United States or Sweden ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
On the gravel walks were many gaily dressed ladies, who strolled among the flower-beds or watched the fountains with the sunlight glinting upon their high water sprays. One of these, who had kept her eyes turned upon the gate, came hastening forward the instant that De Catinat appeared. It was Mademoiselle Nanon, the confidante of Madame de Maintenon.
The first two generals under him, in order of rank, were allied with Vaudemont: one, in fact, was his only son; the other was the son of a friend of his. The least reflection ought to have opened all eyes to the conduct of Vaudemont, and to have discerned it to be more than suspicious. Catinat soon found it out.
Clapping the wound to his mouth, he flashed out his sword and was about to drive it through the body of his unarmed opponent, when De Catinat sprang forward and caught him by the wrist. "You villain, Dalbert!" he cried. The sudden appearance of one of the king's own bodyguard had a magic effect upon the brawlers.
There were disturbances in Vivarais, aroused by Daniel Billard, during which a few Catholics were found murdered on the highway; there were a few fights, as for instance at Sainte-Pierre-Ville, where the Camisards, faithful to the old traditions which had come to them from Cavalier, Catinat, and Ravenal, fought one to twenty, but they were all without importance; they were only the last quiverings of the dying civil strife, the last shudderings of the earth when the eruption of the volcano is over.
The Richelieu is a better fish pond, and these forests are a finer deer preserve than any of which the king can boast. But on the other hand we have, as you see, our little troubles. You will excuse me now, as there are one or two things which demand my attention. De Catinat, you are a tried soldier and I should be glad of your advice.
The old man gazed forward with horror at the bowsprit as he saw it rise slowly upwards into the air, and clung frantically at the rail as it seemed to slip away from beneath him. "We are always in the hollow of God's hand," he whispered, "but oh, Adele, it is a dreadful thing to feel His fingers moving under us." "Come with me, uncle," said De Catinat, passing his arm under that of the old man.
Perhaps, De Catinat, you wish to sleep?" "No, I could not sleep." "We can do no more down here. What do you say to a round or two of piquet? A little turn of the cards will help us to pass the time." They ascended to the upper hall, where Adele came and sat by her husband, while the swarthy Onega crouched by the window looking keenly out into the forest.
He had been there about an hour without being recognised by any of those who, drawn by curiosity, came to look at him, when one of the visitors in going out said he bore a strong resemblance to Catinat; some children hearing these words, began to shout, "Catinat is taken! Catinat is taken!"
Let the enemy, who comes armed against us, be given up to the sword, the villain, who betrays us and belies the Lord, let him fall a sacrifice to his own malice, but the harmless labourer, the helpless priest, the defenceless woman, the child under age, let them be spared, what have they done to us? what can they accomplish against us? we have certainly always struggled to put our enemies to shame and to convince them by Christian charity, that our course is a just one; but here, Catinat has again acted in opposition to my express command, in his expedition he has set fire to three churches with his own hands, he has massacred two priests, his troop according to his orders has reduced villages to ashes, and women and children have been murdered and burned in the most terrible manner.
He did all in his power to ingratiate himself into the favour of the Marechal de Villeroy; but the Marechal received these advances very coldly. Tesse's schemes against Catinat were beginning to be scented out; he was accused of having wished the Imperialists to succeed at Capri, and of indirectly aiding them by keeping back his troops; his tirades against Catinat, too, made him suspected.
Word Of The Day