第 46 节
作者:铲除不公      更新:2021-02-20 18:51      字数:9322
  to La Palud to issue safe…conducts to the troops; who according to
  Article I of the capitulation were to return home 〃after laying down
  their arms。〃  But during the preceding day and night some of the
  royal volunteers had evaded this article by withdrawing with their
  arms and baggage。  As this infraction of the terms led to serious
  consequences; we propose; in order to establish the fact; to cite the
  depositions of three royal volunteers who afterwards gave evidence。
  〃On leaving the army of the Duc d'Angouleme after the capitulation;〃
  says Jean Saunier; 〃I went with my officers and my corps to
  Saint…Jean…des…Anels。  From there we marched towards Uzes。  In the
  middle of a forest; near a village; the name of which I have
  forgotten; our General M。 de Vogue told us that we were all to return
  to our own homes。  We asked him where we should deposit the flag。
  Just then Commandant Magne detached it from the staff and put it in
  his pocket。  We then asked the general where we should deposit our
  arms; he replied; that we had better keep them; as we should probably
  find use for them before long; and also to take our ammunition with
  us; to ensure our safety on the road。
  〃From that time on we all did what we thought best: sixty…four of us
  remained together; and took a guide to enable us to avoid Uzes。〃
  Nicholas Marie; labourer; deposed as follows:
  〃On leaving the army of the Duc d'Angouleme after the capitulation; I
  went with my officers and my corps to Saint…Jean…des…Anels。  We
  marched towards Uzes; but when we were in the middle of a forest;
  near a village the name of which I have forgotten; our general; M。 de
  Vogue; told us that we were to go to our own homes as soon as we
  liked。  We saw Commandant Magne loose the flag from its staff; roll
  it up and put it in his pocket。  We asked the general what we were to
  do with our arms; he replied that we were to keep both them and our
  ammunition; as we should find them of use。  Upon this; our chiefs
  left us; and we all got away as best we could。〃
  〃After the capitulation of the Duc d'Angouleme I found myself;〃
  deposes Paul Lambert; lace…maker of Nimes; 〃in one of several
  detachments under the orders of Commandant Magne and General Vogue。
  In the middle of a forest near a village; the name of which I do not
  know; M。 de Vogue and the other officer; told us we might go home。
  The flag was folded up; and M。 Magne put it in his pocket。  We asked
  our chiefs what we were to do with our arms。  M。 de Vogue told us
  that we had better keep them; as we should need them before very
  long; and in any case it would be well to have them with us on the
  road; lest anything should happen to us。〃
  The three depositions are too much alike to leave room for any doubt。
  The royal volunteers contravened Article I of the convention。
  Being thus abandoned by their chiefs; without general and without
  flag; M。 de Vogue's soldiers asked no further counsel of anyone but
  themselves; and; as one of them has already told us; sixty…four of
  them joined together to hire a guide who was to show them how to get
  by Uzes without going through it; for they were afraid of meeting
  with insult there。  The guide brought them as far as Montarem without
  anyone opposing their passage or taking notice of their arms。
  Suddenly a coachman named Bertrand; a confidential servant of Abbe
  Rafin; former Grand…Vicar of Alais; and of Baroness Arnaud…Wurmeser
  (for the abbe administered the estate of Aureillac in his own name
  and that of the baroness); galloped into the village of
  Arpaillargues; which was almost entirely Protestant and consequently
  Napoleonist; announcing that the miquelets (for after one hundred and
  ten years the old name given to the royal troops was revived) were on
  the way from Montarem; pillaging houses; murdering magistrates;
  outraging women; and then throwing them out of the windows。  It is
  easy to understand the effect of such a story。  The people gathered
  together in groups; the mayor and his assistant being absent;
  Bertrand was taken before a certain Boucarut; who on receiving his
  report ordered the generale to be beaten and the tocsin to be rung。
  Then the consternation became general: the men seized their muskets;
  the women and children stones and pitchforks; and everyone made ready
  to face a danger which only existed in the imagination of Bertrand;
  for there was not a shadow of foundation for the story he had told。
  While the village was in this state of feverish excitement the royal
  volunteers came in sight。  Hardly were they seen than the cry; 〃There
