people　of　his　village　to　a　dinner；　and　attempted　to　form　them　into　a
  body　of　guards　to　protect　themselves　against　incendiaries　and
  brigands；　along　with　the　well…disposed　men　of　the　place　〃he
  patrolled　every　evening　to　restore　tranquillity　to　the　parish。〃　On　a
  rumor　spreading　that　〃the　wells　were　poisoned；〃　he　placed　sentinels
  alongside　of　all　the　wells　except　his　own；　〃to　prove　that　he　was
  acting　for　the　parish　and　not　for　himself。〃　In　short；　he　did　all　he
  could　to　conciliate　the　villagers；　and　to　interest　them　in　the
  common　safety。　　…　　But；　by　virtue　of　being　a　noble　and　an　officer　he
  is　distrusted；　and　it　is　Perron；　the　syndic　of　the　commune；　to　whom
  the　commune　now　listens。　　Perron　announces　that　the　King　〃having
  abjured　his　sworn　word；〃　no　more　confidence　is　to　be　placed　in　him；
  and；　consequently；　neither　in　his　officers　nor　in　the　gentry。　　On　M。
  de　Bussy　proposing　to　the　National　Guards　that　they　should　go　to　the
  assistance　of　the　chateau　of　Thil；　which　is　in　flames；　Perron
  prevents　them；　declaring　that　〃these　fires　are　kindled　by　the　nobles
  and　the　clergy。〃　M。　de　Bussy　insists；　and　entreats　them　to　go；
  offering　to　abandon　〃his　terrier；〃　that　is　to　say　all　his　seignorial
  dues；　if　they　will　only　accompany　him　and　arrest　this　destruction。
  They　refuse　to　do　so。　　He　perseveres；　and；　on　being　informed　that
  the　chateau　of　Juillenas　is　in　peril；　he　collects；　after　great
  efforts；　a　body　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　men　of　his　parish；　and；
  marching　with　them；　arrives　in　time　to　save　the　chateau；　which　a　mob
  was　about　to　set　on　fire。　　But　the　popular　excitement；　which　he　had
  just　succeeded　in　calming　at　Juillenas；　has　gained　the　upper　hand
  amongst　his　own　troop：　the　brigands　have　seduced　his　men；　〃which
  obliges　him　to　lead　them　back；　while；　along　the　road；　they　seem
  inclined　to　fire　at　him。〃　　…　　Having　returned；　he　is　followed　with
  threats　even　to　his　own　house：　a　band　comes　to　attack　his　chateau；
  finding　it　on　the　defensive；　they　insist　on　being　led　to　that　of
  Courcelles。　　…　　？In　the　midst　of　all　this　violence　M。　de　Bussy；　with
  about　fifteen　friends　and　tenants；　succeeds　in　protecting　himself
  and；　by　dint　of　patience；　energy；　and　cool　blood；　without　killing　or
  wounding　a　single　man；　ends　in　bringing　back　security　throughout　the
  whole　canton。　　The　jacquerie　subsides；　and　it　seems　as　if　the　newly
  restored　order　would　be　maintained。　　He　sends　for　Madame　de　Bussy　to
  return；　and　some　months　pass　away。　　…　　The　popular　imagination；
  however；　is　poisoned；　and　whatever　a　gentleman　may　do；　he　is　no
  longer　tolerated　on　his　estate。　　A　few　leagues　from　there；　on　April
  29；　1790；　M。　de　Bois…d'Aisy；　deputy　to　the　National　Assembly；　had
  returned　to　his　parish　to　vote　at　the　new　elections。＇12＇　　〃Scarcely
  has　he　arrived；〃　when　the　commune　of　Bois…d'Aisy　gives　him　notice
  through　its　mayor　〃that　it　will　not　regard　him　as　eligible。〃　He
  attends　the　electoral　meeting　which　is　held　in　the　church　there；　a
