massacres of the south-第43章

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hardly　escaped　with　torn　clothes　and　his　white　hair　covered　with　dust
and　blood。　　The　fury　of　the　mob　had　now　reached　its　height。

At　this　juncture　the　garrison　of　Avignon　came　in　sight；　it　was
composed　of　four　hundred　volunteers；　who　formed　a　battalion　known　as
the　Royal　Angouleme。　　It　was　commanded　by　a　man　who　had　assumed　the
title　of　Lieutenant…General　of　the　Emancipating　Army　of　Vaucluse。
These　forces　drew　up　under　the　windows　of　the　〃Palais　Royal。〃　　They
were　composed　almost　entirely　of　Provenceaux；　and　spoke　the　same
dialect　as　the　people　of　the　lower　orders。　　The　crowd　asked　the
soldiers　for　what　they　had　come；　why　they　did　not　leave　them　to
accomplish　an　act　of　justice　in　peace；　and　if　they　intended　to
interfere。　　〃Quite　the　contrary；〃　said　one　of　the　soldiers；　〃pitch
him　out　of　the　window；　and　we　will　catch　him　on　the　points　of　our
bayonets。〃　　Brutal　cries　of　joy　greeted　this　answer；　succeeded　by　a
short　silence；　but　it　was　easy　to　see　that　under　the　apparent　calm
the　crowd　was　in　a　state　of　eager　expectation。　　Soon　new　shouts　were
heard；　but　this　time　from　the　interior　of　the　hotel；　a　small　band　of
men　led　by　Forges　and　Roquefort　had　separated　themselves　from　the
throng；　and　by　the　help　of　ladders　had　scaled　the　walls　and　got　on
the　roof　of　the　house；　and；　gliding　down　the　other　side；　had　dropped
into　the　balcony　outside　the　windows　of　the　rooms　where　the　marshal
was　writing。

Some　of　these　dashed　through　the　windows　without　waiting　to　open
them；　others　rushed　in　at　the　open　door。　　The　marshal；　thus　taken　by
surprise；　rose；　and　not　wishing　that　the　letter　he　was　writing　to　the
Austrian　commandant　to　claim　his　protection　should　fall　into　the
hands　of　these　wretches；　he　tore　it　to　pieces。　　Then　a　man　who
belonged　to　a　better　class　than　the　others；　and　who　wears　to…day　the
Cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honour；　granted　to　him　perhaps　for　his　conduct
on　this　occasion；　advanced　towards　the　marshal；　sword　in　hand；　and
told　him　if　he　had　any　last　arrangements　to　make；　he　should　make　them
at　once；　for　he　had　only　ten　minutes　to　live。

〃What　are　you　thinking　of？〃　exclaimed　Forges。　　〃Ten　minutes！　　Did　he
give　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　ten　minutes？〃　and　he　pointed　his
pistol　at　the　marshal's　breast；　but　the　marshal　striking　up　the
weapon；　the　shot　missed　its　aim　and　buried　itself　in　the　ceiling。

〃Clumsy　fellow！〃　said　the　marshal；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃not　to
be　able　to　kill　a　man　at　such　close　range。〃

〃That's　true；〃　replied　Roquefort　in　his　patois。　　〃I'll　show　you　how
to　do　it〃；　and；　receding　a　step；　he　took　aim　with　his　carbine　at　his
victim；　whose　back　was　partly　towards　him。　　A　report　was　heard；　and
the　marshal　fell　dead　on　the　spot；　the　bullet　which　entered　at　the
shoulder　going　right　through　his　body　and　striking　the　opposite　wall。

The　two　shots；　which　had　been　heard　in　the　street；　made　the　howling
mob　dance　for　joy。　　One　cowardly　fellow；　called　Cadillan；　rushed　out
on　one　of　the　balconies　which　looked　on　the　square；　and；　holding　a
loaded　pistol　in　each　hand；　which　he　had　not　dared　to　discharge　even
into　the　dead　body　of　the　murdered　man；　he　cut　a　caper；　and；　holding
up　the　innocent　weapons；　called　out；　〃These　have　done　the　business！〃
But　he　lied；　the　braggart；　and　boasted　of　a　crime　which　was　committed
by　braver　cutthroats　than　he。

