massacres of the south-第40章

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molested　in　any　way；　for　as　we　were　going　towards　the　city　they　did
not　think　we　could　be　fugitives。　　A　hundred　yards　beyond　the　village
we　came　up　with　a　crowd　of　peasants；　who　were；　like　us；　on　the　way　to
Marseilles。　　It　was　plain　to　see　that　they　had　just　been　pillaging
some　country　house；　for　they　were　laden　with　rich　stuffs；　chandeliers
and　jewels。　　It　proved　to　be　that　of　M。　R____；　inspector　of　reviews。
Several　carried　muskets。　　I　pointed　out　to　my　companion　a　stain　of
blood　on　the　trousers　of　one　of　the　men；　who　began　to　laugh　when　he
saw　what　we　were　looking　at。　　Two　hundred　yards　outside　the　city　I
met　a　woman　who　had　formerly　been　a　servant　in　my　house。　　She　was
very　much　astonished　to　see　me；　and　said；　'Go　away　at　once；　the
massacre　is　horrible；　much　worse　than　yesterday。'

〃'But　my　wife；'　I　cried；　'do　you　know　anything　about　her？'

〃'No；　sir；'　she　replied；　'I　was　going　to　knock　at　the　door；　but　some
people　asked　me　in　a　threatening　manner　if　I　could　tell　them　where
the　friend　of　that　rascal　Brine　was；　as　they　were　going　to　take　away
his　appetite　for　bread。　　So　take　my　advice；'　she　continued；　'and　go
back　to　where　you　came　from。'

〃This　advice　was　the　last　I　could　make　up　my　mind　to　follow；　so　we
went　on；　but　found　a　strong　guard　at　the　gate；　and　saw　that　it　would
be　impossible　to　get　through　without　being　recognised。　　At　the　same
time；　the　cries　and　the　reports　of　firearms　from　within　were　coming
nearer；　it　would　therefore　have　been　to　court　certain　death　to
advance；　so　we　retraced　our　steps。　　In　passing　again　through　the
village　of　Saint…Just　we　met　once　more　our　armed　peasants。　　But　this
time　they　burst　out　into　threats　on　seeing　us；　shouting；　'Let　us　kill
them！　　Let　us　kill　them！'　　Instead　of　running　away；　we　approached
them；　assuring　them　that　we　were　Royalists。　　Our　coolness　was　so
convincing　that　we　got　through　safe　and　sound。

〃On　getting　back　to　the　captain's　I　threw　myself　on　the　sofa；　quite
overcome　by　the　thought　that　only　that　morning　my　wife　had　been
beside　me　under　my　protection；　and　that　I　had　let　her　go　back　to　the
town　to　a　cruel　and　inevitable　death。　　I　felt　as　if　my　heart　would
break；　and　nothing　that　our　host　and　my　friend　could　say　gave　me　the
slightest　comfort。　　I　was　like　a　madman；　unconscious　of　everything
round　me。

〃M_____　　went　out　to　try　to　pick　up　some　news；　but　in　an　instant　we
heard　him　running　back；　and　he　dashed　into　the　room；　calling　out

〃'They　are　coming！　　There　they　are！'

〃'Who　are　coming？'　we　asked。

〃'The　assassins！'

〃My　first　feeling；　I　confess；　was　one　of　joy。　　I　pounced　upon　a　pair
of　double…barrelled　pistols；　resolved　not　to　let　myself　be
slaughtered　like　a　sheep。　　Through　the　window　I　could　see　some　men
climbing　over　the　wall　and　getting　down　into　the　garden。　　We　had　just
sufficient　time　to　escape　by　a　back　staircase　which　led　to　a　door；
through　which　we　passed；　shutting　it　behind　us。　　We　found　ourselves
on　a　road；　at　the　other　side　of　which　was　a　vineyard。　　We　crossed　the
road　and　crept　under　the　vines；　which　completely　concealed　us。

〃As　we　learned　later；　the　captain's　house　had　been　denounced　as　a
Bonapartist　nest；　and　the　assassins　had　hoped　to　take　it　by　surprise；
and；　indeed；　if　they　had　come　a　little　sooner　we　had　been　lost；　for
before　we　had　been　five　minutes　in　our　hiding…place　the　murderers
rushed　out　on　the　road；　looking　for　us　in　every　direction；　without
the　slightest　suspicion　that　we　were　not　six　yards　distant。　　Though
they　did　not　see　us　I　could　see　them；　and　I　held　my　pistols　ready
cocked；　quite　determined　to　kill　the　first　who　came　near。　　However；
in　a　short　time　they　went　away。

