speaker 1: as usual, upon an eminence of considerable elevation, overlooking the
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Speaker 1: forest world around and in its immediate neighborhood. The wood
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Speaker 1: was cleared away so as to give an open esplanade
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Speaker 1: along which, upon the present occasion, some fifteen hundred or
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Speaker 1: two thousand men had passed the preceding day and night,
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Speaker 1: having liberated the poor pastor of Oral on the night before,
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Speaker 1: some few tents of rude construction, some huts hastily raised,
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Speaker 1: had been their only shelter. But they murmured not, And
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Speaker 1: indeed it was not from such causes that any of
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Speaker 1: those who deserted from the body of Protestant insurgents quitted
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Speaker 1: the standard of their leader. It was that the agents
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Speaker 1: of the governing priesthood had long been busy amongst them,
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Speaker 1: and had sapped the principles and shaken the resolution of
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Speaker 1: many of those who had even showed themselves willing to
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Speaker 1: take arm, but who soon fell away in the hour
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Speaker 1: of need, acting more detrimentally on their own cause than
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Speaker 1: if they had absolutely opposed it or abandoned it from
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Speaker 1: the first doubts of each other. And hesitation in their
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Speaker 1: purposes had thus been spread through the Protestants, And though
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Speaker 1: of the number assembled there few existed who had now
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Speaker 1: either inclination or opportunity to turn back. Yet they thought
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Speaker 1: with gloomy apprehension upon the defection that was daily taking
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Speaker 1: place in the great body of Huguenots throughout France, and
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Speaker 1: their energies were chilled, even if their resolution was not shaken.
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Speaker 1: The day of which we now speak rose with a
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Speaker 1: brighter aspect than the preceding one, and it was scarcely
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Speaker 1: more than daylight when the gates of the castle were opened.
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Speaker 1: The horses of the Count de Moselle and his immediate
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Speaker 1: officers and attendants were brought out, and in a minute
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Speaker 1: after he himself booted and spurred and burying energetic activity
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Speaker 1: in his eyes, came forth upon the esplanade, surrounded by
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Speaker 1: a number of persons who were giving him information or
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Speaker 1: receiving his orders. The men who were gathered in arms
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Speaker 1: on the slope of the hill gazed up towards him
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Speaker 1: with that sort of expectation which is near akin to hope.
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Speaker 1: And the prompt rapidity of his gestures, the quickness with
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Speaker 1: which he was speaking, the ease with which he seemed
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Speaker 1: to comprehend everybody, and the readiness and capability, if we
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Speaker 1: may so call it of his own demeanor was marked
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Speaker 1: by all those that looked upon him, and gave trust
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Speaker 1: and confidence even to the faintest heart. There where is Ruque,
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Speaker 1: the Count said, after speaking to some of the gentlemen
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Speaker 1: who had taken arms, where is Ruque, he told me
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Speaker 1: that two persons had arrived from Paris last night and
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Speaker 1: were safe in his chamber. Where is Ruque. Rique Rique
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Speaker 1: shouted several voices, sending this sound back into the castle.
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Speaker 1: But in the meantime the Count went on speaking to
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Speaker 1: those around him in a sorrow tone. So poor Monsieur
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Speaker 1: de la Stallone is dead, he said, that is a
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Speaker 1: shining light. Indeed, put out he died yesterday evening. You say, God,
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Speaker 1: forgive me that I should regret him at such a
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Speaker 1: moment as this, and wish that he had been left
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Speaker 1: to us. There was not a nobler, or a wiser,
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Speaker 1: or what is the same thing, a better man in France.
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Speaker 1: I have known him from my childhood, gentlemen, and you
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Speaker 1: must not think me weak that I cannot bear this
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Speaker 1: loss as manly as might be. And he dashed a
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Speaker 1: tear away from his eye. That they should torture such
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Speaker 1: a venerable form as that He added that they should
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Speaker 1: stretch upon the rack him who never pained or tortured
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Speaker 1: any one. These things are too fearful, gentlemen, almost to
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Speaker 1: be believed. The time will come when they shall be
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Speaker 1: looked upon. But as a doubtful tale. Is it not
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Speaker 1: six of our pastors in Poitou alone that they have
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Speaker 1: broken on the wheel? Out of upon them, in human savages?
