BOOK THIRTY-THIRD.

The Reign of Terror of 1815-State of Paris-Situation of the SouthMassacres at Marseilles-Assassination of Marshal Brune at Avignon -Massacres at Nismes-The Verdets-Intervention of the Duke d'Angoulême-Heroism of General Lagarde-Assassination of Gene< ral Ramel at Toulouse-The twins of La Réole-Their trial-Their death-Labédoyère-His journey to Paris-His arrest-His trial—

His death.

I.

POLITICAL Opinions, hostile, but temperate as the climate and manners of the people, had not stained the capital with blood during the numerous political changes which we have narrated. The spectacle of the reign of terror, during the eighteen months' immolation by the convention, had inspired Paris with a satiety and horror of blood. The lively manners of the people-the events daily occurring under the eye, and becoming a necessary spectacle and food to public curiosity-the habit of seeing the rise, the fall, and the rising again of parties and of men-the numerous distractions in which the affections of nations, as well as their enmities evaporate-the presence of a foreign army, and of a civic force, controlling the multitude on the spot and at the instant-and above all the magnitude of a city, the inhabitants of which unknown to each other do not cherish those local antipathies of parish feuds, of religion, and party politics, and those personal animosities which are only extinguished by death-had preserved Paris from crimes.

II.

But the south was bubbling and boiling ever since 1814. The south is the focus of French imagination, and imagination is the boundary of popular impressions. It is through this

Situation of the south.

organ that the more indolent or more active sensibility receives and throws back again with more or less passiveness or force the reaction of events which humble or exalt a people. The southern populations of France constitute this movement, and sometimes this vertigo of the country. Aix had given birth to Mirabeau in '89-Marseilles had sent her children to provoke the 10th August in '92-Avignon had equalled in 1793 the crimes of Rome under her proscribers-Toulon had given itself to the English-Nismes to the Protestants-Lyons had armed and committed itself to the flames, to oppose the tyranny of the revolution, of which that plebeian city had been one of the most enthusiastic foci-the Cevennes, still bleeding with the executions of Louis XIV., kept alive in the hereditary opposition of the two creeds, by turns persecuted and persecutors, a leaven of hatred which fomented the political animosities.

The Restoration had made the protestants tremble for the preservation of freedom of conscience; they had dreaded the inevitable alliance between the descendants of Louis XIV and the successors of Bossuet, and though professing republican opinions, they had hailed as a salvation the return of Napoleon. Their joy had exasperated the catholics and the royalists, who were burning to avenge in turn the insults they had suffered, and the momentary triumph of their antagonists. Religion in their eyes consecrated their hatred. The news of the defeat of Waterloo, and of the abdication of Napoleon, broke the seal which still kept them within bounds. The people of the south were burning with anger and impatience against the military accomplices in the usurpation of their country.

Marseilles, the foremost city in the movement, could not restrain the cry of Vive le Roi! in the face of General Verdier's troops, who still cried Vive l'Empereur! General Verdier who was an old soldier of the Egyptian and Spanish wars, but inexpert in the management of seditions, vainly harangued the groups of people, who mistook his moderation for fear. An explosion took place, the tocsin sounded; the royalists, who constituted the immense majority of the country, hastened at the sound of the bells to assist the insurgents in the city

Massacres at Marseilles.

General Verdier had force sufficient to subdue everything; but knowing the intelligence of the Emperor's disaster, and not wishing to cause a vain effusion of blood, he retired upon Toulon, abandoning Marseilles and a part of Provence to the enthusiasm of their royalism. This humanity of the general was fatal to the imperialists, who were marked out by their employments or their opinions to the irrepressible fury of the people. The massacre commenced with the innocent remains of these Mamelukes whom Napoleon had formerly brought from Egypt, and who were peacably concluding their lives in a quarter of Marseilles where the sea and the sun reminded them of the East. Their innocent blood discoloured the waters of the port. Neither their wives nor children were spared. Furious ruffians, imitating the assassins of September, threw themselves madly upon these old companions of Napoleon, fancying that while they mutilated them they rent asunder that odious glory of which they were the living witnesses. The people added to their dead bodies, which were thrown into the sea, those of some inhabitants of Marseilles, known for their attachment to the Emperor. Assassination was succeeded by pillage, till the alarmed citizens at length took arms and quelled a commotion which, though gratifying to their feelings, threatened their families, their fortunes, and their dwellings.

