第18章

Thenextdaytheduke,accompaniedbyGeneralLagarde,leftforMontpellier;andasitwasonthelatterthattheProtestantsplacedtheirsolerelianceforthemaintenanceofthoserightsguaranteedforthefuturebythewordoftheprince,theyhesitatedtotakeanynewstepinhisabsence,andletthe9thofNovembergobywithoutattemptingtoresumepublicworship,preferringtowaitforthereturnoftheirprotector,whichtookplaceonSaturdayeveningthe11thofNovember。

Whenthegeneralgotback,hisfirstthoughtwastoaskifthecommandsoftheprincehadbeencarriedout,andwhenheheardthattheyhadnot,withoutwaitingtohearawordinjustificationofthedelay,hesentapositiveordertothepresidentoftheConsistorytoopenbothplacesofworshipthenextmorning。

Uponthis,thepresidentcarryingself—abnegationandprudencetotheirextremelimits,wenttothegeneral\'squarters,andhavingwarmlythankedhim,laidbeforehimthedangerstowhichhewouldexposehimselfbyrunningcountertotheopinionsofthosewhohadhadtheirownwayinthecityforthelastfourmonths。ButGeneralLagardebrushedalltheseconsiderationsaside:hehadreceivedanorderfromtheprince,andtoamanofhismilitarycastofmindnocoursewasopenbuttocarrythatorderout。

Nevertheless,thepresidentagainexpressedhisdoubtsandfears。

"Iwillanswerwithmyhead,"saidthegeneral,"thatnothinghappens。"Stillthepresidentcounselledprudence,askingthatonlyoneplaceofworshipatfirstbeopened,andtothisthegeneralgavehisconsent。

Thiscontinuedresistancetothere—establishmentofpublicworshiponthepartofthosewhomosteagerlydesireditenabledthegeneralatlasttorealisetheextentofthedangerwhichwouldbeincurredbythecarryingoutofthismeasure,andheatoncetookallpossibleprecautions。Underthepretextthathewasgoingto—haveageneralreview,hebroughttheentirecivilandmilitaryforcesofNimesunderhisauthority,determined,ifnecessary,tousetheonetosuppresstheother。Asearlyaseighto\'clockinthemorningaguardofgensd\'armeswasstationedatthedoorsofthemeeting—house,whileothermembersofthesameforcetookuptheirpositionsintheadjacentstreets。Ontheotherhand,theConsistoryhaddecidedthatthedoorsweretobeopenedanhoursoonerthanusual,thatthebellswerenottoberung,andthattheorganshouldbesilent。

Theseprecautionshadbothagoodandabadside。Thegensd\'armesatthedoorofthemeetinghousegaveifnotapromiseofsecurityatleastapromiseofsupport,buttheyshowedtothecitizensoftheotherpartywhatwasabouttobedone;sobeforenineo\'clockgroupsofCatholicsbegantoform,andasithappenedtobeSundaytheinhabitantsoftheneighbouringvillagesarrivingconstantlybytwosandthreessoonunitedthesegroupsintoalittlearmy。Thusthestreetsleadingtothechurchbeingthronged,theProtestantswhopushedtheirwaythroughweregreetedwithinsultingremarks,andeventhepresidentoftheConsistory,whosewhite,hairanddignifiedexpressionhadnoeffectuponthemob,heardthepeopleroundhimsaying,"ThesebrigandsofProtestantsaregoingagaintotheirtemple,butweshallsoongivethemenoughofit。"

Theangerofthepopulacesoongrowshot;betweenthefirstbubbleandtheboiling—pointtheintervalisshort。Threatsspokeninalowvoiceweresoonsucceededbynoisyobjurgations。Women,children,andmenbrakeoutintoyells,"Downwiththebroilers！"（forthiswasoneofthenamesbywhichtheProtestantsweredesignated）。"Downwiththebroilers！Wedonotwanttoseethemusingourchurches:

letthemgiveusbackourchurches;letthemgiveusbackourchurches,andgotothedesert。Outwiththem！Outwiththem！Tothedesert！Tothedesert！"

Asthecrowddidnotgobeyondwords,howeverinsulting,andastheProtestantswerelonginuredtomuchworsethings,theyploddedalongtotheirmeeting—house,humbleandsilent,andwentin,undeterredbythedispleasuretheyaroused,whereupontheservicecommenced。