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Speaker 1: Out upon them? I say, but what was this you
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Speaker 1: told me of some ladies having been freed from the prison. Oh?
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Speaker 1: Here is Riuquet, now, sirrah, what are your tidings? Who
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Speaker 1: are these personages from Paris? One of them, sir, replied Rouquet,
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Speaker 1: whose tone was changed in no degree by the new
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Speaker 1: situation in which he was placed. One of them is
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Speaker 1: your lordship's own man, or rather your Lordship's man's man, Peter.
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Speaker 1: He is the personage that I left in Paris to
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Speaker 1: give the order for your liberation that you WoT of, Aye,
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Speaker 1: said the Count. What made him so long in following us?
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Speaker 1: He was not detained by any chance? Was he? Oh? No,
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Speaker 1: my lord, replied the Valet. He was not detained. Only
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Speaker 1: he thought he thought. I do not know very well
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Speaker 1: what he thought. But however, he stayed for two or
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Speaker 1: three days, and is only just come on. Hither Does
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Speaker 1: he bring any news, demanded the Count. None but that
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Speaker 1: the Prince de Conti is dead very suddenly, indeed smallpox
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Speaker 1: caught of his fair wife. That all Protestants are ordered
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Speaker 1: to quit Paris immediately, and the Duke of Berwick has
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Speaker 1: made formal abjuration. I grieve for the Prince de Conti,
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Speaker 1: said the Count. He was promising and soldier like, though
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Speaker 1: the other, the young Prince del Loch chu Jon, is
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Speaker 1: full of still higher qualities. So the boy Duke of
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Speaker 1: Berwick has abdured that might be expected. No other news, none,
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Speaker 1: my lord from him, replied the man, who evidently was
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Speaker 1: a little embarrassed in speaking on the subject of his
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Speaker 1: fellow servant, and he added immediately the other gentleman seems
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Speaker 1: to have news, but he will communicate it to none
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Speaker 1: but yourself. I will speak with them both, replied the Count.
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Speaker 1: Bring them hither immediately, Riquet, why, my lord, said the valet,
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Speaker 1: as to Peter, I do not well know where. You
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Speaker 1: must know where within three minutes, replied the Count, who
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Speaker 1: in general interpreted pretty accurately the external signs and symbols
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Speaker 1: of what was going on in Riquet's heart. You must
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Speaker 1: know where within three minutes, and that where must be
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Speaker 1: here by my side, Metrodrique remembered, though somewhat indulgent in
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Speaker 1: the saloon or the cabinet, I am not to be
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Speaker 1: trifled with in the field. Now, gentlemen, what were we
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Speaker 1: speaking of just now? Oh? These ladies. Have you any
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Speaker 1: idea of what they were in prison for? Doubtless for
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Speaker 1: worshiping God according to their consciences, that is the great crime. Now,
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Speaker 1: but I did not know that they had begun to
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Speaker 1: persecute poor women. And a shade of deep melancholy came
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Speaker 1: over his fine features as he thought of what might
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Speaker 1: be the situation of Clements de Marlis. Why it would seem, Sir,
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Speaker 1: replied one of the gentlemen, from what I can hear,
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Speaker 1: that the ladies were not there as prisoners, but were
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Speaker 1: two charitable persons of the town of Tua who had
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Speaker 1: come to give comfort a consolation to our poor friend,
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Speaker 1: Monsieur de l'eston. God's blessing will be upon them, replied
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Speaker 1: the count, for it was a noble and a generous
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Speaker 1: deed in such times as these. But here comes Masto
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Speaker 1: riquet with our two newly arrived friends. Good heavens, my
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Speaker 1: old acquaintance of the Bastille, Sir, I am very glad
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Speaker 1: to see you free, and should be glad to see
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Speaker 1: you in this poor province of Wotou could we but
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Speaker 1: give you any other entertainment than bullets and half blows
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Speaker 1: and scenes of sorrow or of strife. No matter, no matter,
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Speaker 1: my young friend, replied the old Englishman, to such entertainment.
