the cut…throats； begging for his life for the sake of his wife and
children； in heartrending accents； to which his executioners replied
in mocking tones； 〃We have got you at last into our hands； have we？
You dog of a Bonapartist； why do you not call on your emperor to come
and help you out of this scrape？〃 The unfortunate man's entreaties
became more pitiful and their mocking replies more pitiless。 They
levelled their muskets at him several times； and then lowered them；
saying； 〃Devil take it； we won't shoot yet； let us give him time to
see death coming；〃 till at last the poor wretch； seeing there was no
hope of mercy； begged to be put out of his misery。
Drops of sweat stood on my forehead。 I felt my pockets to see if I
had nothing on me which I could use as a weapon； but I had not even a
knife。 I looked at my dog； he was lying flat at the foot of the
tree； and appeared to be a prey to the most abject terror。 The
prisoner continued his supplications； and the assassins their threats
and mockery。 I climbed quietly down out of the fig tree； intending
to fetch my pistols。 My dog followed me with his eyes； which seemed
to be the only living things about him。 Just as my foot touched the
ground a double report rang out； and my dog gave a plaintive and
prolonged howl。 Feeling that all was over； and that no weapons could
be of any use； I climbed up again into my perch and looked out。 The
poor wretch was lying face downwards writhing in his blood； the
assassins were reloading their muskets as they walked away。
Being anxious to see if it was too late to help the man whom I had
not been able to save； I went out into the street and bent over him。
He was bloody； disfigured； dying； but was yet alive； uttering dismal
groans。 I tried to lift him up； but soon saw that the wounds which
he had received from bullets fired at close range were both mortal；
one being in the head； and the other in the loins。 Just then a
patrol； of the National Guard turned round the corner of the street。
This； instead of being a relief； awoke me to a sense of my danger；
and feeling I could do nothing for the wounded man； for the death
rattle had already begun； I entered my house； half shut the door； and
listened。
〃Qui vive？〃 asked the corporal。
〃Idiot！〃 said someone else； 〃to ask ' Qui vive ？' of a dead man！〃
〃He is not dead；〃 said a third voice； 〃listen to him singing〃； and
indeed the poor fellow in his agony was giving utterance to dreadful
groans。
〃Someone has tickled him well；〃 said a fourth； 〃but what does it
matter？ We had better finish the job。〃
Five or six musket shots followed； and the groans ceased。
The name of the man who had just expired was Louis Lichaire； it was
not against him； but against his nephew； that the assassins had had a
grudge； but finding the nephew out when they burst into the house；
and a victim being indispensable； they had torn the uncle from the
arms of his wife； and； dragging him towards the citadel； had killed
him as I have just related。
Very early next morning I sent to three commissioners of police； one
after the other； for permission to have the corpse carried to the
hospital； but these gentlemen were either not up or had already gone
out； so that it was not until eleven o'clock and after repeated
applications that they condescended to give me the needed
authorisation。
Thanks to this delay； the whole town came to see the body of the
unfortunate man。 Indeed； the day which followed a massacre was
always kept as a holiday； everyone leaving his work undone and coming
out to stare at the slaughtered victims。 In this case； a man wishing
to amuse the crowd took his pipe out of his mouth and put it between
the teeth of the corpsea joke which had a marvellous success； those
present shrieking with laughter。
Many murders had been committed during the night； the companies had
scoured the streets singing some doggerel； which one of the bloody
wretches； being in poetic vein； had composed； the chorus of which
was；
〃Our work's well done；
We spare none！〃
Seventeen fatal outrages were committed； and yet neither the reports
of the firearms nor the cries of the victims broke the peaceful
slumbers of M； le Prefet and M。 le Commissaire General de la Police。
But if the civil authorities slept； General Lagarde； who had shortly
before come to town to take command of the city in the name of the
king； was awake。 He had sprung from his bed at the first shot；
dressed himself； and made a round of the posts； then sure that
everything was in order； he had formed patrols of chasseurs； and had
himself； accompanied by two officers only； gone wherever he heard
cries for help。 But in spite of the strictness of his orders the
small number of troops at his disposition delayed the success of his
efforts； and it was not until three o'clock in the morning that he
succeeded in securing Trestaillons。 When this man was taken he was
dressed as usual in the uniform of the National Guard； with a cocked
hat and captain's epaulets。 General Lagarde ordered the gens d'armes
who made the capture to deprive him of his sword and carbine； but it
