the origins of contemporary france-2-第76章

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the　sword　was　inseparable　from　the　uniform；〃　and　had　they　come　there

without　that　badge　they　would　have　been　at　fault；　besides；　they　must

have　observed　that　they　had　no　other　arms。　　Bailly；　still　in　a　rage；

and；　moreover；　exasperated　by　such　good　reasons；　turns　round　with

his　gun　in　his　hand　towards　the　leader　of　the　squad　and　asks　him

three　times　in　succession；　〃Commander；　must　I　fire？〃　The　commander

not　daring　to　take　the　responsibility　of　so　gratuitous　a　murder；

remains　silent；　and　finally　orders　M。　de　Bussy　to　〃clear　out；〃

〃which　I　did；〃　says　M。　de　Bussy。　　…　　Nevertheless；　on　reaching　home；

he　writes　to　the　municipal　authorities　clearly　setting　forth　the

motive　of　his　coming；　and　demands　an　explanation　of　the　treatment　he

had　received。　　Mayor　Perron　throws　aside　his　letter　without　reading

it；　and；　on　the　following　day；　on　leaving　the　mass；　the　National

Guards　come；　by　way　of　menace；　to　load　their　guns　in　sight　of　M。　de

Bussy；　round　his　garden。　…　A　few　days　after　this；　at　the　instigation

of　Bailly；　two　other　proprietors　in　the　neighborhood　are

assassinated　in　their　houses。　　Finally；　on　a　journey　to　Lyons；　M。　de

Bussy　learns　〃that　the　chateaux　in　Poitou　are　again　in　flames；　and

that　the　work　is　to　begin　again　everywhere。〃　　…　　Alarmed　at　all

these　indications；　〃he　resolves　to　form　a　company　of　volunteers；

which；　taking　up　their　quarters　in　his　chateau；　can　serve　the　whole

canton　on　a　legal　requisition。〃　He　thinks　that　about　fifteen　brave

men　will　be　sufficient。　　He　has　already　six　men　with　him　in　the

month　of　October；　1790；　green　coats　are　ordered　for　them；　and

buttons　are　bought　for　the　uniform。　Seven　or　eight　domestics　may　be

added　to　the　number。　　In　the　way　of　arms　and　munitions　the　chateau

contains　two　kegs　of　gunpowder　which　were　on　hand　before　1789；　seven

blunderbusses；　and　five　cavalry　sabers；　left　there　in　passing　by　M。

de　Bussy's　old　dragoons：　to　these　must　be　added　two　double…barreled

fowling…pieces；　three　soldiers'　muskets；　five　brace　of　pistols；　two

poor　common　guns；　two　old　swords；　and　a　hunting…knife。　　Such　is　the

garrison；　such　the　arsenal；　and　these　are　the　preparations；　so　well

justified　and　so　slight；　which　prejudice　conjointly　with　gossip　is

about　to　transform　into　a　great　conspiracy。



The　chateau；　in　effect；　was　an　object　of　suspicion　in　the　village

from　the　very　first　day。　　All　its　visitors；　whenever　they　went　out

or　came　in；　with　all　the　details　of　their　actions；　were　watched；

denounced；　exaggerated；　and　misinterpreted。　　If　through　the

awkwardness　or　carelessness　of　so　many　inexperienced　National

Guards；　a　stray　ball　reaches　a　farm…house　one　day　in　broad　daylight；

it　comes　from　the　chateau；　it　is　the　aristocrats　who　have　fired　upon

the　peasants。　　…　　There　is　the　same　state　of　suspicion　in　the

neighboring　towns。　　The　municipal　body　of　Valence；　hearing　that　two

youths　had　ordered　coats　made　〃of　a　color　which　seemed　suspicious；〃

send　for　the　tailor；　he　confesses　the　fact；　and　adds　that　〃they

intended　to　put　the　buttons　on　themselves。〃　Such　a　detail　is

alarming。　　An　inquiry　is　set　on　foot　and　the　alarm　increases；　people

in　a　strange　uniform　have　been　seen　passing　on　their　way　to　the

chateau　of　Villiers；　from　thence；　on　reaching　the　number　of　two

hundred；　they　will　go　and　join　the　garrison　of　Besan？on；　they　will

travel　four　at　a　time　in　order　to　avoid　detection。　　At　Besan？on　they

are　to　meet　a　corps　of　forty　thousand　men；　commanded　by　M。

Autichamp；　which　corps　is　to　march　on　to　Paris　to　carry　off　the

King；　and　break　up　the　National　Assembly。　　The　National　Guards　along

