M. Bonchamps, who had
been very severely wounded at Fontenay, but who had insisted on being
carried along with his own men, was brought in on a litter. Father
Jerome was there, and another priest who had come with M. Bonchamps.
There were a couple of old royalist noblemen, not sufficiently active to
take a part in the actual fighting, but sufficiently zealous in the
cause to leave their homes for the purpose of giving the young
commanders the benefit of their experience. Foret also, Cathelineau's
friend, was present, and Adolphe Denot: indeed many others, from time to
time, crowded into the room, for the door was not well kept, nor were
the councils of the generals in any way a secret. Jacques Chapeau, as a
matter of course, managed to make his way into the room, and took upon
himself the duties of doorkeeper.
The Mayor's arm-chair stood at the head of the table, as the leaders
dropped into the room one after another, but no one appeared willing to
occupy it. Hitherto there had been no chief among the Vendeans; this was
the first meeting which had been held with anything approaching to the
solemnity of a general assembly, and it occurred to each of them that
whoever should then seat himself in the Mayor's chair, would be assuming
that he was the chief leader of the revolt.
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