the origins of contemporary france-3-第58章

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sent　off　to　the　frontier。　Their　post　is　at　the　capital；　they　have

sworn　〃to　defend　liberty〃；　neither　before　nor　after　September　make

them　deviate　from　this　end。　When；　after　having　drawn　money　on　every

treasury　and　under　every　pretext；　they　at　last　consent　to　leave　Paris；

it　is　only　on　the　condition　that　they　return　to　Marseilles。　Their

operations　are　limited　to　the　interior　of　France；　and　only　against

political　adversaries。　　But　their　zeal　in　this　field　is　only　the

greater；　it　is　their　band　which；　first　of　all；　takes　the　twenty…four

priests　from　the　town　hall；　and；　on　the　way；　begins　the　massacre　with

their　own　hands。＇82＇



Then　there　are　the　〃enragés〃　of　the　Paris　proletariat；　a　few　of　them

clerks　or　shopkeepers；　most　of　them　artisans　of　all　the　trades；

locksmiths；　masons；　butchers；　wheelwrights；　tailors；　shoemakers；

waggoners；　especially　dockers　working　in　the　harbor；　market…porters；

and；　above　all；　journeymen　and　apprentices　of　all　kinds；　in　short；

manual　workers　on　the　bottom　of　the　social　ladder。＇83＇　　Among　these　we

find　beasts　of　prey；　murderers　by　instinct；　or　simple　robbers。＇84＇

Others　who；　like　one　of　the　disciples　of　Abbé　Sicard；　whom　he　loves

and　venerates；　confess　that　they　never　stirred　except　under

constraint。＇85＇　　Others　are　simple　machines；　who　let　themselves　be

driven：　for　instance　the　local　forwarding　agent；　a　good　sort　of　man；

but　who；　dragged　along；　plied　with　liquor；　and　then　made　crazy；　kills

twenty　priests　for　his　share；　and　dies　at　the　end　of　the　month；　still

drinking；　unable　to　sleep；　frothing　at　the　mouth　and　trembling　in

every　limb。＇86＇　　And　finally　the　few；　who；　with　good　intentions；　are

carried　away　by　the　bloody　whirlwind；　and；　struck　by　the　grace　of

Revolution；　become　converted　to　the　religion　of　murder。　One　of　them　a

certain　Grapin；　deputized　by　his　section　to　save　two　prisoners；　seats

himself　alongside　of　Maillard；　sits　in　judgment　at　his　side　during

sixty…three　hours；　and　demands　a　certificate　from　him。＇87＇　The

majority；　however；　entertain　the　same　opinions　as　the　cook；　who；　after

taking　the　Bastille；　finding　himself　on　the　spot　and　having　cut　off　M。

de　Launay's　head；　regards　it　as　a　〃patriotic〃　action；　and　deems

himself　worthy　of　a　〃medal　for　having　destroyed　a　monster。〃　These

people　are　not　common　criminals；　but　well…disposed　persons　living　in

the　vicinity；　who；　seeing　a　public　service　established　in　their

neighborhood；＇88＇　issue　from　their　homes　to　give　a　hand；　their　degree

of　　probity　is　about　the　same　as　we　find　nowadays　among　people　of　the

same　condition　in　life。



At　the　outset；　especially；　no　one　considers　filling　his　pockets。　At

the　Abbaye　prison；　they　come　honorably　and　place　on　the　table　in　the

room　of　the　civil　committee　the　purses　and　jewels　of　the　dead。＇89＇　　If

they　appropriate　anything　to　themselves；　it　is　shoes　to　cover　their

naked　feet；　and　then　only　after　asking　permission。　As　to　pay；　all

rough　work　deserves　it；　and；　moreover；　between　them　and　their

recruiters；　the　answer　is　obvious。　With　nothing　but　their　own　hands　to

rely　on；　they　cannot　work　for　nothing；＇90＇　　and；　as　the　work　is　hard；

they　ought　to　be　paid　double　time。　They　require　six　francs　a　day；

besides　their　meals　and　as　much　wine　as　they　want。　　One　caterer　alone

furnished　the　men　at　the　Abbaye　with　346　pints：＇91＇　when　working

incessantly　day　and　night　with　a　task　like　that　of　sewer…cleaners　and

miners；　nothing　else　will　keep　their　courage　up。　　Food　and　wages

must　be　paid　for　by　the　nation；　the　work　is　done　for　the　nation；　and；

naturally；　on　interposing　formalities；　they　get　out　of　temper　and

