the origins of contemporary france-3-第47章

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the　maintenance　of　society　and　of　civilization　is　a　benefit　of

infinitely　greater　importance　than　the　lives　of　a　parcel　of　maniacs

and　malefactors；　　that　the　prime　object　of　government；　as　well　as　of　a

police；　is　the　preservation　of　order　by　force；　that　a　gendarme　is　not

a　philanthropist；　that；　if　attacked　on　his　post；　he　must　use　his

sword；　and　that；　in　sheathing　it　for　fear　of　wounding　his　aggressors；

he　fails　to　do　his　duty。



This　time　again；　in　the　court　of　the　Carrousel；　the　magistrates　on　the

spot；　finding　that　〃their　responsibility　is　insupportable；〃　concern

themselves　only　with　how　to　〃avoid　the　effusion　of　blood；〃　it　is　with

regret；　and　this　they　state　to　the　troops；　〃in　faltering　tones；〃　that

they　proclaim　martial　law。＇82＇　They　〃forbid　them　to　attack；〃　merely

〃authorizing　them　to　repel　force　with　force；〃　in　other　words；　they

order　them　to　stand　up　to　the　first　fire；　〃you　are　not　to　fire　until

you　are　fired　upon。〃　　Still　better；　they　go　from　company　to　company；

〃openly　declaring　that　opposition　to　such　a　large　and　well…armed

assemblage　would　be　folly；　and　that　it　would　be　a　very　great

misfortune　to　attempt　it。〃　　〃I　repeat　to　you；〃　said　Leroux；　〃that　a

defense　seems　to　me　madness。〃　　Such　is　the　way　in　which；　for　more

than　an　hour；　they　encourage　the　National　Guard。　〃All　I　ask；〃　says

Leroux　again；　〃is　that　you　wait　a　little　longer。　I　hope　that　we　shall

induce　the　King　to　yield　to　the　National　Assembly。〃　　　Always　the

same　tactics：　　hand　the　fortress　and　the　general　over　rather　than　fire

on　the　mob。　To　this　end　they　return　to　the　King；　with　R？derer　at　their

head；　and　renew　their　efforts：　〃Sire；〃　says　R？derer；　〃time　presses；

and　we　ask　you　to　consent　to　accompany　us。〃　　　For　a　few　moments；　the

last　and　most　solemn　of　the　monarchy；　the　King　hesitates。＇83＇　　His

good　sense；　probably；　enabled　him　to　see　that　a　retreat　was

abdication；　but　his　phlegmatic　understanding　is　at　first　unable　to

clearly　define　its　consequences；　moreover；　his　optimism　had　never

explored　the　vastness　of　the　stupidity　of　the　people；　nor　sounded　the

depths　of　human　malice　and　spite；　he　cannot　imagine　that　slander　may

transform　his　determination　not　to　shed　blood　into　a　desire　to　shed

blood。＇84＇　Besides；　he　is　bound　by　his　past；　by　his　habit　of　always

yielding；　by　his　determination；　declared　and　maintained　for　the　past

three　years；　never　to　cause　civil　war；　by　his　obstinate

humanitarianism；　and　especially　by　his　religious　goodwill。　He　has

systematically　extinguished　in　himself　the　animal　instinct　of

resistance；　the　flash　of　anger　in　all　of　us　which　starts　up　under

unjust　and　brutal　aggressions；　the　Christian　has　supplanted　the　King；

he　is　no　longer　aware　that　duty　obliges　him　to　be　a　man　of　the　sword

that；　in　his　surrender；　he　surrenders　the　State；　and　that　to　yield

like　a　lamb　is　to　lead　all　honest　people；　along　with　himself；　to　the

slaughterhouse。　〃Let　us　go；〃　said　he；　raising　his　right　hand；　〃we　will

give；　since　it　is　necessary；　one　more　proof　of　our　self…

sacrifice。〃＇85＇　Accompanied　by　his　family　and　Ministers；　he　sets　out

between　two　lines　of　National　Guards　and　the　Swiss　Guard；＇86＇　and

reaches　the　Assembly；　which　sends　a　deputation　to　meet　him；　entering

the　chamber　he　says：　〃I　come　here　to　prevent　a　great　crime。　〃　　No

pretext；　indeed；　for　a　conflict　now　exists。　An　assault　on　the

insurgent　side　is　useless；　since　the　monarch；　with　all　belonging　to

him　and　his　government；　have　left　the　palace。　On　the　other　side；　the

garrison　will　not　begin　the　fight；　diminished　by　150　Swiss　and　nearly

all　the　grenadiers　of　the　Filles…Saint…Thomas；　who　served　as　the

