he same time the red-tufts, seizing the captain from
behind by the hair, pulled him down. Froment fired his pistol, but
missed. As he fell the captain drew his sword, but it was torn from his
hands, and he received a cut from Froment's sword. Upon this the captain
made a great effort, and getting one of his arms free, drew a pistol from
his pocket, drove back his assassins, fired at Froment, and missed him.
One of the men by his side was wounded and disarmed.

A patrol of the regiment of Guienne, attached to which was M. Boudon, a
dragoon officer, was passing the Calquieres. M. Boudon was attacked by a
band of red-tufts and his casque and his musket carried off. Several
shots were fired at him, but none of them hit him; the patrol surrounded
him to save him, but as he had received two bayonet wounds, he desired
revenge, and, breaking through his protectors, darted forward to regain
possession of his musket, and was killed in a moment. One of his fingers
was cut off to get at a diamond ring which he wore, his pockets were
rifled of his purse and watch, and his body was thrown into the moat.

Meantime the place-des-Recollets, the Cours, the place-des-Carmes, the
Grand-Rue, and rue de Notre Dame-de-l'Esplanade were filled with men
armed with guns, pitchforks, and swords. They had all come from
Froment's house, which overlooked that part of Nimes called Les
Calquieres, and the entrance to which was on the ramparts near the
Dominican Towers. The three leaders of the insurrection--Froment.
Folacher, and Descombiez--took possession of these towers, which formed a
part of the old castle; from this position the Catholics could sweep the
entire quay of Les Calquieres and the steps of the Salle de Spectacle
with their guns, and if it should turn out that the insurrection they had
excited did not attain the dimensions they expected nor gain such
enthusiastic adherents, it would be quite feasible for them to defend
themselves in such a position until relief came.

These arrangements were either the result of long meditation or were the
inspiration of some clever strategist. The fact is that everything leads
one to believe that it was a plan which had been formed with great care,
for the rapidity with which all the approaches to the fortress were lined
with a double row of militiamen all wearing the red tuft, the care which
was taken to place the most eager next the barracks in which the park of
artillery was stationed, and