massacres of the south-第32章

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history。〃




CHAPTER　VI

At　length　Louis　XIV；　bowed　beneath　the　weight　of　a　reign　of　sixty
years；　was　summoned　in　his　turn　to　appear　before　God；　from　whom；　as
some　said；　he　looked　for　reward；　and　others　for　pardon。　　But　Nimes；
that　city　with　the　heart　of　fire；　was　quiet；　like　the　wounded　who
have　lost　the　best　part　of　their　blood；　she　thought　only；　with　the
egotism　of　a　convalescent；　of　being　left　in　peace　to　regain　the
strength　which　had　become　exhausted　through　the　terrible　wounds　which
Montrevel　and　the　Duke　of　Berwick　had　dealt　her。　　For　sixty　years
petty　ambition　had　taken　the　place　of　sublime　self…sacrifice；　and
disputes　about　etiquette　succeeded　mortal　combats。　　Then　the
philosophic　era　dawned；　and　the　sarcasms　of　the　encyclopedists
withered　the　monarchical　intolerance　of　Louis　XIV　and　Charles　IX。
Thereupon　the　Protestants　resumed　their　preaching；　baptized　their
children　and　buried　their　dead；　commerce　flourished　once　more；　and
the　two　religions　lived　side　by　side；　one　concealing　under　a　peaceful
exterior　the　memory　of　its　martyrs；　the　other　the　memory　of　its
triumphs。　　Such　was　the　mood　on　which　the　blood…red　orb　of　the　sun　of
'89　rose。　　The　Protestants　greeted　it　with　cries　of　joy；　and　indeed
the　promised　liberty　gave　them　back　their　country；　their　civil
rights；　and　the　status　of　French　citizens。

Nevertheless；　whatever　were　the　hopes　of　one　party　or　the　fears　of
the　other；　nothing　had　as　yet　occurred　to　disturb　the　prevailing
tranquillity；　when；　on　the　19th　and　20th　of　July；　1789；　a　body　of
troops　was　formed　in　the　capital　of　La　Gard　which　was　to　bear　the
name　of　the　Nimes　Militia：　the　resolution　which　authorised　this　act
was　passed　by　the　citizens　of　the　three　orders　sitting　in　the　hall　of
the　palace。

It　was　as　follows：

〃Article　10。　　The　Nimes　Legion　shall　consist　of　a　colonel；　a
lieutenant…colonel；　a　major；　a　lieutenant…major；　an　adjutant；
twenty…four　captains；　twenty…four　lieutenants；　seventy…two　sergeants；
seventy…two　corporals；　and　eleven　hundred　and　fifty…two　privatesin
all；　thirteen　hundred　and　forty…nine　men；　forming　eighty　companies。

〃　Article　11。　　The　place　of　general　assembly　shall　be；　the　Esplanade。

〃　Article　12。　　The　eighty　companies　shall　be　attached　to　the　four
quarters　of　the　town　mentioned　belowviz。；　place　de　1'Hotel…de…
Ville；　place　de　la　Maison…Carree；　place　Saint…Jean；　and　place　du
Chateau。

〃　Article　13。　　The　companies　as　they　are　formed　by　the　permanent
council　shall　each　choose　its　own　captain；　lieutenant；　sergeants　and
corporals；　and　from　the　date　of　his　nomination　the　captain　shall　have
a　seat　on　the　permanent　council。〃


The　Nimes　Militia　was　deliberately　formed　upon　certain　lines　which
brought　Catholics　and　Protestants　closely　together　as　allies；　with
weapons　in　their　hands；　but　they　stood　over　a　mine　which　was　bound　to
explode　some　day；　as　the　slightest　friction　between　the　two　parties
would　produce　a　spark。

This　state　of　concealed　enmity　lasted　for　nearly　a　year；　being
augmented　by　political　antipathies；　for　the　Protestants　almost　to　man
were　Republicans；　and　the　Catholics　Royalists。

In　the　intervalthat　is　to　say；　towards　January；　1790a　Catholic
called　Francois　Froment　was　entrusted　by　the　Marquis　de　Foucault　with
the　task　of　raising；　organising；　and　commanding　a　Royalist　party　in
the　South。　　This　we　learn　from　one　of　his　own　letters　to　the　marquis；
which　was　printed　in　Paris　in　1817。　　He　describes　his　mode　of　action
in　the　following　words：

