mandate of Maignet, fatal was the fabled wand of an evil magician, ftruck the rich and luxuriant foil with fudden fterility. The flourishing manufactures of Bedouin fhared the fate of its defolated fields; and all that was faved from the general wreck were the treasures spread by the fruitful filk worm upon the tops of the trees by which it is nourished. A tribunal of blood was formed by the order of Maignet; every day the deftined number of victims were marked by the public accufer; and the inhabitants, who were unable to name the guilty perfons, were all involved in one profcription. Thofe who leaped the knife of the guillotine fought for fhelter in the depths of caverns, after the conflagration of their habitations, on the ruins of which placards were fixed, forbidding any person to approach the spot. The hollow cliffs reechoed the moans of the widow and the orphan. Two hundred and eighty young men of Bedouin, who had flown to the frontier even before the requifition in order to defend their country, in vain difpatch fucceffive letters, inquiring with folicitude after their parents. Thofe gallant young foldiers will return to their native village, their brows bound with the laurels of valour. Alas! they will find their native village but one fad heap of ruins!-in vain they will call upon the tender names of father, of mother, of fifter:-a melancholy voice will feem to iffue from the earth that covers them, and figh, they are no more! For those victorious warriors no car of triumph is prepared; no mother's tears of tranfport hall hail the bleffed moment of their return; no father fhall clafp them to his bofom with exulting joy, proud of their heroic deeds. Ah, no! their toils, their dangers, and their generous facrifices fhall find no recompence in the sweetness of domeftic affection, in the foothing blifs which, after abfence, belongs to home!-alas! their homes are levelled with the ground; they will find no fpot upon which to repofe their wearied limbs but the graves of their murdered pa rents. The village of Bedouin was too confined a sphere for the deftroying genius of Maignet. His thirft of blood was not yet allayed, his tafte for defolation was not yet gratified. A wider fcene of ruin fired his imagination, and his creative genius furnished the committee of public fafety with a model for the law of the 22d of Prairial, which banished all judicial forms from the revolutionary tribunal of Paris. Maignet, after the deftruction of Bedouin, caufed, what he termed a popular commiffion, to be erected at Orange, for the purpofe of trying all the counter-revolutionists of the departments of Vauclufe, and the mouth of the Rhone, without any written evidence, and without a jury. Twelve or fifteen thousand perfons are imprisoned in thofe departments,' fays Maignet, in a letter to Couthon; if I were to execute the decree which orders all confpirators to be brought to Paris, it would require an army to conduct them, and they muft be billeted like foldiers upon the road." Maignet therefore obtained the fanction of the committee of public fafety, which was given without the confent of the convention, to his plan of forming a popular commiffion at Orange. The Committee of public fafety named the judges, who by their conduct juftifi-. ed the difcernment with which they were chofen, and proceeded with revolutionary rapidity in their work of death : * You know, fays the fecretary of the commiffion, in a letter to Payan, the fituation of Orange; the guillotine is placed in the front of the mountain, and it feems as if the heads in falling paid it the homage it deferves.' Sometimes however the majority of the judges of Orange complain in their letters of two of their colleagues whofe confciences had not altogether attained the height of the revolution. Faurety, the prefident of the commiffion, fays in a letter to Payan, Ragot Feruex and myself are au pas Roman Fouvofa is a good creature, but an adherent to forms, and a little off the revolutionary point which he ought to touch. Meillerit, my fourth colleague, is good for nothing, abfolutely good for nothing in the place he occupies; he is fometimes difpofed to fave counter-revolutionary priefts; he must have proofs, as at the ordinary tribunals of the ancient fyftem.' Those troublesome scruples of two of the judges were however fo completely overruled by the majority of their colleagues, that the departments of Vauclufe and the mouth of the Rhone 'became *The military expreffion of marching au pas, to the beat of the daum, became a fort of cant term, much in ufe during the tyranny of Robefpierre; and adher ence to the principles and doctrines of the day was fignified by faying je fuis au pas. became the fcenes of the moft horrible outrages against humanity. Multitudes had already perifhed by the murderous commiffion of Orange, and multitudes in the gloom of prifons awaited the fame fate, when the fall of Robespierre stopped the torrent of human blood. Amid the mafs of far-fpread evil, amid the groans of general calamity, no doubt many a figh of private forrow has never reached the ear of fympathy, and many a victim has