demanding liberty. This movement had
been ripe for some time among the lower classes, but it suddenly burst
forth and revealed itself in all its mighty power in the convocation of
the Etats Generaux.

In Nimes and the surrounding country, the agitation caused by this great
event was increased by the remembrance of the religious warfare that had
been waged there between the Protestants and Catholics for more than a
century. This enmity blazed out afresh, greatly aggravating the
bitterness naturally caused by the elections. Were not these last a mere
pretext invented by one sect to conceal their evil designs against the
other? Was it only a conflict between the champions of the old and of
the new regime, or were these excited men eager to take up arms one
against the other, mere fanatics ready to condemn others to martyrdom
and to accept it themselves? History has not yet decided this important
question; and sectarian passion has not yet allowed an impartial critic
to be heard. Still, it is a well-known fact that throughout the province
of Languedoc, and notably in Nimes, the political excitement was of the
most virulent character. Blood flowed there even sooner than in Paris.
The massacres at Nimes preceded the celebrated massacres of September by
more than two years; and in Avignon, though this city was as yet French
only in its situation and in the language of its inhabitants, the reign
of terror was at its height in the mouth of October, 1791.

In 1789, while the elections were in progress, signs of these coming
events began to manifest themselves. In Nimes the Catholics and
Protestants were bitterly denouncing one another, quarrelling over the
local offices, and striving in every possible way to gain the
ascendancy. The Marquis de Chamondrin was a Catholic, but he was very
tolerant and liberal in his opinions. One of his ancestors, at the
imminent risk of exile, had boldly opposed the revocation of the Edict
of Nantes. The Marquis shared the opinions of his ancestor; despotism
found no champion in him. He had read the philosophers of his time, and
he was convinced that equality in rights if not in fortunes could be
established between men. He recognized the necessity of reform, but he
detested violence; and he exerted all his influence to secure
moderation, to reconcile opponents and to draw men together. Thus at
Nimes, on more than one occasion, he had prevented the effusion of
blood. But the passions were so stro