massacres of the south-第39章

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silence　of　the　leaders；　the　uneasiness　of　the　soldiers；　the　delight
of　the　Royalists；　foretold　the　outbreak　of　a　new　struggle；　the；
results　of　which　it　was　easy　to　anticipate。　　About　four　o'clock　in
the　afternoon；　a　man；　who　had　probably　got　earlier　information　than
his　fellow…townspeople；　tore　off　his　tricoloured　cockade　and　trampled
it　under　foot；　crying；　〃Long　live　the　king！〃　　The　angry　soldiers
seized　him　and　were　about　to　drag　him　to　the　guard…house；　but　the
National　Guards　prevented　them；　and　their　interference　led　to　a
fight。　　Shouts　were　heard　on　all　sides；　a　large　ring　was　formed　round
the　soldiers；　a　few　musket　shots　heard；　others　answered；　three　or
four　men　fell；　and　lay　there　weltering　in　their　blood。　　Out　of　this
confused　uproar　the　word　〃Waterloo〃　emerged　distinct；　and　with　this
unfamiliar　name　pronounced　for　the　first　time　in　the　resounding　voice
of　history；　the　news　of　the　defeat　of　the　French　army　and　the　triumph
of　the　Allies　spread　apace。　　Then　General　Verdier；　who　held　the　chief
command　in　the　absence　of　Marshal　Brune；　tried　to　harangue　the
people；　but　his　voice　was　drowned　by　the　shouts　of　the　mob　who　had
gathered　round　a　coffee…house　where　stood　a　bust　of　the　emperor；
which　they　insisted　should　be　given　up　to　them。　　Verdier；　hoping　to
calm；　what　he　took　to　be　a　simple　street　row；　gave　orders　that　the
bust　should　be　brought　out；　and　this　concession；　so　significant　on
the　part　of　a　general　commanding　in　the　emperor's　name；　convinced　the
crowd　that　his　cause　was　lost。　　The　fury　of　the　populace　grew　greater
now　that　they　felt　that　they　could　indulge　it　with　impunity；　they　ran
to　the　Town　Hall；　and　tearing　down　and　burning　the　tricoloured；
raised　the　white　flag。　　The　roll　of　the　generale；　the　clang　of　the
tocsin　were　heard；　the　neighbouring　villages　poured　in　their
populations　and　increased　the　throng　in　the　streets；　single　acts　of
violence　began　to　occur；　wholesale　massacres　were　approaching。　　I　had
arrived　in　the　town　with　my　friend　M____　the　very　beginning　of　the
tumult；　so　we　had　seen　the　dangerous　agitation　and　excitement　grow
under　our　eyes；　but　we　were　still　ignorant　of　its　true　cause；　when；
in　the　rue　de　Noailles；　we　met　an　acquaintance；　who；　although　his
political　opinions　did　not　coincide　with　ours；　had　always　shown
himself　very　friendly　to　us。　　'Well；'　said　I；　'what　news？'　　'Good　for
me　and　bad　for　you；'　he　answered；'　I　advise　you　to　go　away　at　once。'
Surprised　and　somewhat　alarmed　at　these　words；　we　begged　him　to
explain。　　'Listen；'　said　he；　'there　are　going　to　be　riots　in　the
town；　it　is　well　known　that　you　used　to　go　to　Brune's　nearly　every
evening；　and　that　you　are　in　consequence　no　favourite　with　your
neighbours；　seek　safety　in　the　country。'　I　addressed　some　further
question　to　him；　but；　turning　his　back　on　me；　he　left　me　without
another　word。

〃M_____　and　I　were　still　looking　at　each　other　in　stupefaction；　when
the　increasing　uproar　aroused　us　to　a　sense　that　if　we　desired　to
follow　the　advice　just　given　we　had　not　a　moment　to　lose。　We　hastened
to　my　house；　which　was　situated　in　the　Allees　de　Meilhan。　My　wife　was
just　going　out；　but　I　stopped　her。

〃'We　are　not　safe　here；'　I　said；　'we　must　get　away　into　the　country。'

〃'But　where　can　we　go？'

〃'Wherever　luck　takes　us。　Let　us　start。'

〃She　was　going　to　put　on　her　bonnet；　but　I　told　her　to　leave　it
behind；　for　it　was　most　important　that　no　one　should　think　we
suspected　anything；　but　were　merely　going　for　a　stroll。　　This
precaution　saved　us；　for　we　learned　the　next　day　that　if　our
intention　to　fly　had　been　suspected　we　should　have　been　stopped。

