n this day Cavalier reached the turning-point in his
magnificent career. As he entered the town with his soldiers, drums
beating and flags flying, he was at the zenith of his power. He rode the
splendid horse M. de La Jonquiere had abandoned in his flight; behind
him, serving as page, rode his young brother, aged ten, followed by
four grooms; he was preceded by twelve guards dressed in red; and as his
colleague Roland had taken the title of Comte, he allowed himself to be
called Duke of the Cevennes.

At his approach half of the garrison, which was commanded by M. de
Maillan, took possession of the church and half of the citadel; but as
Cavalier was more bent on obtaining food and rest for his soldiers than
of disturbing the town, he billeted his men on the townspeople, and
placed sentinels at the church and fortress, who exchanged shots all the
night through with the royal troops. The next morning, having destroyed
the fortifications, he marched out of the town again, drums beating
and flags flying as before. When almost in sight of Nimes he made his
troops, which had never before been so numerous or so brilliant, perform
a great many evolutions, and then continued his way towards Nages.

M. de Montrevel received a report at nine o'clock in the morning of
the direction Cavalier and his troops had taken, and immediately left
Sommieres, followed by six companies of Fimarqon dragoons, one hundred
Irish free-lances, three hundred rank and file of the Hainault regiment,
and one company each of the Soissonnais, Charolais, and Menon regiments,
forming in all a corps over nine hundred strong. They took the direction
of Vaunages, above Clarensac; but suddenly hearing the rattle of
musketry behind them, they wheeled and made for Langlade.

They found that Grandval had already encountered the Camisards. These
being fatigued had withdrawn into a hollow between Boissieres and the
windmill at Langlade, in order to rest. The infantry lay down, their
arms beside them; the cavalry placed themselves at the feet of their
horses, the bridle on arm. Cavalier himself, Cavalier the indefatigable,
broken by the fatigues of the preceding days, had fallen asleep, with
his young brother watching beside him. Suddenly he felt himself shaken
by the arm, and rousing up, he heard on all sides cries of "Kill! Kill!"
and "To arms! To arms!" Grandval and his men, who had been sent to find
out where the Camisards were, had suddenly come upon them.

Th