massacres of the south-第61章

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pockets。　　These　exactions　were　levied　under　the　name　of　a
contribution；　but　before　the　day　was　ended　naked　and　undisguised
pillage　began。

Someone　asserted　that　during　the　assault　on　the　barracks　a　certain
individual　had　fired　out　of　a　certain　house　on　the　assailants。　　The
indignant　people　now　rushed　to　the　house　indicated；　and　soon　left
nothing　of　it　in　existence　but　its　walls。　　A　little　later　it　was
clearly　proved　that　the　individual　accused　was　quite　innocent　of　the
crime　laid　to　his　charge。

The　house　of　a　rich　merchant　lay　in　the　path　of　the　advancing　army。
A　cry　arose　that　the　owner　was　a　Bonapartist；　and　nothing　more　was
needed。　　The　house　was　broken　into　and　pillaged；　and　the　furniture
thrown　out　of　the　windows。

Two　days　later　it　turned　out　that　not　only　was　the　merchant　no
Bonapartist；　but　that　his　son　had　been　one　of　those　who　had
accompanied　the　Duc　d'Angouleme　to　Cette　when　he　left　the　country。
The　pillagers　excused　themselves　by　saying　they　had　been　misled　by　a
resemblance　between　two　names；　and　this　excuse；　as　far　as　appears；
was　accepted　as　valid　by　the　authorities。

It　was　not　long　before　the　populace　of　Nimes　began　to　think　they
might　as　well　follow　the　example　set　them　by　their　brothers　from
Beaucaire。　　In　twenty…four　hours　free　companies　were　formed；　headed
by　Trestaillons；　Truphe？ny；　Graffan；　and　Morinet。　　These　bands
arrogated　to　themselves　the　title　of　National　Guard；　and　then　what
took　place　at　Marseilles　in　the　excitement　of　the　moment　was　repeated
at　Nimes　with　deliberation　and　method；　inspired　by　hate　and　the
desire　of　vengeance。　　A　revolt　broke　out　which　followed　the　ordinary
course：　first　pillage；　then　fire；　then　murder；　laid　waste　the　city。

M。　V_____'s　house；　which　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　town；　was　sacked
and　then　burnt　to　the　ground；　without　a　hand　being　raised　to　prevent
the　crime。

M。　T_____'s　house；　on　the　road　to　Montpellier；　was　sacked　and　wrecked
and　a　bonfire　made　of　the　furniture；　round　which　the　crowd　danced；　as
if　it　had　been　an　occasion　of　public　rejoicing。　　Then　cries　were
raised　for　the　proprietor；　that　he　might　be　killed；　and　as　he　could
not　be　found　the　baffled　fury　of　the　mob　vented　itself　on　the　dead。
A　child　three　months　buried　was　dragged　from　its　grave；　drawn　by　the
feet　through　the　sewers　and　wayside　puddles；　and　then　flung　on　a
dung…heap；　and；　strange　to　say；　while　incendiarism　and　sacrilege　thus
ran　riot；　the　mayor　of　the　place　slept　so　sound　that　when　he　awoke　he
was　〃quite　astonished；〃　to　use　his　own　expression；　to　hear　what　had
taken　place　during　the　night。

This　expedition　completed；　the　same　company　which　had　brought　this
expedition　to　a　successful　issue　next　turned　their　attention　to　a
small　country　house　occupied　by　a　widow；　whom　I　had　often　begged　to
take　refuge　with　us。　　But；　secure　in　her　insignificance；　she　had
always　declined　our　offers；　preferring　to　live　solitary　and　retired
in　her　own　home。　　But　the　freebooters　sought　her　out；　burst　in　her
doors；　drove　her　away　with　blows　and　insults；　destroyed　her　house　and
burnt　her　furniture。　　They　then　proceeded　to　the　vault　in　which　lay
the　remains　of　her　family；　dragged　them　out　of　their　coffins　and
scattered　them　about　the　fields。　　The　next　day　the　poor
woman…ventured　back；　collected　the　desecrated　remains　with　pious
care；　and　replaced　them　in　the　vault。　　But　this　was　counted　to　her　as
a　crime；　the　company　returned；　once　more　cast　forth　the　contents　of
the　coffins；　and　threatened　to　kill　her　should　she　dare　to　touch　them
again。　　She　was　often　seen　in　the　days　that　followed　shedding　bitter
tears　and　watching　over　the　sacred　relics　as　they　lay　exposed　on　the
ground。

The　name　of　this　widow　was　Pepin；　and　the　scene　of　the　sacrilege　was
a　small　enclosure　on　the　hill　of　the　Moulins…a…Vent。

Meantime　the　people　in　the　Faubourg　des　Bourgades　had　invented　a　new
sort　of　game；　or　rather；　had　resolved　to　vary　the　serious　business　of
the　drama　that　was　being　enacted　by　the　introduction　of　comic　scenes。
They　had　possessed　themselves　of　a　number　of　beetles　such　as
washerwomen　use；　and　hammered　in　long　nails；　the　points　of　which
projected　an　inch　on　the　other　side　in　the　form　of　a　fleur…de…lis。
Every　Protestant　who　fell　into　their　hands；　no　matter　what　his　age　or
rank；　was　stamped　with　the　bloody　emblem；　serious　wounds　being
inflicted　in　many　cases。

