the origins of contemporary france-3-第42部分

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Strange　enough；　the　royal　will　this　time　remains　staunch；　not　only

does　the　King　refuse；　but　he　dismisses　his　ministers。　So　much　the

worse　for　him；　for　sign　he　must；　cost　what　it　will；　if　he　insists　on

remaining　athwart　their　path；　they　will　march　over　him。　　Not　because

he　is　dangerous；　and　thinks　of　abandoning　his　legal　immobility。　　Up　to

the　10th　of　August；　through　a　dread　of　action；　and　not　to　kindle　a

civil　war；　he　rejects　all　plans　leading　to　an　open　rupture。　　Up　to　the

very　last　day　he　resigns　himself　even　when　his　personal　safety　and

that　of　his　family　is　at　stake；　to　constitutional　law　and　public

common　sense。　Before　dismissing　Roland　and　Servan；　he　desires　to

furnish　some　striking　proof　of　his　pacific　intentions　by　sanctioning

the　dissolution　of　his　guard　and　disarming　himself　not　only　for　attack

but　for　defense；　henceforth　he　sits　at　home　and　awaits　the

insurrection　with　which　he　is　daily　menaced；　he　resigns　himself　to

everything；　except　drawing　his　sword；　his　attitude　is　that　of　a

Christian　in　the　amphitheatre。＇17＇　　　The　proposition　of　a　camp

outside　Paris；　however；　draws　out　a　protest　from　8；000　Paris　National

Guards。　Lafayette　denounces　to　the　Assembly　the　usurpations　of　the

Jacobins；　the　faction　sees　that　its　reign　is　threatened　by　this

reawakening　and　union　of　the　friends　of　order。　A　blow　must　be　struck。

This　has　been　in　preparation　for　a　month　past；　and　to　renew　the　days

of　October　5th　and　6th；　the　materials　are　not　lacking。





II。



The　floating　and　poor　population　of　Paris。　　　Disposition　of　the

workers。　　Effect　of　poverty　and　want　of　work。　　　Effect　of　Jacobin

preaching。　　The　revolutionary　army。　…　Quality　of　its　recruits　　

Its　first　review。　　Its　actual　effective　force。







Paris　always　has　its　interloping；　floating　population。　A　hundred

thousand　of　the　needy；　one…third　of　these　from　the　departments；

〃beggars　by　race；〃　those　whom　Rétif　de　la　Bretonne　had　already　seen

pass　his　door；　Rue　de　Bièvre；　on　the　13th　of　July；　1789；　on　their　way

to　join　their　fellows　on　the　suburb　of　St。　Antoine；＇18＇　along　with

them　〃those　frightful　raftsmen；〃　pilots　and　dock…hands；　born　and

brought　up　in　the　forests　of　the　Nièvre　and　the　Yonne；　veritable

savages　accustomed　to　wielding　the　pick　and　the　ax；　behaving　like

cannibals　when　the　opportunity　offers；＇19＇　and　who　will　be　found

foremost　in　the　ranks　when　the　September　days　come。　Alongside　these

stride　their　female　companions　〃barge…women　who；　embittered　by　toil；

live　for　the　moment　only；〃　and　who；　three　months　earlier；　pillaged　the

grocer…shops。＇20＇　　All　this　〃is　a　frightful　crowd　which；　every　time　it

stirs；　seems　to　declare　that　the　last　day　of　the　rich　and　well…to…do

has　come；　tomorrow　it　is　our　turn；　to…morrow　we　shall　sleep　on

eiderdown。〃　　　Still　more　alarming　is　the　attitude　of　the　steady

workmen；　especially　in　the　suburbs。　And　first　of　all；　if　bread　is　not

as　expensive　as　on　the　5th　of　October；　the　misery　is　worse。　The

production　of　articles　of　luxury　has　been　at　a　standstill　for　three

years；　and　the　unemployed　artisan　has　consumed　his　small　savings。

Since　the　ruin　of　St。　Domingo　and　the　pillaging　of　grocers'　shops

colonial　products　are　dear；　the　carpenter；　the　mason；　the　locksmith；