fallen unpitied and unknown. Some of the martyrs of Maignet's tyranny have however found a fad hiftorian of the penfive plain;' and the fate of Monf. de M's family, which I have heard related much in detail by an old female fervant who was the companion of their misfortunes, is not the leaft affecting of thofe tales of forrow. M. de M, formerly a noble, lived with his fon, an only child, at Marfeilles, where he was generally refpected, and where, during the progrefs of the revolution, he had acted the part of a firm and enlightened patriot. After the fatal events of the 31st of May, he became fufpected of what was called federalism by the jacobin party, which ufurped the power in that city, and punifhed with imprisonment or death all thofe who had honourably protefted against the tyranny of the mountain faction. M. Mwas warned of the danger by a friend, time enough to fly from the city, accompanied only by an old female fervant, who entreated to share the fortune of her mafter. His wife died fome years before the revolution; and his fon, an amiable, an accomplished young man, of twenty-four years of age, had, a few weeks before his father's flight, been called upon by the first requifition, and had joined the army of the Pyrenees. from this ruftic habitation, a clear torrent rolls with no icanty ftream down a bold rock, into which its fall had worn grots and caverns, which were luxuri oufly decorated with shrubs for ever watered by the fpray. The torrent not falling from a very confiderable height, produced founds more foothing than noisy, and, without having the power of exciting the fenfation of fublimity, awakened that of the penfive pleafing melancholy. This fequeftrated valley, rich in the wild graces of nature, had efcaped the decorations of French art, and no jets d'eaux, clipped trees, and alleys who have brothers,' deformed its folitary recefles. Far above, and at fome diftance, arofe the lofty mountain of Ventoux, covered with its eternal fnows; that mountain, which Petrarch climbed, in fpite of the fteep rocks that guard its afcent, and from the fummit of which he gazed upon the Alps; the boundary of his native country, and fighed; or caft his looks upon the waves of the Mediterranean which bathe Marfeilles, and dash themfelves against Aignes-Mortes; while he faw the rapid Rhone flowing majeftically along the valley, and the clouds rolling beneath his feet. Such was the fcene where M. de M-fought for refuge, and where he fheltered himself from the rage of his fe rocious perfecutors. He had, foon after, the anguish of hearing that his brother, who had a place in the administration of one of the fouthern departments, and who had taken an active part on the fide of the Gironde, had perifhed on the scaffold. M. de M found means to inform his fifter-in-law of the place of his retreat, to which he conjured her to has ten with her daughter, and fhare the lit tle property which he had refcued from the general wreck of his fortune. His old fervant Marianne, who was the bear, er of this meffage, returned, accompani M. de M, after wandering as far as his infirmities would permit (for although only in his fixty-third year, his frame was much debilitated by a long courfe of ill health) took refuge in a fo-ed by his niece; her mother was no litary habitation, at a few leagues diftance from Ariquon, and one of the wildeft parts of that romantic country. The mountains feem to close the fcene upon the traveller, till by a narrow cleft it again opens into a fmall valley, where this little hermitage, for fuch was the afpect of the dwelling, was placed. This unfrequented valley was rich with pafturage, and bounded by lofty hills, wooded cliffs, and in fome parts by large grotefque rocks with fharp peaks, that rofe above the foliage of hanging forefts. Not far more: he had furvived only a few weeks the death of her husband. The interview between mademoiselle Adelaide de M and her uncle produced thofe emotions of overwhelming forrow, that arife at the fight of objects which intereft our affections, after we have fuftained any deep calamity; in thofe moments, the paft rushes on the mind with uncontroulable vehemence; and mademoifelle de M, after having long embraced her uncle, with an agony that choked all utterance, at length pronoun ced ced, in the accents of defpair, the names of father and of mother. M. de Mendeavoured to fupply to his unfortunate niece the place of the parents fhe had loft, and forgot his own evils in this attempt to foothe the affliction of this interefting mourner, who, at nineteen years of age, in all the bloom of beauty, was the prey of a deep and of a fettled melancholy. She had too much fenfibility not to feel his tender cares, and often reftrained her tears in his prefence, because they gave him pain. When those tears would no longer be fuppreffed, the wandered out alone, and, then feating herself on fome fragment of rock, foothed by the murmurs of the hollow winds and moaning waters, indulged her grief without controul. In one of thofe lonely rambles, facred to her forrows, he was awakened from melancholy mufing by the fudden appearance