betake　themselves　to　Roland；　to　the　City　treasurer；　to　the　section

committees；　to　the　Committee　of　Supervision；＇92＇　murmuring；

threatening；　and　showing　their　bloody　pikes。　That　is　the　evidence　of

having　done　their　work　well。　They　boast　of　it　to　Pétion；　impress　upon

him　how　〃just　and　attentive〃　they　were；＇93＇　their　discernment；　the

time　given　to　the　work；　so　many　days　and　so　many　hours；　they　ask　only

for　what　is　〃due　to　them〃；　when　the　treasurer；　on　paying　them；　demands

their　names；　they　give　them　without　the　slightest　hesitation。　Those

who　escort　a　dismissed　prisoner；　masons；　hairdressers；　federates；

require　no　recompense　but　〃something　to　drink〃；　〃we　do　not　carry　on

this　business　for　money；〃　they　say；　〃here　is　your　friend；　he　promised

us　a　glass　of　brandy；　which　we　will　take　and　then　go　back　to　our

work。〃＇94＇　　Outside　of　their　business　they　possess　the　expansive

cordiality　and　ready　sensitivity　of　the　Parisian　workman。　　At　the

Abbaye；　a　federate；＇95＇　on　learning　that　the　prisoners　had　been　kept

without　water　for　twenty…six　hours；　wanted　to　〃exterminate〃　the

turnkey　for　his　negligence；　and　would　have　done　it　if　〃the　prisoners

themselves　had　not　pleaded　for　him。〃　　On　the　acquittal　of　a　prisoner；

the　guards　and　the　butchers；　everybody；　embraces　him　with　enthusiasm；

Weber　is　greeted　again　and　again　for　more　than　a　hundred　yards；　they

cheer　to　excess。　Each　wants　to　escort　the　prisoner；　the　cab　of　Mathon

de　la　Varenne　is　invaded；　〃they　perch　themselves　on　the　driver's　seat；

at　the　doors；　on　top；　and　behind。〃＇96＇　…　A　few　even　display　strange

fits　of　tact。　　Two　of　the　butchers；　still　covered　with　blood；　who　lead

the　chevalier　de　Bertrand　home；　insist　on　going　up　stairs　with　him　to

witness　the　joy　of　his　family；　after　their　terrible　task　they　need　the

relaxation　of　tender　emotion。　　On　entering；　they　wait　discreetly　in

the　drawing…room　until　the　ladies　have　been　prepared；　the　happiness　of

which　they　are　witnesses　melts　them；　they　remain　some　time；　refuse

money；　expressing　their　gratitude　and　depart。＇97＇　　Still　more

extraordinary　are　the　vestiges　of　innate　politeness。　　A　market…porter

desirous　of　embracing　a　discharged　prisoner；　first　asks　his

permission。　　Old　〃hags；〃　who　had　just　clapped　their　hands　at　the

slaughtering；　stop　the　guards　〃violently〃　as　they　hurry　Weber　along；

in　white　silk　stockings；　across　pools　of　blood：　〃Hey；　guard；　look　out；

you　are　making　Monsieur　walk　in　the　gutter！〃＇98＇　In　short；　they

display　the　permanent　qualities　of　their　race　and　class；　they　seem　to

be　neither　above　nor　below　the　average　of　their　brethren；　　Most　of

them；　probably；　would　never　have　done　anything　very　monstrous　had　a

rigid　police；　like　that　which　maintains　order　in　ordinary　times；　kept

them　in　their　shops　or　at　home　in　their　lodgings　or　in　their　tap…

rooms。



But；　in　their　own　eyes；　they　are　so　many　kings；　〃sovereignty　is

committed　to　their　hands；〃＇99＇　their　powers　are　unlimited；　whoever

doubts　this　is　a　traitor；　and　is　properly　punished；　he　must　be　put　out

of　the　way；　while；　for　royal　councillors；　they　take　maniacs　and

rascals；　who；　through　monomania　or　calculation；　have　preach　all　that

to　them：　just　like　a　Negro　king　surrounded　by　white　slave…dealers；　who

urge　him　into　raids；　and　by　black　sorcerers；　who　prompt　him　to

massacre。　　How　could　such　a　man　with　such　guides；　and　in　such　an

office；　be　retarded　by　the　formalities　of　justice；　or　by　the

distinctions　of　equity？　　Equity　and　justice　are　the　elaborate　products

of　civilization；　while　he　is　merely　a　political　savage。　In　vain　are

the　innocent　recommended　to　his　mercy！



〃Look　here；　citizen；＇100＇　do　you；　too；　want　to　put　us　to　sleep？