the　market…porter；　no　longer　has　his　early　cup　of　coffee；＇21＇　while

they　grumble　every　morning　at　the　thought　of　their　patriotism　being

rewarded　by　an　increase　of　deprivation。



But　more　than　all　this　they　are　now　Jacobins；　and　after　nearly　three

years　of　preaching；　the　dogma　of　popular　sovereignty　has　taken　deep

root　in　their　empty　brains。　〃In　these　groups；〃　writes　a　police

commissioner；　〃the　Constitution　is　held　to　be　useless　and　the　people

alone　are　the　law。　The　citizens　of　Paris　on　the　public　square　think

themselves　the　people；　populus；　　what　we　call　the　universality　of

citizens。〃＇22＇　　It　is　of　no　use　to　tell　them　that；　alongside　of

Paris；　there　is　a　France。　Danton　has　shown　them　that　the　capital　〃　is

composed　of　citizens　belonging　one　way　or　another　to　the　eighty…three

departments；　that　is　has　a　better　chance　than　any　other　place　to

appreciate　ministerial　conduct；　that　it　is　the　first　sentinel　of　the

nation；〃　which　makes　them　confident　of　being　right。＇23＇　　　It　is　of

no　use　to　tell　them　that　there　are　better…informed　and　more　competent

authorities　than　themselves。　Robespierre　assures　them　that　〃in　the

matter　of　genius　and　public…spiritedness　the　people　are　infallible；

whilst　every　one　else　is　subject　to　mistakes；〃＇24＇　and　here　they　are

sure　of　their　capacity。　　　In　their　own　eyes　they　are　the　legitimate；

competent　authorities　for　all　France；　and；　during　three　years；　the

sole　theme　their　courtiers　of　the　press；　tribune；　and　club；　vie　with

each　other　in　repeating　to　them；　is　the　expression　of　the　Duc　de

Villeroy　to　Louis　XIV。　when　a　child：　〃Look　my　master；　behold　this

great　kingdom！　It　is　all　for　you；　it　belongs　to　you；　you　are　its

master！〃　　Undoubtedly；　to　swallow　and　digest　such　gross　irony　people

must　be　half…fools　or　half…brutes；　but　it　is　exactly　their　capacity

for　self…deception　which　makes　them　different　from　the　sensible　or

passive　crowd　and　casts　them　into　a　band　whose　ascendancy　is

irresistible。　Convinced　that　a　street　mob　is　entitled　to　absolute　rule

and　that　the　nation　expresses　its　sovereignty　through　its　gatherings；

they　alone　assemble　the　street　mobs；　they　alone；　by　virtue　of　their

conceit　and　lack　of　judgment；　believe　themselves　kings　。



Such　is　the　new　power　which；　in　the　early　months　of　the　year　1792；

starts　up　alongside　of　the　legal　powers。　It　is　not　foreseen　by　the

Constitution；　nevertheless　it　exists　and　declares　itself；　it　is

visible　and　its　recruits　can　be　counted。＇25＇　　On　the　29th　of　April；

with　the　Assembly　consenting；　and　contrary　to　the　law；　three

battalions　from　the　suburb　of　St。　Antoine；　about　1500　men；＇26＇　march

in　three　columns　into　the　hall；　one　of　which　is　composed　of　fusiliers

and　the　other　two　of　pikemen；　〃their　pikes　being　from　eight　to　ten

feet　long；〃　of　formidable　aspect　and　of　all　sorts；　〃pikes　with　laurel

leaves；　pikes　with　clover　leaves；　pikes　à　carlet；　pikes　with　turn…

spits；　pikes　with　hearts；　pikes　with　serpents　tongues；　pikes　with

forks；　pikes　with　daggers；　pikes　with　three　prongs；　pikes　with　battle…

axes；　pikes　with　claws；　pikes　with　sickles；　lance…pikes　covered　with

iron　prongs。〃　　On　the　other　side　of　the　Seine　three　battalions　from

the　suburb　of　St。　Marcel　are　composed　and　armed　in　the　same　fashion。

This　constitutes　a　kernel　of　3；000　more　in　other　quarters　of　Paris。

Add　to　these　in　each　of　the　sixty　battalions　of　the　National　guard　the

