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the origins of contemporary france-3-第35部分

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of 4;500 men sets out on its march with nineteen pieces of cannon。



In vain the commissioners of the neighboring departments; sent by the

Minister; represent to them that Arles submits; that she has laid down

her arms; and that the town is now garrisoned with troops of the line;

 the Marseilles army requires the withdrawal of this garrison。  In

vain the garrison departs。 Rebecqui and his acolytes reply that

〃nothing will divert them from their enterprise; they cannot defer to

anybody's decision but their own in relation to any precaution tending

to ensure the safety of the southern departments。〃  In vain the

Minister renews his injunctions and counter…orders。  The Directory

replies with a flagrant falsehood; stating that it is ignorant of the

affair and refuses to give the government any assistance。  In vain

M。 de Wittgenstein; commander…in…chief in the south; offers his

services to the Directory to repel the invaders。  The Directory

forbids him to take his troops into the territory of the

department。'28'  Meanwhile; on the 29th of March; the Marseilles

army effects a breach with its cannon in the walls of defenseless

Arles; its fortifications are demolished and a tax of 1;400;000 francs

is levied on the owners of property。  In contempt of the National

Assembly's decree the Mint bandits; the longshoremen; the whole of the

lowest class again take up their arms and lord it over the disarmed

population。 Although 〃the King's commissioner and most of the judges

have fled; jury examinations are instituted against absentees;〃 the

juries consisting of the members of the Mint band。'29' The conquerors

imprison; smite and slaughter as they please。 Countless peaceable

individuals are struck down and mauled; dragged to prison and many of

them are mortally wounded。 An old soldier; eighty years of age;

retired to his country home three months earlier; dies after twenty

days' confinement in a dungeon; from a blow received in the stomach by

a rifle butt; women are flogged。 〃All citizens that with an interest

in law and order;〃 nearly five thousand families; have emigrated;

their houses in town and in the country are pillaged; while in the

surrounding boroughs; along the road leading from Arles to Marseilles;

the villains forming the hard core of the Marseilles army; rove about

and gorge themselves as in a vanquished country。'30'







They eat and drink voraciously; force the closets; carry off linen and

food; steal horses and valuables; smash the furniture; tear up books;

and burn papers。'31' All this is only the appropriate punishment of

the aristocrats。  Moreover; it is no more than right that patriots

should be indemnified for their toil; and a few blows too many are not

out of place in securing the rule of the right party。  For example;

on the false report of order being disturbed at Chateau…Renard; Bertin

and Rebecqui send off a detachment of men; while the municipal body in

uniform; followed by the National Guard; with music and flags; comes

forth to meet and salute it。 Without uttering a word of warning; the

Marseilles troop falls upon the cortège; strikes down the flags;

disarms the National Guard; tears the epaulettes off the officers'

shoulders; drags the mayor to the ground by his scarf; pursues the

counselors; sword in hand; puts the mayor and syndic…attorney in

arrest; and; during the night; sacks four dwellings; the whole under

the direction of three Jacobins of the place under indictment for

recent crimes or misdemeanors。  Henceforth at Chateau…Renard they will

look twice before subjecting patriots to indictment。'32'  At Vélaux

〃the country house of the late seignior is sacked; and everything is

carried away; even to the tiles and window…glass。〃 A troop of two

hundred men 〃overrun the village; levy contributions; and put all

citizens who are well…off under bonds for considerable sums。〃 Camo?n;

the Marseille chief; one of the new department administrators; who is

in the neighborhood; lays his hand on everything that is fit to be

taken; and; a few days after this; 30;000 francs are found in his

carpet…bag。…Taught by the example others follow and the commotion

spreads。  In every borough or petty town the club profits by these

acts to satiate its ambition its greed; and its hatred。 That of Apt

appeals to its neighbors; whereupon 1;500 National Guards of Gordes;

