With the rapidity of wildfire the news had run over all Languedoc at this time--was known, too, and shared by Catholics as well as Protestants--that the English, who once they drew the sword never sheathed1 it until its work was done, meditated2 an attack on France in a fresh place, that place being her Mediterranean3 seaboard, the one spot still free from their assaults up to now, also a spot more vulnerable, since there were scarce any troops to defend it, the armies of Montrevel and Julien being sufficiently4 occupied in endeavouring, without success, to prevent the terrible reprisals5 the Camisards were at last making.
And now indeed the desolation of Languedoc was supreme6; now, like a torch that flareth in the night, was visible an awful terror upon all of the old faith, as well as the adherents7 of Louis, who dwelt therein. Men of that old faith barricaded8 themselves in their houses, refusing to either quit them or let any of their families do so, or to receive bread into those houses in any other way than by baskets raised by cords, either for fear that they should be stabbed to the heart on their doorsteps or that they should add one more body to the many that hung upon the branches of the trees by the wayside--bodies having affixed9 to their dead breasts the label bearing the words, "Tous qui tomberont entre les mains des vengeurs seront traités ainsi." Verily, Languedoc was, as its greatest churchman, Fléchier, said, but one vast gaping10 wound!
Yet not only was it the avengers who caused the wound. Maddened by defeat, by merciless retaliation11 on their enemies' part, by their fierce determination to never give or ask for quarter, Baville, Montrevel, and Julien enacted12 more awful cruelties than had ever yet been practised upon those of the Reformed faith. Again the dungeons13 of the prisons, the vaults14 of the cathedrals, which living prisoners shared with the coffined15 dead, re-echoed with the groans16 of the former; les places publiques were foul17 with the odour of burning flesh and of corpses18 that rotted on wheels; the very roofs were laden19 with carrion20 birds waiting their opportunity to swoop21 down and plunge22 their beaks23 into the dying; even mothers slew24 the babes in their arms sooner than see them perish slowly before their eyes from the pangs25 of thirst and hunger. But still the war went on, if such oppression, such retaliation, could be dignified26 by the name of war. Went on because from Paris the word still came that none should worship God in their own way, or in any other method than the priests of Rome directed--priests who declared with their lips that the God they served was one of love and mercy, yet sowed with full hands the seeds of violence and trouble, of blood and death.
And now to add to all the terrors that the papists felt at last, to all the fierce joys that the Protestants had begun to thrill with, it was rumoured28 through the country that some great admiral of the accursed English race, backed up by the Duke of Savoy, was about to land an army at one of the ports with the full intention of assisting the Protestants, and of, so those papists said, establishing Protestantism over all the land. No wonder, therefore, that the priests fled from their churches, that the archbishop said (forgetting how he and his had outraged29 God for years) that "God had deserted30 them."
Clad like muleteers in some cases, in others like travelling weavers31, and in still others like husbandmen and horse-dealers, some scores of Camisards were making their ways by ones and twos at this period toward Cette, avoiding Montpellier and leaving it to the east of them, and threading the low lands that lay between that diocese and the sister one of D'Agde, for they knew where the landing was to be attempted; knew likewise when the English assistance was to be expected. Also--though few were aware of it, and Baville alone, on his side, suspected that such was the case--from Holland, from Geneva, from the villages of the Vaud and Valais, from Canterbury and Spitalfields were coming refugees, some making their way by foot and some on horses. They had been summoned from the lands they had fled to, summoned to return and take part in what was now to be done.
Amid a small band which at this moment drew near to Frontignan there rode Martin Ashurst, his companions being some of the noblest Protestant blood of the province. Also by his side there rode the English agent known as Flottard, a Huguenot whose father had escaped long since into England and who spoke32 that language better than his own, or rather than the langue d'oc which had been his father's.
