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lose their power； and the church of Ste。 Eugenie； which was turned
into a powder…magazine。 The day of the great butchery was called
〃La Michelade；〃 because it took place the day after Michaelmas； and
as all this happened in the year 1567 the Massacre of St。
Bartholomew must be regarded as a plagiarism。
At last； however； with the help of M。 Damville； the Catholics again
got the upper hand； and it was the turn of the Protestants to fly。
They took refuge in the Cevennes。 From the beginning of the troubles
the Cevennes had been the asylum of those who suffered for the
Protestant faith； and still the plains are Papist； and the mountains
Protestant。 When the Catholic party is in the ascendant at Nimes；
the plain seeks the mountain； when the Protestants come into power；
the mountain comes down into the plain。
However； vanquished and fugitive though they were； the Calvinists did
not lose courage： in exile one day； they felt sure their luck would
turn the next； and while the Catholics were burning or hanging them
in effigy for contumacy； they were before a notary； dividing the
property of their executioners。
But it was not enough for them to buy or sell this property amongst
each other； they wanted to enter into possession； they thought of
nothing else； and in 1569that is； in the eighteenth month of their
exilethey attained their wish in the following manner：
One day the exiles perceived a carpenter belonging to a little
village called Cauvisson approaching their place of refuge。 He
desired to speak to M。 Nicolas de Calviere； seigneur de St。 Cosme；
and brother of the president； who was known to be a very enterprising
man。 To him the carpenter； whose name was Maduron； made the
following proposition：
In the moat of Nimes； close to the Gate of the Carmelites； there was
a grating through which the waters from the fountain found vent。
Maduron offered to file through the bars of this grating in such a
manner that some fine night it could be lifted out so as to allow a
band of armed Protestants to gain access to the city。 Nicolas de
Calviere approving of this plan； desired that it should be carried
out at once； but the carpenter pointed out that it would be necessary
to wait for stormy weather； when the waters swollen by the rain would
by their noise drown the sound of the file。 This precaution was
doubly necessary as the box of the sentry was almost exactly above
the grating。 M。 de Calviere tried to make Maduron give way； but the
latter； who was risking more than anyone else； was firm。 So whether
they liked it or not； de Calviere and the rest had to await his good
pleasure。
Some days later rainy weather set in； and as usual the fountain
became fuller； Maduron seeing that the favourable moment had arrived；
glided at night into the moat and applied his file； a friend of his
who was hidden on the ramparts above pulling a cord attached to
Maduron's arm every time the sentinel； in pacing his narrow round；
approached the spot。 Before break of day the work was well begun。
Maduron then obliterated all traces of his file by daubing the bars
with mud and wax； and withdrew。 For three consecutive nights he
returned to his task； taking the same precautions； and before the
fourth was at an end he found that by means of a slight effort the
grating could be removed。 That was all that was needed； so he gave
notice to Messire Nicolas de Calviere that the moment had arrived。
Everything was favourable to the undertaking： as there was no moon；
the next night was chosen to carry out the plan； and as soon as it
was dark Messire Nicolas de Calviere set out with his men； who；
slipping down into the moat without noise； crossed； the water being
up to their belts； climbed up the other side； and crept along at the
foot of the wall till they reached the grating without being
perceived。 There Maduron was waiting； and as soon as he caught sight
of them he gave a slight blow to the loose bars； which fell； and the
whole party entered the drain； led by de Calviere； and soon found
themselves at the farther endthat is to say； in the Place de la
Fontaine。 They immediately formed into companies twenty strong； four
of which hastened to the principal gates； while the others patrolled
the streets shouting； 〃The city taken！ Down with the Papists！ A new
world！ 〃Hearing this； the Protestants in the city recognised their
co…religionists； and the Catholics their opponents： but whereas the
former had been warned and were on the alert； the latter were taken
by surprise； consequently they offered no resistance； which； however；
did not prevent bloodshed。 M。 de St。 Andre； the governor of the
town； who during his short period of office had drawn the bitter
hatred of the Protestants on him； was shot dead in his bed； and his
body being flung out of the window； was torn in pieces by the
populace。 The work of murder went on all night； and on the morrow
the victors in their turn began an organised persecution； which fell
more heavily on the Catholics than that to which they had subjected
the Protestants； for； as we have explained above； the former could
only find shelter in the plain； while the latter used the Cevennes as
a stronghold。
It was about this time that the peace； which was called； as we have
said； 〃the insecurely seated；〃 was concluded。 Two years later this
name was justified by the Massacre of St。 Bartholomew。
When this event took place； the South； strange as it may seem； looked
on： in Nimes both Catholics and Protestants； stained with the other's
blood； faced each other； hand on hilt； but without drawing weapon。
It was as if they were curious to see how the Parisians would get
through。 The massacre had one result； however； the union of the
principal cities of the South and West： Montpellier； Uzes； Montauban；
and La Rochelle； with Nimes at their head； formed a civil and
military league to last； as is declared in the Act of Federation；
until God should raise up a sovereign to be the defender of the
Protestant faith。 In the year 1775 the Protestants of the South
began to turn their eyes towards Henri IV as the coming defender。
At that date Nimes； setting an example to the other cities of the
League； deepened her moats； blew up her suburbs； and added to the
height of her ramparts。 Night and day the work of perfecting the
means of defence went on； the guard at every gate was doubled； and
knowing how often a city had been taken by surprise； not a hole
through which a Papist could creep was left in the fortifications。
In dread of what the future might bring； Nimes even committed
sacrilege against the past； and partly demolished the Temple of Diana
and mutilated the amphitheatreof which one gigantic stone was
sufficient to form a section of the wall。 During one truce the crops
were sown； during another they were garnered in； and so things went
on while the reign of the Mignons lasted。 At length the prince
raised up by God； whom the Huguenots had waited for so long；
appeared； Henri IV ascended the； throne。
But once seated； Henri found himself in the same difficulty as had
confronted Octavius fifteen centuries earlier； and which confronted
Louis Philippe three centuries laterthat is to say； having been
raised to sovereign power by a party which was not in the majority；
he soon found himself obliged to separate from this party and to
abjure his religious beliefs； as others have abjured or will yet
abjure their political beliefs； consequently； just as Octavius had
his Antony； and Louis Philippe was to have his Lafayette； Henri IV
was to have his Biron。 When monarchs are in this position they can
no longer have a will of their own or personal likes and dislikes；
they submit to the force of circumstances； and feel compelled to rely
on the masses； no sooner are they freed from the ban under which they
laboured than they are obliged to bring others under it。
However； before having recourse to extreme measures； Henri IV with
soldierly frankness gathered round him all those who had been his
comrades of old in war and in religion； he spread out before them a
map of France； and showed them that hardly a tenth of the immense
number of its in