King's　escort　to　the　Assembly；　it　is　reduced　to　a　few　gentlemen；　750

Swiss；　and　about　a　hundred　National　Guards；　the　others；　on　learning

that　the　King　is　going；　consider　their　services　at　an　end　and

disperse。＇87＇　　All　seems　to　be　over　in　the　sacrifice　of　royalty。

Louis　XVI。　imagines　that　the　Assembly；　at　the　worst；　will　suspend　him

from　his　functions；　and　that　he　will　return　to　the　Tuileries　as　a

private　individual。　　On　leaving　the　palace；　indeed；　he　orders　his

valet　to　keep　up　the　service　until　he　himself　returns　from　the

National　Assembly。＇88＇



He　did　not　count　on　the　exigencies；　blindness　and　disorders　of　the

riot。　Threatened　by　the　Jacobin　gunners　remaining　with　their　artillery

in　the　inside　courts；　the　gatekeepers　open　the　gates。　The　insurgents

rush　in；　fraternise　with　the　gunners；　reach　the　vestibule；　ascend　the

grand　staircase；　and　summon　the　Swiss　to　surrender。＇89＇　　These　show

no　hostile　spirit；　many　of　them；　as　a　mark　of　good　humor；　throw

packets　of　cartridges　out　of　the　windows；　some　even　go　so　far　as　to

let　themselves　be　embraced　and　led　away。　The　regiment；　however；

faithful　to　its　orders；　will　not　yield　to　force。＇90＇　　〃We　are　Swiss；〃

replies　the　sergeant；　Blaser；　〃the　Swiss　do　not　part　with　their　arms

but　with　their　lives。　We　think　that　we　do　not　merit　such　an　insult。

If　the　regiment　is　no　longer　wanted；　let　it　be　legally　discharged。

But　we　will　not　leave　our　post；　nor　will　we　let　our　arms　be　taken　from

us。〃　The　two　bodies　of　troops　remain　facing　each　other　on　the

staircase　for　three…quarters　of　an　hour；　almost　intermingled；　one

silent　and　the　other　excited；　turbulent；　and　active；　with　all　the

ardor　and　lack　of　discipline　peculiar　to　a　popular　gathering；　each

insurgent　striving　apart；　and　in　his　own　way；　to　corrupt；　intimidate；

or　constrain　the　Swiss　Guards。　Granier；　of　Marseilles；　at　the　head　of

the　staircase；　holds　two　of　them　at　arms'　length；　trying　in　a　friendly

manner　to　draw　them　down。＇91＇　　At　the　foot　of　the　staircase　the　crowd

is　shouting　and　threatening；　lighter　men；　armed　with　boat…hooks；

harpoon　the　sentinels　by　their　shoulder…straps；　and　pull　down　four　or

five；　like　so　many　fishes；　amid　shouts　of　laughter。　　Just　at　this

moment　a　pistol　goes　off；　nobody　being　able　to　tell　which　party　fired

it。＇92＇　The　Swiss；　firing　from　above；　clean　out　the　vestibule　and　the

courts；　rush　down　into　the　square　and　seize　the　cannon；　the　insurgents

scatter　and　fly　out　of　range。　The　bravest；　nevertheless；　rally　behind

the　entrances　of　the　houses　on　the　Carrousel；　throw　cartridges　into

the　courts　of　the　small　buildings　and　set　them　on　fire。　　During

another　half…hour；　under　the　dense　smoke　of　the　first　discharge　and　of

the　burning　buildings；　both　sides　fire　haphazard；　while　the　Swiss；　far

from　giving　way；　have　scarcely　lost　a　few　men；　when　a　messenger　from

the　King　arrives；　M。　d'Hervilly；　who　orders　in　his　name　the　firing　to

cease；　and　the　men　to　return　to　their　barracks。



Slowly　and　regularly　they　form　in　line　and　retire　along　the　broad

alley　of　the　garden。　　At　the　sight　of　these　foreigners；　however；　in

red　coats；　who　had　just　fired　on　Frenchmen；　the　guns　of　the　battalion

stationed　on　the　terraces　go　off　of　their　own　accord；　and　the　Swiss

column　divides　in　two。　　One　body　of　250　men　turns　to　the　right；

reaches　the　Assembly；　lays　down　its　arms　at　the　King's　order；　and

allows　itself　to　be　shut　up　in　the　Feuillants　church。　The　others　are

annihilated　on　crossing　the　garden；　or　cut　down　on　the　Place　Louis　XV。

by　the　mounted　gendarmerie。　　No　quarter　is　given。　The　warfare　is　that

of　a　mob；　not　civilized　war；　but　primitive　war；　that　of　barbarians。　In

