give them no rest, M, de Broglie set out at once for this village.

When half-way there, a member of his staff thought he could distinguish a
crowd of men near a house about half a league distant; M. de Broglie
instantly ordered Sieur de Gibertin, Captain Paul's lieutenant, who was
riding close by, at the head of his company, to take eight dragoons and
make a reconnaissance, in order to ascertain who these men were, while
the rest of the troops would make a halt.

This little band, led by its officer, crossed a clearing in the wood, and
advanced towards the farmhouse, which was called the Mas de Gafarel, and
which now seemed deserted. But when they were within half a gun-shot of
the wall the charge was sounded behind it, and a band of rebels rushed
towards them, while from a neighbouring house a second troop emerged, and
looking round, he perceived a third lying on their faces in a small wood.
These latter suddenly stood up and approached him, singing psalms. As it
was impossible for M. de Gibertin to hold his ground against so large a
force, he ordered two shots to be fired as a warning to de Brogue to
advance to meet him, and fell back on his comrades. Indeed, the rebels
had only pursued him till they had reached a favourable position, on
which they took their stand.

M. de Brogue having surveyed the whole position with the aid of a
telescope, held a council of war, and it was decided that an attack
should be made forthwith. They therefore advanced on the rebels in line:
Captain Poul on the right, M. de Dourville on the left, and Count Broglie
in the centre.

As they got near they could see that the rebels had chosen their ground
with an amount of strategical sagacity they had never till then