第 41 节
作者:铲除不公      更新:2021-02-20 18:51      字数:9321
  red…tufts; seizing the captain from behind by the hair; pulled him
  down。  Froment fired his pistol; but missed。  As he fell the captain
  drew his sword; but it was torn from his hands; and he received a cut
  from Froment's sword。  Upon this the captain made a great effort; and
  getting one of his arms free; drew a pistol from his pocket; drove
  back his assassins; fired at Froment; and missed him。  One of the men
  by his side was wounded and disarmed。
  A patrol of the regiment of Guienne; attached to which was M。 Boudon;
  a dragoon officer; was passing the Calquieres。  M。 Boudon was
  attacked by a band of red…tufts and his casque and his musket carried
  off。  Several shots were fired at him; but none of them hit him; the
  patrol surrounded him to save him; but as he had received two bayonet
  wounds; he desired revenge; and; breaking through his protectors;
  darted forward to regain possession of his musket; and was killed in
  a moment。  One of his fingers was cut off to get at a diamond ring
  which he wore; his pockets were rifled of his purse and watch; and
  his body was thrown into the moat。
  Meantime the place…des…Recollets; the Cours; the place…des…Carmes;
  the Grand…Rue; and rue de Notre Dame…de…l'Esplanade were filled with
  men armed with guns; pitchforks; and swords。  They had all come from
  Froment's house; which overlooked that part of Nimes called Les
  Calquieres; and the entrance to which was on the ramparts near the
  Dominican Towers。  The three leaders of the insurrectionFroment。
  Folacher; and Descombieztook possession of these towers; which
  formed a part of the old castle; from this position the Catholics
  could sweep the entire quay of Les Calquieres and the steps of the
  Salle de Spectacle with their guns; and if it should turn out that
  the insurrection they had excited did not attain the dimensions they
  expected nor gain such enthusiastic adherents; it would be quite
  feasible for them to defend themselves in such a position until
  relief came。
  These arrangements were either the result of long meditation or were
  the inspiration of some clever strategist。  The fact is that
  everything leads one to believe that it was a plan which had been
  formed with great care; for the rapidity with which all the
  approaches to the fortress were lined with a double row of militiamen
  all wearing the red tuft; the care which was taken to place the most
  eager next the barracks in which the park of artillery was stationed;
  and lastly; the manner in which the approach to the citadel was
  barred by an entire company (this being the only place where the
  patriots could procure arms); combine to prove that this plan was the
  result of much forethought; for; while it appeared to be only
  defensive; it enabled the insurrectionists to attack without much;
  danger; it caused others to believe that they had been first
  attacked。  It was successfully carried out before the citizens were
  armed; and until then only a part of the foot guard and the twelve
  dragoons at the palace had offered any resistance to the
  conspirators。
  The red flag round which; in case of civil war; all good citizens
  were expected to gather; and which was kept at the town hall; and
  which should have been brought out at the first shot; was now loudly
  called for。  The Abbe de Belmont; a canon; vicar…general; and
  municipal official; was persuaded; almost forced; to become
  standard…bearer; as being the most likely on account of his
  ecclesiastical position to awe rebels who had taken up arms in the
  name of religion。  The abbe himself gives the following account of
  the manner in which he fulfilled this mandate:
  〃About seven o'clock in the evening I was engaged with MM。 Porthier
  and Ferrand in auditing accounts; when we heard a noise in the court;
  and going out on the lobby; we saw several dragoons coming upstairs;
  amongst whom was M。 Paris。  They told us that fighting was going on
  in the place de…l'Eveche; because some one or other had brought a
  note to the porter ordering him to admit no more dragoons to the
  palace on pain of death。  At this point I interrupted their story by
  asking why the gates had not been closed and the bearer of the letter
  arrested; but they replied to me that it had not been possible;
  thereupon MM。 Ferrand and Ponthier put on their scarfs and went out。
  〃A few instants later several dragoons; amongst whom I recognised
  none but MM。 Lezan du Pontet; Paris junior; and Boudon; accompanied
  by a great number of the militia; entered; demanding that the red
  flag should be brought out。  They tried to open the door of the
