massacres of the south-第48章

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two　servants；　but　the　carriage　was　stopped；　and　while　the　rebels　were
murdering　him　and　his　son；　the　mother　and　her　two　children　succeeded
in　escaping　to　an　inn；　whither　the　assassins　pursued　them；
Fortunately；　however；　the　two　fugitives　having　a　start；　reached　the
inn　a　few　minutes　before　their　pursuers；　and　the　innkeeper　had　enough
presence　of　mind　to　conceal　them　and　open　the　garden　gate　by　which　he
said　they　had　escaped。　　The　Catholics；　believing　him；　scattered　over
the　country　to　look　for　them；　and　during　their　absence　the　mother　and
children　were　rescued　by　the　mounted　patrol。

The　exasperation　of　the　Protestants　rose　higher　and　higher　as　reports
of　these　murders　came　in　one　by　one；　till　at　last　the　desire　for
vengeance　could　no　longer　be　repressed；　and　they　were　clamorously
insisting　on　being　led　against　the　ramparts　and　the　towers；　when
without　warning　a　heavy　fusillade　began　from　the　windows　and　the
clock　tower　of　the　Capuchin　monastery。　　M。　Massin；　a　municipal
officer；　was　killed　on　the　spot；　a　sapper　fatally　wounded；　and
twenty…five　of　the　National　Guard　wounded　more　or　less　severely。　　The
Protestants　immediately　rushed　towards　the　monastery　in　a　disorderly
mass；　but　the　superior；　instead　of　ordering　the　gates　to　be　opened；
appeared　at　a　window　above　the　entrance；　and　addressing　the
assailants　as　the　vilest　of　the　vile；　asked　them　what　they　wanted　at
the　monastery。　　〃We　want　to　destroy　it；　we　want　to　pull　it　down　till
not　one　stone　rests　upon　another；〃　they　replied。　　Upon　this；　the
reverend　father　ordered　the　alarm　bells　to　be　rung；　and　from　the
mouths　of　bronze　issued　the　call　for　help；　but　before　it　could
arrive；　the　door　was　burst　in　with　hatchets；　and　five　Capuchins　and
several　of　the　militia　who　wore　the　red　tuft　were　killed；　while　all
the　other　occupants　of　the　monastery　ran　away；　taking　refuge　in　the
house　of　a　Protestant　called　Paulhan。　　During　this　attack　the　church
was　respected；　a　man　from　Sornmieres；　however；　stole　a　pyx　which　he
found　in　the　sacristy；　but　as　soon　as　his　comrades　perceived　this　he
was　arrested　and　sent　to　prison。

In　the　monastery　itself；　however；　the　doors　were　broken　in；　the
furniture　smashed；　the　library　and　the　dispensary　wrecked。　　The
sacristy　itself　was　not　spared；　its　presses　being　broken　into；　its
chests　destroyed；　and　two　monstrances　broken；　but　nothing　further　was
touched。　　The　storehouses　and　the　small　cloth…factory　connected　with
the　monastery　remained　intact；　like　the　church。

But　still　the　towers　held　out；　and　it　was　round　them　that　the　real
fighting　took　place；　the　resistance　offered　from　within　being　all　the
more　obstinate　that　the　besieged　expected　relief　from　moment　to
moment；　not　knowing　that　their　letters　had　been　intercepted　by　the
enemy。　　On　every　side　the　rattling　of　shot　was　heard；　from　the
Esplanade；　from　the　windows；　from　the　roofs；　but　very　little　effect
was　produced　by　the　Protestants；　for　Descombiez　had　told　his　men　to
put　their　caps　with　the　red　tufts　on　the　top　of　the　wall；　to　attract
the　bullets；　while　they　fired　from　the　side。　　Meantime　the
conspirators；　in　order　to　get　a　better　command　of　the　besiegers；
reopened　a　passage　which　had　been　long　walled　up　between　the　tower
Du　Poids　and　the　tower　of　the　Dominicans。　　Descombiez；　accompanied　by
thirty　men；　came　to　the　door　of　the　monastery　nearest　the
fortifications　and　demanded　the　key　of　another　door　which　led　to　that
part　of　the　ramparts　which　was　opposite　the　place　des　Carmes；　where
the　National　Guards　were　stationed。　　In　spite　of　the　remonstrances　of
the　monks；　who　saw　that　it　would　expose　them　to　great　danger；　the
doors　were　opened；　and　Froment　hastened　to　occupy　every　post　of
vantage；　and　the　battle　began　in　that　quarter；　too；　becoming　fiercer
as　the　conspirators　remarked　that　every　minute　brought　the
Protestants　reinforcements　from　Gardonninque　and　La　Vaunage。　　The
firing　began　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　at　four　o'clock　in
the　afternoon　it　was　going　on　with　unabated　fury。

