the origins of contemporary france-2-第78章

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there　will　always　be　〃an　officer　of　justice　or　a　member　of　the

administrative　body　with　an　officer　or　subaltern　of　the　National

Guard。〃　Should　any　citizen　be　attacked　in　person　or　property　the

association　will　draw　up　a　petition　in　his　favor。　　Should　any

particular　act　of　violence　require　the　employment　of　public　force；

the　members　of　the　district　will　assemble　under　the　orders　of　the

officer　of　justice　and　of　the　National　Guard　to　enforce　obedience。

〃In　all　possible　cases〃　they　〃will　avoid　with　the　greatest　care　any

insult　of　individuals；　they　will　consider　that　the　object　of　the

meeting　is　solely　to　ensure　public　peace；　and　that　protection　from

the　law　to　which　every　citizen　is　entitled。〃　　…　　In　short；　they　are

volunteer　constables。　　Turn　the　inquiry　which　way　they　will；　a

hostile　municipality　and　a　prejudiced　tribunal　can　put　no　other

construction　upon　it；　they　find　nothing　else。　　The　only　evidence

against　one　of　the　leaders　is　a　letter　in　which　he　tries　to　prevent

a　gentleman　from　going　to　Coblentz；　striving　to　prove　to　him　that　he

will　be　more　useful　at　Caen。　　The　principal　evidence　against　the

association　is　that　of　a　townsman　whom　they　wished　to　enroll；　and　of

whom　they　demanded　his　opinions。　　He　had　stated　that　he　was　in　favor

of　the　execution　of　the　laws；　upon　which　they　told　him：　〃In　this

case　you　belong　to　us；　and　are　more　of　an　aristocrat　than　you　think

you　are。　　Their　aristocracy；　in　effect；　consists　wholly　in　the

suppression　of　brigandage。　　No　claim　is　more　unpalatable；　because　it

interposes　an　obstacle　to　the　arbitrary　acts　of　a　party　which　thinks

it　has　a　right　to　do　as　it　pleases。　　On　the　4th　of　October　the

regiment　of　Aunis　left　the　town；　and　all　good　citizens　were　handed

over　to　the　militia；　〃in　uniform　or　not；〃　they　alone　being　armed。

That　day；　for　the　first　time　in　a　long　period；　M。　Bunel；　the　former

curé　of　Saint…Jean；　with　the　consent　and　assistance　of　his　sworn

successor；　officiates　at　the　mass。　　There　is　a　large　gathering　of

the　orthodox；　which　causes　uneasiness　among　the　patriots。　　The

following　day　M。　Bunel　is　to　say　mass　again；　whereupon；　through　the

municipal　authorities；　the　patriots　forbid　him　to　officiate；　to

which　he　submits。　　Nevertheless；　for　lack　of　due　notice；　a　crowd　of

the　faithful　have　arrived　and　the　church　is　filled。　　A　dangerous

mob！　The　patriots　and　National　Guards　arrive　〃to　preserve　order；〃

which　has　not　been　disturbed；　and　which　they　alone　disturb。

Threatening　words　are　exchanged　between　the　servants　of　the　nobles

and　the　National　Guard。　　The　latter　draw　their　swords；　and　a　young

man　is　hewn　down　and　trampled　on；　M。　de　Saffrey；　who　comes　to　his

assistance　unarmed；　is　himself　cut　down　and　pierced　with　bayonets；

and　two　others　are　wounded。　　…　　Meanwhile；　in　a　neighboring　street；

M。　Achard　de　Vagogne；　seeing　a　man　maltreated　by　armed　men；

approaches；　in　order　to　make　peace。　　The　man　is　shot　down　and　M。

Achard　is　covered　with　saber　and　bayonet　gashes：　〃there　is　not　a

thread　on　him　which　is　not　dyed　with　the　blood　that　ran　down　even

into　his　shoes。〃　In　this　condition　he　is　led　to　the　chateau　along

with　M。　de　Saifrey。　　Others　break　down　the　door　of　the　house　of　M。

du　Rosel；　an　old　officer　of　seventy…five　years；　of　which　fifty…nine

have　been　passed　in　the　service；　and　pursue　him　even　over　the　wall

of　his　garden。　　A　fourth　squad　seizes　M。　d'Héricy；　another　venerable

officer；　who；　like　M。　du　Rosel；　was　ignorant　of　all　that　was　going

on；　and　was　quietly　leaving　for　his　country　seat。　　…　　The　town　is

full　of　tumult；　and；　through　the　orders　of　the　municipal

