massacres of the south-第47章

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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　forces
were　augmented　by　the　insurgents　from　the　villages　（about　two　hundred
men）；　they　took　advantage　of　their　strength　to　force　a　way　into　the
house　of　a　certain　Therond；　from　which　it　was　easy　to　effect　an
entrance　to　the　Jacobin　monastery；　and　from　there　to　the　tower
adjoining；　so　that　their　line　now　extended　from　the　gate　at　the
bridge　of　Calquieres　to　that　at　the　end　of　College　Street。　　From
daylight　to　dusk　all　the　patriots　who　came　within　range　were　fired　at
whether　they　were　armed　or　not。

On　the　14th　June；　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　that　part　of　the
legion　which　was　against　the　Catholics　gathered　together　in　the
square　of　the　Esplanade；　where　they　were　joined　by　the　patriots　from
the　adjacent　towns　and　villages；　who　came　in　in　small　parties　till
they　formed　quite　an　army。　　At　five　A。M。　M。　de　St。　Pons；　knowing　that
the　windows　of　the　Capuchin　monastery　commanded　the　position　taken　up
by　the　patriots；　went　there　with　a　company　and　searched　the　house
thoroughly；　and　also　the　Amphitheatre；　but　found　nothing　suspicious
in　either。

Immediately　after；　news　was　heard　of　the　massacres　that　had　taken
place　during　the　night。

The　country…house　belonging　to　M。　and　Mme。　　Noguies　had　been　broken
into；　the　furniture　destroyed；　the　owners　killed　in　their　beds；　and
an　old　man　of　seventy　who　lived　with　them　cut　to　pieces　with　a
scythe。

A　young　fellow　of　fifteen；　named　Payre；　in　passing　near　the　guard
placed　at　the　Pont　des　files；　had　been　asked　by　a　red…tuft　if　he　were
Catholic　or　Protestant。　　On　his　replying　he　was　Protestant；　he　was
shot　dead　on　the　spot。　　〃That　was　like　killing　a　lamb；〃　said　a
comrade　to　the　murderer。　　〃Pooh！〃　said　he；　〃I　have　taken　a　vow　to
kill　four　Protestants；　and　he　may　pass　for　one。〃

M。　Maigre；　an　old　man　of　eighty…two；　head　of　one　of　the　most
respected　families　in　the　neighbourhood；　tried　to　escape　from　his
house　along　with　his　son；　his　daughter…in…law；　two　grandchildren；　and
two　servants；　but　the　carriage　was　stopped；　and　while　the　rebels　were
murdering