massacres of the south-第46章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


red…tufts；　seizing　the　captain　from　behind　by　the　hair；　pulled　him
down。　　Froment　fired　his　pistol；　but　missed。　　As　he　fell　the　captain
drew　his　sword；　but　it　was　torn　from　his　hands；　and　he　received　a　cut
from　Froment's　sword。　　Upon　this　the　captain　made　a　great　effort；　and
getting　one　of　his　arms　free；　drew　a　pistol　from　his　pocket；　drove
back　his　assassins；　fired　at　Froment；　and　missed　him。　　One　of　the　men
by　his　side　was　wounded　and　disarmed。

A　patrol　of　the　regiment　of　Guienne；　attached　to　which　was　M。　Boudon；
a　dragoon　officer；　was　passing　the　Calquieres。　　M。　Boudon　was
attacked　by　a　band　of　red…tufts　and　his　casque　and　his　musket　carried
off。　　Several　shots　were　fired　at　him；　but　none　of　them　hit　him；　the
patrol　surrounded　him　to　save　him；　but　as　he　had　received　two　bayonet
wounds；　he　desired　revenge；　and；　breaking　through　his　protectors；
darted　forward　to　regain　possession　of　his　musket；　and　was　killed　in
a　moment。　　One　of　his　fingers　was　cut　off　to　get　at　a　diamond　ring
which　he　wore；　his　pockets　were　rifled　of　his　purse　and　watch；　and
his　body　was　thrown　into　the　moat。

Meantime　the　place…des…Recollets；　the　Cours；　the　place…des…Carmes；
the　Grand…Rue；　and　rue　de　Notre　Dame…de…l'Esplanade　were　filled　with
men　armed　with　guns；　pitchforks；　and　swords。　　They　had　all　come　from
Froment's　house；　which　overlooked　that　part　of　Nimes　called　Les
Calquieres；　and　the　entrance　to　which　was　on　the　ramparts　near　the
Dominican　Towers。　　The　three　leaders　of　the　insurrectionFroment。
Folacher；　and　Descombieztook　possession　of　these　towers；　which
formed　a　part　of　the　old　castle；　from　this　position　the　Catholics
could　sweep　the　entire　quay　of　Les　Calquieres　and　the　steps　of　the
Salle　de　Spectacle　with　their　guns；　and　if　it　should　turn　out　that
the　insurrection　they　had　excited　did　not　attain　the　dimensions　they
expected　nor　gain　such　enthusiastic　adherents；　it　would　be　quite
feasible　for　them　to　defend　themselves　in　such　a　position　until
relief　came。

These　arrangements　were　either　the　result　of　long　meditation　or　were
the　inspiration　of　some　clever　strategist。　　The　fact　is　that
everything　leads　one　to　believe　that　it　was　a　plan　which　had　been
formed　with　great　care；　for　the　rapidity　with　which　all　the
approaches　to　the　fortress　were　lined　with　a　double　row　of　militiamen
all　wearing　the　red　tuft；　the　care　which　was　taken　to　place　the　most
eager　next　the　barracks　in　which　the　park　of　artillery　was　stationed；
and　lastly；　the　manner　in　which　the　approach　to　the　citadel　was
barred　by　an　entire　company　（this　being　the　only　place　where　the
patriots　could　procure　arms）；　combine　to　prove　that　this　plan　was　the
result　of　much　forethought；　for；　while　it　appeared　to　be　only
defensive；　it　enabled　the　insurrectionists　to　attack　without　much；
danger；　it　caused　others　to　believe　that　they　had　been　first
attacked。　　It　was　successfully　carried　out　before　the　citizens　were
armed；　and　until　then　only　a　part　of　the　foot　guard　and　the　twelve
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　w