massacres of the south-第47节

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conversation　with　us；　he　discussed　the　subject　with　the　impartiality
of　a　man　who　brings　an　open　mind　to　a　debate；　and　he　invited　us　to
come　often　to　see　him。　　We　enjoyed　ourselves　so　much　in　his　society
that　we　got　into　the　habit　of　going　to　his　house　nearly　every
evening。

〃On　his　arrival　in　the　South　an　old　calumny　which　had　formerly
pursued　him　again　made　its　appearance；　quite　rejuvenated　by　its　long
sleep。　　A　writer　whose　name　I　have　forgotten；　in　describing　the
Massacres　of　the　Second　of　September　and　the　death　of　the　unfortunate
Princesse　de　Lamballe；　had　said；　'Some　people　thought　they　recognised
in　the　man　who　carried　her　head　impaled　on　a　pike；　General　Brune　in
disguise；'　and　this　accusation；　which　had　been　caught　up　with
eagerness　under　the　Consulate；　still　followed　him　so　relentlessly　in
1815；　that　hardly　a　day　passed　without　his　receiving　an　anonymous
letter；　threatening　him　with　the　same　fate　which　had　overtaken　the
princess。　　One　evening　while　we　were　with　him　such　a　letter　arrived；
and　having　read　it　he　passed　it　on　to　us。　　It　was　as　follows：

〃'Wretch；We　are　acquainted　with　all　your　crimes；　for　which　you　will
soon　receive　the　chastisement　you　well　deserve。　　It　was　you　who
during　the　revolution　brought　about　the　death　of　the　Princesse　de
Lamballe；　it　was　you　who　carried　her　head　on　a　pike；　but　your　head
will　be　impaled　on　something　longer。　　If　you　are　so　rash　as　to　be
present　at　the　review　of　the　Allies　it　is　all　up　with　you；　and　your
head　will　be　stuck　on　the　steeple　of　the　Accoules。　　Farewell；
SCOUNDREL！'


〃We　advised　him　to　trace　this　calumny　to　its　source；　and　then　to　take
signal　vengeance　on　the　authors。　　He　paused　an　instant　to　reflect；
and　then　lit　the　letter　at　a　candle；　and　looking　at　it　thoughtfully
as　it　turned　to　ashes　in　his　hand；　said；Vengeance！　　Yes；　perhaps　by
seeking　that　I　could　silence　the　authors　of　these　slanders　and
preserve　the　public　tranquillity　which　they　constantly　imperil。　　But
I　prefer　persuasion　to　severity。　　My　principle　is；　that　it　is　better
to　bring　men's　heads　back　to　a　right　way　of　thinking　than　to　cut　them
off；　and　to　be　regarded　as　a　weak　man　rather　than　as　a　bloodthirsty
one。'

〃The　essence　of　Marshal　Brune's　character　was　contained　in　these
words。

〃Public　tranquillity　was　indeed　twice　endangered　at　Marseilles　during
the　Hundred　Days；　and　both　times　in　the　same　manner。　　The　garrison
officers　used　to　gather　at　a　coffee…house　in　the　place　Necker；　and
sing　songs　suggested　by　passing　events。　　This　caused　an　attack　by　the
townspeople；　who　broke　the　windows　by　throwing　stones；　some　of　which
struck　the　officers。　　These　rushed　out；　crying；　'To　arms！'　　The
townspeople　were　not　slow　to　respond；　but　the　commandant　ordered　the
'geneydle'　to　beat；　sent　out　numerous　patrols；　and　succeeded　in
calming　the　excitement　and　restoring　quietness　without　any
casualties。

〃The　day　of　the　Champ　du　Mai　orders　for　a　general　illumination　were
given；　and　that　the　tricolour　flag　should　be　displayed　from　the
windows。　　The　greater　number　of　the　inhabitants　paid　no　attention　to
the　desires　of　the　authorities；　and　the　officers　being　annoyed　at
this　neglect；　indulged　in　reprehensible　excesses；　which；　however；
resulted　in　nothing　mare　serious　than　some　broken　windows　belonging
to　houses　which　had　not　illuminated；　and　in　some　of　the　householders
being　forced　to　illuminate　according　to　order。

〃In　Marseilles　as　in　the　rest　of　France；　people　began　to　despair　of
the　success　of　the　royal　cause；　and　those　who　represented　this　cause；
who　were　very　numerous　at　Marseilles；　gave　up　annoying　the　military
and　seemed　to　resign　themselves　to　their　fate。　　Marshal　Brune　had
left　the　city　to　take　up　his　post　on　the　frontier；　without　any　of　the
dangers　with　which　he　was　threatened　having　come　across　his　path。

