massacres of the south-第60章

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proclaimed　in　the　city　without　any　disturbance　being　caused　thereby。
It　was　not　until　some　days　later　that　a　report　began　to　be　circulated
that　a　royal　army　was　gathering　at　Beaucaire；　and　that　the　populace
would　take　advantage　of　its　arrival　to　indulge　in　excesses。　　In　the
face　of　this　two…fold　danger；　General　Malmont　had　ordered　the　regular
troops；　and　a　part　of　the　National　Guard　of　the　Hundred　Days；　to　be
drawn　up　under　arms　in　the　rear　of　the　barracks　upon　an　eminence　on
which　he　had　mounted　five　pieces　of　ordnance。　　This　disposition　was
maintained　for　two　days　and　a　night；　but　as　the　populace　remained
quiet；　the　troops　returned　to　the　barracks　and　the　Guards　to　their
homes。

But　on　Monday　a　concourse　of　people；　who　had　heard　that　the　army　from
Beaucaire　would　arrive　the　next　day；　made　a　hostile　demonstration
before　the　barracks；　demanding　with　shouts　and　threats　that　the　five
cannons　should　be　handed　over　to　them。　　The　general　and　the　officers
who　were　quartered　in　the　town；　hearing　of　the　tumult；　repaired　at
once　to　the　barracks；　but　soon　came　out　again；　and　approaching　the
crowd　tried　to　persuade　it　to　disperse；　to　which　the　only　answer　they
received　was　a　shower　of　bullets。　　Convinced　by　this；　as　he　was　well
acquainted　with　the　character　of　the　people　with　whom　he　had　to　deal；
that　the　struggle　had　begun　in　earnest　and　must　be　fought　out　to　the
bitter　end；　the　general　retreated　with　his　officers；　step　by　step；　to
the　barracks；　and　having　got　inside　the　gates；　closed　and　bolted
them。

He　then　decided　that　it　was　his　duty　to　repulse　force　by　force；　for
everyone　was　determined　to　defend；　at　no　matter　what　cost；　a　position
which；　from　the　first　moment　of　revolt；　was　fraught　with　such　peril。
So；　without　waiting　for　orders；　the　soldiers；　seeing　that　some　of
their　windows　had　been　broken　by　shots　from　without；　returned　the
fire；　and；　being　better　marksmen　than　the　townspeople；　soon　laid　many
low。　　Upon　this　the　alarmed　crowd　retired　out　of　musket　range；　and
entrenched　themselves　in　some　neighbouring　houses。

About　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening；　a　man　bearing　something　resembling
a　white　flag　approached　the　walls　and　asked　to　speak　to　the　general。
He　brought　a　message　inquiring　on　what　terms　the　troops　would　consent
to　evacuate　Nimes。　　The　general　sent　back　word　that　the　conditions
were；　that　the　troops　should　be　allowed　to　march　out　fully　armed　and
with　ail　their　baggage；　the　five　guns　alone　would　be　left　behind。
When　the　forces　reached　a　certain　valley　outside　the　city　they　would
halt；　that　the　men　might　be　supplied　with　means　sufficient　to　enable
them　either　to　rejoin　the　regiments　to　which　they　belonged；　or　to
return　to　their　own　homes。

At　two　o'clock　A。　M。　the　same　envoy　returned；　and　announced　to　the
general　that　the　conditions　had　been　accepted　with　one　alteration；
which　was　that　the　troops；　before　marching　out；　should　lay　down　their
arms。　　The　messenger　also　intimated　that　if　the　offer　he　had　brought
were　not　quickly　accepted　say　within　two　hoursthe　time　for
capitulation　would　have　gone　by；　and　that　he　would　not　be　answerable
for　what　the　people　might　then　do　in　their　fury。　　The　general
accepted　the　conditions　as　amended；　and　the　envoy　disappeared。

When　the　troops　heard　of　the　agreement；　that　they　should　be　disarmed
before　being　allowed　to　leave　the　town；　their　first　impulse　was　to
refuse　to　lay　down　their　weapons　before　a　rabble　which　had　run　away
from　a　few　musket　shots；　but　the　general　succeeded　in　soothing　their
sense　of　humiliation　and　winning　their　consent　by　representing　to
them　that　there　could　be　nothing　dishonourable　in　an　action　which
prevented　the　children　of　a　common　fatherland　from　shedding　each
other's　blood。

The　gendarmerie；　according　to　one　article　of　the　treaty；　were　to
close　in　at；　the　rear　of　the　evacuating　column；　and　thus　hinder　the
populace　from　molesting　the　troops　of　which　it　was　composed。　　This
was　the　only　concession　obtained　in　return　for　the　abandoned　arms；
and　the　farce　in　question　was　already　drawn　up　in　field　order；
apparently　waiting　to　escort　the　troops　out　of　the　city。