  they are!  There they are!〃 arose on all sides; the streets were
  barricaded with carts; the tocsin rang out with redoubled frenzy; and
  everyone capable of carrying arms rushed to the entrance of the
  village。
  The volunteers; hearing the uproar and seeing the hostile
  preparations; halted; and to show that their intentions were
  peaceful; put their shakos on their musket stocks and waved them
  above their heads; shouting that no one need fear; for they would do
  no harm to anyone。  But alarmed as they were by the terrible stories
  told by Bertrand; the villagers shouted back that they could not
  trust to such assurances; and that if they wanted to pass through the
  village they must first give up their weapons。  It may easily be
  imagined that men who had broken the convention in order to keep
  their weapons were not likely to give them up to these villagersin
  fact; they obstinately refused to let them out of their hands; and by
  doing so increased the suspicions of the people。  A parley of a very
  excited character took place between M。 Fournier for the royal guards
  and M。 Boucarut; who was chosen spokesman by the villagers。  From
  words they came to deeds: the miquelets tried to force their way
  through; some shots were fired; and two miquelets; Calvet and
  Fournier; fell。  The others scattered; followed by a lively
  discharge; and two more miquelets were slightly wounded。  Thereupon
  they all took to flight through the fields on either side of the
  road; pursued for a short distance by the villagers; but soon
  returned to examine the two wounded men; and a report was drawn up by
  Antoine Robin; advocate and magistrate of the canton of Uzes; of the
  events just related。
  This accident was almost the only one of its kind which happened
  during the Hundred Days: the two parties remained face to face;
  threatening but self…controlled。  But let there be no mistake: there
  was no peace; they were simply awaiting a declaration of war。  When
  the calm was broken; it was from Marseilles that the provocation
  came。  We shall efface ourselves for a time and let an eye…witness
  speak; who being a Catholic cannot be suspected of partiality for the
  Protestants。
  〃I was living in Marseilles at the time of Napoleon's landing; and I
  was a witness of the impression which the news produced upon
  everyone。  There was one great cry; the enthusiasm was universal; the
  National Guard wanted to join him to the last man; but Marshal
  Massena did not give his consent until it was too late; for Napoleon
  had already reached the mountains; and was moving with such swiftness
  that it would have been impossible to overtake him。  Next we heard of
  his triumphal entry into Lyons; and of his arrival in Paris during
  the night。  Marseilles submitted like the rest of France; Prince
  d'Essling was recalled to the capital; and Marshal Brune; who
  commanded the 6th corps of observation; fixed his headquarters at
  Marseilles。
  〃With quite incomprehensible fickleness; Marseilles; whose name
  during the Terror had been; as one may say; the symbol of the most
  advanced opinions; had become almost entirely Royalist in 1815。
  Nevertheless; its inhabitants saw without a murmur the tricolour flag
  after a year's absence floating once more above the walls。  No
  arbitrary interference on the part of the authorities; no threats;
  and no brawling between the citizens and the soldiers; troubled the
  peace of old Phocea; no revolution ever took place with such
  quietness and facility。
  〃It must; however; be said; that Marshal Brune was just the man to
  accomplish such a transformation without friction; in him the
  frankness and loyalty of an old soldier were combined with other
  qualities more solid than brilliant。  Tacitus in hand; he looked on
  at modern revolutions as they passed; and only interfered when the;
  voice of his country called him to her defence。  The conqueror of
  Harlem and Bakkun had been for four years forgotten in retirement; or
  rather in exile; when the same voice which sent him away recalled
  him; and at the summons Cincinnatus left his plough and grasped his
  weapons。  Physically he was at this period a man of about fifty…five;
  with a frank and open face framed by large whiskers; his head was
  bald except for a little grizzled hair at the temples; he was tall
  and active; and had a remarkably soldierly bearing。
  〃I had been brought into contact with him by a report which one of my
  friends and I had drawn up on the opinions of the people of the
  South; and of which he had asked to have a copy。  In a long
  conversation with us; he discussed the subject with the impartiality
  of a man who brings an open mind to a debate;