massacres of the south-第34章

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dragoons　at　the　palace　had　offered　any　resistance　to　the
conspirators。

The　red　flag　round　which；　in　case　of　civil　war；　all　good　citizens
were　expected　to　gather；　and　which　was　kept　at　the　town　hall；　and
which　should　have　been　brought　out　at　the　first　shot；　was　now　loudly
called　for。　　The　Abbe　de　Belmont；　a　canon；　vicar…general；　and
municipal　official；　was　persuaded；　almost　forced；　to　become
standard…bearer；　as　being　the　most　likely　on　account　of　his
ecclesiastical　position　to　awe　rebels　who　had　taken　up　arms　in　the
name　of　religion。　　The　abbe　himself　gives　the　following　account　of
the　manner　in　which　he　fulfilled　this　mandate：

〃About　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening　I　was　engaged　with　MM。　Porthier
and　Ferrand　in　auditing　accounts；　when　we　heard　a　noise　in　the　court；
and　going　out　on　the　lobby；　we　saw　several　dragoons　coming　upstairs；
amongst　whom　was　M。　Paris。　　They　told　us　that　fighting　was　going　on
in　the　place　de…l'Eveche；　because　some　one　or　other　had　brought　a
note　to　the　porter　ordering　him　to　admit　no　more　dragoons　to　the
palace　on　pain　of　death。　　At　this　point　I　interrupted　their　story　by
asking　why　the　gates　had　not　been　closed　and　the　bearer　of　the　letter
arrested；　but　they　replied　to　me　that　it　had　not　been　possible；
thereupon　MM。　Ferrand　and　Ponthier　put　on　their　scarfs　and　went　out。

〃A　few　instants　later　several　dragoons；　amongst　whom　I　recognised
none　but　MM。　Lezan　du　Pontet；　Paris　junior；　and　Boudon；　accompanied
by　a　great　number　of　the　militia；　entered；　demanding　that　the　red
flag　should　be　brought　out。　　They　tried　to　open　the　door　of　the
council　hall；　and　finding　it　locked；　they　called　upon　me　for　the　key。
I　asked　that　one　of　the　attendants　should　be　sent　for；　but　they　were
all　out；　then　I　went　to　the　hall…porter　to　see　if　he　knew　where　the
key　was。　　He　said　M。　Berding　had　taken　it。　　Meanwhile；　just　as　the
volunteers　were　about　to　force　an　entrance；　someone　ran　up　with　the
key。　　The　door　was　opened；　and　the　red　flag　seized　and　forced　into　my
hands。　　I　was　then　dragged　down　into　the　courtyard；　and　from　thence
to　the　square。

〃It　was　all　in　vain　to　tell　them　that　they　ought　first　to　get
authority；　and　to　represent　to　them　that　I　was　no　suitable
standard…bearer　on　account　of　my　profession；　but　they　would　not
listen　to　any　objection；　saying　that　my　life　depended　upon　my
obedience；　and　that　my　profession　would　overawe　the　disturbers　of　the
public　peace。　　So　I　went　on；　followed　by　a　detachment　of　the　Guienne
regiment；　part　of　the　first　company　of　the　legion；　and　several
dragoons；　a　young　man　with　fixed　bayonet　kept　always　at　my　side。
Rage　was　depicted　on　the　faces　of　all　those　who　accompanied　me；　and
they　indulged　in　oaths　and　threats；　to　which　I　paid　no　attention。

In　passing　through　the　rue　des　Greffes　they　complained　that　I　did　not
carry　the　red　flag　high　enough　nor　unfurl　it　fully。　　When　we　got　to
the　guardhouse　at　the　Crown　Gate；　the　guard　turned　out；　and　the
officer　was　commanded　to　follow　us　with　his　men。　　He　replied　that　he
could　not　do　that　without　a　written　order　from　a　member　of　the　Town
Council。　　Thereupon　those　around　me　told　me　I　must　write　such　an
order；　but　I　asked　for　a　pen　and　ink；　everybody　was　furious　because　I
had　none　with　me。　　So　offensive　were　the　remarks　indulged　in　by　the
volunteers　and　some　soldiers　of　the　Guienne　regiment；　and　so
threatening　their　gestures；　that　I　grew　alarmed。　　I　was　hustled　and
even　received　several　blows；　but　at　length　M。　de　Boudon　brought　me
paper　and　a　pen；　and　I　wrote：'I　require　the　troops　to　assist　us　to
maintain　order　by　force　if　necessary。'　　Upon　this；　the　officer
consented　to　accompany　us。　　We　had　hardly　taken　half　a　dozen　steps
when　they　all　began　to　ask　what　had　become　of　the　order　I　had　just
written；　for　it　could　not　be　found。　　They　surrounded　me；　saying　that
I　had　not　written　it　at　all；　and　I　was　on　the　point　of　being　trampled
underfoot；　when　a　militiaman　found　it　all　crumpled　up　in　his　pocket。
The　threats　grew　louder；　and　once　more　it　was　because　I　did　not　carry
the　flag　high　enough；　everyone　insisting　that　I　was　quite　tall　enough
to　display　it　to　better　advantage。

