had taken a census of the population.

Then came the Consulate: the Protestants being mostly tradesmen and
manufacturers, were therefore richer than the Catholics, and had more to
lose; they seemed to see more chance of stability in this form of
government than in those preceding it, and it was evident that it had a
more powerful genius at its head, so they rallied round it with
confidence and sincerity. The Empire followed, with its inclination to
absolutism, its Continental system, and its increased taxation; and the
Protestants drew back somewhat, for it was towards them who had hoped so
much from him that Napoleon in not keeping the promises of Bonaparte was
most perjured.

The first Restoration, therefore, was greeted at Nimes with a universal
shout of joy; and a superficial-observer might have thought that all
trace of the old religious leaven had disappeared. In fact, for
seventeen years the two faiths had lived side by side in perfect peace
and mutual good-will; for seventeen years men met either for business or
for social purposes without inquiring about each other's religion, so
that Nimes on the surface might have been held up as an example of union
and fraternity.

When Monsieur arrived at Nimes, his guard of honour was drawn from the
city guard, which still retained its organisation of 1812, being composed
of citizens without distinction of creed. Six decorations were conferred
on it--three on Catholics, and three on Protestants. At the same time, M.
Daunant, M. Olivier Desmonts, and M. de Seine, the first the mayor, the
second the president of the Consistory, and the third a member of the
Prefecture, all three belonging to the Reformed religion, received the
same favour.