the origins of contemporary france-2-第85章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



invaded；　when　the　frontier　fortresses　surrender　without　resistance；

when　the　Prussians　are　entering　Champagne；　when　the　insurrection　in

La　Vendée　adds　the　lacerations　of　civil　war　to　the　threats　of　a

foreign　war；　and　when　the　cry　of　treachery　arises　on　all　sides？　　…

Already；　on　the　14th　of　May；　at　Metz；＇77＇　M。　de　Fiquelmont；　a　former

canon；　seen　chatting　with　a　hussar　on　the　Place　Saint…Jacques；　was

charged　with　tampering　with　people　on　behalf　of　the　princes；　carried

off　in　spite　of　a　triple　line　of　guards；　and　beaten；　pierced；　and

slashed　with　sticks；　bayonets；　and　sabers；　while　the　mad　crowd

around　the　murderers　uttered　cries　of　rage：　and　from　month　to　month；

in　proportion　as　popular　fears　increase；　popular　imagination　becomes

more　heated　and　its　delirium　grows。　　…　　You　can　see　this　yourself　by

one　example。　　On　the　31st　of　August；　1792；＇78＇　eight　thousand　non…

juring　priests；　driven　out　of　their　parishes；　are　at　Rouen；　a　town

less　intolerant　than　the　others；　and；　in　conformity　with　the　decree

which　banishes　them；　are　preparing　to　leave　France。　　Two　vessels

have　just　carried　away　about　a　hundred　of　them；　one　hundred　and

twenty　others　are　embarking　for　Ostend　in　a　larger　vessel。　　They

take　nothing　with　them　except　a　little　money；　some　clothes；　and　one

or　at　most　two　portions　of　their　breviary；　because　they　intend　to

return　soon。　　Each　has　a　regular　passport；　and；　just　at　the　moment

of　leaving；　the　National　Guard　have　made　a　thorough　inspection　so　as

not　to　let　a　suspected　person　escape。　　It　makes　no　difference。　　On

reaching　Quilleboeuf　the　first　two　convoys　are　stopped。　　A　report

has　spread；　indeed；　that　the　priests　are　going　to　join　the　enemy　and

enlist；　and　the　people　living　round　about　jump　into　their　boats　and

surround　the　vessels。　　The　priests　are　obliged　to　disembark　amidst　a

tempests　of　〃yells；　blasphemies；　insults；　and　abuse：〃　one　of　them；　a

white…headed　old　man；　having　fallen　into　the　mud；　the　cries　and

shouts　redouble；　if　he　is　drowned　so　much　the　better；　there　will　be

one　less！　On　landing　all　are　put　in　prison；　on　bare　stones；　without

straw　or　bread；　and　word　is　sent　to　Paris　to　know　what　must　be　done

with　so　many　cassocks。　　In　the　meantime　the　third　vessel；　short　of

provisions；　has　sent　two　priests　to　Quilleboeuf　and　to　Pont…Audemer

to　have　twelve　hundred　pounds　of　bread　baked：　pointed　out　by　the

village　militia；　they　are　chased　out　like　wild　beasts；　pass　the

night　in　a　wood；　and　find　their　way　back　with　difficulty　empty…

handed。　　The　vessel　itself　being　signaled；　is　besieged。　　〃In　all　the

municipalities　on　the　banks　of　the　river　drums　beat　incessantly　to

warn　the　population　to　be　on　their　guard。　　The　appearance　of　an

Algerian　or　Tripolitan　corsair　on　the　shores　of　the　Adriatic　would

cause　less　excitement。　　One　of　the　seamen　of　the　vessel　published　a

statement　that　the　trunks　of　the　priests　transported　were　full　of

every　kind　of　arms。〃　and　the　country　people　constantly　imagine　that

they　are　going　to　fall　upon　them　sword　and　pistol　in　hand。　　For

several　long　days　the　famished　convoy　remains　moored　in　the　stream；

are　carefully　watched。　　Boats　filled　with　volunteers　and　peasants

row　around　it　uttering　insults　and　threats：　in　the　neighboring

meadows　the　National　Guards　form　themselves　in　line　of　battle。

Finally；　a　decision　is　arrived　at。　　The　bravest；　well　armed　get　into

skiffs；　approach　the　vessel　cautiously；　choose　the　most　favorable

time　and　spot；　rush　on　board；　and　take　possession；　and　are　perfectly

astonished　to　find　neither　enemies　nor　arms。　　…　　Nevertheless；　the