〃　As　soon　as　they　were　out　of　hearing　we　began　to　consider　our
situation　and　weigh　our　chances。　　There　was　no　use　in　going　back　to
the　captain's；　for　he　was　no　longer　there；　having　also　succeeded　in
getting　away。　　If　we　were　to　wander　about　the　country　we　should　be
recognised　as　fugitives；　and　the　fate　that　awaited　us　as　such　was　at
that　moment　brought　home　to　us；　for　a　few　yards　away　we　suddenly
heard　the　shrieks　of　a　man　who　was　being　murdered。　　They　were　the
first　cries　of　agony　I　had　ever　heard；　and　for　a　few　moments；　I
confess；　I　was　frozen　with　terror。　　But　soon　a　violent　reaction　took
place　within　me；　and　I　felt　that　it　would　be　better　to　march　straight
to　meet　peril　than　to　await　its　coming；　and　although　I　knew　the
danger　of　trying　to　go　through　Saint…Just　again；　I　resolved　to　risk
it；　and　to　get　to　Marseilles　at　all　costs。　　So；　turning　to　M____；　I
said：

〃'You　can　remain　here　without　danger　until　the　evening；　but　I　am
going　to　Marseilles　at　once；　for　I　cannot　endure　this　uncertainty　any
longer。　　If　I　find　Saint…Just　clear；　I　shall　come　back　and　rejoin
you；　but　if　not　I　shall　get　away　as　best　I　can　alone。'

〃Knowing　the　danger　that　we　were　running；　and　how　little　chance　there
was　that　we　should　ever　see　each　other　again；　he　held　out　his　hand　to
me；　but　I　threw　myself　into　his　arms　and　gave　him　a　last　embrace。

〃I　started　at　once：　when　I　reached　Saint…Just　I　found　the　freebooters
still　there；　so　I　walked　up　to　them；　trolling　a　melody；　but　one　of
them　seized　me　by　the　collar　and　two　others　took　aim　at　me　with　their
muskets。

〃If　ever　in　my　life　I　shouted　'Long　live　the　king！'　with　less
enthusiasm　than　the　cry　deserves；　it　was　then：　to　assume　a　rollicking
air；　to　laugh　with　cool　carelessness　when　there　is　nothing　between
you　and　death　but　the　more　or　less　strong　pressure　of　a　highwayman's
finger　on　the　trigger　of　a　musket；　is　no　easy　task；　but　all　this　I
accomplished；　and　once　more　got　through　the　village　with　a　whole　skin
indeed；　but　with　the　unalterable　resolution　to　blow　my　brains　out
rather　than　again　try　such　an　experiment。

〃Having　now　a　village　behind　me　which　I　had　vowed　never　to　re…enter；
and　there　being　no　road　available　by　which　I　could　hope　to　get　round
Marseilles；　the　only　course　open　to　me　was　to　make　my　way　into　the
city。　　At　that　moment　this　was　a　thing　of　difficulty；　for　many　small
bodies　of　troops；　wearing　the　white　cockade；　infested　the　approaches。
I　soon　perceived　that　the　danger　of　getting　in　was　as　great　as　ever；
so　I　determined　to　walk　up　and　down　till　night；　hoping　the　darkness
would　come　to　my　aid；　but　one　of　the　patrols　soon　gave　me　to
understand　that　my　prowling　about　had　aroused　suspicion；　and　ordered
me　either　to　go　on　to　the　city；　in　which　by　all　accounts　there　was
small　chance　of　safety　for　me；　or　back　to　the　village；　where　certain
death　awaited　me。　　A　happy　inspiration　flashed　across　my　mind；　I
would　get　some　refreshment；　and　seeing　an　inn　near　by；　I　went　in　and
ordered　a　mug　of　beer；　sitting　down　near　the　window；　faintly　hoping
that　before　the　necessity　for　a　final　decision　arrived；　someone　who
knew　me　would　pass　by。　　After　waiting　half　an　hour；　I　did　indeed　see
an　acquaintanceno　other　than　M_____；　whom　I　had　left　in　the
vineyard。　　I　beckoned　him；　and　he　joined　me。　　He　told　me　that；　being
too　impatient　to　await　my　return；　he　had　soon　made　up　his　mind　to
follow　me；　and　by　joining　a　band　of　pillagers　was　lucky　enough　to　get
safely　through　Saint…Just。　　We　consulted　together　as　to　what　we　had
better　do　next；　and　having　applied　to　our　host；　found　he　could　supply
us　with　a　trusty　messenger；　who　would　carry　the　news　of　our
whereabouts　to　my　brother…in…law。　　After　an　anxious　wait　of　three
hours；　we　saw　him　coming。　　I　was　about　to　run　out　to　meet　him；　but
M____　held　me　back；　pointing　out　the　danger　of　such　a　step；　so　we　sat
still　our　eyes　fixed　on　the　approaching　figure。　　But　when　my
brother…in…law　reached　the　inn；　I　could　restrain　my　impatience　no
longer；　but　rushing　out　of　the　room　met　him　on　the　stairs。