〃However；　at　this　point　the　militiamen　with　the　red　tufts　made　their
appearance；　a　few　armed　with　muskets　but　the　greater　number　with
swords；　shots　were　exchanged；　and　the　soldiers　of　the　line　and　the
National　Guard　arranged　themselves　in　battle　order；　in　a　kind　of
recess；　and　desired　me　to　go　forward　alone；　which　I　refused　to　do；
because　I　should　have　been　between　two　fires。

〃Upon　this；　curses；　threats；　and　blows　reached　their　height。　　I　was
dragged　out　before　the　troops　and　struck　with　the　butt　ends　of　their
muskets　and　the　flat　of　their　swords　until　I　advanced。　　One　blow　that
I　received　between　the　shoulders　filled　my　mouth　with　blood。

〃All　this　time　those　of　the　opposite　party　were　coming　nearer；　and
those　with　whom　I　was　continued　to　yell　at　me　to　go　on。　　I　went　on
until　I　met　them。　　I　besought　them　to　retire；　even　throwing　myself　at
their　feet。　　But　all　persuasion　was　in　vain；　they　swept　me　along　with
them；　making　me　enter　by　the　Carmelite　Gate；　where　they　took　the　flag
from　me　and　allowed　me　to　enter　the　house　of　a　woman　whose　name　I
have　never　known。　　I　was　spitting　such　a　quantity　of　blood　that　she
took　pity　on　me　and　brought　me　everything　she　could　think　of　as
likely　to　do　me　good；　and　as　soon　as　I　was　a　little　revived　I　asked
to　be　shown　the　way　to　M。　Ponthier's。〃

While　Abbe　de　Belmont　was　carrying　the　red　flag　the　militia　forced
the　Town　Councillors　to　proclaim　martial　law。　　This　had　just　been
done　when　word　was　brought　that　the　first　red　flag　had　been　carried
off；　so　M。　Ferrand　de　Missol　got　out　another；　and；　followed　by　a
considerable　escort；　took　the　same　road　as　his　colleague；　Abbe　de
Belmont。　　When　he　arrived　at　the　Calquieres；　the　red…tufts；　who　still
adorned　the　ramparts　and　towers；　began　to　fire　upon　the　procession；
and　one　of　the　militia　was　disabled；　the　escort　retreated；　but　M。
Ferrand　advanced　alone　to　the　Carmelite　Gate；　like　M。　de　Belmont；　and
like　him；　he　too；　was　taken　prisoner。

He　was　brought　to　the　tower；　where　he　found　Froment　in　a　fury；
declaring　that　the　Council　had　not　kept　its　promise；　having　sent　no
relief；　and　having　delayed　to　give　up　the　citadel　to　him。

The　escort；　however；　had　only　retreated　in　order　to　seek　help；　they
rushed　tumultuously　to　the　barracks；　and　finding　the　regiment　of
Guienne　drawn　up　in　marching　order　in　command　of　Lieutenant…Colonel
Bonne；　they　asked　him　to　follow　them；　but　he　refused　without　a
written　order　from　a　Town　Councillor。　　Upon　this　an　old　corporal
shouted；　〃Brave　soldiers　of　Guienne！　the　country　is　in　danger；　let　us
not　delay　to　do　our　duty。〃　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　cried　the　soldiers；　〃let　us
march〃　The　lieutenant　colonel　no　longer　daring　to　resist；　gave　the
word　of　command；　and　they　set　off　for　the　Esplanade。

As　they　came　near　the　rampart　with　drums　beating；　the　firing　ceased；
but　as　night　was　coming　on　the　new…comers　did　not　dare　to　risk
attacking；　and　moreover　the　silence　of　the　guns　led　them　to　think
that　the　rebels　had　given　up　their　enterprise。　　Having　remained　an
hour　in　the　square；　the　troops　returned　to　their　quarters；　and　the
patriots　went　to　pass　the　night　in　an　inclosure　on　the　Montpellier
road。

