singing till they reached Saint-Cesaire, where the hostages were. These
he at once sent back.

Five hundred persons from Nimes were awaiting him; refreshments were
offered to him, which he accepted gratefully, thanking all those who had
gathered together to meet him. At last he went off to St. Denoise, where
he was to sup and sleep; but before going to bed he offered up
supplications in a loud voice for the king, for M. de Villars, for M. de
Lalande, and even for M. de Baville.

The next morning, Cavalier, according to promise, sent a copy of his
demands to M. de Villars, who caused it to be laid before the king, along
with a full report of all that had passed at the interview at Nimes. As
soon as the young chief had sent off his missive, he rejoined his troops
at Tarnac, and related all that had passed to Roland, urging him to
follow his example. That night he slept at Sauves, having passed through
Durfort at the head of his men; a captain of dragoons named Montgros,
with twenty-five soldiers, accompanying him everywhere, by M. de Villars'
orders, and seeing that the villages through which they passed furnished
him with all that was needed. They left Sauves on May 16th very early in
the morning, in order to get to Calvisson, which, as our readers may
remember, was the place appointed for the residence of Cavalier during
the truce. In passing through Quissac, where they stopped for
refreshments, they were joined by Castanet who delivered a long sermon,
at which all the Protestants of the neighbourhood were present.

The two battalions of the Charolais regiment which were quartered at
Calvisson had received orders on the evening of the 17th to march out
next morning, so as to make room for the Camisards.