  council hall; and finding it locked; they called upon me for the key。
  I asked that one of the attendants should be sent for; but they were
  all out; then I went to the hall…porter to see if he knew where the
  key was。  He said M。 Berding had taken it。  Meanwhile; just as the
  volunteers were about to force an entrance; someone ran up with the
  key。  The door was opened; and the red flag seized and forced into my
  hands。  I was then dragged down into the courtyard; and from thence
  to the square。
  〃It was all in vain to tell them that they ought first to get
  authority; and to represent to them that I was no suitable
  standard…bearer on account of my profession; but they would not
  listen to any objection; saying that my life depended upon my
  obedience; and that my profession would overawe the disturbers of the
  public peace。  So I went on; followed by a detachment of the Guienne
  regiment; part of the first company of the legion; and several
  dragoons; a young man with fixed bayonet kept always at my side。
  Rage was depicted on the faces of all those who accompanied me; and
  they indulged in oaths and threats; to which I paid no attention。
  In passing through the rue des Greffes they complained that I did not
  carry the red flag high enough nor unfurl it fully。  When we got to
  the guardhouse at the Crown Gate; the guard turned out; and the
  officer was commanded to follow us with his men。  He replied that he
  could not do that without a written order from a member of the Town
  Council。  Thereupon those around me told me I must write such an
  order; but I asked for a pen and ink; everybody was furious because I
  had none with me。  So offensive were the remarks indulged in by the
  volunteers and some soldiers of the Guienne regiment; and so
  threatening their gestures; that I grew alarmed。  I was hustled and
  even received several blows; but at length M。 de Boudon brought me
  paper and a pen; and I wrote:'I require the troops to assist us to
  maintain order by force if necessary。'  Upon this; the officer
  consented to accompany us。  We had hardly taken half a dozen steps
  when they all began to ask what had become of the order I had just
  written; for it could not be found。  They surrounded me; saying that
  I had not written it at all; and I was on the point of being trampled
  underfoot; when a militiaman found it all crumpled up in his pocket。
  The threats grew louder; and once more it was because I did not carry
  the flag high enough; everyone insisting that I was quite tall enough
  to display it to better advantage。
  〃However; at this point the militiamen with the red tufts made their
  appearance; a few armed with muskets but the greater number with
  swords; shots were exchanged; and the soldiers of the line and the
  National Guard arranged themselves in battle order; in a kind of
  recess; and desired me to go forward alone; which I refused to do;
  because I should have been between two fires。
  〃Upon this; curses; threats; and blows reached their height。  I was
  dragged out before the troops and struck with the butt ends of their
  muskets and the flat of their swords until I advanced。  One blow that
  I received between the shoulders filled my mouth with blood。
  〃All this time those of the opposite party were coming nearer; and
  those with whom I was continued to yell at me to go on。  I went on
  until I met them。  I besought them to retire; even throwing myself at
  their feet。  But all persuasion was in vain; they swept me along with
  them; making me enter by the Carmelite Gate; where they took the flag
  from me and allowed me to enter the house of a woman whose name I
  have never known。  I was spitting such a quantity of blood that she
  took pity on me and brought me everything she could think of as
  likely to do me good; and as soon as I was a little revived I asked
  to be shown the way to M。 Ponthier's。〃
  While Abbe de Belmont was carrying the red flag the militia forced
  the Town Councillors to proclaim martial law。  This had just been
  done when word was brought that the first red flag had been carried
  off; so M。 Ferrand de Missol got out another; and; followed by a
  considerable escort; took the same road as his colleague; Abbe de
  Belmont。  When he arrived at the Calquieres; the red…tufts; who still
  adorned the ramparts and towers; began to fire upon the procession;
  and one of the militia was disabled; the escort retreated; but M。
  Ferrand advanced alone to the Carmelite Gate; like M。 de Belmont; and
  like him; he too; was taken prisoner。
  He was brought to the tower; where he found Froment in a fury;
  declaring that the Council had not kept its promise; having sent no
  relief; and