"And now, mes frères," said one of these companions, Ulson de la Valette, who as a boy had been forced to stand before the scaffold of Greonble holding his fainting mother's hand while they witnessed the decapitation of his elder brother pour cause d'hérésie, "we must separate, to meet again by Heaven's grace as followers33 of the English admiral. Monsieur, read the route to our friends," and he turned to a man clad as a monk34. He had in truth been one who had but recently been unfrocked at Rome on suspicion of heretic principles, and had now openly avowed35 Protestantism, while still retaining the gown as a disguise.
"This is the route," the monk answered, producing from his breast a paper which, in the clear light of the dawn, he read from. "You, De la Valette, and you, Fontanes, will pass straight on to Frontignan. You, messieurs les Anglais," and he glanced at Martin and Flottard, "will proceed through La Susc; the rest must distribute themselves and travel through the villages of Sainte Bréze, Collanze, and Le Test. Yet, remember, Baville has warned every aguet, every watchman, every village consul36 and river guard. Capture and discovery mean death."
"The meeting-place," said Ulson de la Valette, "of all of us is the plain of Frontignan, 'twixt that and the great port. The signal will be the landing of the first English troops, the entry of the first ship of war. The password is 'God and his children.' My friends, farewell; yet, as you ride, forget not to pray for success. If God is on our side now we are avenged37 and Louis beaten down under our feet. We shall triumph."
A moment later all had parted, dispersing38 quietly after a hand-shake round, and each going alone, Martin and Flottard remaining behind for some little while so as not to follow too hurriedly upon the footsteps of the others.
"Yet," said Flottard in English, which he spoke like a native, "we must part too, Monsieur Martin. I have to enter Bouziques if I can; 'tis full of disguised Savoyards and some of your--our--land. You will, I should suppose, join Sir Cloudesley Shovel39?"
"As agent," Martin replied, "not combatant. My mission is to lead his troops if possible to Montpellier and N?mes, to act as guide."
"It will not save your neck if you are caught," Flottard said with a laugh.
"There is no thought of that," Martin answered, hurt and annoyed that the man should suppose this was his consideration. "But--but--I have other things to do. To me are to be confided40 the arms, ammunition41, and money which the English fleet brings. Also, with the exception of you and me, there is no one who can speak English."
"And," repeated Flottard, "there is no one the French will punish as ferociously42 as they will punish us--for I am English too now--if we are caught."
"They can do no worse by us than by their own," Martin replied quietly.
Afterward43, when they had parted, Flottard taking his way to Bouzique while Martin rode on quietly toward Cette, he, musing44 deeply on all which might be the outcome of the proposed attack by the English admiral, told himself that, even were it possible for his punishment to be made five thousand times worse than anything which had ever been dealt out to the Protestants, nothing should stop him now but death. He loved Urbaine Ducaire; had loved her, as he had said, since first he saved her life, since they had sat together beneath the sweet-scented45 blossoms of the acacia trees on that soft summer night amid the desolation of the land; he should love her till the end. And--and Cavalier had promised that, if he helped their cause now, on his return he should lead Urbaine forth46 a free woman; should return her safe and unharmed to Baville's arms, even though Baville was the most hated name the Camisards knew.
Cavalier would keep his word. That he never doubted. Only there was the future to be thought upon--the afterward. His love for her and hers for him. How was that love ever to be brought to a happy fruition? How? How? How? Would Baville give her to him, a Protestant, even though it were proved, as Cavalier had said it could now be proved beyond all doubt, that Urbaine was herself born in that faith? Give her to him, an Englishman, a native of the land which had wrought47 much disaster on France through innumerable centuries, that was even now closing its grasp of steel upon France and crushing the very life-blood out of all its pores? Would Baville, the Tiger of Languedoc, ever consent to such a union as they projected, the fulfilment of the troth which they had plighted48?