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Speaker 1: I am well accustomed. It has been meat and drink
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Speaker 1: to me from my youth. And though I cannot exactly
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Speaker 1: say that I will take any other part in these transactions,
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Speaker 1: being bound in honor in some sense not to do so.
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Speaker 1: Yet I will take my part in any dangers at
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Speaker 1: are going willingly. But do not let me stop you
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Speaker 1: if you are going to ask questions of that fellow
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Speaker 1: who came in the last five or six miles with me,
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Speaker 1: For if you don't get him out of the hands
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Speaker 1: of that rascal of yours, there will be no such
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Speaker 1: thing as truth in him. Five minutes come hither, Peter,
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Speaker 1: cried the Count metro Bricaey, you have face enough for anything,
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Speaker 1: So stand here now, Peter. The truth at one word
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Speaker 1: What was it that Truquet was telling you not to
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Speaker 1: tell me? Why? My lord replied the man, glancing his
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Speaker 1: eye from his master to the Valet, and the awe
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Speaker 1: of the former in a moment overpowering the awe of
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Speaker 1: the latter. Why, my lord? He was saying that there
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Speaker 1: was no need to tell your lordship that I never
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Speaker 1: delivered the order that he gave me to deliver. At
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Speaker 1: the gates of the Bastille. The Count stood for a moment,
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Speaker 1: gazing on him thunderstruck. You never delivered the order, he exclaimed.
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Speaker 1: Do you mean to say you never delivered the order
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Speaker 1: he gave you for my liberation? No, my lord replied
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Speaker 1: the man, beginning to quake in every limb for fear
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Speaker 1: that he had done something wrong. I never did deliver
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Speaker 1: the order. But I'll tell your lordship why. I thought
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Speaker 1: there was no use of delivering it. For just as
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Speaker 1: I was walking up to do so and have made
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Speaker 1: myself look as like a courier of the court as
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Speaker 1: I could, I saw you yourself going along the Rue
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Speaker 1: Saint Antoine, with two boys staring up in your face,
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Speaker 1: and I thought I might only make mischief for myself
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Speaker 1: or you if I went and said anything more about
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Speaker 1: the matter. When I knew you were free, I thought
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Speaker 1: that was quite enough. Certainly certainly, replied the Count. But
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Speaker 1: in the name of Heaven, then by whom have I
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Speaker 1: been delivered? Why, my lord, that is difficult to say,
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Speaker 1: replied Dricay. But not by that fellow who has brought
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Speaker 1: me back the order as I gave it to him.
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Speaker 1: And now, as very likely your lordship would wish to know,
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Speaker 1: I told him not to tell you, simply because it
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Speaker 1: would tease you to no purpose and take away from
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Speaker 1: me the honor of having set your lordship free without
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Speaker 1: doing you any good. You are certainly impudent enough for
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Speaker 1: your profession, replied the Count, And in this instance as
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Speaker 1: foolish as knavish. The endeavor and the risk were still
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Speaker 1: the same. And it is for that I owe you thanks,
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Speaker 1: not for the success or want of success Ah Sir,
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Speaker 1: replied Ruquet. If all masters were so noble and generous,
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Speaker 1: we poor valets should not get spoilt so early. But
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Speaker 1: how you have been liberated, Heaven only knows. That's a mistake,
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Speaker 1: replied the old English officer. Everybody at the court of
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Speaker 1: France knows. The king was in a liberating mood one week,
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Speaker 1: and he himself gave an order for the count's liberation
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Speaker 1: one day, and for mine two days afterwards. I heard
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Speaker 1: of it when I went to present myself before the King,
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Speaker 1: and the whole court was ringing with what they called
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Speaker 1: your ingratitude, Count, for by that time it was known
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Speaker 1: on what errand you had set off. Hither the Count
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Speaker 1: clasped his hands together and looked down upon the ground.
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Speaker 1: I fear, he said, in a low voice, that I
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Speaker 1: have been sadly misled. Not by me, my lord upon
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Speaker 1: my honor, cried Riquet, with an earnest look. I did
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Speaker 1: my best to serve you and to deliver you, and
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Speaker 1: I fully thought that by my means it had been done.