priests　are　confined　on　board；　and　their　deputies；　must　make　their

appearance　before　the　mayor。　　The　latter；　a　former　usher　and　good

Jacobin；　being　the　most　frightened；　is　the　most　violent。　　He　refuses

to　stamp　the　passports；　and；　seeing　two　priests　approach；　one

provided　with　a　sword…cane　and　the　other　with　an　iron…pointed　stick；

thinks　that　there　is　to　be　a　sudden　attack。　　〃Here　are　two　more　of

them；〃　he　exclaims　with　terror；　〃they　are　all　going　to　land。　　My

friends；　the　town　is　in　danger！　〃　　…　　On　hearing　this　the　crowd

becomes　alarmed；　and　threatens　the　deputies；　the　cry　of　〃To　the　lamp

post！〃　is　heard；　and；　to　save　them；　National　Guards　are　obliged　to

conduct　them　to　prison　in　the　center　of　a　circle　of　bayonets。　　　…

It　must　be　noted　that　these　madmen　are　〃at　bottom　the　kindest　people

in　the　world。〃　After　the　boarding　of　the　ship；　one　of　the　most

ferocious；　by　profession　a　barber；　seeing　the　long　beards　of　these

poor　priests；　instantly　cools　down；　draws　forth　his　tools；　and　good…

naturedly　sets　to　work；　spending　several　hours　in　shaving　them。　In

ordinary　times　ecclesiastics　received　nothing　but　salutations；　three

years　previously　they　were　〃respected　as　fathers　and　guides。〃　But　at

the　present　moment　the　rustic；　the　man　of　the　lower　class；　is　out　of

his　bearings。　　Forcibly　and　against　nature；　he　has　been　made　a

theologian；　a　politician；　a　police　captain；　a　local　independent

sovereign；　and　in　such　a　position　his　head　is　turned。　　Among　these

people　who　seem　to　have　lost　their　senses；　only　one；　an　officer　of

the　National　Guard；　remains　cool；　he　is；　besides；　very　polite；　well…

behaved；　and　an　agreeable　talker；　he　comes　in　the　evening　to　comfort

the　prisoners　and　to　take　tea　with　them　in　prison；　in　fact；　he　is

accustomed　to　tragedies　and；　thanks　to　his　profession；　his　nerves

are　in　repose　　…　　this　person　is　the　executioner。　　The　others；　〃whom

one　would　take　for　tigers；〃　are　bewildered　sheep；　but　they　are　not

the　less　dangerous；　for；　carried　away　by　their　delirium；　they　bear

down　with　their　mass　on　whatever　gives　them　umbrage。　　　…　　　On　the

road　from　Paris　to　Lyons＇79＇　Roland's　commissioners　witness　this

terrible　fright。　　〃The　people　are　constantly　asking　what　our

generals　and　armies　are　doing；　they　have　vengeful　expressions

frequently　on　their　lips。　　Yes；　they　say；　we　will　set　out；　but　we

must　（at　first）　purge　the　interior。〃



Something　appalling　is　in　preparation。　　The　seventh　jacquerie　is

drawing　near；　this　one　universal　and　final　　…　　at　first　brutal；　and

then　legal　and　systematic；　undertaken　and　carried　out　on　the

strength　of　abstract　principles　by　leaders　worthy　of　the　means　they

employ。　　Nothing　like　it　ever　occurred　in　history；　for　the　first

time　we　see　brutes　gone　mad；　operating　on　a　grand　scale　and　for　a

long　time；　under　the　leadership　of　blockheads　who　have　become

insane。



There　is　a　certain　strange　malady　commonly　encountered　in　the

quarters　of　the　poor。　　A　workman；　over…taxed　with　work；　in　misery

and　badly　fed；　takes　to　drink；　he　drinks　more　and　more　every　day；

and　liquors　of　the　strongest　kind。　　After　a　few　years　his　nervous

system；　already　weakened　by　spare　diet；　becomes　over…excited　and　out

of　balance。　　An　hour　comes　when　the　brain；　under　a　sudden　stroke；

ceases　to　direct　the　machine；　in　vain　does　it　command；　for　it　is　no

longer　obeyed；　each　limb；　each　joint；　each　muscle；　acting　separately

and　for　itself　starts　convulsively　through　discordant　impulses。

Meanwhile　the　man　is　gay；　he　thinks　himself　a　millionaire；　a　king；

loved　and　admired　by　everybody；　he　is　not　aware　of　the　mischief　he

is　doing　to　himself　he　does　not　comprehend　the　advice　given　him；　he

