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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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