was only after a long struggle that they could carry out this order；
for Trestaillons protested that he would only give up his carbine
with his life。 However； he was at last obliged to yield to numbers；
and when disarmed was removed to the barracks； but as there could be
no peace in the town as long as he was in it； the general sent him to
the citadel of Montpellier next morning before it was light。
The disorders did not； however； cease at once。 At eight o'clock A。M。
they were still going on； the mob seeming to be animated by the
spirit of Trestaillons； for while the soldiers were occupied in a
distant quarter of the town a score of men broke into the house of a
certain Scipion Chabrier； who had remained hidden from his enemies
for a long time； but who had lately returned home on the strength of
the proclamations published by General Lagarde when he assumed the
position of commandant of the town。 He had indeed been sure that the
disturbances in Nimes were over； when they burst out with redoubled
fury on the 16th of October； on the morning of the 17th he was
working quietly at home at his trade of a silk weaver； when； alarmed
by the shouts of a parcel of cut…throats outside his house； he tried
to escape。 He succeeded in reaching the 〃Coupe d'Or；〃 but the
ruffians followed him； and the first who came up thrust him through
the thigh with his bayonet。 In consequence of this wound he fell
from top to bottom of the staircase； was seized and dragged to the
stables； where the assassins left him for dead； with seven wounds in
his body。
This was； however； the only murder committed that day in the town；
thanks to the vigilance and courage of General Lagarde。
The next day a considerable crowd gathered； and a noisy deputation
went to General Lagarde's quarters and insolently demanded that
Trestaillons should be set at liberty。 The general ordered them to
disperse； but no attention was paid to this command； whereupon he
ordered his soldiers to charge； and in a moment force accomplished
what long…continued persuasion had failed to effect。 Several of the
ringleaders were arrested and taken to prison。
Thus； as we shall see； the struggle assumed a new phase： resistance
to the royal power was made in the name of the royal power； and both
those who broke or those who tried to maintain the public peace used
the same cry； 〃Long live the king！〃
The firm attitude assumed by General Lagarde restored Nimes to a
state of superficial peace； beneath which； however； the old enmities
were fermenting。 An occult power； which betrayed itself by a kind of
passive resistance； neutralised the effect of the measures taken by
the military commandant。 He soon became cognisant of the fact that
the essence of this sanguinary political strife was an hereditary
religious animosity； and in order to strike a last blow at this； he
resolved； after having received permission from the king； to grant
the general request of the Protestants by reopening their places of
worship； which had been closed for more than four months； and
allowing the public exercise of the Protestant religion； which had
been entirely suspended in the city for the same length of time。
Formerly there had been six Protestant pastors resident in Nimes； but
four of them； had fled； the two who remained were MM。 Juillerat and
Olivier Desmonts； the first a young man； twenty…eight years of age；
the second an old man of seventy。
The entire weight of the ministry had fallen during this period of
proscription on M。 Juillerat； who had accepted the task and
religiously fulfilled it。 It seemed as if a special providence had
miraculously protected him in the midst of the many perils which
beset his path。 Although the other pastor； M。 Desmonts； was
president of the Consistory； his life was in much less danger； for；
first； he had reached an age which almost everywhere commands
respect； and then he had a son who was a lieutenant in； one of the
royal corps levied at Beaucaire； who protected him by his name when
he could not do so by his presence。 M。 Desmonts had therefore little
cause for anxiety as to his safety either in the streets of Nimes or
on the road between that and his country house。
But； as we have said； it was not so with M。 Juillerat。 Being young
and active； and having an unfaltering trust in God； on him alone
devolved all the sacred duties of his office； from the visitation of
the sick and dying to the baptism of the newly born。 These latter
were often brought to him at night to be baptized； and he consented；
though unwillingly； to make this concession； feeling that if he
insisted on the performance of the rite by day he would compromise
not only his own safety but that of others。 In all that concerned
him personally； such as consoling the dying or caring for the
wounded； he acted quite openly； and no danger that he encountered on
his way ever caused him to flinch from the path of duty。
One day； as M。 Juillerat was passing through the rue des Barquettes
on his way to the prefecture to transact some busi