authorities；　the　general　alarm　is　sounded。



The　time　for　the　special　constables　to　act　has　come；　about　sixty

gentlemen；　with　a　number　of　merchants　and　artisans；　set　out。

According　to　the　rules　of　their　association；　and　with　significant

scruple；　they　beg　an　Officer　of　the　National　Guard；　who　happens　to

be　passing；　to　put　himself　at　their　head；　they　reach　the　Place

Saint…Sauveur；　encounter　the　superior　officer　sent　after　them　by　the

municipal　authorities；　and；　at　his　first　command；　follow　him　to　the

H？tel…de…Ville。　　On　reaching　this；　without　any　resistance　on　their

part；　they　are　arrested；　disarmed；　and　searched。　　The　rules　and

regulations　of　their　league　are　found　on　their　persons；　they　are

evidently　hatching　a　counter…revolution。　　The　uproar　against　them　is

terrible。　　〃To　keep　them　safe；〃　they　are　conducted　to　the　chateau；

while　many　of　them　are　cruelly　treated　on　the　way　by　the　crowd。

Others；　seized　in　their　houses　　…　　M。　Levaillant　and　a　servant　of　M。

d'Héricy　　…　　are　carried　off　bleeding　and　pierced　with　bayonets。

Eighty…two　prisoners　are　thus　collected；　while　fears　are　constantly

entertained　that　they　may　escape。　　〃Their　bread　and　meat　are　cut　up

into　little　pieces；　to　see　that　nothing　is　concealed　therein；　the

surgeons；　who　are　likewise　treated　as　aristocrats；　are　denied　access

to　them。〃　Nocturnal　visits　are；　at　the　same　time；　paid　to　their

houses；　every　stranger　is　ordered　to　present　himself　at　the　H？tel…

de…Ville；　to　state　why　he　comes　to　the　town　to　reside；　and　to　give

up　his　arms；　every　nonjuring　priest　is　forbidden　to　say　mass。　　The

Department；　which　is　disposed　to　resist；　has　its　hands　tied　and

confesses　its　powerlessness。　　〃The　people；〃　it　writes；　〃know　their

strength：　they　know　that　we　have　no　power；　excited　by　disreputable

citizens；　they　permit　whatever　serves　their　passions　or　their

interests；　they　influence　our　deliberations；　and　force　us　to　those

which；　under　other　circumstances；　we　should　carefully　avoid。〃　　…

Three　days　after　this　the　victors　celebrate　their　triumph　〃with

drums；　music；　and　lighted　torches；　the　people　are　using　hammers　to

destroy　on　the　mansions　the　coats…of…arms　which　had　previously　been

covered　over　with　plaster；〃　the　defeat　of　the　aristocrats　is

accomplished。　　…　　And　yet　their　innocence　is　so　clearly　manifest

that　the　Legislative　Assembly　itself　cannot　help　recognizing　it。

After　eleven　weeks　of　durance　the　order　is　given　to　set　them　free；

with　the　exception　of　two；　a　youth　of　less　than　eighteen　years　and

an　old　man；　almost　an　octogenarian；　on　whom　two　letters；

misunderstood；　still　leave　a　shadow　of　suspicion。　　…　　But　it　is　not

certain　that　the　people　are　disposed　to　give　them　up。　　The　National

Guard　refuses　to　discharge　them　in　open　daylight　and　serve　as　their

escort。　　Even　the　evening　before　numerous　groups　of　women；　a　few　men

mingled　with　them；　talk　of　murdering　all　those　fellows　the　moment

they　set　foot　outside　the　chateau。〃　They　have　to　be　let　out　at　two

o'clock　in　the　morning；　secretly；　under　a　strong　guard；　and　to　leave

the　town　at　once　as　six　months　before　they　left　the　rural　districts。

…　　Neither　in　country　nor　in　the　town＇20＇　are　they　under　the

protection　of　civil　or　religious　law；　a　gentleman；　who　is　not

compromised　in　the　affair；　remarks　that　their　situation　is　worse

than　that　of　Protestants　and　vagabonds　during　the　worst　years　of　the

Ancient　Régime。　　of　them　and　who　abuse　the　use　of　them？　Why　should

one　be　on　an　equality　for　purposes　of　payment；　and　distinguished



〃Does　not　the　law　allow　（nonjuring）　priests　the　liberty　of　saying

mass？　Why　then　can　we　not　listen　to　their　mass　except　at　the　risk　of