Murders　were　now　becoming　common。　　Amongst　other　names　of　victims
mentioned　were　Loriol；　Bigot；　Dumas；　Lhermet；　Heritier；　Domaison；
Combe；　Clairon；　Begomet；　Poujas；　Imbert；　Vigal；　Pourchet；　Vignole。
Details　more　or　less　shocking　came　to　light　as　to　the　manner　in　which
the　murderers　went　to　work。　　A　man　called　Dalbos　was　in　the　custody
of　two　armed　men；　some　others　came　to　consult　with　them。　　Dalbos
appealed　for　mercy　to　the　new…comers。　　It　was　granted；　but　as　he
turned　to　go　he　was　shot　dead。　　Another　of　the　name　of　Rambert　tried
to　escape　by　disguising　himself　as　a　woman；　but　was　recognised　and
shot　down　a　few　yards　outside　his　own　door。　　A　gunner　called　Saussine
was　walking　in　all　security　along　the　road　to　Uzes；　pipe　in　mouth；
when　he　was　met　by　five　men　belonging　to　Trestaillon's　company；　who
surrounded　him　and　stabbed　him　to　the　heart　with　their　knives。　　The
elder　of　two　brothers　named　Chivas　ran　across　some　fields　to　take
shelter　in　a　country　house　called　Rouviere；　which；　unknown　to　him；
had　been　occupied　by　some　of　the　new　National　Guard。　　These　met　him
on　the　threshold　and　shot　him　dead。

Rant　was　seized　in　his　own　house　and　shot。　　Clos　was　met　by　a
company；　and　seeing　Trestaillons；　with　whom　he　had　always　been
friends；　in　its　ranks；　he　went　up　to　him　and　held　out　his　hand；
whereupon　Trestaillons　drew　a　pistol　from　his　belt　and　blew　his
brains　out。　　Calandre　being　chased　down　the　rue　des　Soeurs…Grises；
sought　shelter　in　a　tavern；　but　was　forced　to　come　out；　and　was
killed　with　sabres。　　Courbet　was　sent　to　prison　under　the　escort　of
some　men；　but　these　changed　their　minds　on　the　way　as　to　his
punishment；　halted；　and　shot　him　dead　in　the　middle　of　the　street。

A　wine　merchant　called　Cabanot；　who　was　flying　from　Trestaillons；　ran
into　a　house　in　which　there　was　a　venerable　priest　called　Cure
Bonhomme。　　When　the　cut…throat　rushed　in；　all　covered　with　blood；　the
priest　advanced　and　stopped　him；　crying：

〃What　will　happen；　unhappy　man；　when　you　come　to　the　confessional
with　blood…stained　hands？〃

〃Pooh！〃　replied　Trestaillons；　〃you　must　put　on　your　wide　gown；　the
sleeves　are　large　enough　to　let　everything　pass。〃

To　the　short　account　given　above　of　so　many　murders　I　will　add　the
narrative　of　one　to　which　I　was　an　eye…witness；　and　which　made　the
most　terrible　impression　on　me　of；　anything　in　my　experience。

It　was　midnight。　　I　was　working　beside　my　wife's　bed；　she　was　just
becoming　drowsy；　when　a　noise　in　the　distance　caught　our　attention。
It　gradually　became　more　distinct；　and　drums　began　to　beat　the
'generale'　in　every　direction。　　Hiding　my　own　alarm　for　fear　of
increasing　hers；　I　answered　my　wife；　who　was　asking　what　new　thing
was　about　to　happen；　that　it　was　probably　troops　marching　in　or　out
of　garrison。　　But　soon　reports　of　firearms；　accompanied　by　an　uproar
with　which　we　were　so　familiar　that　we　could　no　longer　mistake　its
meaning；　were　heard　outside。　　Opening　my　window；　I　heard
bloodcurdling　imprecations；　mixed　with　cries　of　〃Long　live　the　king！〃
going　on。　　Not　being　able　to　remain　any　longer　in　this　uncertainty；　I
woke　a　captain　who　lived　in　the　same　house。　　He　rose；　took　his　arms；
and　we　went　out　together；　directing　our　course　towards　the　point
whence　the　shouts　seemed　to　come。　　The　moon　shone　so　bright　that　we
could　see　everything　almost　as　distinctly　as　in　broad　daylight。

A　concourse　of　people　was　hurrying　towards　the　Cours　yelling　like
madmen；　the　greater　number　of　them；　half　naked；　armed　with　muskets；
swords；　knives；　and　clubs；　and　swearing　to　exterminate　everything；
waved　their　weapons　above　the　heads　of　men　who　had　evidently　been
torn　from　their　houses　and　brought　to　the　square　to　be　put　to　death。
The　rest　of　the　crowd　had；　like　ourselves；　been　drawn　thither　by
curiosity；　and　were　asking　what　was　going　on。　　〃　Murder　is　abroad；〃
was