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 my 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. I 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, showed 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 