〃We　walked　at　random；　while　behind　us　we　heard　musket　shots　from
every　part　of　the　town。　　We　met　a　company　of　soldiers　who　were
hurrying　to　the　relief　of　their　comrades；　but　heard　later　that　they
had　not　been　allowed　to　pass　the　gate。

〃We　recollected　an　old　officer　of　our　acquaintance　who　had　quitted
the　service　and　withdrawn　from　the　world　some　years　before；　and　had
taken　a　place　in　the　country　near　the　village　of　Saint…Just；　we
directed　our　course　towards　his　house。

〃'Captain；'　said　I　to　him；　'they　are　murdering　each　other　in　the
town；　we　are　pursued　and　without　asylum；　so　we　come　to　you。'　　'That's
right；　my　children；'　said　he；　'come　in　and　welcome。　　I　have　never
meddled　with　political　affairs；　and　no　one　can　have　anything　against
me。　　No　one　will　think　of　looking　for　you　here。'

〃The　captain　had　friends　in　the　town；　who；　one　after　another；　reached
his　house；　and　brought　us　news　of　all　that　went　on　during　that
dreadful　day。　　Many　soldiers　had　been　killed；　and　the　Mamelukes　had
been　annihilated。　　A　negress　who　had　been　in　the　service　of　these
unfortunates　had　been　taken　on　the　quay。　　'Cry　〃Long　live　the　king！〃'
shouted　the　mob。　　'No；'　she　replied。　　'To　Napoleon　I　owe　my　daily
bread；　long　live　Napoleon！'　　A　bayonet…thrust　in　the　abdomen　was　the
answer。　　'Villains！'　said　she；　covering　the　wound　with　her　hand　to
keep　back　the　protruding　entrails。　　'Long　live　Napoleon！'　　A　push
sent　her　into　the　water；　she　sank；　but　rose　again　to　the　surface；　and
waving　her　hand；　she　cried　for　the　last　time；　'Long　live　Napoleon！'　a
bullet　shot　putting　an　end　to　her　life。

〃Several　of　the　townspeople　had　met　with　shocking　deaths。　　For
instance；　M。　Angles；　a　neighbour　of　mine；　an　old　man　and　no
inconsiderable　scholar；　having　unfortunately；　when　at　the　palace　some
days　before；　given　utterance　before　witnesses　to　the　sentiment　that
Napoleon　was　a　great　man；　learned　that　for　this　crime　he　was　about　to
be　arrested。　　Yielding　to　the　prayers　of　his　family；　he　disguised
himself；　and；　getting　into　a　waggon；　set　off　to　seek　safety　in　the
country。　　He　was；　however；　recognised　and　brought　a　prisoner　to　the
place　du　Chapitre；　where；　after　being　buffeted　about　and　insulted　for
an　hour　by　the　populace；　he　was　at　last　murdered。

〃It　may　easily　be　imagined　that　although　no　one　came　to　disturb　us　we
did　not　sleep　much　that　night。　　The　ladies　rested　on　sofas　or　in
arm…chairs　without　undressing；　while　our　host；　M_____　and　myself　took
turns　in　guarding　the　door；　gun　in　hand。

〃As　soon　as　it　was　light　we　consulted　what　course　we　should　take：　I
was　of　the　opinion　that　we　ought　to　try　to　reach　Aix　by　unfrequented
paths；　having　friends　there；　we　should　be　able　to　procure　a　carriage
and　get　to　Nimes；　where　my　family　lived。　　But　my　wife　did　not　agree
with　me。　　'I　must　go　back　to　town　for　our　things；'　said　she；　'we　have
no　clothes　but　those　on　our　backs。　　Let　us　send　to　the　village　to　ask
if　Marseilles　is　quieter　to…day　than　yesterday。'　　So　we　sent　off　a
messenger。

〃The　news　he　brought　back　was　favourable；　order　was　completely
restored。　　I　could　not　quite　believe　this；　and　still　refused　to　let
my　wife　return　to　the　town　unless　I　accompanied　her。　　But　in　that
everyone　was　against　me：　my　presence　would　give　rise　to　dangers　which
without　me　had　no　existence。　　Where　were　the　miscreants　cowardly
enough　to　murder　a　woman　of　eighteen　who　belonged　to　no…party　and　had
never　injured　anyone？　　As　for　me；　my　opinions　were　well　known。
Moreover；　my　mother…in…law　offered　to　accompany　her　daughter；　and
both　joined　in　persuading　me　that　there　was　no　danger。　　At　last　I　was
forced　to　consent；　but　only　on　one　condition。