the　whole　route　are　to　be　forced　into　the　lines。　　At　a　certain

distance　each　man　is　to　receive　1；200　francs；　and；　at　the　end　of　the

expedition；　is　to　be　enrolled　in　the　Artois　Guard；　or　sent　home　with

a　recompense　of　12；000　francs。　　…　　？Meanwhile；　the　Prince　de　Condé；

with　forty　thousand　men；　will　come　by　the　way　of　Pont　Saint…Esprit

in　Languedoc；　rally　the　disaffected　of　Carpentras　and　of　the　Jalès

camp　to　his　standard；　and　occupy　Cette　and　the　other　seaports；　and

finally；　the　Comte　d'Artois；　on　his　side；　will　enter　by　Pont…

Beauvoisin　with　thirty　thousand　men。　　…　　A　horrible　discovery！　The

municipal　authorities　of　Valence　immediately　inform　those　of　Lyons；

Besan？on；　Chalons；　Ma？on；　and　others　beside。　　On　the　strength　of

this　the　municipal　body　of　Ma？on；　〃considering　that　the　enemies　of

the　Revolution　are　ever　making　the　most　strenuous　efforts　to

annihilate　the　Constitution　which　secures　the　happiness　of　this

empire；〃　and　〃that　it　is　highly　important　to　frustrate　their

designs；〃　sends　two　hundred　men　of　its　National　Guard　to　the　chateau

of　Villiers；〃　empowered　to　employ　armed　force　in　case　of

resistance。〃　For　greater　security；　this　troop　is　joined　by　the

National　Guards　of　the　three　neighboring　parishes。　　M。　de　Bussy；　on

being　told　that　they　were　climbing　over　the　wall　into　his　garden；

seizes　a　gun　and　takes　aim；　but　does　not　fire；　and　then；　the

requisition　being　legal；　throws　all　open　to　them。　There　are　found　in

the　house　six　green　coats；　seven　dozens　of　large　buttons；　and

fifteen　dozens　of　small　ones。　　The　proof　is　manifest。　　He　explains

what　his　project　was　and　states　his　motive　　…　　it　is　a　mere　pretext。

He　makes　a　sign；　as　an　order；　to　his　valet　　…　　there　is　a　positive

complicity。　　M。　de　Bussy；　his　six　guests；　and　the　valet；　are

arrested　and　transported　to　Ma？on。　　A　trial　takes　place；　with

depositions　and　interrogatories；　in　which　the　truth　is　elicited　in

spite　of　the　most　adverse　testimony；　it　is　clear　that　M。　de　Bussy

never　intended　to　do　more　than　defend　himself。　　…　　But　prejudice　is

a　blindfold　to　hostile　eyes。　　It　cannot　be　admitted　that；　under　a

constitution　which　is　perfect；　an　innocent　man　could　incur　danger；

the　objection　is　made　to　him　that　〃it　is　not　natural　for　an　armed

company　to　be　formed　to　resist　a　massacre　by　which　it　is　not　menaced

；〃　they　are　convinced　beforehand　that　he　is　guilty。　　On　a　decree　of

the　National　Assembly　the　minister　had　ordered　all　accused　persons

to　be　brought　to　Paris　by　the　constabulary　and　hussars；　the　National

Guard　of　Ma？on；　〃in　the　greatest　state　of　agitation；〃　declares　that；

〃as　it　had　arrested　M。　de　Bussy；　it　would　not　consent　to　his

transport　by　any　other　body。　　。　　。　　Undoubtedly；　the　object　is　to

allow　him　to　escape　on　the　way；〃　but　it　will　know　how　to　keep　its

captive　secure。　　The　guard；　in　fine；　of　its　own　authority；　escorts

M。　de　Bussy　to　Paris；　into　the　Abbaye　prison；　where　he　is　kept

confined　for　several　months　　…　　so　long；　indeed；　that；　after　a　new

trial　and　investigation；　the　absurdity　of　the　accusation　being　too

palpable；　they　are　obliged　to　set　him　at　liberty。　　…　　Such　is　the

situation　of　most　of　the　gentry　on　their　own　estates；　and　M。　de

Bussy；　even　acquitted　and　vindicated；　will　act　wisely　in　not

returning　home。



III。



Domiciliary　visits。　　…　　The　fifth　jacquerie。　　…　　Burgundy　and

Lyonnais　in　1791。　　…　　M。　de　Chaponay　and　M。　Guillin…Dumoutet



He　would　be　nothing　but　a　hostage　there。　　Alone　against　thousands；

sole　survivor　and　representative　of　an　abolished　régime　which　all

detest；　it　is　the　noble　against　whom　everybody　turns　whenever　a

political　shock　seems　to　shake　the　new　régime。　　He　is　at　least

