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the king desired to know what conditions you would consider
reasonable？〃
〃If that is so；〃 answered Cavalier； 〃I will tell you our conditions
at once； in order not to prolong the negotiations； for every minute's
delay； as you know； costs someone his life or fortune。〃
〃Then tell me what your conditions are；〃 returned Lalande。
〃Well；〃 said Cavalier； 〃our demands are three first； liberty of
conscience； secondly； the release of all prisoners who have been
condemned to imprisonment or the galleys because of their religion；
and thirdly； that if we are not granted liberty of conscience we may
be at least permitted to leave the kingdom。〃
〃As far as I can judge；〃 replied Lalande； 〃I do not believe that the
king will accept the first proposition； but it is possible that he
may accede to the third。 In that case； how many Protestants would
you take with you？〃
〃Ten thousand of all ages and both sexes。〃
〃The number is excessive； sir。 I believe that His Majesty is not
disposed to go beyond three thousand。〃
〃Then；〃 replied Cavalier； 〃there is nothing more to be said； for I
could not accept passports for any smaller number； and I could accept
for the ten thousand only on condition that the king would grant us
three months in which to dispose of our possessions and withdraw from
the country without being molested。 Should His Majesty； however； not
be pleased to allow us to leave the kingdom； then we beg that our
edicts be re…enacted and our privileges restored； whereupon we shall
become once more； what we were formerly； His Majesty's loyal and
obedient servants。〃
〃Sir；〃 said Lalande； 〃I shall lay your conditions before M。 le
marechal； and if no satisfactory conclusion can be arrived at； it
will be to me a matter of profound regret。 And now； sir； will you
permit
me to inspect more closely the gallant men with whose help you have
done such astounding deeds？〃 Cavalier smiled； for these 〃gallant
men〃 when caught had been broken on the wheel； burnt at the stake； or
hanged like brigands。 His sole answer was an inclination of the head
as he turned and led the way to his little escort。 M。 de Lalande
followed him with perfect confidence； and； passing by the eight
horsemen who were grouped on the road； he walked up to the infantry；
and taking out of his pocket a handful of gold； he scattered it
before them； saying：
〃There； my men！ that is to drink the king's health with。〃
Not a man stooped to pick the money up； and one of them said； shaking
his head
〃It is not money we want； but liberty of conscience。〃
〃My men；〃 answered Lalande； 〃it is unfortunately not in my power to
grant your demand； but I advise you to submit to the king's will ；and
trust in his clemency。〃
〃Sir；〃 answered Cavalier； 〃we are all ready to obey him； provided
that he graciously grant us our just demands； if not； we shall die
weapon in hand； rather than expose ourselves once more to such
outrages as have already been inflicted on us。〃
〃Your demands shall be transmitted word for word to M。 de Villars；
who will lay them before the king；〃 said Lalande； 〃and you may be
sure； sir； that my most sincere wish is that His Majesty may not find
them exorbitant。〃
With these words； M。 de Lalande saluted Cavalier； and turned to
rejoin his escort； but Cavalier； wishing to return confidence with
confidence； crossed the bridge with him； and accompanied the general
to where his soldiers had halted。 There； with another salute； the
two chiefs parted； M。 de Lalande taking the road to Uzes； while
Cavalier rejoined his comrades。
Meantime d'Aygaliers； who； as we have seen； had not left Uzes until
the 5th May； in order to join Cavalier； did not come up with him
until the 13th； that is to say； the day after his conference with
Lalande。 D'Aygaliers gives us an account of their interview； and we
cannot do better than quote it。
〃Although it was the first time that we had met face to face； we
embraced each other as if we were old acquaintances。 My little band
mixed with his and sang psalms together； while Cavalier and I talked。
I was very much pleased with what； he said； and convinced him without
difficulty that he should submit for the sake of the brethren； who
could then choose whichever course best suited them； and either leave
the kingdom or serve the king。 I said that I believed the last
course to be the best； provided we were allowed to worship God
according to our consciences； because I hoped that； seeing their
faithful service； His Majesty would recognise that he had been
imposed upon by those who had described us as disloyal subjects； and
that we should thus obtain for the whole nation that liberty of
conscience which had been granted to us； that in no other way； as far
as I could see； could our deplorable condition be ameliorated； for
although Cavalier and his men might be able to exist for some time
longer in the forests and mountains； they would never be strong
enough to save the inhabitants of towns and other enclosed places
from perishing。
〃Upon this he replied； that although the Catholics seldom kept a
promise made to those of our religion； he was willing to risk his
life for the welfare of his brethren and the province but that he
trusted if he confided in the clemency of the king for whom he had
never ceased to pray； no harm would happen him。〃
Thereupon d'Aygaliers； delighted to find him so well inclined； begged
him to give him a letter for M。 de Villars； and as Cavalier knew the
marechal to be loyal and zealous； and had great confidence in him； he
wrote without any hesitation the following letter：
〃MONSEIGNEUR；Permit me to address your Excellency in order to beg
humbly for the favour of your protection for myself and for my
soldiers。 We are filled with the most ardent desire to repair the
fault which we have committed by bearing arms； not against the king；
as our enemies have so falsely asserted； but to defend our lives
against those who persecuted us； attacking us so fiercely that we
believed it was done by order of His Majesty。 We know that it was
written by St。 Paul that subjects ought to submit themselves to their
king； and if in spite of these sincere protestations our sovereign
should still demand our blood； we shall soon be ready to throw
ourselves on his justice or his mercy； but we should； Monseigneur；
regard ourselves as happy； if His Majesty； moved by our repentance；
would grant us his pardon and receive us into his service； according
to the example of the God of mercy whose representative His Majesty
is on earth。 We trust； Monseigneur； by our faithfulness and zeal to
acquire the honour of your protection； and we glory in the thought of
being permitted； under the command of such an illustrious and
noble…minded general as yourself； to shed our blood for the king；
this being so； I hope that your Excellency will be pleased to allow
me to inscribe myself with profound respect and humility；
Monseigneur； your most humble and obedient servant；
〃CAVALIER。〃
D'Aygaliers； as soon as he got possession of this letter； set out for
Nimes in the best of spirits； for he felt sure that he was bringing
M。 de Villars more than he had expec