saw how far things had gone, in spite of everything that Lalande could
say, who in his jealousy asserted that d'Aygaliers would spoil
everything, he sent him back to Cavalier with an invitation to come to
Nimes. D'Aygaliers set out at once, promising to bring the young chief
back with him, at which Lalande laughed loudly, pretending to be very
much amused at the baron's confident way of speaking, and protesting that
Cavalier would not come.

In the meantime events were happening in the mountains which might easily
have changed the state of mind of the young chief. The Comte de Tournan,
who was in command at Florae, had encountered Roland's army in the plain
of Fondmortes, and had lost two hundred men, a considerable sum of money,
and eighty mules loaded with provisions. The anxiety which this news
caused to M. de Villars was soon relieved; for six days after the defeat
he received a letter from Cavalier by the hands of Lacombe, the same who
had brought about the interview on the bridge of Avenes. In this letter
Cavalier expressed the greatest regret for what had just happened.

D'Aygaliers therefore found Cavalier in the best of humours when he
joined him at Tarnac. The first feeling that the young chief felt on
receiving the invitation was one of stupefaction; for an interview with
the marechal was an honour so unexpected and so great, that his
impression was that some treason lay behind it; but he was soon reassured
when he recalled the character for loyalty which the marechal bore, and
how impossible it was that d'Aygaliers should lend himself to treachery.
So Cavalier sent back word that he would obey the marechal's orders; and
that he put himself entirely into his hands in what concerned the
arrangements for the interview. M. de Villars let him know that he would
expect him on the 16th in the garden of the convent of the Recollets of
Nimes, which lay just outside the city, between the gates of Beaucaire