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Speaker 1: The man can tell you that he had the order
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Speaker 1: from me. He can produce it. Now. I blame you, not, Riquet,
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Speaker 1: said his master. I blame you not. You acted for
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Speaker 1: the best, but most unhappily has this chance to bring
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Speaker 1: discredit on a name which never yet was stained. It
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Speaker 1: is now too late to think of it. However, my
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Speaker 1: party is chosen, and there is no retracting. When on
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Speaker 1: my visit to the court, said the old English officer,
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Speaker 1: in order to return thanks for my liberation, and to
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Speaker 1: demand certain acts of justice. I heard you blamed, I replied,
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Speaker 1: my good sir, that we in England held that private
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Speaker 1: affections must never interfere with public duties, and that doubtless
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Speaker 1: you felt the part you had chosen to be a
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Speaker 1: public duty. They seemed not to relish the doctrine there,
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Speaker 1: nor you fully to feel its force. I think, my
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Speaker 1: dear sir, said the count. I have not time to
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Speaker 1: discuss nicely all the collateral point which affect that question.
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Speaker 1: All I will say is that in following such a
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Speaker 1: broad rule, there is much need to be upon our
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Speaker 1: guard against one of man's greatest enemies, his own deceitful heart,
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Speaker 1: and to make sure that in choosing the seeming part
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Speaker 1: of public duty to be not as much influenced by
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Speaker 1: private affections, amongst which I class vanity, pride, anger, revenge
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Speaker 1: as in adopting the opposite course. That is true too.
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Speaker 1: That is true too, replied the other man. Puts me
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Speaker 1: in mind of an ape I once or whose greatest
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Speaker 1: delight was to tickle himself, but if anyone else tried
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Speaker 1: to do it, he would bite to the bone. But
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Speaker 1: I see you are about to march, and some of
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Speaker 1: your people have got their troops already in motion. If
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Speaker 1: you will allow me half an hour's conversation as we
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Speaker 1: ride along, I shall be glad. I will get my
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Speaker 1: horse and mountain a minute. The horse that brought you
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Speaker 1: here must be tired, replied the count. My people have
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Speaker 1: several fresh onesquet see that a horse be saddled quickly
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Speaker 1: for this gentleman. A strange piece of ignorance, sir, he continued.
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Speaker 1: But I am still unacquainted with your name. Oh Thomas Cecil,
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Speaker 1: my good count, replied the old officer, Sir Thomas Cecil.
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Speaker 1: But I will go get to the horse and be
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Speaker 1: with you in a moment. The Count bowed his head,
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Speaker 1: and while the Englishman was away, proceeded to conclude all
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Speaker 1: his arrangements for the march in something like regular order,
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Speaker 1: but still with evident symptoms of no long training in
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Speaker 1: the severe rules of military discipline. The count's little force
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Speaker 1: began to march, and a great part thereof was winding
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Speaker 1: down the hill when the old Englishman returned. That is
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Speaker 1: a fine troop, he said, just now getting into motion.
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Speaker 1: If you have many such as that you might do something.
