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438 General History of Europe but with the feeling that he might be losing his soul by so doing. From that time on he became at heart an enemy of the Revolution. The discontent with the new system on the part of the clergy led to another serious error by the Assembly. It required the clergy to take an oath to be faithful to the law and the new French constitution. Forty-six thousand parish priests refused to sacrifice their religious scruples. As time went on, the "nonjur- ing" clergy were dealt with more and more harshly, and the way was prepared for the horrors of the Reign of Terror. II. FRANCE BECOMES INVOLVED IN A WAR WITH OTHER EUROPEAN POWERS 760. Permanent Reforms of 1789. We have now studied the progress and nature of the revolution which destroyed the old regime and created modern France. Through it the unjust privi- leges and the local differences were abolished and the people were admitted to a share in the government. This vast reform had been accomplished without serious disturbance, and, with the exception of some of the changes in the Church, it had been welcomed with enthusiasm by the French nation. 761. Conditions leading to the Reign of Terror. This per- manent and peaceful revolution was followed by a period of vio- lence known as the Reign of Terror. This was caused not so much by the friends of the revolution as by its enemies within and without France, who were eager at any cost to undo the great work of the National Assembly. After the fall of the Bas- tille some of the nobility, under the leadership of the king's youngest brother, the count of Artois, had left the country. They were joined later by other nobles, and collected a little army with which they proposed to invade France and reestablish the old regime. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette tried to join them in June, 1791, but were arrested at Varennes near the border and brought back to Paris. The National Assembly pretended that the king had not really fled, but had been carried off by his bad advisers.