But there was no need of
such a reminder. Decidedly, the spirit of the court party was broken.
Had their leaders actually undergone the whipping they had so narrowly
escaped, they would have scarcely been more impressed with the abject
and powerless situation in which they were left by the miscarriage of
their plot. The quasi military occupation of the town, the night after
the attempted revolution, was indeed welcomed by them and their
terrified families as some guarantee of order. So entirely had the
revolution of the past twenty-four hours changed their attitude toward
Perez, that they now looked on him as their saviour from the mob, and
only possible protector against indefinite lengths of lawlessness. It
was among them, rather than among the people, that the knowledge of
his intended speedy departure for New York, now produced the liveliest
apprehensions. And the most timid of the popular party were not more
relieved than they, when the next day it became known that he had
declared his resolve to give up going west, and remain in Stockbridge
for the present.
It would sound much better if I could make out that this abrupt change
in his plans was on account of concern for the welfare of the
community, but such was not the case.
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