the origins of contemporary france-2-第79章

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de　Beaumont　is　military　commandant　at　Perigord。　　The　treatment　he

undergoes　shows　what　is　in　reserve　for　ordinary　nobles。　　I　do　not

recommend　them　to　attend　official　sales　of　property。＇24＇　　…　　Will

they　even　be　free　in　their　domestic　enjoyments；　and　on　entering　a

drawing…room　are　they　sure　of　quietly　passing　an　evening　there？　　…

At　Paris；　even；　a　number　of　persons　of　rank；　among　them　the

ambassadors　of　Denmark　and　Venice；　are　listening　to　a　concert　in　a

mansion　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Honoré　given　by　a　foreign　virtuoso；

when　a　cart　enters　the　court　loaded　with　fifty　bundles　of　hay；　the

monthly　supply　for　the　horses。　　A　patriot；　who　sees　the　cart　driven

in；　imagines　that　the　King　is　concealed　underneath　the　hay；　and　that

he　has　come　there　for　the　purpose　of　plotting　with　the　aristocrats

about　his　flight。　　A　mob　gathers；　and　the　National　Guard　arrives；

along　with　a　commissioner；　while　four　grenadiers　stand　guard　around

the　cart。　　The　commissioner；　in　the　meantime；　inspects　the　hotel；　he

sees　music…stands；　and　the　arrangements　for　a　supper；　comes　back；

has　the　cart　unloaded；　and　states　to　the　people　that　he　has　found

nothing　suspicious。　　The　people　do　not　believe　him；　and　demand　a

second　inspection。　　This　is　made　by　twenty…four　delegates；　the

bundles　of　hay；　moreover；　are　counted；　and　several　of　them　are

unbound；　but　all　in　vain。　　Disappointed　and　irritated；　having

anticipated　a　spectacle；　the　crowd　insists　that　all　the　invited

guests；　men　and　women；　should　leave　the　house　on　foot；　and　only　get

into　their　carriages　at　the　end　of　the　street。　　〃First　comes　a　file

of　empty　carriages；〃　next；　〃all　the　guests　in　their　evening　attire；

and　the　ladies　in　full　dress；　trembling　with　fear；　with　downcast

eyes；　between　two　rows　of　men；　women；　and　children；　who　stare　them

in　the　face；　and　overwhelm　them　with　insults。〃＇25＇



Suspected　of　holding　secret　meetings；　and　called　to　account　in　his

own　house；　has　the　noble　at　least　the　right　to　frequent　a　public

saloon；　to　eat　in　a　restaurant；　and　to　take　the　fresh　air　in　a

balcony？　　…　　The　Vicomte　de　Mirabeau；　who　has　just　dined　in　the

Palais…Royal；　stands　at　the　window　to　take　the　air；　and　is

recognized；　there　is　a　gathering；　and　the　cry　is　soon　heard；　〃Down

with　Mirabeau…Tonneau　（barrel…Mirabeau）！〃＇26＇　〃Gravel　is　flung　at

him　from　all　sides；　and　occasionally　stones。　　One　of　the　window…

panes　is　broken　by　a　stone。　　Immediately　picking　up　the　stone；　he

shows　it　to　the　crowd；　and；　at　the　same　time；　quietly　places　it　on

the　sill　of　the　window；　in　token　of　moderation。〃　There　is　a　loud

outcry；　his　friends　force　him　to　withdraw　inside；　and　Bailly；　the

mayor；　comes　in　person　to　quiet　the　aggressors。　　In　this　case　there

are　good　reasons　for　their　hatred。　　The　gentleman　whom　they　stone　is