Behind　him　came　the　general　of　the　〃Emancipating　Army　of　Vaucluse；〃
who；　graciously　saluting　the　crowd；　said；　〃The　marshal　has　carried
out　an　act　of　justice　by　taking　his　own　life。〃　　Shouts　of　mingled
joy；　revenge；　and　hatred　rose　from　the　crowd；　and　the　king's　attorney
and　the　examining　magistrate　set　about　drawing　up　a　report　of　the
suicide。

Now　that　all　was　over　and　there　was　no　longer　any　question　of　saving
the　marshal；　M。　Moulin　desired　at　least　to　save　the　valuables　which
he　had　in　his　carriage。　　He　found　in　a　cash　box　40；000　francs；　in　the
pockets　a　snuff…box　set　with　diamonds；　and　a　pair　of　pistols　and　two
swords；　the　hilt　of　one　of　these　latter　was　studded　with　precious
stones；　a　gift　from　the　ill…starred　Selim。　　M。　Moulin　returned　across
the　court；　carrying　these　things。　　The　Damascus　blade　was　wrenched
from　his　hands；　and　the　robber　kept　it　five　years　as　a　trophy；　and　it
was　not　until　the　year　1820　that　he　was　forced　to　give　it　up　to　the
representative　of　the　marshal's　widow。　　Yet　this　man　was　an　officer；
and　kept　his　rank　all　through　the　Restoration；　and　was　not　dismissed
the　army　till　1830。　　When　M。　Moulin　had　placed　the　other　objects　in
safety；　he　requested　the　magistrate　to　have　the　corpse　removed；　as　he
wished　the　crowds　to　disperse；　that　he　might　look　after　the　aides…de
camp。　　While　they　were　undressing　the　marshal；　in　order　to　certify
the　cause　of　death；　a　leathern　belt　was　found　on　him　containing　5536
francs。　　The　body　was　carried　downstairs　by　the　grave…diggers　without
any　opposition　being　offered；　but　hardly　had　they　advanced　ten　yards
into　the　square　when　shouts　of　〃To　the　Rhone！　to　the　Rhone！〃
resounded　on　all　sides。　　A　police　officer　who　tried　to　interfere　was
knocked　down；　the　bearers　were　ordered　to　turn　round；　they　obeyed；
and　the　crowd　carried　them　off　towards　the　wooden　bridge。　　When　the
fourteenth　arch　was　reached；　the　bier　was　torn　from　the　bearers'
hands；　and　the　corpse　was　flung　into　the　river。　　〃Military　honours！〃
shouted　some　one；　and　all　who　had　guns　fired　at　the　dead　body；　which
was　twice　struck。　　〃Tomb　of　Marshal　Brune〃　was　then　written　on　the
arch；　and　the　crowd　withdrew；　and　passed　the　rest　of　the　day　in
holiday…making。

Meanwhile　the　Rhone；　refusing　to　be　an　accomplice　in　such　a　crime；
bore　away　the　corpse；　which　the　assassins　believed　had　been　swallowed
up　for　ever。　　Next　day　it　was　found　on　the　sandy　shore　at　Tarascon；
but　the　news　of　the　murder　had　preceded　it；　and　it　was　recognised　by
the　wounds；　and　pushed　back　again　into　the　waters；　which　bore　it
towards　the　sea。

Three　leagues　farther　on　it　stopped　again；　this　time　by　a　grassy
bank；　and　was　found　by　a　man　of　forty　and　another　of　eighteen。　　They
also　recognised　it；　but　instead　of　shoving　it　back　into　the　current；
they　drew　it　up　gently　on　the　bank　and　carried　it　to　a　small　property
belonging　to　one　of　them；　where　they　reverently　interred　it。　　The
elder　of　the　two　was　M。　de　Chartruse；　the　younger　M。　Amedee　Pichot。

The　body　was　exhumed　by　order　of　the　marshal's　widow；　and　brought　to
her　castle　of　Saint…Just；　in　Champagne；　she　had　it　embalmed；　and
placed　in　a　bedroom　adjoining　her　own；　where　it　remained；　covered
only　by　a　veil；　until　the　memory　of　the　deceased　was　cleansed　from
the　accusation　of　suicide　by　a　solemn　public　trial　and　judgment。
Then　only　it　was　finally　interred；　along　with　the　parchment
containing　the　decision　of　the　Court　of　Riom。