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Speaker 1: They are a hundred of my own Protestant tenantry and citizens,
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Speaker 1: replied the count. They have all served under me long
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Speaker 1: in the late war, and were disbanded after the Truce
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Speaker 1: of twenty Years was signed. There is not a braver
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Speaker 1: or steady a handful in Europe. And since I have
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Speaker 1: been placed as I am, I make it a point
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Speaker 1: to lead them at the head in any offensive operations
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Speaker 1: on our part, and to follow with them in the
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Speaker 1: rear in the event of retreat, which you see is
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Speaker 1: the case. Now you will let them precede us a little,
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Speaker 1: and then we can converse at leisure. Thus saying, he
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Speaker 1: mounted his horse, and after seeing the little body, which
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Speaker 1: he called his legion, take its way down the hill,
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Speaker 1: he followed, accompanied by Sir Thomas, with a small party
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Speaker 1: of attendants fifty yards behind. And now, my good sir,
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Speaker 1: said the young nobleman. You will not think me of
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Speaker 1: scanty courtesy if I say that it may be necessary
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Speaker 1: to tell me in what I can serve you, or
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Speaker 1: in fact, to speak more plainly, if I ask the
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Speaker 1: object of your coming to my quarters at once, as
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Speaker 1: I am informed that the Intendant of the province, with
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Speaker 1: what troops he can bring together from Bury and Ruurk,
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Speaker 1: forming together a very superior force to our own, is
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Speaker 1: marching to attack us if he can do so in
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Speaker 1: our retreat. Of course, he will be glad to avail
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Speaker 1: himself of the opportunity, especially as I have been led
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Speaker 1: away from the part of the country which is most
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Speaker 1: easy to defend with such troops as ours, in order
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Speaker 1: to prevent an act of brutal persecution which they were
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Speaker 1: going to perpetuate on one of the best of men. Thus,
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Speaker 1: our time for conversation may be short. Why you have
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Speaker 1: not let him surprise you, I hope, exclaimed the old officer.
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Speaker 1: Not exactly that, replied the Count. But we are come
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Speaker 1: into a part of the country where the people are
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Speaker 1: principally Catholic, and we find a difficulty in getting information.
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Speaker 1: I am also obliged to make a considerable movement to
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Speaker 1: the left of my real line of retreat in order
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Speaker 1: to prevent one of our most gallant fellows and his
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Speaker 1: band of nearly three hundred men from being cut off.
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Speaker 1: He is, it is true, both brave and skillful, and
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Speaker 1: quite capable of taking care of himself. But I am
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Speaker 1: so to say grief and excitement have had an effect
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Speaker 1: upon his brain, and he is occasionally quite insane, so that,
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Speaker 1: without seeming to interfere with him too much, I am obliged,
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Speaker 1: for the sake of those who are with him, to
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Speaker 1: give more attention to his proceedings than might otherwise have
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Speaker 1: been necessary. The Count paused, and the old officer replied,
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Speaker 1: in a thoughtful tone, I am in great hopes from
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Speaker 1: what I hear, that you will find more mild measures
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Speaker 1: adopted towards you than you anticipate. Are you aware of
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Speaker 1: who it is that has been sent down to command
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Speaker 1: the troops in this district in place of the former
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Speaker 1: rash and cruel man, No, replied the Count. But from
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Speaker 1: what I have heard during these last four days, I
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Speaker 1: have been led to believe that a man of far
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Speaker 1: greater skill and science is at the head of the
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Speaker 1: King's troops. All their combinations have been so much more
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Speaker 1: masterly that I have found it necessary to be extremely cautious.
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Speaker 1: Whereas a fortnight ago I could march from one side
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Speaker 1: of the country to the other without any risk. The
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Speaker 1: officer replied, Sir tom Cecil was raised to the rank
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Speaker 1: of major general for the purpose, and is I understand
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Speaker 1: an old friend of yours the chevalier de Frand. The
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Speaker 1: Count suddenly pulled up his horse and gazed for a
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Speaker 1: moment in the old man's face. Then said he the
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Speaker 1: Protestant cause is ruined. It is not solely on account
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Speaker 1: of Louis Devraun's skill. He added that I say so,
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Speaker 1: though if ever any one was made for a great commander,
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Speaker 1: he is that man. But he is mild and moderate, conciliating,
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Speaker 1: and good humored. And I have remarked that a little
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Speaker 1: sort of fondness for mystery, which he affects concealing all
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Speaker 1: things that he intends in a sort of dark cloud
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Speaker 1: till it flashes forth like lightning, has a very powerful
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Speaker 1: effect upon all minds that are not of the first order.
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Speaker 1: The only bond that has kept the Protestants together has
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Speaker 1: been sharp and bitter persecution lately endured. If any one
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Speaker 1: equally gentle and firm, powerful and yet conciliating appears against us,
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Speaker 1: I shall not have five hundred men left in two days.