One hope there was, he reflected: a hope that at least the question of faith might not prove an insurmountable object. For though Baville was of the old faith, though in the name of that faith and at the instigation of its chiefs he had wrought innumerable cruelties, had broken countless49 hearts and driven thousands to despair, religion had been but a war cry with him, a banner under which to march. As a papist he was but an indifferent one. He had said, had owned as much more than once, that it was duty which led him to be severe, to crush down rebellion, to exalt50 the King's authority. He would have acted in precisely51 the same manner as he had recently acted had France been Protestant and had the attroupés been papists. "Il est plus royaliste que le Roi!" Urbaine had said of him once in speaking to Martin; "and to him the soil of France and the power of Louis are the most sacred things he knows, except one other, his duty. The King made him governor of Languedoc; in his mind Languedoc exists for the King alone. Forgive him all for his loyalty52, his obedience53 to duty."
As he reflected on this, trying to pierce the future, endeavouring to see one glimmering54 ray of hope amid all the darkness which enveloped55 that future, he drew near to where the port of Cette was; in the warm autumn air with which these southern plains were suffused56, it seemed almost as if he scented the breezes of the great blue sea beyond. Also it seemed as if already the balm of the myriad57 flowers which adorn58 its shores was surrounding him, as if, with the bright rays of the sun, a promise was heralded59 of peace and happiness at last.
It behooved60 him to be careful how he progressed, for all the countryside was in a state of alarm. The English fleet had been seen out at sea two days before! Also it was known to all the King's followers that a descent was intended, while a regiment61 of dragoons marching swiftly to the coast had given the information that, from the towers of the cathedral at Montpellier, that fleet had been seen approaching Maqualone. While even a worse cause for alarm was the rumour27 that Cavalier with six hundred Camisards had passed by a circuitous62 route toward Cette, and was now waiting on the beach to welcome the English invaders63.
Yet, furnished with papers which Flottard had caused to be procured64 from Paris, not only Martin but most of the refugees who had of late returned to the south of France managed to reach the coast ere night fell, to reach the shore, there to await the coming of those who were to land and succour them--a shore upon which were those Camisards who, setting out with Cavalier long after Martin had departed, had by a forced march contrived65 to reach Cette ere he and his companions were able to do so, owing to the détours they had made; a sandy, shingly66 beach, from which, as now the warm night closed in on them, all gazed upon what they saw before them.
Two large ships of war (their names were afterward known to be the Pembroke and the Tartar) which through that night made signals frequently that, none understanding, remained unanswered. Signals arranged by the Earl of Nottingham (who, after many compunctions against assisting rebels in arms, even though in arms against a king hostile to England, had consented to Shovel making the attack), the key to which he had forwarded to Peytaud, a Protestant but recently returned from Holland. But Peytaud had been caught that morning ere he could reach Cette; the signals had been found upon him, and, at the time that the Pembroke and the Tartar were showing their masthead lights, the unfortunate man's body was lying broken all to pieces on a wheel in the crossroads outside Aigu?smortes.
And there were no duplicates! The signals remained unanswered. Later on Cavalier said that he did not know these were the ships of war, but in the darkness took them to be fishermen's boats. Had he known, he averred67 that he would have swam out to them rather than have missed so great a chance.
In the morning when day broke the topsails of these vessels68 were seen to fill. Soon they were gone.
The hoped-for chance was lost, and lost forever. The tide no longer served; nothing could have been then landed from the English ships, nor could they have remained where they were. Already the galleys69 armed to the teeth had put out in dozens to attack them. On the horizon there rose the topmasts of a great French fleet coming swiftly from Toulon.
And by Martin's side upon the desolate70 shore stood Cavalier, the picture of despair.
"The opportunity is gone," he said; "gone also our last chance for making peace. It is war now to the end. Yet had your countrymen but got ashore71 the struggle would have been over; hampered72 on all sides, Louis must have yielded, have made terms. God help us all!" and he turned away to bid his followers disperse73 and make their way back by the routes and by-paths which they knew of to the mountains.
