ground.

The name of this widow was Pepin, and the scene of the sacrilege was a
small enclosure on the hill of the Moulins-a-Vent.

Meantime the people in the Faubourg des Bourgades had invented a new sort
of game, or rather, had resolved to vary the serious business of the
drama that was being enacted by the introduction of comic scenes. They
had possessed themselves of a number of beetles such as washerwomen use,
and hammered in long nails, the points of which projected an inch on the
other side in the form of a fleur-de-lis. Every Protestant who fell into
their hands, no matter what his age or rank, was stamped with the bloody
emblem, serious wounds being inflicted in many cases.

Murders were now becoming common. Amongst other names of victims
mentioned were Loriol, Bigot, Dumas, Lhermet, Heritier, Domaison, Combe,
Clairon, Begomet, Poujas, Imbert, Vigal, Pourchet, Vignole. Details more
or less shocking came to light as to the manner in which the murderers
went to work. A man called Dalbos was in the custody of two armed men;
some others came to consult with them. Dalbos appealed for mercy to the
new-comers. It was granted, but as he turned to go he was shot dead.
Another of the name of Rambert tried to escape by disguising himself as a
woman, but was recognised and shot down a few yards outside his own door.
A gunner called Saussine was walking in all security along the road to
Uzes, pipe in mouth, when he was met by five men belonging to
Trestaillon's company, who surrounded him and stabbed him to the heart
with their knives. The elder of two brothers named Chivas ran across
some fields to take shelter in a country house called Rouviere, which,
unknown to him, had been occupied by some of the new National Guard.
These met him on the threshold and shot him dead.