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Speaker 1: And perhaps, count, said the old man, not very sorry
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Speaker 1: for it. The Count turned his eyes upon him and
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Speaker 1: looked steadily in his face for a moment that I think,
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Speaker 1: he said, is hardly a fair question. My good friend.
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Speaker 1: I believe you, sir, from all I have seen of you,
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Speaker 1: to be an upright and honorable man, and I have
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Speaker 1: looked upon you as a sincere Protestant, and one suffering
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Speaker 1: in some degree from your attachment to that faith. I
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Speaker 1: take it for granted, then, that nothing which I have
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Speaker 1: said to you this day is to be repeated nothing
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Speaker 1: upon my honor, replied Sir Thomas Settle. Frankly, you are
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Speaker 1: quite right in your estimation of me. I assure you,
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Speaker 1: if I ask any question, it is for my own satisfaction,
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Speaker 1: and because Sir, I take an interest in you, Nothing
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Speaker 1: that passes your lips shall be repeated by me without
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Speaker 1: your permission. Though I tell you fairly and at once
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Speaker 1: that I am going very soon the headquarters of the
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Speaker 1: Chevalier Devron to fulfill a mission to him, which will
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Speaker 1: be unsuccessful, I know, but which must still be fulfilled.
20:09
Speaker 1: Will you trust me so far as this count? Will
20:12
Speaker 1: you let me know whether you really wish this state
20:14
Speaker 1: of insurrection to go on or would not? Rather, if
20:17
Speaker 1: mild I will not call them, equitable terms could be
20:21
Speaker 1: obtained for the Protestants of this district that peace should
20:25
Speaker 1: be restored and a hopeless struggle ended. I do not
20:28
Speaker 1: say hopeless, he continued at all, to disparage your efforts.
20:32
Speaker 1: But my dear sir, replied, the Count, act as bluntly
20:37
Speaker 1: by me as you did in the Bastille. Call the
20:39
Speaker 1: struggle hopeless if you will. There are not ten many
20:43
Speaker 1: my little force who do not know it to be hopeless,
20:46
Speaker 1: And those ten are fools. The only choice left, Sir,
20:49
Speaker 1: to the Protestants of this district, when I arrived here,
20:52
Speaker 1: was between timid despair and courageous despair, to die by
20:56
Speaker 1: the slow fire of persecution without resistance, or I with
21:00
Speaker 1: swords in our hands in a good cause. We chose
21:03
Speaker 1: the latter, which afforded, indeed the only hope of bringing
21:06
Speaker 1: toleration from our enemies by a vigorous effort. But I
21:10
Speaker 1: am as well aware as you are that we have
21:13
Speaker 1: no power sufficient to resist the power of the Crown.
21:16
Speaker 1: That in the mountains, woods and fastnesses of this district
21:20
Speaker 1: and of Brittany, upon which I am now retreating, I
21:23
Speaker 1: might perhaps frustrate the pursuit of the royal forces for months,
21:27
Speaker 1: nay for years, living for weeks as a chief of Banditti,
21:32
Speaker 1: and only appearing for a single day. From time to time,
21:35
Speaker 1: as the general of an army. Day by day, my
21:38
Speaker 1: followers would decrease, for the scitors of inconvenience often shear
21:43
Speaker 1: down the forces of an insurgent leader more fatally than
21:47
Speaker 1: the sharp sword of war. Then a thousand to one,
21:50
Speaker 1: no means that I could take would prevent all my
21:53
Speaker 1: people from committing evil acts. I and a just and
21:57
Speaker 1: holy cause would acquire a bad name, and the whole
22:00
Speaker 1: would end by the worst of my people betraying me
22:03
Speaker 1: to death upon the scaffold. All this, Sir, was considered
22:07
Speaker 1: before I drew the sword. But you must remember that
22:10
Speaker 1: I had not the slightest idea whatsoever that the King
22:13
Speaker 1: had shown any disposition to treat me personally with anything
22:16
Speaker 1: but bitter severity. To return to your former question, then,
22:21
Speaker 1: and to answer it candidly and straightforwardly, but merely, remember,
22:25
Speaker 1: between you and I, I should not grieve on such
22:28
Speaker 1: reasonable terms being granted to the generality of Protestants as
22:32
Speaker 1: would enable them to live peacefully adhering to their own religion.