ButsomeCatholicswentinwiththem,andsoonthesameshoutswhichhadbeenheardwithoutwereheardalsowithin。Thegeneral,however,wasonthealert,andassoonastheshoutsaroseinsidethegensd\'armesenteredthechurchandarrestedthosewhohadcausedthedisturbance。Thecrowdstriedtorescuethemontheirwaytoprison,butthegeneralappearedattheheadofimposingforces,atthesightofwhichtheydesisted。Anapparentcamsucceededthetumult,andthepublicworshipwentonwithoutfurtherinterruption。

Thegeneral,misledbyappearances,wentoffhimselftoattendamilitarymass,andateleveno\'clockreturnedtohisquartersforlunch。Hisabsencewasimmediatelyperceivedandtakenadvantageof。

Inthe:twinklingofaneye,thecrowds,whichhaddispersed,gatheredtogetherinevengreaternumbersandtheProtestants,seeingthemselvesoncemoreindanger,shutthedoorsfromwithin,whilethegensd\'armesguardedthemwithout。Thepopulacepressedsocloselyroundthegensd\'armes,andassumedsuchathreateningattitude,thatfearingheandhismenwouldnotbeabletoholdtheirowninsuchathrong,thecaptainorderedM。Delbose,oneofhisofficers,torideoffandwarnthegeneral。Heforcedhiswaythroughthecrowdwithgreattrouble,andwentoffatagallop。Onseeingthis,thepeoplefelttherewasnotimetobelost;theyknewofwhatkindthegeneralwas,andthathewouldbeonthespotinaquarterofanhour。A

largecrowdisinvinciblethroughitsnumbers;ithasonlytopressforward,andeverythinggivesway,men,wood,iron。Atthismomentthecrowd,swayedbyacommonimpulse,sweptforward,thegensd\'armesandtheirhorseswerecrushedagainstthewall,doorsgaveway,andinstantlywithatremendousroaralivingwavefloodedthechurch。Criesofterrorandfrightfulimprecationswereheardonallsides,everyonemadeaweaponofwhatevercametohand,chairsandbencheswerehurledabout,thedisorderwasatitsheight;itseemedasifthedaysoftheMicheladeandtheBagarrewereabouttoreturn,whensuddenlythenewsofaterribleeventwasspreadabroad,andassailantsandassailedpausedinhorror。GeneralLagardehadjustbeenassassinated。

Asthecrowdhadforeseen,nosoonerdidthemessengerdeliverhismessagethanthegeneralsprangonhishorse,and,beingtoobrave,orperhapstooscornful,tofearsuchfoes,hewaitedfornoescort,but,accompaniedbytwoorthreeofficers,setoffatfullgalloptowardsthesceneofthetumult。Hehadpassedthroughthenarrowstreetswhichledtothemeeting—housebypushingthecrowdasidewithhishorse\'schest,when,justashegotoutintotheopensquare,ayoungmannamedBoisson,asergeantintheNimesNationalGuard,cameupandseemedtowishtospeaktohim。Thegeneralseeingamaninuniform,bentdownwithoutathoughtofdangertolistentowhathehadtosay,whereuponBoissondrewapistoloutandfiredathim。Theballbrokethecollar—boneandlodgedintheneckbehindthecarotidartery,andthegeneralfellfromhishorse。

Thenewsofthiscrimehadastrangeandunexpectedeffect;howeverexcitedandfrenziedthecrowdwas,itinstantlyrealisedtheconsequencesofthisact。ItwasnolongerlikethemurderofMarshalBruneatAvignonorGeneralRamelatToulouse,anactofvengeanceonafavouriteofNapoleon,butopenandarmedrebellionagainsttheking。Itwasnotasimplemurder,itwashightreason。

Afeelingoftheutmostterrorspreadthroughthetown;onlyafewfanaticswentonhowlinginthechurch,whichtheProtestants,fearingstillgreaterdisasters,hadbythistimeresolvedtoabandon。ThefirsttocomeoutwasPresidentOlivierDesmonts,accompaniedbyM。Vallongues,whohadonlyjustarrivedinthecity,butwhohadimmediatelyhurriedtothespotatthecallofduty。

M。Juillerat,histwochildreninhisarms,walkedbehindthem,followedbyalltheotherworshippers。Atfirstthecrowd,threateningandireful,hootedandthrewstonesatthem,butatthevoiceofthemayorandthedignifiedaspectofthepresidenttheyallowedthemtopass。DuringthisstrangeretreatovereightyProtestantswerewounded,butnotfatally,exceptayounggirlcalledJeannetteCornilliere,whohadbeensobeatenandill—usedthatshediedofherinjuriesafewdayslater。

