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form for the Catholics of Nimes； Uzes； and Alais。 But Froment and
his company paid no attention to the prohibition； and this
disobedience made a great impression on the Protestants； who began to
divine the hostility of their adversaries； and it is very possible
that if the new Town Council had not shut their eyes to this act of
insubordination； civil war might have burst forth in Nimes that very
day。
The next day； at roll…call； a sergeant of another company； one
Allien； a cooper by trade； taunted one of the men with having carried
a pitchfork the day before； in disobedience to orders。 He replied
that the mayor had permitted him to carry it； Allien not believing
this； proposed to some of the men to go with him to the mayor's and
ask if it were true。 When they saw M。 Marguerite； he said that he
had permitted nothing of the kind； and sent the delinquent to prison。
Half an hour later； however； he gave orders for his release。
As soon as he was free he set off to find his comrades； and told them
what had occurred： they； considering that an insult to one was an
insult to the whole company； determined on having satisfaction at
once； so about eleven o'clock P。M。 they went to the cooper's house；
carrying with them a gallows and ropes ready greased。 But quietly as
they approached； Allien heard them； for his door being bolted from
within had to be forced。 Looking out of the window； he saw a great
crowd； and as he suspected that his life was in danger； he got out of
a back window into the yard and so escaped。 The militia being thus
disappointed； wreaked their vengeance on some passing Protestants；
whose unlucky stars had led them that way； these they knocked about；
and even stabbed one of them three times with a knife。
On the 22nd April； 1790； the royaliststhat is to say； the
Catholicsassumed the white cockade； although it was no longer the
national emblem； and on the 1st May some of the militia who had
planted a maypole at the mayor's door were invited to lunch with him。
On the 2nd； the company which was on guard at the mayor's official
residence shouted several times during the day； 〃Long live the king！
Up with the Cross and down with the black throats！〃 （This was the
name which they had given to the Calvinists。） 〃Three cheers for the
white cockade！ Before we are done； it will be red with the blood of
the Protestants！〃 However； on the 5th of May they ceased to wear it；
replacing it by a scarlet tuft； which in their patois they called the
red pouf； which was immediately adopted as the Catholic emblem。
Each day as it passed brought forth fresh brawls and provocations：
libels were invented by the Capuchins； and spread abroad by three of
their number。 Meetings were held every day； and at last became so
numerous that the town authorities called in the aid of the
militia…dragoons to disperse them。 Now these gatherings consisted
chiefly of those tillers of the soil who are called cebets； from a
Provencal word cebe； which means 〃onion；〃 and they could easily be
recognised as Catholics by their red pouf； which they wore both in
and out of uniform。 On the other hand； the dragoons were all
Protestants。
However； these latter were so very gentle in their admonitions； that
although the two parties found themselves； so to speak； constantly
face to face and armed； for several days the meetings were dispersed
without bloodshed。 But this was exactly what the cebets did not
want； so they began to insult the dragoons and turn them into
ridicule。 Consequently； one morning they gathered together in great
numbers； mounted on asses； and with drawn swords began to patrol the
city。
At the same time； the lower classes； who were nearly all Catholics；
joined the burlesque patrols in complaining loudly of the dragoons；
some saying that their horses had trampled on their children； and
others that they had frightened their wives。
The Protestants contradicted them； both parties grew angry； swords
were half drawn； when the municipal authorities came on the scene；
and instead of apprehending the ringleaders； forbade the dragoons to
patrol the town any more； ordering them in future to do nothing more
than send twenty men every day to mount guard at the episcopal palace
and to undertake no other duty except at the express request of the
Town Council。 Although it was expected that the dragoons would
revolt against such a humiliation； they submitted； which was a great
disappointment to the cebets； who had been longing for a chance to
indulge in new outrages。 For all that； the Catholics did not
consider themselves beaten； they felt sure of being able to find some
other way of driving their quarry to bay。
Sunday； the 13th of June； arrived。 This day had been selected by the
Catholics for a great demonstration。 Towards ten o'clock in the
morning； some companies wearing the red tuft； under pretext of going
to mass； marched through the city armed and uttering threats。 The
few dragoons； on the other hand； who were on guard at the palace； had
not even a sentinel posted； and had only five muskets in the guard…
house。 At two o'clock P。M。 there was a meeting held in the Jacobin
church； consisting almost exclusively of militia wearing the red
tuft。 The mayor pronounced a panegyric on those who wore it； and was
followed by Pierre Froment； who explained his mission in much the
same words as those quoted above。 He then ordered a cask of wine to
be broached and distributed among the cebets； and told them to walk
about the streets in threes； and to disarm all the dragoons whom they
might meet away from their post。 About six o'clock in the evening a
red…tuft volunteer presented himself at the gate of the palace； and
ordered the porter to sweep the courtyard； saying that the volunteers
were going to get up a ball for the dragoons。 After this piece of
bravado he went away； and in a few moments a note arrived； couched in
the following terms：
〃The bishop's porter is warned to let no dragoon on horse or on foot
enter or leave the palace this evening； on pain of death。
13th June 1790。〃
This note being brought to the lieutenant； he came out； and reminded
the volunteer that nobody but the town authorities could give orders
to the servants at the palace。 The volunteer gave an insolent
answer； the lieutenant advised him to go away quietly； threatening if
he did not to put him out by force。 This altercation attracted a
great many of the red…tufts from outside； while the dragoons； hearing
the noise； came down into the yard； the quarrel became more lively；
stones were thrown； the call to arms was heard； and in a few moments
about forty cebets； who were prowling around in the neighbourhood of
the palace； rushed into the yard carrying guns and swords。 The
lieutenant； who had only about a dozen dragoons at his back； ordered
the bugle to sound； to recall those who had gone out； the volunteers
threw themselves upon the bugler； dragged his instrument from his
hands； and broke it to pieces。 Then several shots were fired by the
militia； the dragoons returned them； and a regular battle began。 The
lieutenant soon saw that this was no mere street row； but a
del