a　bon…vivant；　large　and　fat；　fond　of　rich　epicurean　Suppers；　and　on

this　account　the　populace　imagine　him　to　be　a　monster；　and　even

worse；　an　ogre。　　With　regard　to　these　nobles；　whose　greatest

misfortune　is　to　be　over…polished　and　too　worldly；　the　over…excited

imagination　revives　its　old　nursery　tales。　　…　　M。　de　Montlosier；

living　in　the　Rue　Richelieu；　finds　that　he　is　watched　on　his　way　to

the　National　Assembly。　　One　woman　especially；　from　thirty　to　thirty…

two　years　of　age；　who　sold　meat　at　a　stall　in　the　Passage　Saint…

Guillaume；　〃regarded　him　with　special　attention。　　As　soon　as　she　saw

him　coming　she　took　up　a　long；　broad　knife　which　she　sharpened

before　him；　casting　furious　looks　at　him。〃　He　asks　his　housekeeper

what　this　means。　　Two　children　of　that　quarter　have　disappeared；

carried　off　by　gipsies；　and　the　report　is　current　that　M。　de

Montlosier；　the　Marquis　de　Mirabeau；　and　other　deputies　of　the

〃right；〃　meet　together　〃to　hold　orgies　in　which　they　eat　little

children。〃



In　this　state　of　public　opinion　there　is　no　crime　which　is　not

imputed　to　them；　no　insult　which　is　not　freely　bestowed　on　them。

〃Traitors；　tyrants；　conspirators；　assassins；〃　such　is　the　current

vocabulary　of　the　clubs　and　newspapers　in　relation　to　them。

〃Aristocrat〃　signifies　all　this；　and　whoever　dares　to　refute　the

calumny　is　himself　an　aristocrat。　　…　　At　the　Palais…Royal；　it　is

constantly　repeated　that　M。　de　Castries；　in　his　last　duel；　made　use

of　a　poisoned　sword；　and　an　officer　of　the　navy　who　protests　against

this　false　report　is　himself　accused；　tried　on　the　spot；　and

condemned　〃to　be　shut　up　in　the　guard…house　or　thrown　into　the

fountain。〃＇27＇　　…　　The　nobles　must　beware　of　defending　their　honor

in　the　usual　way　and　of　meeting　an　insult　with　a　challenge！　At

Castelnau；　near　Cahors；＇28＇　one　of　those　who；　the　preceding　year；

marched　against　the　incendiaries；　M。　de　Bellud；　Knight　of　Saint…

Louis；　on　coming　down　the　public　square　with　his　brother；　a

guardsman；　is　greeted　with　cries　of　〃The　aristocrat！　to　the　lamp

post　！〃　His　brother　is　in　a　morning　coat　and　slippers；　and　not

wishing　to　get　into　trouble　they　do　not　reply。　　A　squad　of　the

National　Guard；　passing　by；　repeats　the　cry；　but　they　still　remain

silent。　　The　shout　continues；　and　M。　de　Bellud；　after　some　time　has

elapsed；　begs　the　captain　to　order　his　men　to　be　quiet。　　He　refuses；

and　M。　de　Bellud　demands　satisfaction　outside　the　town。　　At　these

words　the　National　Guards　rush　at　M。　de　Bellud　with　fixed　bayonets。

His　brother　receives　a　saber…cut　on　the　neck；　while　he；　defending

himself　with　his　sword；　slightly　wounds　the　captain　and　one　of　the

men。　　The　two　brothers；　alone　against　the　whole　body；　fight　on；

retreating　to　their　house；　in　which　they　are　blockaded。　　Towards

seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　two　or　three　hundred　National　Guards

