sed. "But our troop is totally defeated and the rebels have
been all along in our rear, and they have the insolence to appear on
the plain of Nismes, as if they were going to threaten the town
itself."

"Thus it is," said the Marshal cuttingly, "when citizens meddle with
affairs to which they are not equal; give the young man a glass of wine
to revive him." Casting at the same time a side glance at the
Intendant, "Sit down reverend priest," he continued, "you appear more
composed, give us a little more circumstantial account."

"According to the order of the gracious Lord Marshal," said the priest,
bowing profoundly, "We set fire yesterday to the village, which had
furnished provisions to the rebels, when they had quartered themselves
there; we then set out five hundred men strong, and three hundred
soldiers marched at the same time, with a hundred dragoons on the other
side of the river. The wretched, burned out creatures ran howling into
the wood and we pursued our way whilst we saw about a hundred rebels
flying before us. Behind the wood we joined the royal troops and
surrounded the vineyards on three sides near Nages. Some Camisards
showed themselves sideways, who, however, after a few shots
disappeared, We now advanced on the right, the soldiers on the left, in
between the mountains; we fell among the brambles, and--as if fire was
vomited forth from all sides, balls flew in among us without our being
able to see any one, we hesitate, we halt. Now the villains in the
mountains spring to their feet yelling and psalm-singing bellow down
upon us, together with hissing balls; we defend ourselves and put our
hopes in the royal troops, but the superiority is too great, our people
fall, we are compelled to retreat. Difficult enough it was to retire
from the mountains, the greater part of our men remain lying there:
arriving on the plain, there we beheld the military also beaten and
taking flight."

"Defeated!" screamed the Marshal.

"They are most likely following us," replied the priest.

"The volunteers," said the Intendant, "have apparently not been
properly supported, as it has often happened already, and how shall the
citizen bear up if the soldier takes flight?"

The Marshal, his face crimsoned, would have retorted angrily, when some
officers, covered in dust and bewildered, entered hastily. "The rebels,
Lord Marshal," said a young captain, "are seen before the gates of
Nismes; Cavalier has played us a fine tr