of her coufin, the fon of M. de M, who, after having repeatedly expofed his life during a long, and perilous campaign, in the fervice of his country, returned-to find his home deferted and his father an exile. Such were the rewards which the gallant defenders of liberty received from the hands of tyrants. The young man flew to his father's retreat, where the firft object he saw was his lovely coufin, whom he had a few months before beheld in all the pride of youth ful beauty; her cheek flushed with the gay fuffufion of health, and her eye fparkling with pleafure. That cheek was now covered with fixed palenefs, and that eye was now dimmed with tears; but Madem. de Mnever appeared to him so interefting as in this moment. Two young perfons, placed together in fuch peculiar circumftances, must have had hearts infenfible indeed, had they conceived no attachment for each other. The fon of M. de M, and Adelaide, who both poffeffed an uncommon fhare of fenfibility, foon felt, that while all beyond the narrow cleft which feparated the little valley from the reft of the world was mifery and diforder, whatever could give value to exiflence was to be found within its favage boundary, in that reciprocal affection which foothed the evils of the paft, and fhed a foft and cheering ray over the gloom of the future. The fcene in which they were placed was peculiarly calculated to cherish the illufions of paffion; not merely from difplaying thofe fimple and romantic beauties, the contemplation of which foftens while it elevates the affections-it had alfo that local charm which endears to minds of tafte and fentiment fpots which have been celebrated by the powers of genius. Petrarch, the tender, the immortal Petriarch, had trode thofe very valleys, had climbed those very rocks, had wandered in thofe very woods-and the two young perfons, who both underflood Italian, when they read together the melodious ftrains of that divine poet, found themfelves tranfported into new regions, and forgot for a while that revolutionary government exifted. From those dreams, thofe delightful illufions, they were awakened by a letter, which a friend and fellow-foldier of young de M- -conveyed to him, in which he conjured him to return immediately to the army, if he would fhun being claffed among the fufpected or the profcribed. Young de M— confidered the defence of his country as a facred duty which he was bound to fulfil. He inftantly prepared to depart. Bid adieu to his father and Adelaide with tears wrung from a bleeding heart, and tore himself away with an effort, which it required the exertion of all his fortitude to fuftain. After having paffed the cleft which enclofed the valley, he again turned back to gaze once more on the spot which contained all his treasure. Adelaide, after his departure, had no confolation but in the fad yet dear indulgence of tender recollections; in fhedding tears over the paths in which they had troở,-over the books they had read together. Alas, this unfortunate young lady had far other pangs to fuffer than the tender repinings of abfence from a beloved object! Some weeks after the departure of her lover, the departments of Vauclufe and the mouth of the Rhone were defolated by Maignet. Two prescribed victims of his tyranny, who were friends of M. de M, and knew the place of his retreat, fought for an afylum in his dwelling. M. de M received his fugitive friends with affectionate kindness. But a few days after their arrival their retreat was difcovered by the emiffaries of Maignet; the narrow pafs of the valley was guarded by foldiers; the house was encompaffed by a military force; and M. de M- - was fummoned to depart with the confpirators whom he had dared to harbour, in order to appear with them before the popular commiffion eftablished at Orange. This laft froke his unhappy niece had no power to fuftain. All the wounds of her foul were fuddenly and rudely torn open; and al together together overhelmed by this unexpected, this terrible calamity, which filled up the measure of her afflictions, her reafon entirely forfook her. With frantic ago ny the knelt at the feet of him who commanded the troop; fhe implored, The wept, the fhricked; then started up and hung upon her uncle's neck, preffing him wildly in her arms. Some of the fol diers propofed conducting her alfo to the tribunal; but the leader of the band, whether touched by her diftrefs, or fear ful that her defpair would be troublefome on the way, perfuaded them to leave her behind. She was dragged from her uncle, and locked in a chamber, from whence her fhrieks were heard by the unfortunate old man till he paffed the narrow cleft of the valley, which he was deftined to behold no more. His fufferings 'were acute, but they were not of long duration. The day of his arrival at Orange he was led before the popular commiffion, together with his friends, and from thence immediately dragged to execution. In the mean time, mademoiselle de M-, released by Marianne from the apartment where the had been confined by the merciless guards, wandered from morning to evening amid the wildeft receffes of the valley, and along the moft rugged paths fhe could find. She was conftantly followed in her ramblings by her faithful fervant, who never loft fight of her a single moment, and retains in her memory many a mournful complaint of her difordered mind, many a wild expreffion of defpair. She often retired to a finall nook near the torrent, where her uncle had placed a feat, and where he tufually paffed fome hours of the day. Sometimes the feated herfelf on the bench; then ftarted up, and throwing herfelf on her knees before the fpot where her uncle ufed to fit, bathed it with floods of tears. Dear old man,' The would cry, your aged head!They might have left me a lock of his grey Hairs. When the foldiers come for me, Marianne, you may cut off a lock of mine for Charles-Poor Charles !