It　is　not　difficult　to　understand　that　being　faithful　to　my　religion
and　my　king；　and　shocked　at　the　seditious　ideas　which　were
disseminated　on　all　sides；　I　should　try　to　inspire　others　with　the
same　spirit　with　which　I　myself　was　animated；　so；　during　the　year
1789；　I　published　several　articles　in　which　I　exposed　the　dangers
which　threatened　altar　and　throne。　　Struck　with　the　justice　of　my
criticisms；　my　countrymen　displayed　the　most　zealous　ardor　in　their
efforts　to　restore　to　the　king　the　full　exercise　of　all　his　rights。
Being　anxious　to　take　advantage　of　this　favourable　state　of　feeling；
and　thinking　that　it　would　be　dangerous　to　hold　communication　with
the　ministers　of　Louis　XVI；　who　were　watched　by　the　conspirators；　I
went　secretly　to　Turin　to　solicit　the　approbation　and　support　of　the
French　princes　there。　　At　a　consultation　which　was　held　just　after　my
arrival；　I　showed　them　that　if　they　would　arm　not　only　the　partisans
of　the　throne；　but　those　of　the　altar；　and　advance　the　interests　of
religion　while　advancing　the　interests　of　royalty；　it　would　be　easy
to　save　both。

〃My　plan　had　for　sole　object　to　bind　a　party　together；　and　give　it　as
far　as　I　was　able　breadth　and　stability。

〃As　the　revolutionists　placed　their　chief　dependence　on　force；　I　felt
that　they　could　only　be　met　by　force；　for　then　as　now　I　was　convinced
of　this　great　truth；　that　one　strong　passion　can　only　be　overcome　by
another　stronger；　and　that　therefore　republican　fanaticism　could　only
be　driven　out　by　religious　zeal。

〃The　princes　being　convinced　of　the　correctness　of　my　reasoning　and
the　efficacy　of　my　remedies；　promised　me　the　arms　and　supplies
necessary　to　stem　the　tide　of　faction；　and　the　Comte　d'Artois　gave　me
letters　of　recommendation　to　the　chief　nobles　in　Upper　Languedoc；
that　I　might　concert　measures　with　them；　for　the　nobles　in　that　part
of　the　country　had　assembled　at　Toulouse　to　deliberate　on　the　best
way　of　inducing　the　other　Orders　to　unite　in　restoring　to　the
Catholic　religion　its　useful　influence；　to　the　laws　their　power；　and
to　the　king　his　liberty　and　authority。

〃On　my　return　to　Languedoc；　I　went　from　town　to　town　in　order　to　meet
those　gentlemen　to　whom　the　Comte　d'Artois　had　written；　among　whom
were　many　of　the　most　influential　Royalists　and　some　members　of　the
States　of　Parliament。　　Having　decided　on　a　general　plan；　and　agreed
on　a　method　of　carrying　on　secret　correspondence　with　each　other；　I
went　to　Nimes　to　wait　for　the　assistance　which　I　had　been　promised
from　Turin；　but　which　I　never　received。　　While　waiting；　I　devoted
myself　to　awakening　and　sustaining　the　zeal　of　the　inhabitants；　who
at　my　suggestion；　on　the　20th　April；　passed　a　resolution；　which　was
signed　by　5；000　inhabitants。〃

This　resolution；　which　was　at　once　a　religious　and　political
manifesto；　was　drafted　by　Viala；　M。　Froment's　secretary；　and　it　lay
for　signature　in　his　office。　　Many　of　the　Catholics　signed　it　without
even　reading　it；　for　there　was　a　short　paragraph　prefixed　to　the
document　which　contained　all　the　information　they　seemed　to　desire。

〃GENTLEMEN；The　aspirations　of　a　great　number　of　our　Catholic　and
patriotic　fellow…citizens　are　expressed　in　the　resolution　which　we
have　the　honour　of　laying　before　you。　　They　felt　that　under　present
circumstances　such　a　resolution　was　necessary；　and　they　feel
convinced　that　if　you　give　it　your　support；　as　they　do　not　doubt　you
will；　knowing　your　patriotism；　your　religious　zeal；　and　your　love　for
our　august　sovereign；　it　will　conduce　to　the　happiness　of　France；　the
maintenance　of　the　true　religion；　and　the　rightful　authority　of　the
king。

〃We　are；　gentlemen；　with　respect；　your　very　humble　and　obedient
servants；　the　President　and　Commissioners　of　the　Catholic　Assembly　of
Nimes。

（Signed）

FROMENT；　Commissioner　　　　　　　　　LAPIERRE；　President
FOLACHER；　　　　〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LEVELUT；　Commissioner
FAURE；　　　　　　　〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MELCHIOND；　　　　〃
ROBIN；　　　　　　　〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VIGNE；　　　　　　　　〃


