massacres of the south-第50章

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the　call　with　true　Southern　ardour：　an　army　was　formed；　but　although
Protestants　and　Catholics　presented　themselves　for　enrolment　with
equal　alacrity；　the　Protestants　were　excluded；　the　Catholics　denying
the　right　of　defending　their　legitimate　sovereign　to　any　but
themselves。

This　species　of　selection　apparently　went　on　without　the　knowledge　of
the　Duc　d'Angouleme。　　During　his　stay　in　Nimes　he　received
Protestants　and　Catholics　with　equal　cordiality；　and　they　set　at　his
table　side　by　side。　　It　happened　once；　on　a　Friday；　at　dinner；　that　a
Protestant　general　took　fish　and　a　Catholic　general　helped　himself　to
fowl。　　The　duke　being　amused；　drew　attention　to　this　anomaly；
whereupon　the　Catholic　general　replied；　〃Better　more　chicken　and　less
treason。〃　　This　attack　was　so　direct；　that　although　the　Protestant
general　felt　that　as　far　as　he　was　concerned　it　had　no　point；　he　rose
from　table　and　left　the　room。　　It　was　the　brave　General　Gilly　who　was
treated　in　this　cruel　manner。

Meanwhile　the　news　became　more　disastrous　every　day：　Napoleon　was
moving　about　with　the　rapidity　of　his　eagles。　　On　the　24th　March　it
was　reported　in　Nimes　that　Louis　XVIII　had　left　Paris　on　the　19th　and
that　Napoleon　had　entered　on　the　20th。　　This　report　was　traced　to　its
source；　and　it　was　found　that　it　had　been　spread　abroad　by　M。　Vincent
de　Saint…Laurent；　a　councillor　of　the　Prefecture　and　one　of　the　most
respected　men　in　Nimes。　　He　was　summoned　at　once　before　the
authorities　and　asked　whence　he　had　this　information；　he　replied；
〃From　a　letter　received　from　M。　Bragueres；〃　producing　the　letter。
But　convincing　as　was　this　proof；　it　availed　him　nothing：　he　was
escorted　from　brigade　to　brigade　till　he　reached　the　Chateau　d'If。
The　Protestants　sided　with　M。　Vincent　de　Saint…Laurent；　the　Catholics
took　the　part　of　the　authorities　who　were　persecuting　him；　and　thus
the　two　factions　which　had　been　so　long　quiescent　found　themselves
once　more　face　to　face；　and　their　dormant　hatred　awoke　to　new　life。
For　the　moment；　however；　there　was　no　explosion；　although　the　city
was　at　fever　heat；　and　everyone　felt　that　a　crisis　was　at　hand。

On　the　22nd　March　two　battalions　of　Catholic　volunteers　had　already
been　enlisted　at　Nimes；　and　had　formed　part　of　the　eighteen　hundred
men　who　were　sent　to　Saint…Esprit。　　Just　before　their　departure
fleurs…de…lys　had　been　distributed　amongst　them；　made　of　red　cloth；
this　change　in　the　colour　of　the　monarchical　emblem　was　a　threat
which　the　Protestants　well　understood。

The　prince　left　Nimes　in　due　course；　taking　with　him　the　rest　of　the
royal　volunteers；　and　leaving　the　Protestants　practically　masters　of
Nimes　during　the　absence　of　so　many　Catholics。　　The　city；　however；
continued　calm；　and　when　provocations　began；　strange　to　say　they　came
from　the　weaker　party。

On　the　27th　March　six　men　met　in　a　barn；　dined　together；　and　then
agreed　to　make　the　circuit　of　the　town。　　These　men　were　Jacques
Dupont；　who　later　acquired　such　terrible　celebrity　under　the　name　of
Trestaillons；　Truphemy　the　butcher；　Morenet　the　dog　shearer；　Hours；
Servant；　and　Gilles。　　They　got　opposite　the　caf？　〃Isle　of　Elba；〃　the
name　of　which　indicated　the　opinion　of　those　who　frequented　it。　　This
caf？　was　faced　by　a　guard…house　which　was　occupied　by　soldiers　of　the
67th　Regiment。　　The　six　made　a　halt；　and　in　the　most　insulting　tones
raised　the　cry　of　〃Long　live　the　king！〃　　The　disturbance　that　ensued
was　so　slight　that　we　only　mention　it　in　order　to　give　an　idea　of　the
tolerance　of　the　Protestants；　and　to　bring　upon　the　stage　the　men
mentioned　above；　who　were　three　months　later　to　play　such　a　terrible
part。

