returning; for as soon as the mob saw that ten or twelve of their victims
had slipped through their hands they made a furious attack on the
barracks, burst in the gates, and scaled the walls with such rapidity,
that the soldiers had no time to repossess themselves of their muskets,
and even had they succeeded in seizing them they would have been of
little use, as ammunition was totally wanting. The barracks being thus
carried by assault, a horrible massacre ensued, which lasted for three
hours. Some of the wretched men, being hunted from room to room, jumped
out of the first window they could reach, without stopping to measure its
height from the ground, and were either impaled on the bayonets held in
readiness below, or, falling on the pavement, broke their limbs and were
pitilessly despatched.

The gendarmes, who had really been called out to protect the retreat of
the garrison, seemed to imagine they were there to witness a judicial
execution, and stood immovable and impassive while these horrid deeds
went on before their eyes. But the penalty of this indifference was
swiftly exacted, for as soon as the soldiers were all done with, the mob,
finding their thirst for blood still unslacked, turned on the gendarmes,
the greater number of whom were wounded, while all lost their horses, and
some their lives.

The populace was still engaged at its bloody task when news came that the
army from Beaucaire was within sight of the town, and the murderers,
hastening to despatch some of the wounded who still showed signs of life,
went forth to meet the long expected reinforcements.

Only those who saw the advancing army with their own eyes can form any
idea of its condition and appearance, the first corps excepted. This
corps was commanded by M. de Barre, who had put himself at its head with