from　Cahors　arrive　to　reinforce　the　besiegers。　　The　house　is　taken；

and　the　guardsman；　escaping　across　the　fields；　sprains　his　ankle　and

is　captured。　　M。　de　Bellud；　who　has　found　his　way　into　another

house；　continues　to　defend　himself　there：　the　house　is　set　on　fire

and　burnt；　together　with　two　others　alongside　of　it。　　Taking　refuge

in　a　cellar　he　still　keeps　on　firing。　　Bundles　of　lighted　straw　are

thrown　in　at　the　air…holes。　　Almost　suffocated；　he　springs　out；

kills　his　first　assailant　with　a　shot　from　one　pistol；　and　himself

with　another。　　His　head　is　cut　off　with　that　of　his　servant。　　The

guardsman　is　made　to　kiss　the　two　heads；　and；　on　his　demanding　a

glass　of　water；　they　fill　his　mouth　with　the　blood　which　drops　from

the　severed　head　of　his　brother。　　The　victorious　gang　then　set　out

for　Cahors；　with　the　two　heads　stuck　on　bayonets；　and　the　guardsman

in　a　cart。　　It　comes　to　a　halt　before　a　house　in　which　a　literary

circle　meets；　suspected　by　the　Jacobin　club。　　The　wounded　man　is

made　to　descend　from　the　cart　and　is　hung：　his　body　is　riddled　with

balls；　and　everything　the　house　contains　is　broken　up；　〃the

furniture　is　thrown　out　of　the　windows；　and　the　house　pulled　down。〃

…　　Every　popular　execution　is　of　this　character；　at　once　prompt　and

complete；　similar　to　those　of　an　Oriental　monarch　who；　on　the

instant；　without　inquiry　or　trial；　avenges　his　offended　majesty；

and。　　for　every　offense；　knows　no　other　punishment　than　death。　　At

Tulle；　M。　de　Massy；＇29＇　lieutenant　of　the　〃Royal　Navarre；〃　having

struck　a　man　that　insulted　him；　is　seized　in　the　house　in　which　he

took　refuge；　and；　in　spite　of　the　three　administrative　bodies；　is　at

once　massacred。　　…　　At　Brest；　two　anti…revolutionary　caricatures

having　been　drawn　with　charcoal　on　the　walls　of　the　military　coffee…

house；　the　excited　crowd　lay　the　blame　of　it　on　the　officers；　one　of

these；　M。　Patry；　takes　it　upon　himself；　and；　on　the　point　of　being

torn　to　pieces；　attempts　to　kill　himself。　　He　is　disarmed；　but；　when

the　municipal　authorities　come　to　his　assistance；　they　find　him

〃already　dead　through　an　infinite　number　of　wounds；〃　and　his　head　is

borne　about　on　the　end　of　a　pike。＇30＇　　…



VI。



Conduct　of　officers。　…　Their　self…sacrifice。…　Disposition　of　the

soldiery。　…　Military　outbreaks。…　　Spread　and　increase　of

insubordination。　…　Resignation　of　the　officers。



Much　better　would　it　be　to　live　under　an　Eastern　king；　for　he　is　not

found　everywhere；　nor　always　furious　and　mad；　like　the　populace。

Nowhere　are　the　nobles　safe；　neither　in　public　nor　in　private　life；

neither　in　the　country　nor　in　the　towns；　neither　associated　together

nor　separate。　　Popular　hostility　hangs　over　them　like　a　dark　and

threatening　cloud　from　one　end　of　the　territory　to　the　other；　and　the

tempest　bursts　upon　them　in　a　continuous　storm　of　vexations；　outrages；

calumnies；　robberies；　and　acts　of　violence；　here；　there；　and　almost

daily；　bloody　thunderbolts　fall　haphazard　on　the　most　inoffensive

heads；　on　an　old　man　asleep；　on　a　Knight　of　Saint…Louis　taking　a

walk；　on　a　family　at　prayers　in　a　church。　　But；　in　this　aristocracy；

crushed　down　in　some　places　and　attacked　everywhere；　the　thunderbolt

finds　one　predestined　group　which　attracts　it　and　on　which　it　constantly

falls；　and　that　is　the　corps　of　officers。



VI。



Conduct　of　the　officers。　　…　　Their　self…sacrifice。　　…　　Disposition

of　the　soldiery。　　…　　Military　outbreaks。　　…　　Spread　and　increase　of

insubordination。　　…　　Resignation　of　the　officers。



With　the　exception　of　a　few　fops；　frequenters　of　drawing…rooms；　and

the　court　favorites　who　have　reached　a　high　rank　through　the

intrigues　of　the　antechamber；　it　was　in　this　group；　especially　in

the　medium　ranks；　that　true　moral　nobility　was　then　found。　　Nowhere

in　France　was　there　so　much　tried；　substantial　merit。　　A　man　of

genius；　who　associated　with　them　in　his　youth；　rendered　them　this

homage：　many　among　them　are　men　possessing　〃　the　most　amiable

characters　and　minds　of　the　highest　order。〃＇31＇　Indeed；　for　most　of

them；　military　service　was　not　a　career　of　ambition；　but　an

obligation　of　birth。　　It　was　the　rule　in　each　noble　family　for　the

eldest　son　to　enter　the　army；　and　advancement　was　of　but　little

consequence。　　He　discharged　the　debt　of　his　rank；　this　sufficed　for

him；　and；　after　twenty　or　thirty　years　of　service；　the　order　of

Saint…Louis；　and　sometimes　a　meager　pension；　were　all　he　had　a　right

to　expect。　　Amongst　nine　or　ten　thousand　officers；　the　great

majority　coming　from　the　lower　and　poorer　class　of　provincial

nobles；　body…guards；　lieutenants；　captains；　majors；　lieutenant…

colonels；　and　even　colonels；　have　no　other　pretension。　　Satisfied

with　favors＇32＇　restricted　to　their　subordinate　rank；　they　leave　the

highest　grades　of　the　service　to　the　heirs　of　the　great　families；　to

the　courtiers　or　to　the　parvenus　at　Versailles；　and　content

themselves　with　remaining　the　guardians　of　public　order；　and　the

brave　defenders　of　the　State。　　Under　this　system；　when　the　heart　is

not　depraved　it　becomes　exalted；　it　is　made　a　point　of　honor　to

serve　without　compensation；　there　is　nothing　but　the　public　welfare

in　view；　and　all　the　more　because；　at　this　moment；　it　is　the

absorbing　topic　of　all　minds　and　of　all　literature。　　Nowhere　has

practical　philosophy；　that　which　consi