d a skilful
captain, but also a just judge. A few days after the deed of arms
which we have just related, he learned that a horrible murder had been
committed by four Camisards, who had then retired into the forest of
Bouquet. He sent a detachment of twenty men with orders to arrest the
murderers and bring them before him. The following are the details of
the crime:

The daughter of Baron Meyrargues, who was not long married to a
gentleman named M. de Miraman, had set out on the 29th November for
Ambroix to join her husband, who was waiting for her there. She was
encouraged to do this by her coachman, who had often met with Camisards
in the neighbourhood, and although a Catholic, had never received any
harm from them. She occupied her own carriage, and was accompanied by
a maid, a nurse, a footman, and the coachman who had persuaded her to
undertake the journey. Two-thirds of the way already lay safely behind
them, when between Lussan and Vaudras she was stopped by four, men,
who made her get out of her carriage and accompany them into the
neighbouring forest. The account of what then happened is taken from the
deposition of the maid. We copy it word for word:

"These wretches having forced us," says she, "to walk into the forest
till we were at some distance from the high road, my poor mistress grew
so tired that she begged the man who walked beside her to allow her to
lean on his shoulder. He looking round and seeing that they had reached
a lonely spot, replied, 'We need hardly go any farther,' and made us sit
dawn on a plot of grass which was to be the scene of our martyrdom. My
poor mistress began to plead with the barbarians in the most touching
manner, and so sweetly that she would have softened the heart of a
demon. She offered them her purse, her gold waistband, and a fine
diamond which she drew from her finger; but nothing could move these
tigers, and one of them said, 'I am going to kill all the Catholics
at once, and shall be gin with you.' 'What will you gain by my death?'
asked my mistress. 'Spare my life.'--'No; shut up!' replied he. 'You
shall die by my hand. Say your prayers.' My good mistress threw herself
at once on her knees and prayed aloud that God would show mercy to her
and to her murderers, and while she was thus praying she received a
pistol-shot in her left breast, and fell; a second assassin cut her
across the face with his sword, and a third dropped a large stone on
her head, while the four