gunners；　almost　all　of　them　blacksmiths；　locksmiths　and　horse…shoers；

also　the　majority　of　the　gendarmes；　old　soldiers　discharged　for

insubordination　and　naturally　inclined　to　rioting；　in　all　an　army　of

about　9；000　men；　not　counting　the　usual　accompaniment　of　vagabonds　and

mere　bandits；　ignorant　and　eager；　but　men　who　do　their　work；　well

armed；　formed　into　companies；　ready　to　march　and　ready　to　strike。

Alongside　of　the　talking　authorities　we　have　the　veritable　force　that

acts；　for　it　is　the　only　one　which　does　act。　As　formerly　the

praetorian　guard　of　the　Caesars　in　Rome；　or　the　Turkish　guards　of　the

Caliphs　of　Baghdad；　it　is　henceforth　master　of　the　capital；　and

through　the　capital；　of　the　Nation。







III。



Its　leaders。　…　Their　committee。　…。　Methods　for　arousing　the　crowd。



As　the　troops　are　so　are　their　leaders。　Bulls　must　have　drovers　to

conduct　them；　one　degree　superior　to　the　brute　but　only　one　degree；

dressed；　talking　and　acting　in　accordance　with　his　occupation；　without

dislikes　or　scruples；　naturally　or　willfully　hardened；　fertile　in

jockeying　and　in　the　expedients　of　the　slaughterhouse；　themselves

belonging　to　the　people　or　pretending　to　belong　to　them。　Santerre　is　a

brewer　of　the　Faubourg　St。　Antoine；　commander　of　the　battalion　of　〃

Enfants　Trouvés；〃　tall；　stout　and　ostentatious；　with　stentorian　lungs；

shaking　the　hand　of　everybody　he　meets　in　the　street；　and　when　at　home

treating　everybody　to　a　drink　paid　for　by　the　Duke　of　Orleans。

Legendre　is　a　choleric　butcher；　who　even　in　the　Convention　maintains

his　butchering　traits。　There　are　three　or　four　foreign　adventurers；

experienced　in　all　　kinds　of　deadly　operations；　using　the　saber　or　the

bayonet　without　warning　people　to　get　out　of　the　way。　Rotonde；　the

first　one；　is　an　Italian；　a　teacher　of　English　and　professional

rioter；　who；　convicted　of　murder　and　robbery；　is　to　end　his　days　in

Piedmont　on　the　gallows。　The　second；　Lazowski；　is　a　Pole；　a　former

dandy；　a　conceited　fop；　who；　with　Slave　facility；　becomes　the　barest

of　naked　sans…culottes；　　former　enjoying　a　sinecure；　then　suddenly

turned　out　in　the　street；　and　shouting　in　the　clubs　against　his

protectors　who　he　sees　put　down；　he　is　elected　captain　of　the　gunners

of　the　battalion　St。　Marcel；　and　is　to　be　one　of　the　September

slaughterers。　His　drawing…room　temperament；　however；　is　not　rigorous

enough　for　the　part　he　plays　in　the　streets；　and　at　the　end　of　a　year

he　is　to　die；　consumed　by　a　fever　and　by　brandy。　The　third　is　another

chief　slaughterer　at　the　September　massacres。　Fournier；　known　as　the

American；　a　former　planter；　who　has　brought　with　him　from　St。　Domingo

a　contempt　for　human　life；　〃with　his　livid　and　sinister　countenance；

his　mustache；　his　triple　belt　of　pistols；　his　coarse　language；　his

oaths；　he　looks　like　a　pirate。〃　　By　their　side　we　encounter　a　little

hump…backed　lawyer　named　Cuirette…Verrières；　an　unceasing　speaker；

who；　on　the　6th　of　October；　1789；　paraded　the　city　on　a　large　white

horse　and　afterwards　pleaded　for　Marat；　which　two　qualifications　with

his　Punch　figure；　fully　establish　him　in　the　popular　imagination；　　the

rugged　guys；　moreover；　who　hold　nocturnal　meetings　at　Santerre's

needed　a　writer　and　he　probably　met　their　requirements。　…　This　secret

society　can　count　on　other　faithfuls。　　〃Brière；　wine…dealer；　Nicolas；

a　sap