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。