〃'My　wife？'　I　cried。　　'Have　you　seen　my　wife？'

〃'She　is　at　my　house；'　was　the　reply；　and　with　a　cry　of　joy　I　threw
myself　into　his　arms。

〃My　wife；　who　had　been　threatened；　insulted；　and　roughly　treated
because　of　my　opinions；　had　indeed　found　safety　at　my
brother…in…law's。

〃Night　was　coming　on。　　My　brother…in…law；　who　wore　the　uniform　of　the
National　Guard；　which　was　at　that　moment　a　safeguard；　took　us　each　by
an　arm；　and　we　passed　the　barrier　without　anyone　asking　us　who　we
were。　　Choosing　quiet　streets；　we　reached　his　house　unmolested；　but
in　fact　the　whole　city　was　quiet；　for　the　carnage　was　practically　at
an　end。

〃My　wife　safe！　　this　thought　filled　my　heart　with　joy　almost　too
great　to　bear。

〃Her　adventures　were　the　following：

〃My　wife　and　her　mother　had　gone　to　our　house；　as　agreed　upon；　to
pack　our　trunks。　　As　they　left　their　rooms；　having　accomplished　their
task；　they　found　the　landlady　waiting　on　the　staircase；　who　at　once
overwhelmed　my　wife　with　a　torrent　of　abuse。

The　husband；　who　until　then　had　known　nothing　of　their　tenant's
return；　hearing　the　noise；　came　out　of　his　room；　and；　seizing　his
wife　by　the　arm；　pulled　her　in　and　shut　the　door。　　She；　however；
rushed　to　the　window；　and　just　as　my　wife　and　her　mother　reached　the
street；　shouted　to　a　free　band　who　were　on　guard　across　the　way；
'Fire！　　they　are　Bonapartists！'　　Fortunately　the　men；　more　merciful
than　the　woman；　seeing　two　ladies　quite　alone；　did　not　hinder　their
passage；　and　as　just　then　my　brother…in…law　came　by；　whose　opinions
were　well　known　and　whose　uniform　was　respected；　he　was　allowed　to
take　them　under　his　protection　and　conduct　them　to　his　house　in
safety。

〃A　young　man；　employed　at　the　Prefecture；　who　had　called　at　my　house
the　day　before；　I　having　promised　to　help　him　in　editing　the　Journal
des　Bouches…du…Rhone；　was　not　so　lucky。　　His　occupation　and　his　visit
to　me　laid　him　under　suspicion　of　possessing　dangerous　opinions；　and
his　friends　urged　him　to　fly；　but　it　was　too　late。　　He　was　attacked
at　the　corner　of　the　rue　de　Noailles；　and　fell　wounded　by　a　stab　from
a　dagger。　　Happily；　however；　he　ultimately　recovered。

〃The　whole　day　was　passed　in　the　commission　of　deeds　still　more
bloody　than　those　of　the　day　before；　the　sewers　ran　blood；　and　every
hundred　yards　a　dead　body　was　to　be　met。　　But　this　sight；　instead　of
satiating　the　thirst　for　blood　of　the　assassins；　only　seemed　to
awaken　a　general　feeling　of　gaiety。　　In　the　evening　the　streets
resounded　with　song　and　roundelay；　and　for　many　a　year　to　come　that
which　we　looked　back　on　as　'the　day　of　the　massacre'　lived　in　the
memory　of　the　Royalists　as　'the　day　of　the　farce。'

〃As　we　felt　we　could　not　live　any　longer　in　the　midst　of　such　scenes；
even　though；　as　far　as　we　were　concerned；　all　danger　was　over；　we　set
out　for　Nimes　that　same　evening；　having　been　offered　the　use　of　a
carriage。

〃Nothing　worthy　of　note　happened　on　the　road　to　Orgon；　which　we
reached　next　day；　but　the　isolated　detachments　of　troops　which　we
passed　from　time　to　time　reminded　us　that　the　tranquillity　was
nowhere　perfect。　　As　we　neared　the　town　we　saw　three　men　going　about
arm　in　arm；　this　friendliness　seemed　strange　to　us　after　our　recent
experiences；　for　one　of　them　wore　a　white　cockade；　the　second　a
tricolour；　and　the　third　none　at　all；　and　yet　they　went　about　on　the
most　brotherly　terms；　each　awaiting　under　a　different　banner　the
outcome　of　events。　　Their　wisdom　impressed　me　much；　and　feeling　I　had
nothing　to　fear　from　such　philosophers；　I　went　up　to　them