As he did so there came through the crowd of Camisards one whom Martin had seen before, a gaunt, haggard man, with an arm missing--an arm which, it was said, had withered74 under the cruelties the Abbé du Chaila had practised on this Cévenole while he had him in his power at Montvert, so that, when at last the man was freed, it had to be removed.
"Cavalier," he said, "Cavalier, friend and leader, bid them also hasten on their way; lose no time. You have heard the news?"
"No! What?"
"Montrevel and Julien have forced the passes, taking advantage of our absence. Roland, too, is away. The caverns75 are besieged76. All in them are lost."
"Lost! Pshaw! They will stand a siege of all Louis' armies."
"Ay, they will. But it is not for siege that the battue is arranged. Those in the caverns are caught in a blocus; they can make no sortie. Outside, fires have been made. Hurry! or you will find nothing but smoke-dried corpses when you return."
As he spoke there fell upon his ears a heartbroken gasp77. Turning his eyes, they lighted upon Martin--Martin who, white to the lips and palsied with horror, could only mutter, "Urbaine! Urbaine. And she is there!"
"Ay!" said Cavalier fiercely, "she is there. The blow falls as heavily on Baville as on us----" Then paused in his speech. Paused to say in an altered, gentle tone a moment later to Martin, "I see! See all! You love her?"
"Love her! My God," Martin replied, "beyond all thought! And she is there!"
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收听单词发音
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1
sheathed
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| adj.雕塑像下半身包在鞘中的；覆盖的；铠装的；装鞘了的v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的过去式和过去分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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2
meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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3
Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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4
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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5
reprisals
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| n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 ) | |
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6
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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7
adherents
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| n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙 | |
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8
barricaded
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| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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9
affixed
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| adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章） | |
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10
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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11
retaliation
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| n.报复，反击 | |
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12
enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
dungeons
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| n.地牢( dungeon的名词复数 ) | |
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14
vaults
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| n.拱顶( vault的名词复数 )；地下室；撑物跳高；墓穴 | |
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15
coffined
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| vt.收殓（coffin的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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17
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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18
corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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19
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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20
carrion
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| n.腐肉 | |
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swoop
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| n.俯冲，攫取；v.抓取，突然袭击 | |
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22
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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beaks
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| n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 )；鹰钩嘴；尖鼻子；掌权者 | |
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24
slew
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| v.（使）旋转；n.大量，许多 | |
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pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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26
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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28
rumoured
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| adj.谣传的；传说的；风 | |
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29
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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30
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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weavers
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| 织工，编织者( weaver的名词复数 ) | |
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32
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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33
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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35
avowed
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| adj.公开声明的，承认的v.公开声明，承认( avow的过去式和过去分词) | |
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36
consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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37
avenged
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复 | |
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38
dispersing
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| adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式 | |
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39
shovel
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| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
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40
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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41
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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42
ferociously
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| 野蛮地，残忍地 | |
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43
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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44
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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45
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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46
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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47
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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48
plighted
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| vt.保证，约定（plight的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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49
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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50
exalt
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| v.赞扬，歌颂，晋升，提升 | |
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51
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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52
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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53
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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54
glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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55
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
suffused
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| v.（指颜色、水气等）弥漫于，布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
myriad
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| adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量 | |
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58
adorn
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| vt.使美化，装饰 | |
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59
heralded
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| v.预示( herald的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布（好或重要） | |
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60
behooved
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| v.适宜( behoove的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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62
circuitous
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| adj.迂回的路的，迂曲的，绕行的 | |
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63
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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64
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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65
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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66
shingly
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| adj.小石子多的 | |
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67
averred
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| v.断言( aver的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；证明…属实；作为事实提出 | |
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68
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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69
galleys
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| n.平底大船，战舰( galley的名词复数 )；（船上或航空器上的）厨房 | |
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70
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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71
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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72
hampered
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73
disperse
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| vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散 | |
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74
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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75
caverns
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| 大山洞，大洞穴( cavern的名词复数 ) | |
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76
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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77
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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