  municipal　officer　in　the　pulpit　inveighs　against　nobles　and　priests；
  and　declares　that　they　must　not　take　part　in　the　elections。　　All
  eyes　turn　upon　M。　de　Boisd'Aisy；　who　is　the　only　noble　present。
  Nevertheless；　he　takes　the　civic　oath；　which　nearly　costs　him　dear；
  for　murmurs　arise　around　him；　and　the　peasants　say　that　he　ought　to
  have　been　hanged　like　the　lord　of　Sainte…Colombe；　to　prevent　his
  taking　the　oath。　　In　fact；　the　evening　before；　the　latter；　M。　de
  Vitteaux；　an　old　man　of　seventy…four　years　of　age；　was　expelled　from
  the　primary　assembly；　then　torn　out　of　the　house　in　which　he　had
  sought　refuge；　half　killed　with　blows；　and　dragged　through　the
  streets　to　the　open　square；　his　mouth　was　stuffed　with　manure；　a
  stick　was　thrust　into　his　ears；　and　〃he　expired　after　a　martyrdom　of
  three　hours。〃　The　same　day；　in　the　church　of　the　Capuchins；　at
  Sémur；　the　rural　parishes　which　met　together　excluded　their　priests
  and　gentry　in　the　same　fashion。　　M。　de　Damas　and　M。　de　Sainte…Maure
  were　beaten　with　clubs　and　stones；　the　curé　of　Massigny　died　after
  six　stabs　with　a　knife；　and　M。　de　Virieu　saved　himself　as　he　best
  could。　　…　　With　such　examples　before　them　it　is　probable　that　many
  of　the　nobles　will　no　longer　exercise　their　right　of　suffrage。　　M。
  de　Bussy　does　not　pretend　to　do　it。　　He　merely　tries　to　prove　that
  he　is　loyal　to　the　nation；　and　that　he　meditates　no　wrong　to　the
  National　Guard　or　to　the　people。　　He　proposed；　at　the　out…set；　to
  the　volunteers　of　Ma？on　to　join　them；　along　with　his　little　troop；
  they　refused　to　have　him　and　thus　the　fault　is　not　on　his　side。　　On
  the　14th　of　July；　1790；　the　day　of　the　Federation　on　his　domain；　he
  sends　all　his　people　off　to　Villiers；　furnished　with　the　tricolour
  cockade。　　He　himself；　with　three　of　his　friends；　attends　the
  ceremony　to　take　the　oath；　all　four　in　uniform；　with　the　cockade　on
  their　hats；　without　any　weapons　but　their　swords　and　a　light　cane　in
  their　hands。　　They　salute　the　assembled　National　Guards　of　the　three
  neighboring　parishes；　and　keep　outside　the　enclosure　so　as　not　to
  give　offense。　　But　they　have　not　taken　into　account　the　prejudices
  and　animosities　of　the　new　municipal　bodies。　　Perron；　the　former
  syndic；　is　now　mayor。　　A　man　named　Bailly；　who　is　the　village
  shoemaker；　is　another　of　the　municipal　officers；　their　councilor　is
  an　old　dragoon；　one　of　those　soldiers　probably　who　have　deserted　or
  been　discharged；　and　who　are　the　firebrands　of　almost　every　riot
  that　takes　place。　　A　squad　of　a　dozen　or　fifteen　men　leave　the　ranks
  and　march　up　to　the　four　gentlemen；　who　advance；　hat　in　hand；　to
  meet　them。　Suddenly　the　men　aim　at　them；　and　Bailly；　with　a　furious
  air；　demands：　〃What　the　devil　do　you　come　here　for？〃　M。　de　Bussy
  replies　that；　having　been　informed　of　the　Federation；　he　had　come　to
  take　the　oath　like　the　rest　of　the　people。　　Bailly　asks　why　he　had
  come　armed。　　M。　de　Bussy　remarks　that　〃having　been　in　the　service；
  the　sword　was　inseparable　from　the　uniform；〃　and　had　they　come　there
