massacres of the south-第36章

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French　nobles　in　exile；　a　resolution　was　passed　in　favour　of
M。　Pierre　Froment　and　his　children；　inhabitants　of　Nimes。

We　give　a　literal　reproduction　of　this　historic　document：

〃We　the　undersigned；　French　nobles；　being　convinced　that　our　Order
was　instituted　that　it　might　become　the　prize　of　valour　and　the
encouragement　of　virtue；　do　declare　that　the　Chevalier　de　Guer　having
given　us　proof　of　the　devotion　to　their　king　and　the　love　of　their
country　which　have　been　displayed　by　M。　Pierre　Froment；　receiver　of
the　clergy；　and　his　three　sons；　Mathieu　Froment　citizen；　Jacques
Froment　canon；　Francois　Froment　advocate；　inhabitants　of　Nimes；　we
shall　henceforward　regard　them　and　their　descendants　as　nobles　and
worthy　to　enjoy　all　the　distinctions　which　belong　to　the　true
nobility。　　Brave　citizens；　who　perform　such　distinguished　actions　as
fighting　for　the　restoration　of　the　monarchy；　ought　to　be　considered
as　the　equals　of　those　French　chevaliers　whose　ancestors　helped　to
found　it。　　Furthermore；　we　do　declare　that　as　soon　as　circumstances
permit　we　shall　join　together　to　petition　His　Majesty　to　grant　to
this　family；　so　illustrious　through　its　virtue；　all　the　honours　and
prerogatives　which　belong　to　those　born　noble。

〃We　depute　the　Marquis　de　Meran；　Comte　d'Espinchal；　the　Marquis
d'Escars；　Vicomte　de　Pons；　Chevalier　de　Guer；　and　the　Marquis　de　la
Feronniere　to　go　to　Mgr。　le　Comte　d'Artois；　Mgr。　le　Duc　d'Angouleme；
Mgr。　le　Duc　de　Berry；　Mgr。　le　Prince　de　Conde；　Mgr。　le　Due　de
Bourbon；　and　Mgr。　le　Duc　d'Enghien；　to　beg　them　to　put　themselves　at
our　head　when　we　request　His　Majesty　to　grant　to　MM。　Froment　all　the
distinctions　and　advantages　reserved　for　the　true　nobility。

〃At　TURIN；　12th　September　1790。〃

The　nobility　of　Languedoc　learned　of　the　honours　conferred　on　their
countryman；　M。　Froment；　and　addressed　the　following　letter　to　him：


〃LORCH；　July　7；　1792

〃MONSIEUR；　The　nobles　of　Languedoc　hasten　to　confirm　the　resolution
adopted　in　your　favour　by　the　nobles　assembled　at　Turin。　　They
appreciate　the　zeal　and　the　courage　which　have　distinguished　your
conduct　and　that　of　your　family；　they　have　therefore　instructed　us　to
assure　you　of　the　pleasure　with　which　they　will　welcome　you　among
those　nobles　who　are　under　the　orders　of　Marshal　de　Castries；　and
that　you　are　at　liberty　to　repair　to　Lorch　to　assume　your　proper　rank
in　one　of　the　companies。

〃We　have　the　honour　to　be；　monsieur；　your　humble　and　obedient
servants；

COMTE　DE　TOULOUSE…LAUTREC

MARQUIS　DE　LA　JONQUIERE
ETC。




CHAPTER　VII

The　Protestants；　as　we　have　said；　hailed　the　golden　dawn　of　the
revolution　with　delight；　then　came　the　Terror；　which　struck　at　all
without　distinction　of　creed。　　A　hundred　and　thirty…eight　heads　fell
on　the　scaffold；　condemned　by　the　revolutionary　tribunal　of　the　Gard。
Ninety…one　of　those　executed　were　Catholic；　and　forty…seven
Protestants；　so　that　it　looked　as　if　the　executioners　in　their　desire
for　impartiality　had　taken　a　census　of　the　population。

Then　came　the　Consulate：　the　Protestants　being　mostly　tradesmen　and
manufacturers；　were　therefore　richer　than　the　Catholics；　and　had　more
to　lose；　they　seemed　to　see　more　chance　of　stability　in　this　form　of
government　than　in　those　preceding　it；　and　it　was　evident　that　it　had
a　more　powerful　genius　at　its　head；　so　they　rallied　round　it　with
confidence　and　sincerity。　　The　Empire　followed；　with　its　inclination
to　absolutism；　its　Continental　system；　and　its　increased　taxation；
and　the　Protestants　drew　back　somewhat；　for　it　was　towards　them　who
had　hoped　so　much　from　him　that　Napoleon　in　not　keeping　the　promises
of　Bonaparte　was　most　perjured。