refuses　the　remedies　offered　to　him；　he　sings　and　shouts　for　entire

days；　and；　above　all；　drinks　more　than　ever。　　…　　At　last　his　face

grows　dark　and　his　eyes　become　blood…shot。　　Radiant　visions　give　way

to　black　and　monstrous　phantoms；　he　sees　nothing　around　him　hut

menacing　figures；　traitors　in　ambush；　ready　to　fall　upon　him

unawares；　murderers　with　upraised　arms　ready　to　cut　his　throat；

executioners　preparing　torments　for　him；　and　he　seems　to　be　wading

in　a　pool　of　blood。　　So　he　precipitates；　and；　in　order　that　he

himself　may　not　be　killed；　he　kills。　　No　one　is　more　to　be　dreaded；

for　his　delirium　sustains　him；　his　strength　is　prodigious；　his

movements　unforeseen；　and　he　endures；　without　heeding　them；

suffering　and　wounds　under　which　a　healthy　man　would　succumb。　…

France；　like　such　a　madman；　exhausted　by　fasting　under　the　monarchy；

drunk　by　the　unhealthy　drug　of　the　Social…Contract；　and　by　countless

other　adulterated　or　fiery　beverages；　is　suddenly　struck　with

paralysis　of　the　brain；　at　once　she　is　convulsed　in　every　limb

through　the　incoherent　play　and　contradictory　twitching　of　her

discordant　organs。　　At　this　time　she　has　traversed　the　period　of

joyous　madness；　and　is　about　to　enter　upon　the　period　of　somber

delirium：　behold　her　capable　of　daring；　suffering；　and　doing　all；

capable　of　incredible　exploits　and　abominable　barbarities；　the

moment　her　guides；　as　erratic　as　herself；　indicate　an　enemy　or　an

obstacle　to　her　fury。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END。



__________________________________________________________________



NOTES：



＇1＇　Moniteur；　XI。　　763。　　（Sitting　of　March　28；　1792。）　　…　〃Archives

Nationales；〃　F7；　3235。　　（Deliberation　of　the　Directory　of　the

Department；　November　29；　1791；　and　January　27；　1792。　　　…　　Petition

of　the　Municipality　of　Mende　and　of　forty…three　others；　November　30；

1791。）



＇2＇　〃Archives　Nationales；〃　F7；　3198。　　Minutes　of　the　meeting　of　the

municipal　officers　of　Arles；　September　2；　1791。　　　…　Letters　of　the

Royal　Commissioners　and　of　the　National　Assembly；　October　24；

November　6；　14；　17；　21；　and　December　21；　1791。　　　…　　The

Commissioners；　to　be　impartial；　attend　in　turn　a　mass　by　a　nonjuring

priest　and　one　by　a　priest　of　the　opposite　side。　　〃The　church　is

full〃　with　the　former　and　always　empty　with　the　latter。



＇3＇　〃Mémoire〃　of　M。　Mérilhon；　for　Froment；　passim。　　…　　Report　of　M。

Alquier；　p。　　54。　　　…　　De　Dampmartin；　I。　　208。



＇4＇　…　　De　Dampmartin；　I。　　208。They　would　exclaim　to　the　catholic

peasants：　〃Allons；　mes　enfants；　Vive　le　Roi！〃　（shouts　of　enthusiasm）：

〃those　wretches　of　democrats；　let　us　make　an　example　of　them；　and

restore　the　sacred　rights　of　the　throne　and　the　altar！〃　　…　　〃As　you

please；〃　replied　the　rustics　in　their　patois；　〃but　we　must　hold　fast

to　the　Revolution；　for　there　are　some　good　things　about　it。〃　　…　　They

remain　calm；　refuse　to　march　to　the　assistance　of　Uzès；　and　withdraw

into　their　mountains　on　the　first　sign　of　the　approach　of　the

National　Guard。



＇5＇　This　is　what　the　author　Soljenitsyne　observed　about　his　Russian

countrymen　in　an　interview　with　M。　Pivot　in　the　French　television　in

1998。　　（SR。）



＇6＇　Dauban；　〃La　Demagogie　à　Paris；〃　p。598；　Letter　of　M。　de　Brissac；

August　25；　1789。



＇7＇　Moniteur；　X。　339。　　（Journal　de　Troyes；　and　a　letter　from

Perpignan；　November；　1791。）



＇8＇　Mercure　de　France；　No。　　for　September　3；　1791。　　〃Let　Liberty　be

presented　to　us；　and　all　France　will　kneel　before　her；　but　noble　and

proud　hearts　will　eternally　resist　the　oppression　which　assumes　her

sacred　mask。　　They　will　invoke　liberty；　but　liberty　without　crime；

the　liberty　which　is　maintained　without　dungeons；　without

inquisitors；　without