At　four　o'clock；　however；　a　servant　carrying　a　flag　of　truce
appeared；　he　brought　a　letter　from　Descombiez；　Fremont；　and　Folacher；
who　styled　themselves　〃Captains　commanding　the　towers　of　the　Castle。〃
It　was　couched　in　the　following　words：

〃To　the　Commandant　of　the　troops　of　the　line；　with　the　request　that
the　contents　be　communicated　to　the　militia　stationed　in　the
Esplanade。

〃SIR；We　have　just　been　informed　that　you　are　anxious　for　peace。　　We
also　desire　it；　and　have　never　done　anything　to　break　it。　　If　those
who　have　caused　the　frightful　confusion　which　at　present　prevails　in
the　city　are　willing　to　bring　it　to　an　end；　we　offer　to　forget　the
past　and　to　live　with　them　as　brothers。

〃We　remain；　with　all　the　frankness　and　loyalty　of　patriots　and
Frenchmen；　your　humble　servants；

The　Captains　of　the　Legion　of　Nimes；　in　command　of　the　towers　of　the
Castle；

〃FROMENT；　DESCOMBIEZ；　FOLACHER　NIMES；　the　14th　June　1790；　4。00　P。M。〃

On　the　receipt　of　this　letter；　the　city　herald　was　sent　to　the　towers
to　offer　the　rebels　terms　of　capitulation。　　The　three　〃captains　in
command　〃　came　out　to　discuss　the　terms　with　the　commissioners　of　the
electoral　body；　they　were　armed　and　followed　by　a　great　number　of
adherents。　　However；　as　the　negotiators　desired　peace　before　all
things；　they　proposed　that　the　three　chiefs　should　surrender　and
place　themselves　in　the　hands　of　the　Electoral　Assembly。　　This　offer
being　refused；　the　electoral　commissioners　withdrew；　and　the　rebels
retired　behind　their　fortifications。　　About　five　o'clock　in　the
evening；　just　as　the　negotiations　were　broken　off；　M。　Aubry；　an
artillery　captain　who　had　been　sent　with　two　hundred　men　to　the　depot
of　field　artillery　in　the　country；　returned　with　six　pieces　of
ordnance；　determined　to　make　a　breach　in　the　tower　occupied　by　the
conspirators；　and　from　which　they　were　firing　in　safety　at　the
soldiers；　who　had　no　cover。　　At　six　o'clock；　the　guns　being　mounted；
their　thunder　began；　first　drowning　the　noise　of　the　musketry　and
then　silencing　it　altogether；　for　the　cannon　balls　did　their　work
quickly；　and　before　long　the　tower　threatened　to　fall。　　Thereupon　the
electoral　commissioners　ordered　the　firing　to　cease　for　a　moment；　in
the　hope　that　now　the　danger　had　become　so　imminent　the　leaders　would
accept　the　conditions　which　they　had　refused　one　hour　before；　and　not
desiring　to　drive　them　to　desperation；　the　commissioners　advanced
again　down　College　Street；　preceded　by　a　bugler；　and　the　captains
were　once　more　summoned　to　a　parley。　　Froment　and　Descombiez　came　out
to　meet　them；　and　seeing　the　condition　of　the　tower；　they　agreed　to
lay　down　their　arms　and　send　them　for　the　palace；　while　they
themselves　would　proceed　to　the　Electoral　Assembly　and　place
themselves　under　its　protection。　　These　proposals　being　accepted；　the
commissioners　waved　their　hats　as　a　sign　that　the　treaty　was
concluded。

At　that　instant　three　shots　were　fired　from　the　ramparts；　and　cries
of　〃Treachery！　treachery！〃　were　heard　on　every　side。　　The　Catholic
chiefs　returned　to　the　tower；　while　the　Protestants；　believing　that
the　commissioners　were　being　assassinated；　reopened　the　cannonade；
but　finding　that　it　took　too　long　to　complete　the　breach；　ladders
were　brought；　the　walls　scaled；　and　the　towers　carried　by　assault。
Some　of　the　Catholics　were　killed；　the　others　gained　Froment's　house；
where；　encouraged　by　him；　they　tried　to　organise　a　resistance；　but
the　assailants；　despite　the　oncoming　darkness；　attacked　the　place
with　such　fury　that　doors　and　windows　were　shattered　in　an　instant。
Froment　and　his　brother　Pierre　tried　to　escape　by　a　narrow　staircase
which　led　to　the　roof；　but　before　they　reached　it　Pierre　was　wounded
in　the　hip　and　fell；　but　Froment　reached　the　roof；　and　sprang　upon　an
adjacent　housetop；　and　climbing　from　roof　to　roof；　reached　the
college；　and　getting　into　it　by　a　garret　window；　took　refuge　in　a
large　room　which　was　always　unoccupied　at　night；　being　used　during
the　day　as　a　study。

Froment　remained　hidden　there　until　eleven　o'clock。　　It　being　then
completely　dark；　he　got　out　of　the　window；　crossed　the　city；　gained
the　open　country；　and　walking　all　night；　concealed　hims