Such impartiality on the part of Monsieur almost betrayed a preference,
and this offended the Catholics. They muttered to one another that in
the past there had been a time when the fathers of those who had just
been decorated by the hand of the prince had fought against his faithful
adherents. Hardly had Monsieur left the town, therefore, than it became
apparent that perfect harmony no longer existed.

The Catholics had a favorite cafe, which during the whole time the Empire
lasted was also frequented by Protestants without a single dispute caused
by the difference of religion ever arising. But from this time forth the
Catholics began to hold themselves aloof from the Protestants; the latter
perceiving this, gave up the cafe by degrees to the Catholics, being
determined to keep the peace whatever it might cost, and went to a cafe
which had been just opened under the sign of the "Isle of Elba." The
name was enough to cause them to be regarded as Bonapartists, and as to
Bonapartists the cry "Long live the king!" was supposed to be offensive,
they were saluted at every turn with these words, pronounced in a tone
which became every day more menacing. At first they gave back the same
cry, "Long live the king!" but then they were called cowards who
expressed with their lips a sentiment which did not come from their
hearts. Feeling that this accusation had some truth in it, they were
silent, but then they were accused of hating the royal family, till at
length the cry which at first had issued from full hearts in a universal
chorus grew to be nothing but an expression of party hatred, so that on
the 21st February, 1815, M. Daunant the mayor, by a decree, prohibited
the public from using it, as it had become a means of exciting sedition.
Party feeling had reached this height at Nimes when, on the 4th March,
the news of the landing of Napoleon arrived.