disarmed；　as　he　might　be　dangerous；　and；　in　these　popular

executions；　brutal　instincts　and　appetites　break　loose　like　a　bull

that　dashes　through　a　door　and　rages　through　a　dwelling…house。　　In

the　same　department；　some　months　later；　on　the　news　arriving　of　the

arrest　of　the　King　at　Varennes；　〃all　nonjuring＇13＇　priests　and　ci…

devant　nobles　are　exposed　to　the　horrors　of　persecution。〃　Bands

forcibly　enter　houses　to　seize　arms：　Commarin；　Grosbois；　Montculot；

Chaudenay；　Créancé；　Toisy；　Chatellenot；　and　other　houses　are　thus

visited；　and　several　are　sacked。　　During　the　night　of　June　26…27；

1791；　at　the　chateau　of　Créancé　〃there　is　pillaging　throughout；　the

mirrors　are　broken；　the　pictures　are　torn　up；　and　the　doors　are

broken　down。〃　The　master　of　the　house；　〃M。　de　Comeau…Créncé；　Knight

of　St。　　Louis；　horribly　maltreated；　is　dragged　to　the　foot　of　the

stairs；　where　he　lies　as　if　dead：〃　previous　to　this；　〃he　was　forced

to　give　a　considerable　contribution；　and　to　refund　all　penalties

collected　by　him　before　the　Revolution　as　the　local　lord　of　the

manor。　　〃　　…　　Two　other　proprietors　in　the　neighborhood；　both

Knights　of　St。　　Louis；　are　treated　in　the　same　way。　　〃That　is　the

way　in　which　three　old　and　brave　soldiers　are　rewarded　for　their

services！〃　A　fourth；　a　peaceable　man；　escapes　beforehand；　leaving

his　keys　in　the　locks　and　his　gardener　in　the　house。

Notwithstanding　this；　the　doors　and　the　clothes…presses　were　broken

open；　the　pillaging　lasting　five　hours　and　a　half；　with　threats　of

setting　the　house　on　fire　if　the　seigneur　did　not　make　his

appearance。　　Questions　were　asked　〃as　to　whether　he　attended　the

mass　of　the　new　curé　whether　he　had　formerly　exacted　fines；　and

finally；　whether　any　of　the　inhabitants　had　any　complaint　to　make

against　him。〃　No　complaint　is　made；　on　the　contrary；　he　is　rather

beloved。　　…　　But；　in　tumults　of　this　sort；　a　hundred　madmen　and

fifty　rogues　prescribe　the　law　to　the　timid　and　the　indifferent。

These　outlaws　declared　that　〃they　were　acting　under　orders；　they

compelled　the　mayor　and　prosecuting　attorney　to　take　part　in　their

robberies；　they　likewise　took　the　precaution　to　force　a　few　honest

citizens；　by　using　the　severest　threats；　to　march　along　with　them。〃

These　people　come　the　next　day　to　apologize　to　the　pillaged

proprietor；　while　the　municipal　officers　draw　up　a　statement　of　the

violence　practiced　against　them。　The　violence　nevertheless；　is

accomplished；　and；　as　it　will　go　unpunished；　it　is　soon　to　be

repeated。



A　beginning　and　an　end　are　already　made　in　the　two　neighboring

departments。　　There；　especially　in　the　south；　nothing　is　more

instructive　than　to　see　how　an　outbreak　stimulated　by　enthusiasm　for

the　public　good　immediately　degenerates　under　the　impulse　of　private

interest；　and　ends　in　crime。　　…　　Around　Lyons；＇14＇　under　the　same

pretext　and　at　the　same　date；　similar　mobs　perform　similar

visitations；　and；　on　all　these　occasions；　〃the　rent…rolls　are　burnt；

and　houses　are　pillaged　and　set　on　fire。　　Municipal　authority；

organized　for　the　security　of　property；　is　in　many　hands　but　one

facility　more　for　its　violation。　　The　National　Guard　seems　to　be

armed　merely　for　the　protection　of　robbery　and　disorder。〃　　…　　For

more　than　thirty　years；　M。　de　Chaponay；　the　father　of　six　children

of　whom　three　are　in　the　service；　expended　his　vast　income　on　his

estate　of　Beaulieu；　giving　occupation　to　a　number　of　persons；　men；

women；　and　children。　　After　the　hailstorm　of　1761；　which　nearly

destroyed　the　village　of　Moranée；　he　rebuilt　thirty…three　houses；

furnished　others　with　timber　for　the　　framework；　supplied　the

commune　with　wheat；　and；　for　several　years；　obtained　for　the

inhabit