It　almost　seemed　as　if　the　Catholics　were　beginning　to　recognise　the
futility　of　their　plot；　for　although　they　had　appealed　to　fanaticism；
forced　the　Town　Council　to　do　their　will；　scattered　gold　lavishly　and
made　wine　flow；　out　of　eighteen　companies　only　three　had　joined　them。
〃Fifteen　companies；〃　said　M。　Alquier　in　his　report　to　the　National
Assembly；　〃although　they　had　adopted　the　red　tuft；　took　no　part　in
the　struggle；　and　did　not　add　to　the　number　of　crimes　committed
either　on　that　day　or　during　the　days　that　followed。　　But　although
the　Catholics　gained　few　partisans　among　their　fellow…citizens；　they
felt　certain　that　people　from　the　country　would　rally　to　their　aid；
but　about　ten　o'clock　in　the　evening　the　rebel　ringleaders；　seeing
that　no　help　arrived　from　that　quarter　either；　resolved　to　apply　a
stimulus　to　those　without。　　Consequently；　Froment　wrote　the　following
letter　to　M。　de　Bonzols；　under…commandant　of　the　province　of
Languedoc；　who　was　living　at　Lunel：

〃SIR；　Up　to　the　present　all　my　demands；　that　the　Catholic　companies
should　be　put　under　arms；　have　been　of　no　avail。　　In　spite　of　the
order　that　you　gave　at　my　request；　the　officials　of　the　municipality
were　of　opinion　that　it　would　be　more　prudent　to　delay　the
distribution　of　the　muskets　until　after　the　meeting　of　the　Electoral
Assembly。　　This　day　the　Protestant　dragoons　have　attacked　and　killed
several　of　our　unarmed　Catholics；　and　you　may　imagine　the　confusion
and　alarm　that　prevail　in　the　town。　　As　a　good　citizen　and　a　true
patriot；　I　entreat　you　to　send　an　order　to　the　regiment　of　royal
dragoons　to　repair　at　once　to　Nimes　to　restore　tranquillity　and　put
down　all　who　break　the　peace。　　The　Town　Council　does　not　meet；　none
of　them　dares　to　leave　his　house；　and　if　you　receive　no　requisition
from　them　just　now；　it　is　because　they　go　in　terror　of　their　lives
and　fear　to　appear　openly。　　Two　red　flags　have　been　carried　about　the
streets；　and　municipal　officers　without　guards　have　been　obliged　to
take　refuge　in　patriotic　houses。　　Although　I　am　only　a　private
citizen；　I　take　the　liberty　of　asking　for　aid　from　you；　knowing　that
the　Protestants　have　sent　to　La　Vannage　and　La　Gardonninque　to　ask
you　for　reinforcements；　and　the　arrival　of　fanatics　from　these
districts　would　expose　all　good　patriots　to　slaughter。　　Knowing　as　I
do　of　your　kindness　and　justice；　I　have　full　trust　that　my　prayer
will　receive　your　favourable　attention。

FROMENT；　Captain　of　Company　No。　39

〃June　13；　1790；　11　o'c。　　p。m。〃

Unfortunately　for　the　Catholic　party；　Dupre　and　Lieutaud；　to　whom
this　letter　was　entrusted　for　delivery；　and　for　whom　passports　were
made　out　as　being　employed　on　business　connected　with　the　king　and
the　State；　were　arrested　at　Vehaud；　and　their　despatches　laid　before
the　Electoral　Assembly。　　Many　other　letters　of　the　same　kind　were
also　intercepted；　and　the　red…tufts　went　about　the　town　saying　that
the　Catholics　of　Nimes　were　being　massacred。

The　priest　of　Courbessac；　among　others；　was　shown　a　letter　saying
that　a　Capuchin　monk　had　been　murdered；　and　that　the　Catholics　were
in　need　of　help。　　The　agents　who　brought　this　letter　to　him　wanted
him　to　put　his　name　to　it　that　they　might　show　it　everywhere；　but
were　met　by　a　positive　refusal。

At　Bouillargues　and　Manduel　the　tocsin　was　sounded：　the　two　villages
joined　forces；　and　with　weapons　in　their　hands　marched　along　the　road
from　Beaucaire　to　Nimes。　　At　the　bridge　of　Quart　the　villagers　of
Redressan　and　Marguerite　joined　them。　　Thus　reinforced；　they　were
able　to　bar　the　way　to　all　who　passed　and　subject　them　to
examination；　if　a　man　could　show　he　was　a　Catholic；　he　was　allowed　to
proceed；　but　the　Protestants　were　murdered　then　and　there。　　We　may
remind　our　readers　that　the　〃Cadets　de　la　Croix　〃　pursued　the　same
method　in　1704。

Meantime　Descombiez；　Froment；　and　Folacher　remained　masters　of　the
ramparts　and　the　tower；　and　when　very　early　one　morning　their　force