-It is well he's gone-I fee the guillotine behind those trees !--and now they drag up a weak old man!-they tie him to the plank!-it bends-Oh beaven !'- The acute affliction with which young de Mheard of the murder of his father was fill aggravated by the tidings he received from Marianne of the fituation of his beloved Adelaide. Her imEd. Mag. Jan. 1796. t age was for ever present to his mind; and, unable to fupport the bitterness of thofe pangs which her idea excited, he again found means to obtain leave of ab fence for a few weeks, and haftened to the valley. He found the habitation deferted-all was dark and filent: he flew through the apartments, calling upon the name of Adelaide, but no voice anfwered his call. He left the houfe, and walked with hafty fteps along the valley. As he paffed a cavern of the rocks, he heard the moans of Adelaide-he rushed into the cavern -he was feated upon its flinty floor, and Marianne was fitting near.—Adelaide caft up her eyes as he entered, and looked at him earneftly-he knelt by her fide, and preffed her hand to his bofom -I don't know you,' faid AdelaideNot know me!' he cried, not know Charles !' If you are Charles,' the refumed fullenly, you're come too late -'its all over!-Poor old man! fhe cried, rifing haftily from the ground, and clafping her hands together, don't you fee his blood on my clothes! I begged very hard for him-I told them I had no father and mother but him-If you are Charles, begone, begone!-They're coming-they're on the way-I fee them upon the rock!-That knife-that bloody knife !'— The life of Ade Such were the ravings of the difordered imagination of this unfortunate young lady, and which were fometimes interrupted by long intervals of filence, and fometimes by an agony of tears. Her lover watched over her with the moft tender and unwearied affiduity; but his cares were ineffectual. laide was near its clofe. The convulfive pangs of her mind, the extraordinary fatigues fhe had fuffered in her wanderings, the want of any nourishment except bread and water, fince the obftinately refufed all other food, had reduced her frame to a state of incurable weaknes and decay. A fhort time before the expired, the recovered her reason, and employed her laft remains of strength in the attempt to confole her wretched lover. She fpoke to him of a happier world, where they fhould meet again, and where tyrants fhould opprefs no more--she grasped his - hand-he fixed her eyes on his-and died. With the gloomy filence of despair, with feelings that were denied the relief of tears, and were beyond the utterance of complaint, this unfortunate young H man man prepared with his own hands the grave of her he loved, and himself covered her corpfe with earth. The laft offices paid by religion to the dead, the hallowed taper, the lifted cross, the folemn requiem, had long 'fince vanifhed, and the municipal officer returned the duft to duft with unceremonious speed. The lover of Adelaide chofe to perform himself thofe fad functions for the object of his tenderness, and might have exclaimed with our poet, What though no weeping loves thy afhes grace, Nor polish'd marble emulate thy face; What though no facred earth allow thee room, Nor hallowed dirge be mutter'd o'er thy tomb! Yet fhall thy grave with rifing flow'rs be dreft, And the green turf lie lightly on thy breaft: There fhall the morn her earliest tears beftow, There the first roles of the year fhall blow; The ground now facred by thy reliques made." Young de M paffed the night at the grave of Adelaide. Marianne followed him thither, and humbly entreated him to return to the houfe. He pointed to the new-laid earth, and waved his hand as if he wifhed her to depart, and leave his mediations uninterrupted. The next morning at break of day he entered the houfe, and called for Marianne. He thanked her for her care of Adelaide; he affored her of his everlasting gratitude. While he was speaking, his emotion choked his voice, and a fhower of tears, the first he had fhed fince the death of Adelaide, foothed his oppreffed heart. When he had recovered himself, he bade Marianne, farewell, and haftened out of the house, muttering in a low tone, 'This must be avenged. He told Marianne, that he was going to rejoin his battalion; but all inquiries after him have fince been fruitless: this unhappy young man has been heard of no more! |