At　four　o'clock　P。M。　the　troops　got　ready；　each　company　stacking　its
arms　in　the　courtyard　before：　marching　out；　but　hardly　had　forty　or
fifty　men　passed　the　gates　than　fire　was　opened　on　them　at　such　close
range　that　half　of　them　were　killed　or　disabled　at　the　first　volley。
Upon　this；　those　who　were　still　within　the　walls　closed　the　courtyard
gates；　thus　cutting　off　all　chance　of　retreat　from　their　comrades。
In　the　event；　however；　it　turned　out　that　several　of　the　latter
contrived　to　escape　with　their　lives　and　that　they　lost　nothing
through　being　prevented　from　returning；　for　as　soon　as　the　mob　saw
that　ten　or　twelve　of　their　victims　had　slipped　through　their　hands
they　made　a　furious　attack　on　the　barracks；　burst　in　the　gates；　and
scaled　the　walls　with　such　rapidity；　that　the　soldiers　had　no　time　to
repossess　themselves　of　their　muskets；　and　even　had　they　succeeded　in
seizing　them　they　would　have　been　of　little　use；　as　ammunition　was
totally　wanting。　　The　barracks　being　thus　carried　by　assault；　a
horrible　massacre　ensued；　which　lasted　for　three　hours。　　Some　of　the
wretched　men；　being　hunted　from　room　to　room；　jumped　out　of　the　first
window　they　could　reach；　without　stopping　to　measure　its　height　from
the　ground；　and　were　either　impaled　on　the　bayonets　held　in　readiness
below；　or；　falling　on　the　pavement；　broke　their　limbs　and　were
pitilessly　despatched。

The　gendarmes；　who　had　really　been　called　out　to　protect　the　retreat
of　the　garrison；　seemed　to　imagine　they　were　there　to　witness　a
judicial　execution；　and　stood　immovable　and　impassive　while　these
horrid　deeds　went　on　before　their　eyes。　　But　the　penalty　of　this
indifference　was　swiftly　exacted；　for　as　soon　as　the　soldiers　were
all　done　with；　the　mob；　finding　their　thirst　for　blood　still
unslacked；　turned　on　the　gendarmes；　the　greater　number　of　whom　were
wounded；　while　all　lost　their　horses；　and　some　their　lives。

The　populace　was　still　engaged　at　its　bloody　task　when　news　came　that
the　army　from　Beaucaire　was　within　sight　of　the　town；　and　the
murderers；　hastening　to　despatch　some　of　the　wounded　who　still　showed
signs　of　life；　went　forth　to　meet　the　long　expected　reinforcements。

Only　those　who　saw　the　advancing　army　with　their　own　eyes　can　form
any　idea　of　its　condition　and　appearance；　the　first　corps　excepted。
This　corps　was　commanded　by　M。　de　Barre；　who　had　put　himself　at　its
head　with　the　noble　purpose　of　preventing；　as　far　as　he　could；
massacre　and　pillage。　　In　this　he　was　seconded　by　the　officers　under
him；　who　were　actuated　by　the　same　philanthropic　motives　as　their
general　in　identifying　themselves　with　the　corps。　　Owing　to　their
exertions；　the　men　advanced　in　fairly　regular　order；　and　good
discipline　was　maintained。　　All　the　men　carried　muskets。

But　the　first　corps　was　only　a　kind　of　vanguard　to　the　second；　which
was　the　real　army；　and　a　wonderful　thing　to　see　and　hear。　　Never　were
brought　together　before　or　since　so　many　different　kinds　of　howl；　so
many　threats　of　death；　so　many　rags；　so　many　odd　weapons；　from　the
matchlock　of　the　time　of　the　Michelade　to　the　steel…tipped　goad　of
the　bullock　drovers　of　La　Camargue；　so　that　when　the　Nimes　mob；　which
in　all　conscience　was　howling　and　ragged　enough；　rushed　out　to　offer
a　brotherly　welcome　to　the　strangers；　its　first　feeling　was　one　of
astonishment　and　dismay　as　it　caught　sight　of　the　motley　crew　which
held　out　to　it　the　right　hand　of　fellowship。

The　new…comers　soon　showed　that　it　was　through　necessity　and　not
choice　that　their　outer　man　presented　such　a　disreputable　appearance；
for　they　were　hardly　well　within　the　gates　before　demanding　that　the
houses　of　the　members　of　the　old　Protestant　National　Guard　should　be
pointed　out　to　them。

This　being　done；　they　promptly　proceeded　to　exact　from　each　household
a　musket；　a　coat；　a　complete　kit；　or　a　sum　of　money；　according　to
their　humour；　so　that　before　evening　those　who　had　arrived　naked　and
penniless　were　provided　with　complete　uniforms　and　had　money　in　their
pockets。　　These　exactions　were　levied　under　the　name　of　a
contribution；