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Victor-Amadeus II., when invading the province with a Piedmontese army, at sight of the plateau commanding the entrance of both valleys, exclaimed, "There is a pass to fortify." The hint was not neglected by the French general, Catinat, under whose directions the great engineer, Vauban, traced the plan of the present fortifications.
"There are six hundred Iroquois in the woods and they are preparing to attack." "Tut, tut, we cannot allow our arrangements to be altered by a handful of savages," said the seigneur. "I must apologise to you, my dear De Catinat, that you should be annoyed by such people while you are upon my estate.
Fighting's good enough when there's no help for it. But I call it a fool's plan to ride straight into a trap when you might go round it." "You may do what you like," said De Catinat angrily. "My father was a gentleman, the owner of a thousand arpents of land, and his son is not going to flinch in the king's service."
But the two Americans were less inclined to take so peaceful a view. Ephraim Savage's beard bristled with anger, and he whispered something into Amos Green's ear. "The captain and I could easily get rid of him," said the young woodsman, drawing De Catinat aside. "If he will cross our path he must pay for it." "No, no, not for the world, Amos! Let him alone.
The King admired the sagacity and virtue of Catinat, but, wishing to sound the depths of certain things, and discover who was really to blame, pressed him more and more to speak out; mentioning certain things which Catinat had not rendered an account of, and others he had been silent upon, all of which had come to him from other sources.
De Catinat also had noticed that the gaunt old Huguenot had grown gaunter, that the lines upon his stern face were deeper, and that his head fell forward upon his breast as he walked. He was about, however, to suggest that the voyage might restore the merchant's health, when Adele gave a cry of surprise and pointed out over the port quarter.
I am apprehensive, that we, the oppressed, whose unity is so necessary, may in this manner be divided, should we forget that we are brethren? Does not something more exalted than an oath bind us to a holy work? Ravanel has without doubt grossly sinned against our new brother, but the pious youth will forgive the enthusiast and Roland and Catinat as brethren must also shake hands.
Suddenly he found himself surrounded by four men, who, upbraiding him for his exactions and cruelties, shot him twice through the head with a pistol. They offered no violence to M. de Mondardier except to deprive him of his laced hat and sword. The day on which M. de Villars heard of its murder he set a price on the heads of Roland, Ravanel, and Catinat.
Then Don Gabriel of Savoy, who was in command, resolved to employ the means which Catinat had found so successful: he sent forward messengers to inform the Vaudois that their brethren of the Val St. Martin had laid down their arms and been pardoned, inviting them to follow their example.
Catinat, whose temper was fierce, suffered with courage, but cursed his torturers. Ravanel bore all the torments that could be inflicted on him with a fortitude that was more than human, so that the torturers were exhausted before he was. Jonquet spoke little, and the revelations he made were of slight importance.
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