III

Marshal Brune, who commanded the army of the south, learned at Toulon the massacres of Marseilles. His soldiers wished to avenge them, but he restrained their ardour, and resigned his command to the Marquis de Rivière, the commis sioner sent by the King to govern and pacify the south. Brune had only evinced, during his mission to Toulon, the firm neu trality of attitude of a general, who, while defending his country against foreigners, is desirous at the same time of restraining the passions of the interior. The royalists had nothing to reproach him with but his too easy obedience to the orders of Napoleon. He had hastened to yield to destiny,

Attack on Marshal Brune at Avignon.

and to make his army recognise Louis XVIII. a second time, in order to avoid a civil war.

Having accomplished this duty he quitted Toulon, and took the road to Paris. He was advised, but in vain, to go by sea, that he might travel with less danger to the capital; he was told of the rashness of a journey by land, amidst an excited population, for his name represented a detested cause, and might become the incentive to a crime. Brune, however, confided in his innocence and his courage.

He quitted Toulon on the night of the 31st July. In changing horses at Aix he was recognised, and the fury of the mob around him with difficulty allowed his carriage to depart. Having arrived on the morning of the 2nd August at Avignon, he stopped at an hotel in that city near the Rhône. The news of his arrival was instantaneously spread amongst that idle population who crowd the quays, the streets, and the squares, in a climate where people live out of doors. Amongst this stirring and unsettled people the slightest murmur creates an excitement. The name of Marshal Brune, the victim of an odious caluminy, had remained synonymous with a great crime in the imagination of the south. A report had circulated that this marshal, then an artisan and a fierce revolutionist, had participated in the masacres of September 1792 in the prisons of Paris, and that he had carried through the streets the bleeding head of the beautiful and innocent Princess de Lamballe.

This sinister report, which was in vain belied by the whole course of his military life, and even by his absence from Paris at the moment the crime was committed, circulated amongst the crowd. It was further added that this myrmidon of Bonapartc was going, not to the King in Paris, but to the army of the Loire, to assume its command and return to chastise the south These rumours being fomented by persons of some credit with the people, the hotel at which the marshal had put up was attacked by an immense crowd. It was in vain that the doors were closed and barricaded, and that M. de SaintCnamont, the prefect of Avignon, who was accidently in the same hotel, made himself known, and for a time dispersed the nob; it collected again in front of the town house. M. Puy,

Murder of Marshal Brune.

M. de Saint-Chamont, and M. de Balzac hastened with a handful of brave and generous citizens to tear their victim from these madmen; they succeeded a second time, by the force of supplications and energy, in rescuing the marshal. His carriage was proceeding towards the Rhône, but was again stopped in this short passage; and being assailed with clamours, pelted with stones, and threatened with knives, he was brought back a third time into the court yard of the hotel,

The prefect, the mayor, the officers, the aides-de-camp, Major Lambot, commanding the department, M. de Montagnat, chief of the national guard, M. Hughes, a lieutenantcolonel, on leave at Avignon, ranged themselves before the gate, opposed their bodies against the irruption, and swore to the people that they must pass over their dead bodies before they stained the city with the blood of a marshal of France, immolated without defence, without a crime, and without a trial. The cries of the people then rose against these magistrates and citizens, some of whom were compelled to retire that they might not increase the exasperation by their presence; others were thrown down, trampled on by the multitude, and dragged in the dust. Major Lambot got up, and with Hughes charged the assailants sword in hand: the latter fled, the door of the hotel was cleared, and Brune was again about to escape. M. de Balzac, the sous-prefect of the town, was repelling the most furious of the last groups of the mob, and the marshal's defenders were beginning to breathe, when at the moment peace was thought to be re-established, a discharge of fire-arms resounded from within the hotel, and the smoke of several shots issued from the window of the apartment where the marshal was awaiting his fate. One of the assassins, with his discharged gun in his hand, showed himself at the balcony, and announced to the people their dastardly triumph and vengeance-Brune was stretched dead upon the floor! A few villains, abandoning the attempt to enter by the door, had scaled the roofs of the neighbouring houses without being perceived, and creeping from thence to the garret window of the hotel, they soon found their way to the apartment in which Brune was congratulating himself on his deliverance. He was