  without　that　badge　they　would　have　been　at　fault；　besides；　they　must
  have　observed　that　they　had　no　other　arms。　　Bailly；　still　in　a　rage；
  and；　moreover；　exasperated　by　such　good　reasons；　turns　round　with
  his　gun　in　his　hand　towards　the　leader　of　the　squad　and　asks　him
  three　times　in　succession；　〃Commander；　must　I　fire？〃　The　commander
  not　daring　to　take　the　responsibility　of　so　gratuitous　a　murder；
  remains　silent；　and　finally　orders　M。　de　Bussy　to　〃clear　out；〃
  〃which　I　did；〃　says　M。　de　Bussy。　　…　　Nevertheless；　on　reaching　home；
  he　writes　to　the　municipal　authorities　clearly　setting　forth　the
  motive　of　his　coming；　and　demands　an　explanation　of　the　treatment　he
  had　received。　　Mayor　Perron　throws　aside　his　letter　without　reading
  it；　and；　on　the　following　day；　on　leaving　the　mass；　the　National
  Guards　come；　by　way　of　menace；　to　load　their　guns　in　sight　of　M。　de
  Bussy；　round　his　garden。　…　A　few　days　after　this；　at　the　instigation
  of　Bailly；　two　other　proprietors　in　the　neighborhood　are
  assassinated　in　their　houses。　　Finally；　on　a　journey　to　Lyons；　M。　de
  Bussy　learns　〃that　the　chateaux　in　Poitou　are　again　in　flames；　and
  that　the　work　is　to　begin　again　everywhere。〃　　…　　Alarmed　at　all
  these　indications；　〃he　resolves　to　form　a　company　of　volunteers；
  which；　taking　up　their　quarters　in　his　chateau；　can　serve　the　whole
  canton　on　a　legal　requisition。〃　He　thinks　that　about　fifteen　brave
  men　will　be　sufficient。　　He　has　already　six　men　with　him　in　the
  month　of　October；　1790；　green　coats　are　ordered　for　them；　and
  buttons　are　bought　for　the　uniform。　Seven　or　eight　domestics　may　be
  added　to　the　number。　　In　the　way　of　arms　and　munitions　the　chateau
  contains　two　kegs　of　gunpowder　which　were　on　hand　before　1789；　seven
  blunderbusses；　and　five　cavalry　sabers；　left　there　in　passing　by　M。
  de　Bussy's　old　dragoons：　to　these　must　be　added　two　double…barreled
  fowling…pieces；　three　soldiers'　muskets；　five　brace　of　pistols；　two
  poor　common　guns；　two　old　swords；　and　a　hunting…knife。　　Such　is　the
  garrison；　such　the　arsenal；　and　these　are　the　preparations；　so　well
  justified　and　so　slight；　which　prejudice　conjointly　with　gossip　is
  about　to　transform　into　a　great　conspiracy。
  The　chateau；　in　effect；　was　an　object　of　suspicion　in　the　village
  from　the　very　first　day。　　All　its　visitors；　whenever　they　went　out
  or　came　in；　with　all　the　details　of　their　actions；　were　watched；
  denounced；　exaggerated；　and　misinterpreted。　　If　through　the
  awkwardness　or　carelessness　of　so　many　inexperienced　National
  Guards；　a　stray　ball　reaches　a　farm…house　one　day　in　broad　daylight；
  it　comes　from　the　chateau；　it　is　the　aristocrats　who　have　fired　upon
  the　peasants。　　…　　There　is　the　same　state　of　suspicion　in　the
  neighboring　towns。　　The　municipal　body　of　Valence；　hearing　that　two
  youths　had　ordered　coats　made　〃of　a　color　which　seemed　suspicious；〃
  send　for　the　tailor；　he　confesses　the　fact；　and　adds　that　〃they
  intended　to　put　the　buttons　on　themselves。〃　Such　a　detail　is
  alarming。　　An　inquiry　is　set　o