our　lives？　Does　not　the　law　command　all　citizens　to　preserve　the

public　peace？　Why　then　are　those　whom　the　cry　to　arms　has　summoned

forth　to　maintain　public　order　assailed　as　aristocrats？　Why　is　the

refuge　of　citizens　which　the　laws　have　declared　sacred；　violated

without　orders；　without　accusation；　without　any　appearance　of　wrong…

doing？　Why　are　all　prominent　citizens　and　those　who　are　well　off

disarmed　in　preference　to　others？　Are　weapons　exclusively　made　for

those　but　lately　deprived　only　for　purposes　of　annoyance　and　insult〃



He　has　spoken　right。　　Those　who　now　rule　form　an　aristocracy　in　an

inverse　sense；　contrary　to　the　law；　and　yet　more　contrary　to

nature。＇21＇　　For；　by　a　violent　inversion；　the　lower　grades　in　the

graduated　scale　of　civilization　and　culture　now　are　found　uppermost；

while　the　superior　grades　are　found　at　the　uniform。　The　Constitution

having　suppressed　inequality；　this　has　again　arisen　in　an　inverse

sense。　　The　populace；　both　of　town　and　country；　taxes；　imprisons；

pillages；　and　slays　more　arbitrarily；　more　brutally；　more　unjustly

than　feudal　barons；　and　for　its　serfs　or　villains　it　has　its　ancient

chieftains。



V。

Persecutions　in　private　life。



Let　us　suppose　that；　in　order　not　to　excite　suspicion；　they　are

content　to　be　without　arms；　to　form　no　more　associations；　not　to

attend　elections；　to　shut　themselves　up　at　home；　to　strictly　confine

themselves　within　the　harmless　precincts　of　domestic　life。　　The　same

distrust；　the　same　animosity；　still　pursues　them　there。　　…　　At

Cahors；＇22＇　where　the　municipal　authorities；　in　spite　of　the　law；

had　just　expelled　the　Carthusians　who；　under　legal　sanction；　chose

to　remain　and　live　in　common；　two　of　the　monks；　before　their

departure；　give　to　M。　de　Beaumont；　their　friend　and　neighbor；　four

dwarf　pear…trees　and　some　onions　in　blossom　in　their　garden。　　On　the

strength　of　this；　the　municipal　body　decree　that



　〃the　sieur　Louis　de　Beaumont；　formerly　count；　is　guilty　of　having

audaciously　and　maliciously　damaged　national　property；〃　condemns　him

to　pay　a　fine　of　three　hundred　livres；　and　orders　〃that　the　four

pear…trees；　pulled　up　in　the　so…called　Carthusian　garden；　be　brought

on　the　following　day；　Wednesday；　to　the　door　of　the　said　sieur　de

Beaumont；　and　there　remain　for　four　consecutive　days；　guarded；　day

and　night；　by　two　fusiliers；　at　the　expense　of　the　said　sieur　de

Beaumont；　and　upon　the　said　trees　shall　be　placed　the　following

inscription；　to　wit：　Louis　de　Beaumont；　destroyer　of　the　national

property。　　And　the　judgment　herewith　rendered　shall　be　printed　to

the　number　of　one　thousand　copies；　read；　published；　and　posted　at

the　expense　of　the　said　sieur　de　Beaumont；　and　duly　addressed

throughout　the　department　of　Lot　to　the　districts　and　municipalities

thereof；　as　well　as　to　all　societies　of　the　Friends　of　the

Constitution　and　of　Liberty。〃



Every　line　of　this　legal　invective　discloses　the　malignant　envy　of

the　local　recorder；　who　revenges　himself　for　having　formerly　bowed

too　low。　　…　　The　following　year；　M。　de　Beaumont；　having　formally　and

under　notarial　sanction　bought　a　church　which　was　sold　by　the

district；　along　with　the　ornaments　and　objects　of　worship　it

contained；　the　mayor　and　municipal　officers；　followed　by　a　lot　of

workmen；　come　and　carry　away　and　destroy　everything　　…

confessionals；　altars；　and　even　the　saint's　canonised　body；　which

had　been　interred　for　one　hundred　and　fifty　years：　so　that；　after

their　departure；　〃the　edifice　resembled　a　vast　barn　filled　with

ruins　and　rubbish。〃＇23＇　It　must　be　noted　that；　at　this　very　time；　M。

de　Beaumont　is　military　commandant　at　Perigord。　　The　treatment　he

undergoes　shows　what　is　in　reserve　for　ordinary