〃The　25th　of　June　arrived；　and　the　news　of　the　successes　obtained　at
Fleurus　and　at　Ligny　seemed　to　justify　the　hopes　of　the　soldiers；
when；　in　the　middle　of　the　day；　muttered　reports　began　to　spread　in
the　town；　the　distant　reverberations　of　the　cannon　of　Waterloo。　　The
silence　of　the　leaders；　the　uneasiness　of　the　soldiers；　the　delight
of　the　Royalists；　foretold　the　outbreak　of　a　new　struggle；　the；
results　of　which　it　was　easy　to　anticipate。　　About　four　o'clock　in
the　afternoon；　a　man；　who　had　probably　got　earlier　information　than
his　fellow…townspeople；　tore　off　his　tricoloured　cockade　and　trampled
it　under　foot；　crying；　〃Long　live　the　king！〃　　The　angry　soldiers
seized　him　and　were　about　to　drag　him　to　the　guard…house；　but　the
National　Guards　prevented　them；　and　their　interference　led　to　a
fight。　　Shouts　were　heard　on　all　sides；　a　large　ring　was　formed　round
the　soldiers；　a　few　musket　shots　heard；　others　answered；　three　or
four　men　fell；　and　lay　there　weltering　in　their　blood。　　Out　of　this
confused　uproar　the　word　〃Waterloo〃　emerged　distinct；　and　with　this
unfamiliar　name　pronounced　for　the　first　time　in　the　resounding　voice
of　history；　the　news　of　the　defeat　of　the　French　army　and　the　triumph
of　the　Allies　spread　apace。　　Then　General　Verdier；　who　held　the　chief
command　in　the　absence　of　Marshal　Brune；　tried　to　harangue　the
people；　but　his　voice　was　drowned　by　the　shouts　of　the　mob　who　had
gathered　round　a　coffee…house　where　stood　a　bust　of　the　emperor；
which　they　insisted　should　be　given　up　to　them。　　Verdier；　hoping　to
calm；　what　he　took　to　be　a　simple　street　row；　gave　orders　that　the
bust　should　be　brought　out；　and　this　concession；　so　significant　on
the　part　of　a　general　commanding　in　the　emperor's　name；　convinced　the
crowd　that　his　cause　was　lost。　　The　fury　of　the　populace　grew　greater
now　that　they　felt　that　they　could　indulge　it　with　impunity；　they　ran
to　the　Town　Hall；　and　tearing　down　and　burning　the　tricoloured；
raised　the　white　flag。　　The　roll　of　the　generale；　the　clang　of　the
tocsin　were　heard；　the　neighbouring　villages　poured　in　their
populations　and　increased　the　throng　in　the　streets；　single　acts　of
violence　began　to　occur；　wholesale　massacres　were　approaching。　　I　had
arrived　in　the　town　with　my　friend　M____　the　very　beginning　of　the
tumult；　so　we　had　seen　the　dangerous　agitation　and　excitement　grow
under　our　eyes；　but　we　were　still　ignorant　of　its　true　cause；　when；
in　the　rue　de　Noailles；　we　met　an　acquaintance；　who；　although　his
political　opinions　did　not　coincide　with　ours；　had　always　shown
himself　very　friendly　to　us。　　'Well；'　said　I；　'what　news？'　　'Good　for
me　and　bad　for　you；'　he　answered；'　I　advise　you　to　go　away　at　once。'
Surprised　and　somewhat　alarmed　at　these　words；　we　begged　him　to
explain。　　'Listen；'　said　he；　'there　are　going　to　be　riots　in　the
town；　it　is　well　known　that　you　used　to　go　to　Brune's　nearly　every
evening；　and　that　you　are　in　consequence　no　favourite　with　your
neighbours；　seek　safety　in　the　country。'　I　addressed　some　further
question　to　him；　but；　turning　his　back　on　me；　he　left　me　without
another　word。

〃M_____　and　I　were　still　looking　at　each　other　in　stupefaction；　when
the　increasing　uproar　aroused　us　to　a　sense　that　if　we　desired　to
follow　the　advice　just　given　we　had　not　a　moment　to　lose。　We　hastened
to　my　house；　which　was　situated　in　the　Allees　de　Meilhan。　My　wife　was
just　going　out；　but　I　stopped　her。

〃'We　are　not　safe　here；'　I　said；　'we　must　get　away　into　the　country。'

〃'But　where　can　we　go？'

〃'Wherever　luck　takes　us。　Let　us　start。'

〃She　was　going　to　put　on　her　bonnet；　but　I　told　her　to　leave　it
behind；　for　it　was　most　important　that　no　one　should　think　we
suspected　anything；　but　were　merely　going　for　a　stroll。　　This
precaution　saved　us；　for　we　learned　the　next　day　that　if　our
intention　to　fly　had　been　suspected　we　should　have　been　stopped。

〃We　walked　at　random；　while　behind　us　we　heard　musket　shots　from
every　part　of　the　town。　　We　met　a　company　of　soldiers　who　were
hurrying　to　the　relief　of　their　comrades；　but　heard　later　that　they
had　not　been　allowed　to　pass　the　gate。

〃We　recollected　an　old　officer　of　our　acquaintance　who　had　quitted
the　service　and　withdrawn　from　the　world　some　years　before；　and　had
taken　a　place　in　the　country　near　the　village　of　Saint…Just；　we
directed　our　course　towards　his　house。

〃'Captain；'　said　I　to　him；　'they　are　murdering　each　other　in　the
town；　we　are　pursued　and　without　asylum；　so　we　come　to　you。'　　'That's
right；　my　children；'　said　he；　'come　in　and　welcome。　　I　have　never
meddled　with　political　affairs；　and　no　one　can　have　anything　against
me。　　No　one　will　think　of　looking　for　you　here。'

〃The　captain　had　friends　in　the　town；　who；　one　after　another；　reached
his　house；　and　brought　us　news　of　all　that　went　on　during　that
dreadful　day。　　Many　soldiers　had　been　killed；　and　the　Mamelukes　had
been　annihilated。　　A　negress　who　had　been　in　the　service　of　these
unfortunates　had　been　taken　on　the　quay。　　'Cry　〃Long　live　the　king！〃'
shouted　the　mob。　　'No；'　she　replied。　　'To　Napoleon　I　owe　my　daily
bread；　long　live　Napoleon！'　　A　bayonet…thrust　in　the　abdomen　was　the
answer。　　'Villains！'　said　she；　covering　the　wound　with　her　hand　to
keep　back　the　protruding　entrails。　　'Long　live　Napoleon！'　　A　push
sent　her　into　the　water；　she　sank；　but　rose　again　to　the　surface；　and
waving　her　hand；　she　cried　for　the　las