Avignon was now become French, and as such, on a par with other French towns. I chose it as a place in which to live for a few years, and superintend the education of my children: it was in my way to Italy, my ulterior object. I determined on the south of France on account of the health of Mrs. ----, who, though subject to violent coughs, which had more than once threatened her life, has not suffered from them since we have been to the southward of Lyons. But the wounds inflicted by the Revolution, and during the reign of terror, were hardly stanched; the recollection of the evils they had endured was still recent,--still afflicted the spirits of those who formed the first class of society at Avignon. I have already mentioned the feeling with which one of them expressed himself on this subject. The most fortunate amongst them,--at least he told me he so considered himself,--was the Marquis ----, who, after being obliged to fly and absent himself for fifteen years, recovered his estate with the loss only of the rents during those years. Almost every lady, at that time old enough to have been an object of persecution, had been put in prison, and there, with her companions, had discussed the question whether the guillotine was an easy mode of death. One of them said to me, "You see us _tristes_; but sometimes we forget ourselves, and then _le caractère national perce_."[38] In 1795, almost every large house in Avignon bore on its walls a notice,--"Propriété nationale à vendre;"[39] and even houses not confiscated, as well as other property, were sold to relieve the immediate distress of their owners. A house, which I considered as the best in the town, which had been but lately built at an expense of two hundred thousand francs, was sold for thirty thousand to the father of my banker: its noble proprietor gave as a reason for acceding to so disproportionate a bargain, that his wife and daughter had nothing to eat. Great wealth was a crime as well as royalism or nobility. Two persons, in authority at Avignon during the reign of terror, were making out a list of emigrants: a third was present, who, having nothing else to do, was holding the candle to the two municipal revolutionists. "Shall we set _him_ down in the list?" whispered one of them to the other, meaning the third, the candle-holder.--"Ce seroit un peu trop fort, puisqu'il est présent."[40]--"Qu' importe? il n'osera pas réclamer, et il est riche."[41] Danton, who by the by, was minister of _justice_, said "La révolution est une mine qu'il faut exploiter."[42]