es he desired
to moderate, Jourdan was elevated to the command by the claims of
sedition and wickedness. The soldiers, when reproached with their
robberies and murders, similar to those of the _Gueux_ of Belgium, and
the _sans-culottes_ of Paris, received the reproach as an honour, and
called themselves the _brave brigands_ of Avignon. Jourdan at the head
of this band, ravaged and fired le Comtal, laid siege to Carpentras, was
repulsed, lost five hundred men, and fell back upon Avignon, still
shuddering at the murder of Lescuyer. He resolved on lending his arm and
his troop to the vengeance of the French party. On the 30th of August
Jourdan and his myrmidons closed the city-gates, dispersed through the
streets, going to the houses noted as containing enemies to the
Revolution, dragging out the inhabitants--men, women, aged persons, and
children,--all, without distinction of age, sex or innocence, and shut
them up in the palace. When night came, the assassins broke down the
doors and murdered with iron crow-bars these disarmed and supplicating
victims. In vain did they shriek to the national guard for aid: the city
hears the massacre without daring to give any signs of animation. The
daring of the crime chilled and paralysed every citizen. The murderers
preluded the death of the females by derision and insults which added
shame to terror, and the agonies of modesty to the pangs of murder. When
there were no more to be slain they mutilated the carcases, and swept
the blood into the sewer of the palace. They dragged the mutilated
corpses to La Glaciere, walled them up, and the vengeance of the people
was stamped upon them. Jourdan and his satellites offered the homage of
this night to the French mediators and the National Assembly. The
scoundrels of Paris admired--the Assembly shook with indignation, and
considered this crime as an outrage; whilst the president fainted on
reading the recital of this night at Avignon. The arrest of Jourdan and
his accomplices was commanded. Jourdan fled from Avignon, pursued by the
French; he dashed his horse in to the river of the Sargue: caught in the
middle of the river, by a soldier, he fired at him and missed. He was
seized and bound, and punishment awarded him, but the Jacobins compelled
the Girondists to agree to an amnesty for the crimes of Avignon. Jourdan
making sure of impunity, and proud of his iniquities, went thither to be
revenged on his denouncers.

The Assembly shuddered fo