InspiteofthemomentaryslackeningofenergywhichfollowedtheassassinationofGeneralLagarde,theCatholicsdidnotremainlonginastateoftotalinaction。Duringtherestofthedaytheexcitedpopulaceseemedasifshakenbyanearthquake。Aboutsixo\'clockintheevening,someofthemostdesperatecharactersinthetownpossessedthemselvesofahatchet,and,takingtheirwaytotheProtestantchurch,smashedthedoors,torethepastors\'gowns,rifledthepoor—box,andpulledthebookstopieces。Adetachmentoftroopsarrivedjustintimetopreventtheirsettingthebuildingonfire。

Thenextdaypassedmorequietly。Thistimethedisorderswereoftooimportantanaturefortheprefecttoignore,ashehadignoredsomanybloodyactsinthepast;soinduetimeafullreportwaslaidbeforetheking。ItbecameknowthesameeveningthatGeneralLagardewasstillliving,andthatthosearoundhimhopedthatthewoundwouldnotprovemortal。Dr。Delpech,whohadbeensummonedfromMontpellier,hadsucceededinextractingthebullet,andthoughhespokenowordofhope,hedidnotexpresslydeclarethatthecasewashopeless。

Twodayslatereverythinginthetownhadassumeditsordinaryaspect,andonthe21stofNovemberthekingissuedthefollowingedict:——

"Louis,bythegraceofGod,KingofFranceandofNavarre,"Toallthosetowhomthesepresentsshallcome,greeting:

"AnabominablecrimehascastastainonOurcityofNimes。

AseditiousmobhasdaredtoopposetheopeningoftheProtestantplaceofworship,incontemptoftheconstitutionalcharter,whichwhileitrecognisestheCatholicreligionasthereligionoftheState,guaranteestotheotherreligiousbodiesprotectionandfreedomofworship。Ourmilitarycommandant,whilsttryingtodispersethesecrowdsbygentlemeansbeforehavingresorttoforce,wasshotdown,andhisassassinhastillnowsuccessfullyevadedthearmofthelaw。Ifsuchanoutrageweretoremainunpunished,themaintenanceofgoodgovernmentandpublicorderwouldbeimpossible,andOurministerswouldbeguiltyofneglectingthelaw。

"WhereforeWehaveorderedanddoorderasfollows:

"Art。1。ProceedingsshallbecommencedwithoutdelaybyOurattorney,andtheattorney—general,againsttheperpetratorofthemurderousattackonthepersonofSieurLagarde,andagainsttheauthors,instigators,andaccomplicesoftheinsurrectionwhichtookplaceinthecityofNimesonthe12thofthepresentmonth。

"Art。2。Asufficientnumberoftroopsshallbequarteredinthesaidcity,andshallremainthereatthecostoftheinhabitants,untiltheassassinandhisaccompliceshavebeenproducedbeforeacourtoflaw。

"Art。3。AllthosecitizenswhosenamesarenotentitledtobeontherolloftheNationalGuardshallbedisarmed。

"OurKeeperoftheSeals,OurMinisterofWar,OurMinisteroftheInterior,andOurMinisterofPolice,areentrustedwiththeexecutionofthisedict。

"GivenatParisatOurCastleoftheTuileriesonthe2lstofNovemberintheyearofgrace1815,andofOurreignthe21st。

（Signed）Louis"

Boissinwasacquitted。

ThiswasthelastcrimecommittedintheSouth,anditledfortunatelytonoreprisals。

Threemonthsafterthemurderousattempttowhichhehadsonearlyfallenavictim,GeneralLagardeleftNimeswiththerankofambassador,andwassucceededasprefectbyM。d\'Argont。

Duringthefirm,just,andindependentadministrationofthelatter,thedisarmingofthecitizensdecreedbytheroyaledictwascarriedoutwithoutbloodshed。

Throughhisinfluence,MM。Chabot—Latour,Saint—Aulaire,andLascourwereelectedtotheChamberofDeputiesinplaceofMM。DeCalviere,DeVogue,andDeTrinquelade。

AnddowntothepresenttimethenameofM。d\'ArgontisheldinvenerationatNimes,asifhehadonlyquittedthecityyesterday。