22:37
Speaker 1: Though it be in private to see my men reduced,
22:40
Speaker 1: as I have said, to five hundred I or to
22:43
Speaker 1: one hundred, provided those gallant men who with firm determination
22:47
Speaker 1: adhere to the faith of their fathers, and are resolved
22:50
Speaker 1: neither to conceal that faith nor submit to its oppression,
22:54
Speaker 1: have the means of seeking liberty of conscience in another land.
22:58
Speaker 1: As for myself, continued with a deep sigh, my mind
23:02
Speaker 1: is at present in such a state that I should
23:04
Speaker 1: little care if, once I saw this settled, to go
23:07
Speaker 1: to morrow and lay my head at the foot of
23:09
Speaker 1: the King's throne abdure my religion. I never will live
23:13
Speaker 1: in a land where it is persecuted. I never will.
23:17
Speaker 1: But life has lately become a load to me, and
23:20
Speaker 1: it were as well for all, under such circumstances that
23:23
Speaker 1: it were terminated. This latter part of what I have said, Sir,
23:27
Speaker 1: you may tell the Chevalier de Fron, namely, that on
23:30
Speaker 1: the government granting such terms to the Protestants of this
23:33
Speaker 1: district as will ensure the two objects I have mentioned.
23:37
Speaker 1: The Count of Moseau is willing to surrender himself to
23:39
Speaker 1: the pleasure of the king, though till such terms are
23:43
Speaker 1: granted and my people so secured, nothing shall induce me
23:47
Speaker 1: to sheath the sword. And yet I acknowledge that I
23:50
Speaker 1: am bitterly grieved and mortified that this error has taken
23:53
Speaker 1: place in regard to the order for my liberation, and
23:56
Speaker 1: that thus an imputation of ingratitude has been brought upon me,
24:00
Speaker 1: which I do not deserve. The old officer held out
24:03
Speaker 1: his hand to him and shook that of the count heartily,
24:06
Speaker 1: adding with a somewhat profane oath which characterizes the English nation, Sir,
24:12
Speaker 1: you deserve your reputation. He went on a minute or
24:15
Speaker 1: two afterwards to say, I have been accustomed in some
24:19
Speaker 1: degree to such transactions, and I will report your words
24:22
Speaker 1: and nothing more. But by your leave, I think you
24:25
Speaker 1: had better alter the latter part and stipulate that you
24:28
Speaker 1: shall be allowed yourself to emigrate with a certain number
24:31
Speaker 1: of your followers. Louvois is extremely anxious to keep from
24:35
Speaker 1: the King's ears the extent of this insurrection, having always
24:38
Speaker 1: persuaded him that there would be none. He will therefore
24:42
Speaker 1: be extremely glad to have it put down without more
24:44
Speaker 1: noise on easy terms, and doubtless he has given the
24:49
Speaker 1: Chevalier de Vron instructions to that effect. No no, cried
24:54
Speaker 1: the Count. I must endeavor, sir, to wipe away the
24:57
Speaker 1: stain that has been cast upon me, do you proposed
25:00
Speaker 1: to go to the chevalier's headquarters at once? Not exactly,
25:04
Speaker 1: replied the old Englishman. I am first going to Touars,
25:07
Speaker 1: having some business with the Duke de Rouvree good God,
25:11
Speaker 1: exclaimed the count is the duc de Rouvre at Touar,
25:15
Speaker 1: and a confused image of the truth that claiment de
25:18
Speaker 1: Marlis had been one of the two persons found in
25:20
Speaker 1: the prison, with Clurde de l'astan now flashed on his mind.