The　first　Restoration；　therefore；　was　greeted　at　Nimes　with　a
universal　shout　of　joy；　and　a　superficial…observer　might　have　thought
that　all　trace　of　the　old　religious　leaven　had　disappeared。　　In　fact；
for　seventeen　years　the　two　faiths　had　lived　side　by　side　in　perfect
peace　and　mutual　good…will；　for　seventeen　years　men　met　either　for
business　or　for　social　purposes　without　inquiring　about　each　other's
religion；　so　that　Nimes　on　the　surface　might　have　been　held　up　as　an
example　of　union　and　fraternity。

When　Monsieur　arrived　at　Nimes；　his　guard　of　honour　was　drawn　from
the　city　guard；　which　still　retained　its　organisation　of　1812；　being
composed　of　citizens　without　distinction　of　creed。　　Six　decorations
were　conferred　on　itthree　on　Catholics；　and　three　on　Protestants。
At　the　same　time；　M。　Daunant；　M。　Olivier　Desmonts；　and　M。　de　Seine；
the　first　the　mayor；　the　second　the　president　of　the　Consistory；　and
the　third　a　member　of　the　Prefecture；　all　three　belonging　to　the
Reformed　religion；　received　the　same　favour。

Such　impartiality　on　the　part　of　Monsieur　almost　betrayed　a
preference；　and　this　offended　the　Catholics。　　They　muttered　to　one
another　that　in　the　past　there　had　been　a　time　when　the　fathers　of
those　who　had　just　been　decorated　by　the　hand　of　the　prince　had
fought　against　his　faithful　adherents。　　Hardly　had　Monsieur　left　the
town；　therefore；　than　it　became　apparent　that　perfect　harmony　no
longer　existed。

The　Catholics　had　a　favorite　caf？；　which　during　the　whole　time　the
Empire　lasted　was　also　frequented　by　Protestants　without　a　single
dispute　caused　by　the　difference　of　religion　ever　arising。　　But　from
this　time　forth　the　Catholics　began　to　hold　themselves　aloof　from　the
Protestants；　the　latter　perceiving　this；　gave　up　the　caf？　by　degrees
to　the　Catholics；　being　determined　to　keep　the　peace　whatever　it
might　cost；　and　went　to　a　caf？　which　had　been　just　opened　under　the
sign　of　the　〃Isle　of　Elba。〃　　The　name　was　enough　to　cause　them　to　be
regarded　as　Bonapartists；　and　as　to　Bonapartists　the　cry　〃Long　live
the　king！〃　was　supposed　to　be　offensive；　they　were　saluted　at　every
turn　with　these　words；　pronounced　in　a　tone　which　became　every　day
more　menacing。　　At　first　they　gave　back　the　same　cry；　〃Long　live　the
king！〃　but　then　they　were　called　cowards　who　expressed　with　their
lips　a　sentiment　which　did　not　come　from　their　hearts。　　Feeling　that
this　accusation　had　some　truth　in　it；　they　were　silent；　but　then　they
were　accused　of　hating　the　royal　family；　till　at　length　the　cry　which
at　first　had　issued　from　full　hearts　in　a　universal　chorus　grew　to　be
nothing　but　an　expression　of　party　hatred；　so　that　on　the　21st
February；　1815；　M。　Daunant　the　mayor；　by　a　decree；　prohibited　the
public　from　using　it；　as　it　had　become　a　means　of　exciting　sedition。
Party　feeling　had　reached　this　height　at　Nimes　when；　on　the　4th
March；　the　news　of　the　landing　of　Napoleon　arrived。

Deep　as　was　the　impression　produced；　the　city　remained　calm；　but
somewhat　sullen；　in　any　case；　the　report　wanted　confirmation。
Napoleon；　who　knew　of　the　sympathy　that　the　mountaineers　felt　for
him；　went　at　once　into　the　Alps；　and　his　eagle　did　not　as　yet　take　so
high　a　flight　that　it　could　be　seen　hovering　above　Mount　Geneve。

On　the　12th；　the　Duc　d'Angouleme　arrived：　two　proclamations　calling
the　citizens　to　arms　signalised　his　presence。　　The　citizens　answered
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；