182 FRESNEL. 



expose himself to the fatigues and dangers of a civil war. 

 " Your superiors, Sir," said he, " have enjoined on you 

 this expedition." " No, general," he replied, " I have 

 taken no advice but rny own." " I pray you tell me 

 without reserve, has any one threatened you with not 

 paying your appointments ? " " No such threat has been 

 made ; my appointments have been regularly paid." 

 " Very well ; I ought, between ourselves, to warn you 

 that you can here reckon only on what may be got by 

 chance." " I have reckoned my own resources ; I 

 neither hope nor desire any other recompense. J pre- 

 sent myself to you to fulfil my duty." " I admire you, 

 Sir ; it is thus that every good servant of the royal cause 

 ought to think and act ; I participate in your honourable 

 sentiments ; you may reckon on my good will." 



That good will, in fact, did not fail ; and the questions 

 which at first had been painful to Fresnel, shoAved solely 

 that his questioner, less a novice in the ways of the 

 world, knew by experience that a popular gathering, 

 under whatever colour it may show itself, includes more 

 than a few individuals who under high pretensions con- 

 ceal personal interests. 



Fresnel returned to Nyons, his usual residence, almost 

 dying. The news of the events of the Palud had pre- 

 ceded him. The populace (we know what this term sig- 

 nifies in the south) offered him a thousand insults. A 

 few days afterwards an imperial commissary declared 

 his deprivation of his office, and placed him under the 

 surveillance of the police. Far be it from me to ex- 

 tenuate the odious nature of such a transaction. I ought, 

 however, to say that it was executed without need- 

 less rigour, and that Fresnel obtained permission to go to 

 Paris ; that he lived there without being disturbed ; that 