〃'I　cannot　say；'　I　observed；　'whether　there　is　any　foundation　for　the
reassuring　tidings　we　have　heard；　but　of　one　thing　you　may　be　sure：
it　is　now　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　you　can　get　to　Marseilles　in
an　hour；　pack　your　trunks　in　another　hour；　and　return　in　a　third；　let
us　allow　one　hour　more　for　unforeseen　delays。　If　you　are　not　back　by
eleven　o'clock；　I　shall　believe　something　has　happened；　and　take
steps　accordingly。'　　'Very　well；'　said　my　wife；　'if　I　am　not　back　by
then；　you　may　think　me　dead；　and　do　whatever　you　think　best。'　　And　so
she　and　her　mother　left　me。

〃An　hour　later；　quite　different　news　came　to　hand。　　Fugitives；
seeking　like　ourselves　safety　in　the　country；　told　us　that　the
rioting；　far　from　ceasing；　had　increased；　the　streets　were　encumbered
with　corpses；　and　two　people　had　been　murdered　with　unheard…of
cruelty。

〃An　old　man　named　Bessieres；　who　had　led　a　simple　and　blameless　life；
and　whose　only　crime　was　that　he　had　served　under　the　Usurper；
anticipating　that　under　existing　circumstances　this　would　be　regarded
as　a　capital　crime；　made　his　will；　which　was　afterwards　found　among
his　papers。　　It　began　with　the　following　words：

〃'As　it　is　possible　that　during　this　revolution　I　may　meet　my　death；
as　a　partisan　of　Napoleon；　although　I　have　never　loved　him；　I　give
and　bequeath；'　etc。；　etc。

〃The　day　before；　his　brother…in…law；　knowing　he　had　private　enemies；
had　come　to　the　house　and　spent　the　night　trying　to　induce　him　to
flee；　but　all　in　vain。　　But　the　next　morning；　his　house　being
attacked；　he　yielded；　and　tried　to　escape　by　the　back　door。　　He　was
stopped　by　some　of　the　National　Guard；　and　placed　himself　under　their
protection。

They　took　him　to　the　Cours　St。　Louis；　where；　being　hustled　by　the
crowd　and　very　ineffectually　defended　by　the　Guards；　he　tried　to
enter　the　Caf？　Mercantier；　but　the　door　was　shut　in　his　face。　　Being
broken　by　fatigue；　breathless；　and　covered　with　dust　and　sweat；　he
threw　himself　on　one　of　the　benches　placed　against　the　wall；　outside
the　house。　　Here　he　was　wounded　by　a　musket　bullet；　but　not　killed。
At　the　sight　of　his　blood　shrieks　of　joy　were　heard；　and　then　a　young
man　with　a　pistol　in　each　hand　forced　his　way　through　the　throng　and
killed　the　old　man　by　two　shots　fired　point　blank　in　his　face。

〃Another　still　more　atrocious　murder　took　place　in　the　course　of　the
same　morning。　　A　father　and　son；　bound　back　to　back；　were　delivered
over　to　the　tender　mercies　of　the　mob。　　Stoned　and　beaten　and　covered
with　each　other's　blood；　for　two　long　hours　their　death…agony
endured；　and　all　the　while　those　who　could　not　get　near　enough　to
strike　were　dancing　round　them。

〃Our　time　passed　listening　to　such　stories；　suddenly　I　saw　a　friend
running　towards　the　house。　　I　went　to　meet　him。　　He　was　so　pale　that
I　hardly　dared　to　question　him。　　He　came　from　the　city；　and　had　been
at　my　house　to　see　what　had　become　of　me。　　There　was　no　one　in　it；
but　across　the　door　lay　two　corpses　wrapped　in　a　blood…stained　sheet
which　he　had　not　dared　to　lift。

〃At　these　terrible　words　nothing　could　hold　me　back。　　I　set　off　for
Marseilles。　　M_____　who　would　not　consent　to　let　me　return　alone；
accompanied　me。　　In　passing　through　the　village　of　Saint…Just　we
encountered　a　crowd　of　armed　peasants　in　the　main　street　who　appeared
to　belong　to　the　free　companies。　　Although　this　circumstance　was
rather　alarming；　it　would　have　been　dangerous　to　turn　back；　so　we
continued　our　way　as　if　we　were　not　in　the　least　uneasy。　　They
examined　our　bearing　and　our　dress　narrowly；　and　then　exchanged　some
sentences　in　a　low；　voice；　of　which　we　only　caught　the　word
austaniers。　　This　was　the　name　by　which　the　Bonapartists　were　called
by　the　peasants；　and　means　'eaters　of　chestnuts；'　this　article　of
food　being　brought　from　Corsica　to　France。　　However；　we　were　not
molested　in　any　way；　for　as　we　were　going　towards　the　city　they　did
not　think　we　could　be　fugitives。　　A　hundred　yards　beyond　the　vil