At　the　same　time　a　number　of　pamphlets；　entitled　Pierre　Roman　to　the
Catholics　of　Nines；　were　distributed　to　the　people　in　the　streets；
containing　among　other　attacks　on　the　Protestants　the　following
passages：

〃If　the　door　to　high　positions　and　civil　and　military　honours　were
closed　to　the　Protestants；　and　a　powerful　tribunal　established　at
Nimes　to　see　that　this　rule　were　strictly　kept；　you　would　soon　see
Protestantism　disappear。

〃The　Protestants　demand　to　share　all　the　privileges　which　you　enjoy；
but　if　you　grant　them　this；　their　one　thought　will　then　be　to
dispossess　you　entirely；　and　they　will　soon　succeed。

〃Like　ungrateful　vipers；　who　in　a　torpid　state　were　harmless；　they
will　when　warmed　by　your　benefits　turn　and　kill　you。

〃They　are　your　born　enemies：　your　fathers　only　escaped　as　by　a
miracle　from　their　blood…stained　hands。　　Have　you　not　often　heard　of
the　cruelties　practised　on　them？　　It　was　a　slight　thing　when　the
Protestants　inflicted　death　alone；　unaccompanied　by　the　most　horrible
tortures。　　Such　as　they　were　such　they　are。〃


It　may　easily　be　imagined　that　such　attacks　soon　embittered　minds
already　disposed　to　find　new　causes　for　the　old　hatred；　and　besides
the　Catholics　did　not　long　confine　themselves　to　resolutions　and
pamphlets。　　Froment；　who　had　already　got　himself　appointed
Receiver…General　of　the　Chapter　and　captain　of　one　of　the　Catholic
companies；　insisted　on　being　present　at　the　installation　of　the　Town
Council；　and　brought　his　company　with　him　armed　with　pitchforks；　in
spite　of　the　express　prohibition　of　the　colonel　of　the　legion。　　These
forks　were　terrible　weapons；　and　had　been　fabricated　in　a　particular
form　for　the　Catholics　of　Nimes；　Uzes；　and　Alais。　　But　Froment　and
his　company　paid　no　attention　to　the　prohibition；　and　this
disobedience　made　a　great　impression　on　the　Protestants；　who　began　to
divine　the　hostility　of　their　adversaries；　and　it　is　very　possible
that　if　the　new　Town　Council　had　not　shut　their　eyes　to　this　act　of
insubordination；　civil　war　might　have　burst　forth　in　Nimes　that　very
day。

The　next　day；　at　roll…call；　a　sergeant　of　another　company；　one
Allien；　a　cooper　by　trade；　taunted　one　of　the　men　with　having　carried
a　pitchfork　the　day　before；　in　disobedience　to　orders。　　He　replied
that　the　mayor　had　permitted　him　to　carry　it；　Allien　not　believing
this；　proposed　to　some　of　the　men　to　go　with　him　to　the　mayor's　and
ask　if　it　were　true。　　When　they　saw　M。　Marguerite；　he　said　that　he
had　permitted　nothing　of　the　kind；　and　sent　the　delinquent　to　prison。
Half　an　hour　later；　however；　he　gave　orders　for　his　release。

As　soon　as　he　was　free　he　set　off　to　find　his　comrades；　and　told　them
what　had　occurred：　they；　considering　that　an　insult　to　one　was　an
insult　to　the　whole　company；　determined　on　having　satisfaction　at
once；　so　about　eleven　o'clock　P。M。　they　went　to　the　cooper's　house；
carrying　with　them　a　gallows　and　ropes　ready　greased。　　But　quietly　as
they　approached；　Allien　heard　them；　for　his　door　being　bolted　from
within　had　to　be　forced。　　Looking　out　of　the　window；　he　saw　a　great
crowd；　and　as　he　suspected　that　his　life　was　in　danger；　he　got　out　of
a　back　window　into　the　yard　and　so　escaped。　　The　militia　being　thus
disappointed；　wreaked　their　vengeance　on　some　passing　Protestants；
whose　unlucky　stars　had　led　them　that　way；　these　they　knocked　about；
and　even　stabbed　one　of　them　three　times　with　a　knife。

On　the　22nd　April；　1790；　the　royaliststhat　is　to　say；　the
Catholicsassumed　the　white　cockade；　although　it　was　no　longer　the
national　emblem；　and　on　the　1st　May　some　of　the　militia　who　had
planted　a　maypole　at　the　mayor's　door　were　invited　to　lunch　with　him。
On　the　2nd；　the　company　which　was　on　guard　at　the　mayor's　official
residence