The　ruffians　who　killed　Marshal　Brune；　although　they　evaded　the
justice　of　men；　did　not　escape　the　vengeance　of　God：　nearly　every　one
of　them　came　to　a　miserable　end。　　Roquefort　and　Farges　were　attacked
by　strange　and　hitherto　unknown　diseases；　recalling　the　plagues　sent
by　God　on　the　peoples　whom　He　desired　to　punish　in　bygone　ages。　　In
the　case　of　Farges；　his　skin　dried　up　and　became　horny；　causing　him
such　intense　irritation；　that　as　the　only　means　of　allaying　it　he　had
to　be　kept　buried　up　to　the　neck　while　still　alive。　　The　disease
under　which　Roquefort　suffered　seemed　to　have　its　seat　in　the　marrow；
for　his　bones　by　degrees　lost　all　solidity　and　power　of　resistance；
so　that　his　limbs　refused　to　bear　his　weight；　and　he　went　about　the
streets　crawling　like　a　serpent。　　Both　died　in　such　dreadful　torture
that　they　regretted　having　escaped　the　scaffold；　which　would　have
spared　them　such　prolonged　agony。

Pointu　was　condemned　to　death；　in　his　absence；　at　the　Assizes　Court
of　La　Drome；　for　having　murdered　five　people；　and　was　cast　off　by　his
own　faction。　　For　some　time　his　wife；　who　was　infirm　and　deformed；
might　be　seen　going　from　house　to　house　asking　alms　for　him；　who　had
been　for　two　months　the　arbiter　of　civil　war　and　assassination。　　Then
came　a　day　when　she　ceased　her　quest；　and　was　seen　sitting；　her　head
covered　by　a　black　rag：　Pointu　was　dead；　but　it　was　never　known　where
or　how。　　In　some　corner；　probably；　in　the　crevice　of　a　rock　or　in　the
heart　of　the　forest；　like　an　old　tiger　whose　talons　have　been　clipped
and　his　teeth　drawn。

Naudaud　and　Magnan　were　sentenced　to　the　galleys　for　ten　years。
Naudaud　died　there；　but　Magnan　finished　his　time　and　then　became　a
scavenger；　and；　faithful　to　his　vocation　as　a　dealer　of　death；　a
poisoner　of　stray　dogs。

Some　of　these　cut…throats　are　still　living；　and　fill　good　positions；
wearing　crosses　and　epaulets；　and；　rejoicing　in　their　impunity；
imagine　they　have　escaped　the　eye　of　God。

We　shall　wait　and　see！




CHAPTER　IX

It　was　on　Saturday　that　the　white　flag　was　hoisted　at　Nimes。　　The
next　day　a　crowd　of　Catholic　peasants　from　the　environs　marched　into
the　city；　to　await　the　arrival　of　the　Royalist　army　from　Beaucaire。
Excitement　was　at　fever　heat；　the　desire　of　revenge　filled　every
breast；　the　hereditary　hatred　which　had　slumbered　during　the　Empire
again　awoke　stronger　than　ever。　　Here　I　may　pause　to　say　that　in　the
account　which　follows　of　the　events　which　took　place　about　this　time；
I　can　only　guarantee　the　facts　and　not　the　dates：　I　relate　everything
as　it　happened；　but　the　day　on　which　it　happened　may　sometimes　have
escaped　my　memory；　for　it　is　easier　to　recollect　a　murder　to　which
one　has　been　an　eye…witness；　than　to　recall　the　exact　date　on　which
it　happened。

The　garrison　of　Nimes　was　composed　of　one　battalion　of　the　13th
Regiment　of　the　line；　and　another　battalion　of　the　79th　Regiment；
which　not　being　up　to　its　full　war…strength　had　been　sent　to　Nimes　to
complete　its　numbers　by　enlistment。　　But　after　the　battle　of　Waterloo
the　citizens　had　tried　to　induce　the　soldiers　to　desert；　so　that　of
the　two　battalions；　even　counting　the　officers；　only　about　two
hundred　men　remained。

When　the　news　of　the　proclamation　of　Napoleon　II　reached　Nimes；
Brigadier…General　Malmont；　commandant　of　the　department；　had　him
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　t