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severe for Mandrin；＇42＇ because their war is not merely on public
persons and property； as his was； but on the possessions； the
proprieties； and the lives of private individuals。 One detachment
alone； at one time； extorts in Cavaillon 25；000 francs； in Baume
12；000； in Aubignon 15；000； in Pioline 4；800； while Caumont is taxed
2；000 francs a week。 At Sarrians； where the mayor gives them the keys；
they pillage houses from top to bottom； carry off their plunder in
carts； set fire； violate and slay with all the refinements of torture
of so many Hurons。 An old lady of eighty； and a paralytic； is shot at
arms length； and left weltering in her blood in the midst of the
flames。 A child five years of age is cut in two； its mother
decapitated； and its sister mutilated； they cut off the ears of the
curé； set them on his brow like a cockade； and then cut his throat；
along with that of a pig； and tear out the two hearts and dance around
them。＇43＇ After this； for fifty days around Carpentras； to which they
lay siege in vain； the unprovoked； cruel instincts of the chauffeurs
manifested at a later date； the ancient cannibalistic desires which
sometimes reappear in convicts； and the perverted and over…strained
sensuality found in maniacs； have full play。
On beholding the monster it has nourished； Avignon； in alarm； utters
cries of distress。＇44＇ But the brute； which feels its strength； turns
against its former abettors； shows its teeth； and exacts its daily
food。 Ruined or not； Avignon must furnish its quota。 〃In the
electoral assembly； Mainvielle the younger； elected elector； although
he is only twenty…two； draws two pistols from his belt and struts
around with a threatening air。〃＇45＇ Duprat； the president； the better
to master his colleagues； proposes to them to leave Avignon and go to
Sorgues； which they refuse to do； upon this he orders cannon to be
brought； promises to pay those who will accompany him； drags along the
timid； and denounces the rest before an upper national court； of which
he himself has designated the members。 Twenty of the electors thus
denounced are condemned and proscribed； Duprat threatens to enter by
force and have them executed on the spot； and； under his leadership；
the army of Mandrins advances against Avignon。 Its progress is
arrested； and； for two months； restrained by the two mediating
commissioners for France； they reduce its numbers； and it is on the
point of being disbanded； when the brute again boldly seizes its prey；
about to make its escape。 On the 21st of August； Jourdan； with his
herd of miscreants； obtains possession of the palace。 The municipal
body is driven out； the mayor escapes in disguise； Tissot； the
secretary； is cut down； four municipal officers and forty other
persons are thrown into prison； while a number of houses belonging to
the fugitives and to priests are pillaged； and thus supply the bandits
with their first financial returns。＇46＇ Then begins the great
fiscal operation which is going to fill their pockets。 Five front
men； chosen by Duprat and his associates； compose； with Lécuyer as
secretary； a provisional municipal body； which； taxing the town
300；000 francs and suppressing the convents； offers the spoils of the
churches for sale。 The bells are taken down； and the hammers of the
workmen engaged in breaking them to pieces are heard all day long。 A
strong…box full of plate； diamonds； and gold crosses； left with the
director of the Mont…de…Piété； on deposit； is taken and carried off to
the commune； a report is spread that the valuables pawned by the poor
had been stolen by the municipality； and that those 〃robbers had
already sent away eighteen trunks full of them。〃 Upon this the women；
exasperated at the bare walls of the churches； together with the
laborers in want of work or bread； all the common class； become
furious； assemble of their own accord in the church of the Cordeliers；
summon Lécuyer to appear before them； drag him from the pulpit and
massacre him。＇47＇
This time there seems to be an end of the brigand party； for the
entire town； the populace and the better class； are against them；
while the peasants in the country shoot them down wherever they come
across them。 Terror； however； supplies the place of numbers； and；
with the 350 hired killers bravos still left to them； the extreme
Jacobins undertake to overcome a city of 30；000 souls。 Mainvielle the
elder； dragging along two cannon； arrives with a patrol； fires at
random into the already semi…abandoned church； and kills two men。
Duprat assembles about thirty of the towns…people； imprisoned by him
on the 31st of August； and； in addition to these； about forty artisans
belonging to the Catholic brotherhoods； porters； bakers； coopers； and
day…laborers； two peasants； a beggar； a few women seized haphazard and
on vague denunciations； one of them； 〃because she spoke ill of Madame
Mainvielle。〃 Jourdan supplies the executioners； the apothecary Mende；
brother…in…law of Duprat； plies them with liquor； while a clerk of
Tournal； the newsman； bids them 〃kill all； so that there shall be no
witnesses left。〃 Whereupon； at the reiterated orders of Mainvielle；
Tournal； Duprat； and Jourdan； with a complications of hilarious
lewdness；＇48＇ the massacre develops itself on the 16th of October and
following days； during sixty…six hours； the victims being a couple of
priests； three children； an old man of eighty； thirteen women； two of
whom are pregnant； in all； sixty…one persons； with their throats slit
or knocked out and then cast one on top of each other into the
Glacière hole； a mother on the body of her infant； a son on the body
of his father； all finished off with rocks； the hole being filled up
with stones and covered over with quicklime on account of the
smell。＇49＇ In the meantime about a hundred more； killed in the
streets； are pitched into the Sorgues canal； five hundred families
make their escape。 The ousted bandits return in a body； while the
assassins who are at the head of them； enthroned by murder； organize
for the benefit of their new band a legal system of brigandage；
against which nobody defends himself。＇50＇
These are the friends of the Jacobins of Arles and Marseilles； the
respectable men whom M。 d'Antonelle has come to address in the
cathedral at Avignon。＇51＇ These are the pure patriots； who； with
their hands in the till and their feet in gore； caught in the act by a
French army； the mask torn off through a scrupulous investigation；
universally condemned by the emancipated electors； also by the
deliberate verdict of the new mediating commissioners；＇52＇ are
included in the amnesty proclaimed by the Legislative Assembly a month
before their last crime。 … But the sovereigns of the Bouches…du…Rh？ne
do not regard the release of their friends and allies as a pardon：
something more than pardon and forgetfulness must be awarded to the
murderers of the Glacière。 On the 29th of April； 1792； Rebecqui and
Be