clouds when we can as easily look at the bright sunshine."




CHAPTER XIV

Scouting for Coligny


As Roger had prophesied, not all the Huguenot soldiers were prepared to
follow their intrepid leader; but on that memorable April morning of
1570 we swung out from Nismes some five thousand strong, all horsemen,
for Coligny had mounted the three thousand arquebusiers who formed the
major part of our force.

The journey from Saintes to Narbonne had been tedious, and, because of
the bitter winter cold, full of hardship, but we had not met with
opposition. Now we were launched straight into the midst of a hostile
district filled with the king's troops, and few days passed without some
skirmish, in which, though petty enough, we could ill afford to engage.

It seems little to put down on paper--how we rode hour after hour, often
with insufficient food; how we watched at night, sometimes springing to
arms at a false alarm, and more than once having to fight desperately to
beat off a surprise attack; but it was a stiff business for those who
went through with it.

We were, however, in good spirits, and pushed on steadily day after
day, picking up a few recruits here and there to strengthen our army.