the　abandoned　palace　into　which　the　insurgents　entered　five　minutes

after　the　departure　of　the　garrison；＇93＇　they　kill　the　wounded；　the

two　Swiss　surgeons　attending　to　them；＇94＇　the　Swiss　who　had　not　fired

a　gun；　and　who；　in　the　balcony　on　the　side　of　the　garden；　〃cast　off

their　cartridge…boxes；　sabers；　coats；　and　hats；　and　shout：　'Friends；

we　are　with　you；　we　are　Frenchmen；　we　belong　to　the　nation！'〃＇95＇

They　kill　the　Swiss；　armed　or　unarmed；　who　remain　at　their　posts　in

the　apartments。　They　kill　the　Swiss　gate…keepers　in　their　boxes。　They

kill　everybody　in　the　kitchens；　from　the　head　cook　down　to　the　pot

boys。＇96＇　　The　women　barely　escape。　Madame　Campan；　on　her　knees；

seized　by　the　back；　sees　an　uplifted　saber　about　to　fall　on　her；　when

a　voice　from　the　foot　of　the　staircase　calls　out：　〃What　are　you　doing

there？　The　women　are　not　to　be　killed！〃　〃Get　up；　you　hussy；　the　nation

forgives　you！　〃　　To　make　up　for　this　the　nation　helps　itself　and

indulges　itself　to　its　heart's　content　in　the　palace　which　now　belongs

to　it。　　Some　honest　persons　do；　indeed；　carry　money　and　valuables　to

the　National　Assembly；　but　others　pillage　and　destroy　all　that　they

can。＇97＇　They　shatter　mirrors；　break　furniture　to　pieces；　and　throw

clocks　out　of　the　window；　they　shout　the　Marseilles　hymn；　which　one　of

the　National　Guards　accompanies　on　a　harpsichord；＇98＇　and　descend　to

the　cellars；　where　they　gorge　themselves。　　〃For　more　than　a

fortnight；〃　says　an　eye　witness；＇99＇　〃one　walked　on　fragments　of

bottles。〃　In　the　garden；　especially；　〃it　might　be　said　that　they　had

tried　to　pave　the　walks　with　broken　glass。〃　　Porters　are　seen　seated

on　the　throne　in　the　coronation　robes；　a　trollop　occupies　the　Queen's

bed；　it　is　a　carnival　in　which　unbridled　base　and　cruel　instincts　find

plenty　of　good　forage　and　abundant　litter。　Runaways　come　back　after

the　victory　and　stab　the　dead　with　their　pikes。　Nicely　dressed

prostitutes　fooling　around　with　naked　corpses。＇100＇　　And；　as　the

destroyers　enjoy　their　work；　they　are　not　disposed　to　be　disturbed　in

it。　In　the　courts　of　the　Carrousel；　where　1800　feet　of　building　are

burning；　the　firemen　try　four　times　to　extinguish　the　fire；　〃they　are

shot　at；　and　threatened　with　being　pitched　into　the　flames；〃＇101＇

while　petitioners　appear　at　the　bar　of　the　Assembly；　and　announce　in　a

threatening　tone　that　the　Tuileries　are　blazing；　and　shall　blaze　until

the　dethronement　becomes　a　law。



The　poor　Assembly；　become　Girondist　through　its　late　mutilation；

strives　in　vain　to　arrest　the　downhill　course　of　things；　and　maintain；

as　it　has　just　sworn　to　do；　〃the　constituted　authorities〃；＇102＇　it

strives；　at　least；　to　put　Louis　XVI。　in　the　Luxembourg　palace；　to

appoint　a　tutor　for　the　Dauphin；　to　keep　the　ministers　temporarily　in

office；　and　to　save　all　prisoners；　and　those　who　walk　the　streets。

Equally　captive；　and　nearly　as　prostrate　as　the　King　himself；　the

Assembly　merely　serves　as　a　recording　office　for　the　popular　will；

that　very　morning　furnishing　evidence　of　the　value　which　the　armed

commonalty　attaches　to　its　decrees。　　That　morning　murders　were

committed　at　its　door；　in　contempt　of　its　safe　conduct；　at　eight

o'clock　Suleau　and　three　others；　wrested　from　their　guards；　are　cut

down　under　its　windows。　In　the　afternoon；　from　sixty　to　eighty　of　the

unarmed　Swiss　still　remaining　in　the　church　of　the　Feuillants　are

taken　out　to　be　sent　to　the　H？tel…de…ville；　and　massacred　on　the　way

at　the　Place　de　Grève。　Another　detachment；　conducted　to　the　section　of

the　Roule；　is　likewise　disposed　of　in　the　same　way。＇103＇　　Carle；　at

the　head　of　the　gendarmerie；　is　called　out　of　the　Assembly　and

assassinated　on　the　Place　Vend？me；　and