"Upon my soul, the king is too good to treat thus with a rebel." The blood rushed to Cavalier's head, his face flamed, and after a moment's pause, fixing his eye boldly upon M.de Baville, and speaking in a voice which was now as firm as it had been tremulous a moment before, he said, "If you have only brought me here, sir, to speak to me in such a manner, you might better have left me in my mountains, and come there yourself to take a lesson in hospitality.

If I am a rebel, it is not I who am answerable, for it was the tyranny and cruelty of M.de Baville which forced us to have recourse to arms; and if history takes exception to anything connected with the great monarch for whose pardon I sue to-day, it will be, I hope, not that he had foes like me, but friends like him." M.de Baville grew pale with anger; for whether Cavalier knew to whom he was speaking or not, his words had the effect of a violent blow full in his face; but before he could reply M.de Villars interposed.
"Your business is only with me, sir," he said; "attend to me alone, I beg: I speak in the name of the king; and the king, of his clemency, wishes to spare his subjects by treating them with tenderness." Cavalier opened his mouth to reply, but the intendant cut him short.
"I should hope that that suffices," he said contemptuously: "as pardon is more than you could have hoped for, I suppose you are not going to insist on the other conditions you laid down ?" "But it is precisely those other conditions," said Cavalier, addressing himself to M.de Villars, and not seeming to see that anyone else was present, "for which we have fought.

If I were alone, sir, I should give myself up, bound hand and foot, with entire confidence in your good faith, demanding no assurances and exacting no conditions; but I stand here to defend the interests of my brethren and friends who trust me; and what is more, things have gone so far that we must either die weapon in hand, or obtain our rights." The intendant was about to speak, but the marechal stopped him with such an imperative gesture that he stepped back as if to show that he washed his hands of the whole matter.
"What are those rights?
Are they those which M.Lalande has transmitted to me by word of mouth ?" "Yes, sir." "It would be well to commit them to writing." "I have done so, monseigneur, and sent a copy to M.d'Aygaliers." "I have not seen it, sir; make me another copy and place it in my hands, I beg." "I shall go and set about it directly, monseigneur," stepping back as if about to withdraw.
"One moment!" said the marechal, detaining him by a smile.

"Is it true that you are willing to enter the king's army ?" "I am more than willing, I desire it with all my heart," exclaimed Cavalier, with the frank enthusiasm natural to his age, "but I cannot do so till our just demands are granted." "But if they were granted-- ?" "Then, sir," replied Cavalier, "the king has never had more loyal subjects than we shall be." "Well, have a little patience and everything will be arranged, I hope." "May God grant it!" said Cavalier.

"He is my witness that we desire peace beyond everything." And he took another step backwards.
"You will not go too far away, I hope," said the marechal.
"We shall remain wherever your excellency may appoint," said Cavalier.
"Very well," continued M.de Villars; "halt at Calvisson, and try all you can to induce the other leaders to follow your example." "I shall do my best, monseigneur; but while we await His Majesty's reply shall we be allowed to fulfil our religious duties unimpeded ?" "Yes, I shall give orders that you are to have full liberty in that respect." "Thanks, monseigneur." Cavalier bowed once more, and was about to go; but M.de Villars accompanied him and Lalande, who had now joined them, and who stood with his hand on Cavalier's shoulder, a few steps farther.