Suppose　that　those　cursed　Prussian　and　Austrian　beggars　were　in　Paris；

would　they　pick　out　the　guilty？　Wouldn't　they　strike　right　and　left；

the　same　as　the　Swiss　did　on　the　10th　of　August？　Very　well；　I　can't

make　speeches；　but　I　don't　put　anybody　to　sleep。　　I　say；　I　am　the

father　of　a　family　　　I　have　a　wife　and　five　children　that　I　mean　to

leave　here　for　the　section　to　look　after；　while　I　go　and　fight　the

enemy。　　But　I　have　no　intention　that　while　I　am　gone　these　villains

here　in　prison；　and　other　villains　who　would　come　and　let　them　out；

should　cut　the　throats　of　my　wife　and　children。　I　have　three　boys　who

I　hope　will　some　day　be　more　useful　to　their　country　than　those

rascals　you　want　to　save。　　Anyhow；　all　that　can　be　done　is　to　let　'em

out　and　give　them　arms；　and　we　will　fight　'em　on　an　equal　footing。

Whether　I　die　here　or　on　the　frontiers；　scoundrels　would　kill　me　all

the　same；　and　I　will　sell　my　life　dearly。　But；　whether　it　is　done　by

me　or　by　someone　else；　the　prison　shall　be　cleaned　out　of　those　cursed

beggars；　there；　now！〃　　At　this　a　general　cry　is　heard：　〃He's　right！　No

mercy！　　Let　us　go　in！〃



All　that　the　crowd　assent　to　is　an　improvised　tribunal；　the　reading　of

the　jailer's　register；　and　prompt　judgment；　condemnation　and　slaughter

must　follow；　according　to　the　famous　Commune；　which　simplifies　things

　There　is　another　simplification　still　more　formidable；　which　is　the

condemnation　and　slaughter　by　categories。　Any　title　suffices；　Swiss；

priest；　officer；　or　servant　of　the　King；　〃the　'worms'　on　the　civil

list〃；　wherever　a　lot　of　priests　or　Swiss　are　found；　it　is　not　worth

while　to　have　a　trial；　the　throats　of　the　lot　can　be　slit。　　Reduced

to　this；　the　operation　is　adapted　to　the　operators；　the　arms　of　the

new　sovereign　are　as　strong　as　his　mind　is　weak；　and；　through　an

inevitable　adaptation；　he　degrades　his　work　to　the　level　of　his

faculties。



His　work；　in　its　turn；　degrades　and　perverts　him。　　No　man；　and

especially　a　man　of　the　people；　rendered　pacific　by　an　old

civilization；　can；　with　impunity；　become　at　one　stroke　both　sovereign

and　executioner。　In　vain　does　he　work　himself　up　against　the　condemned

and　heap　insults　on　them　to　augment　his　fury；＇101＇　I　he　is　dimly

conscious　of　committing　a　great　crime；　and　his　soul；　like　that　of

Macbeth；　〃is　full　of　scorpions。〃　Through　a　terrible　tightening　up；　he

hardens　himself　against　the　inborn；　hereditary　impulses　of　humanity；

these　resist　while　he　becomes　exasperated；　and；　to　stifle　them；　there

is　no　other　way　but　to　〃gorge　himself　on　horrors；〃＇102＇　by　adding

murder　to　murder。　　For　murder；　especially　as　he　practices　it；　that　is

to　say；　with　a　naked　sword　on　defense…less　people；　introduces　into　his

animal　and　moral　machine　two　extraordinary　and　disproportionate

emotions　which　unsettle　it；　on　the　one　hand；　a　sensation　of

omnipotence　exercised　uncontrolled；　unimpeded；　without　danger；　on

human　life；　on　throbbing　flesh＇103＇　and；　on　the　other　hand；　an

interest　in　bloody　and　diversified　death；　accompanied　with　an　ever　new

series　of　contortions　and　exclamations；＇104＇　formerly；　in　the　Roman

circus；　one　could　not　tear　one's　self　away　from　it；　the　spectacle　once

seen；　the　spectator　always　returned　to　see　it　again。　Just　at　this　time

each　prison　court　is　a　circus；　and　what　makes　it　worse　is　that　the

spectators　are　likewise　actors。　Thus；　for　them；　two　fiery　liquids

mingle　together　in　one　draught。　To　moral　intoxication　is　added

physical　intoxication；　wine　in　profusion；　bumpers　at　every　pause；

revelry　over　corpses；　and　we　see　rising　out　of　this　unnatural　creature

the　demon　of　Dante；　at　once　brutal　and　refined；　not　merely　a

destroyer；　but；　again；　an　execution