more easily done, as it was very well known that Cavalier had joined the
Huguenots less from devotion to the cause than to avenge a private wrong,
and on many occasions had given rise to the remark that he had more
genius than religion.

So, on getting back to Calvisson, the young chief found his principal
officers, Ravanel at their head, drawn up in the market-place, waiting
for him. As soon as he drew near they told him that they were determined
to know at once what were the conditions of the treaty he had signed with
the marechal; they had made up their minds to have a plain answer without
delay. Such a way of speaking to him was so strange and unexpected, that
Cavalier shrugged his shoulders and replied that such matters were no
business of theirs, being too high for their intelligence; that it was
his business to decide what course to take and theirs to take it; it had
always been so in the past, and with the help of God and his own,
Cavalier's, goodwill, it should still be so in future; and having so
spoken, he told them to disperse. Ravanel upon this came forward, and in
the name of all the others said they would not go away until they knew
what orders Cavalier was about to give the troops, that they might
consult among themselves whether they should obey them or not. This
insubordination was too much for Cavalier's patience.

"The orders are," he said, "to put on the uniforms that are being made
for you, and to follow me to Portugal."

The effect of such words on men who were expecting nothing less than the
re-enactment of the Edict of Nantes, can be easily imagined; the words
"coward" and "traitor" could be distinguished above the murmurs, as
Cavalier noticed with increasing astonishment. Raising himself in his
stirrups, and glancing round with that look before which they had been