Page:Englishmen in the French Revolution.djvu/322

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302
APPENDIX.

said he should have them opened again. They replied, if he intended to use force they could not help it, but as he was not their lawful superior and pastor, they could not open the doors.

The curé then went away, and sent a commissioner, who came in a very civil manner and asked if he could prevail upon them to have the church-doors opened. But he was answered "No." He then asked if they would hang the street with tapestry as usual. They said "Yes;" at this he seemed surprised that he should gain so much, and returned several times to ask if he had understood them right.

But as the police could demand this, they thought it better to do so. Some time after this the civil magistrates gave orders that all the church-doors belonging to the convents should be opened. And after this their church remained so till they were imprisoned in their own convent, which took place on October 3, 1793, at which time all the other churches in France were demolished. People then came from all parts of Paris to attend Mass in the nuns' church. Their friends began to be much alarmed for the safety of the religious on this account. But the common people insisted on it so much that the magistrates ordered the doors should remain open.

The first visit in which they entered the convent was in the autumn of the year 1793. A body of men, with their leader, demanded entrance, surrounded by a vast number of people. This visit was made to find French writings. But all had been previously destroyed, except one letter from a deputy, which they approved of. The second visit was on Holy Thursday, about two o'clock in the afternoon. This was to discover if there were any priests concealed; but not finding any, they went to search "the deposit," and after having inspected its con-