25:25
Speaker 1: Ere the old man could reply. However, two of the
25:27
Speaker 1: persons who were following, and who seemed to have ridden
25:30
Speaker 1: some way to the left of the direct road, rode
25:33
Speaker 1: up as fast as they could come, and informed the
25:35
Speaker 1: Count de Merseur that what seemed a large body of
25:38
Speaker 1: men was marching up towards their flank by a path
25:41
Speaker 1: which ran up the hollow way between them and the
25:45
Speaker 1: opposite hills. The little force of the count had by
25:48
Speaker 1: this time emerged from the woods and was marching along
25:51
Speaker 1: the side of the hill that gradually sank away into
25:55
Speaker 1: those lawns across which armand d'ar val had, as we
25:58
Speaker 1: have seen, led Claymont's to Marli up the valley on
26:02
Speaker 1: the left lay a deep ravine bringing the cross road
26:05
Speaker 1: from Tua into the road in which the Huguenots were,
26:09
Speaker 1: so that the flank of the count's force was exposed
26:11
Speaker 1: to the approach of the enemy on that side, though
26:14
Speaker 1: it had somewhat the advantage of the ground. No other line, however,
26:18
Speaker 1: had been open for him. The country on the other
26:21
Speaker 1: side leading into Tats much more exposed to attack, and
26:25
Speaker 1: in fact, on that morning no choice had been left
26:28
Speaker 1: but either to run the risk of what now appeared
26:31
Speaker 1: to have happened, or to leave Elval and his men
26:34
Speaker 1: to their fate, they not having joined the main force
26:37
Speaker 1: on the preceding day, as they had been directed to do.
26:41
Speaker 1: The Count instantly turned his horse's head, galloped to the
26:44
Speaker 1: spot from whence the men had seen the head of
26:46
Speaker 1: the enemy's column, paused for a single instant in order,
26:50
Speaker 1: if possible, to ascertain their force, and then, riding back,
26:54
Speaker 1: commanded the small troop, which he called his legion, to
26:57
Speaker 1: face about while by his orders to first a piece
27:00
Speaker 1: of broken ground to the left, so as to reproach
27:03
Speaker 1: a spot where the hollow way debouched upon the open country.
27:08
Speaker 1: He sent five or six of his attendants with rapid
27:11
Speaker 1: orders to the different noblemen who were under his command
27:14
Speaker 1: in regard to assuming a position upon the hill, tell
27:18
Speaker 1: Monsieur du Bar, He said to one of the men,
27:21
Speaker 1: to march on as quickly as possible, till he reaches
27:24
Speaker 1: the windmill, To garnish that little wood on the slope
27:26
Speaker 1: with musketeers, to plant the two pieces of cannon by
27:29
Speaker 1: the mill, so as to bear upon the road, to
27:32
Speaker 1: strengthen himself by the mill and the walls round it.
27:35
Speaker 1: Ad to hold that spot firm to the very last.
27:39
Speaker 1: Jean bid the Marquis send off a man instantly to
27:43
Speaker 1: er Val that he may join us with his chauve sourie,
27:47
Speaker 1: and in the meantime ask him to keep the line
27:50
Speaker 1: of the hill from the left of Monsieur Dubar to
27:53
Speaker 1: the cottage on the slope, so that the enemy may
27:55
Speaker 1: not turn our flank. If I remember right, there are
27:59
Speaker 1: two farm roads there, so that all movements will be
28:02
Speaker 1: easy from right to left or from front to rear.
28:06
Speaker 1: As soon as Arval comes up, let the Marquis throw
28:08
Speaker 1: him forward with his marksmen to cover my movements, and
28:12
Speaker 1: then commence the general retreat by detachments from each flank,
28:16
Speaker 1: holding firm by the mill and the wood to the last,
28:20
Speaker 1: for they dare not advance while those are in our hands.
28:23
Speaker 1: I can detain them here for a quarter of an hour,
28:25
Speaker 1: but not longer, Sir Thomas Cecil, he added, take my
28:29
Speaker 1: advice and ride off for two hours with all speed.
28:33
Speaker 1: This will be a place for plenty of bullets, but
28:35
Speaker 1: no glory. Thus saying, he galloped down to his troop,
28:40
Speaker 1: and in a moment after the old English officer, who
28:43
Speaker 1: stood with the utmost san foir to witness the fight,
28:46
Speaker 1: saw him charge into the hollow way at the head
28:48
Speaker 1: of his men. End of Chapter twenty nine.