On　April　1st　the　mayor　summoned　to　a　meeting　at　his　official
residence　the　municipal　council；　the　members　of　all　the　variously
constituted　administrative　bodies　in　Nimes；　the　officers　of　the　city
guards；　the　priests；　the　Protestant　pastors；　and　the　chief　citizens。
At　this　meeting；　M。　Trinquelague；　advocate　of　the　Royal　Courts；　read
a　powerful　address；　expressing　the　love；　of　the　citizens　for　their
king　and　country；　and　exhorting　them　to　union　and　peace。　　This
address　was　unanimously　adopted　and　signed　by　all　present；　and
amongst　the　signatures　were　those　of　the　principal　Protestants　of
Nimes。　　But　this　was　not　all：　the　next　day　it　was　printed　and
published；　and　copies　sent　to　all　the　communes　in　the　department　over
which　the　white　flag　still　floated。　　And　all　this　happened；　as　we
have　said；　on　April　and；　eleven　days　after　Napoleon's　return　to
Paris。

The　same　day　word　arrived　that　the　Imperial　Government　had　been
proclaimed　at　Montpellier。

The　next　day；　April　3rd；　all　the　officers　on　half…pay　assembled　at
the　fountain　to　be　reviewed　by　a　general　and　a　sub…inspector；　and　as
these　officers　were　late；　the　order　of　the；　day　issued　by　General
Ambert；　recognising　the　Imperial　Government；　was　produced　and　passed
along　the　ranks；　causing　such　excitement　that　one　of　the　officers
drew　his　sword　and　cried；　〃Long　live　the　emperor！〃　　These　magic　words
were　re…echoed　from　every　side；　and　they　all　hastened　to　the　barracks
of　the　63rd　Regiment；　which　at　once　joined　the　officers。　　At　this
juncture　Marshal　Pelissier　arrived；　and　did　not　appear　to　welcome　the
turn　things　had　taken；　he　made　an　effort　to　restrain　the　enthusiasm
of　the　crowd；　but　was　immediately　arrested　by　his　own　soldiers。　　The
officers　repaired　in　a　body　to　the　headquarters　of　General　Briche；
commandant　of　the　garrison；　and　asked　for　the　official　copy　of　the
order　of　the　day。　　He　replied　that　he　had　received　none；　and　when
questioned　as　to　which　side　he　was　on　he　refused　to　answer。　　The
officers　upon　this　took　him　prisoner。　　Just　as　they　had　consigned　him
to　the　barracks　for　confinement；　a　post…office　official　arrived
bringing　a　despatch　from　General　Ambert。　　Learning　that　General
Briche　was　a　prisoner；　the　messenger　carried　his　packet　to　the
colonel　of　the　63rd　Regiment；　who　was　the　next　in　seniority　after　the
general。　　In　opening　it；　it　was　found　to　contain　the　order　of　the
day。

Instantly　the　colonel　ordered　the　'gineyale'　to　sound：　the　town
guards　assumed　arms；　the　troops　left　the　barracks　and　formed　in　line；
the　National　Guards　in　the　rear　of　the　regular　troops；　and　when　they
were　all　thus　drawn　up；　the　order　of　the　day　was　read；　it　was　then
snatched　out　of　the　colonel's　hands；　printed　on　large　placards；　and
in　less　time　than　seemed　possible　it　was　posted　up　in　every　street
and　at　every　street　corner；　the　tricolour　replaced　the　white　cockade；
everyone　being　obliged　to　wear　the　national　emblem　or　none　at　all；
the　city　was　proclaimed　in　a　state　of　seige；　and　the　military
officers　formed　a　vigilance　committee　and　a　police　force。

While　the　Duc　d'Angouleme　had　been　staying　at　Nimes；　General　Gilly
had　applied　for　a　command　in　that　prince's　army；　but　in　spite　of　all
his　efforts　obtained　nothing；　so　immediately　after　the　dinner　at
which　he　was　insulted　he　had　withdrawn　to　Avernede；　his　place　in　the
country。　　He　was　awoke　in　the　night　of　the　5th…6th　April　by　a　courier
from　General　Ambert；　who　sent　to　offer　him　the　command　of　the　2nd
Subdivision。　　On　the　6th；　General　Gilly　went　to　Nimes；　and　sent　in
his　acceptance；　whereby　the　departments　of　the　Gard；　the　Lozere；　and
Ardeche　passed　under　his　authority。

Next　day　General　Gilly　received　further　despatches　from　General
Ambert；　from　which　he　learned　that　it　was　the　general's　intention；　in
order　to　avoid　the　danger　of　a　civil　war；　to　separate　the　Duc
d'Angouleme's　army　from　the　departments　which　sympathised　with　the
royal　cause；　he　had　therefore　decided　to　make　Pont…Saint…Esprit　a
military　post；　and　had　ordered　the　l0th　Regiment　of　mounted
chasseurs；　the　13th　artillery；　and　a　battalion　of　infantry　to　move
towards　this　point　by　forced　marches。　　These　troops　were　commanded　by
Colonel　Saint…Laurent；　but　General　Ambert　was　anxious　that　if　it
could　be　done　without　danger；　General　Gilly　should　leave　Nimes；
taking　with　him　part　of　the　63rd　Regiment；　and　joining　the　other
forces　under　the　command　of　Colonel　Saint…Laurent；　should　assume　the
chief　command。　　As　the　city　was　quite　tranquil；　General　Gilly　did　not
hesitate　to　obey　this　order：　he　set　out　from　Nimes　on