St。 Saturnin; Gouls and Lacoste; with a thousand women and children

armed with clubs and scythes; arrive one morning before the town。  On

being asked by whose orders they come in this fashion; they reply; 〃by

the orders which their patriotism has given them。〃   〃The fanatics;〃

or partisans of the sworn priests; 〃are the cause of their journey〃:

they therefore 〃want lodgings at the expense of the fanatics only。〃

The three day's occupation results for the latter and for the town in

a cost of 20;000 livres。'33'  They begin by breaking everything in the

church of the Récollets; and wall up its doors。 They then expel

unsworn ecclesiastics from the town; and disarm their partisans。 The

club of Apt; which is the sole authority; remains in session three

days: 〃the municipal bodies in the vicinity appear before it;

apologize for themselves; protest their civism; and ask as a favor

that no detachment be sent to their places。  Individuals are sent for

to be interrogated〃; several are proscribed; among whom are

administrators; members of the court; and the syndic…attorney。 A

number of citizens have fled;  the town is purged; while the same

purging is pursued in numbers of places in and out of the

district。'34' It is; indeed; attractive business。  It empties the

purses of the ill…disposed; and fills the stomachs of patriots; it is

agreeable to be well entertained; and especially at the expense of

one's adversaries; the Jacobin is quite content to save the country

through a round of feastings。  Moreover; he has the satisfaction of

playing king among his neighbors; and not only do they feed him for

doing them this service; but; again; they pay him for it。'35' … All

this is enlivening; and the expedition; which is a 〃sabbath;〃 ends in

a carnival。  Of the two Marseilles divisions; one; led back to Aix;

sets down to 〃a grand patriotic feast;〃 and then dances fandangoes; of

which 〃the principal one is led off by the mayor and commandant〃;'36'

the other makes its entry into Avignon the same day; with still

greater pomp and jollity。







IV。



The Jacobins of Avignon。 How they obtain recruits。 … …Their

robberies in the Comtat。  The Avignon municipality in flight or in

prison。  Murder of Lécuyer and the Glacière massacre。   Entry of

the murderers; supported by their Marseilles allies。   Jacobin

dictatorship in Vaucluse and the Buches…du…Rh?ne。



Nowhere else in France was there another nest of brigands like it: not

that a great misery might have produced a more savage uprising; on the

contrary; the Comtat; before the Revolution; was a land of plenty。

There was no taxation by the Pope; the taxes were very light; and were

expended on the spot。 〃For one or two pennies; one here could have

meat; bread; and wine。〃'37'  But; under the mild and corrupt

administration of the Italian legates; the country had become 〃the

safe asylum of all the rogues in France; Italy; and Genoa; who by

means of a trifling sum paid to the Pope's agents; obtained protection

and immunity。〃  Smugglers and receivers of stolen goods abounded here

in order to break through the lines of the French customs。  〃Bands of

robbers and assassins were formed; which the vigorous measures of the

parliaments of Aix and Grenoble could not wholly extirpate。  Idlers;

libertines; professional gamblers;〃'38' kept…cicisbeos; schemers;

parasites; and adventurers; mingle with men with branded shoulders;

the veterans 〃of vice and crime; 〃the scapegraces of the Toulon and

Marseilles galleys。〃 Ferocity here is hidden in debauchery; like a

serpent hidden in its own slime; here all that is required is some

chance event and this bad place will be transformed into a death trap。



The Jacobin leaders; Tournal; Rovère; the two Duprats; the two

Mainvielles; and Lécuyer; readily obtain recruits in this sink。 … They

begin; aided by the rabble of the town and of its suburbs; peasants

enemies of the octroi; vagabonds opposed to order of any kind; porters

and watermen armed with scythes; turnspits and clubs; by exciting

seven or eight riots。 Then they drive off the legate; force the

Councils to resign; hang the chiefs of the National Guard and of the

conservative party;'39' and take possession of the municipal offices。

After this their band increases to the dimensions of an army; which;

with license for its countersign and pillage for its pay; is the same

as that of Tilly and Wallenstein; 〃a veritable roving Sodom; at which

the ancient city would have stood aghast。〃 Out of 3;000 men; only 200

belong in Avignon; the rest are composed of French deserters;

smugglers; fugitives from justice; vagrant foreigners; marauders and

criminals; who; scenting a prey; come from afar; and even from

Paris;'40' along with them march the women belonging to them; still

more base and bloodthirsty。  In order to make it perfectly plain that

with them murder and robbery are the order of the day; they massacred

their first general; Patrix; guilty of having released a prisoner; and

elected in his place an old highway tramp named Jourdan; condemned to

death by the court at Valence; but who had escaped on the eve of his

execution; and who bore the nickname of Coupe…tête; because he is said

to have cut off the heads at Versailles of two of the King's

guards。'41'  Under such a commander the troop increases until it

forms a body of five or six thousand men; which stops people in the

streets and forcibly enrolls them; they are called Mandrins; which is

severe for Mandrin;'42' because their war is not merely on public

persons and property; as his w
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