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！
perilous leap； with consciences distorted like the muscles of a tight…
rope dancer。 Were it not for the Revolution； they would still grovel
in their native filth； awaiting prison or forced labor to which they
were destined。 Can one imagine their growing intoxication as they
drink deep draughts from the bottomless cup of absolute power？ For
it is absolute power which they demand and which they exercise。＇23＇
Raised by a special delegation above the regular authorities； they put
up with these only as subordinates； and tolerate none among them who
may become their rivals。 Consequently； they reduce the Legislative
body simply to the function of editor and herald of their decrees；
they have forced the new department electors to 〃abjure their title；〃
to confine themselves to tax assessments； while they lay their
ignorant hands daily on every other service； on the finances； the
army； supplies； the administration； justice； at the risk of breaking
the administrative wheels or of interrupting their action。
One day they summon the Minister of War before them； or； for lack of
one； his chief clerk； another day they keep the whole body of
officials in his department in arrest for two hours； under the pretext
of finding a suspected printer。＇24＇ At one time they affix seals on
the funds devoted to extraordinary expenses； at another time they do
away with the commission on supplies； at another they meddle with the
course of justice； either to aggravate proceedings or to impede the
execution of sentences rendered。＇25＇ There is no principle； no law； no
regulation； no verdict； no public man or establishment that is not
subject to the risk of their arbitrariness。 And； as they have laid
hands on power； they do the same with money。 Not only do they extort
from the Assembly 850；000 francs a months； with arrears from the 1st
of January； 1792； more than six millions in all； to defray the
expenses of their military police； which means to pay their bands；＇26＇
but again； 〃invested with the municipal scarf；〃 they seize； 〃in the
public establishment belonging to the nation； all furniture； and
whatever is of most value。〃 〃In one building alone； they carry off the
value of 100；000 crowns。〃＇27＇ Elsewhere； in the hands of the treasurer
of the civil list； they appropriate to themselves； a box of jewels；
other precious objects； and 340； 000 francs。＇28＇ Their commissioners
bring in from Chantilly three wagons each drawn by three horses
〃loaded with the spoils of M。 de Condé；〃 and they undertake 〃removing
the contents of the houses of the émigrés。〃＇29＇ They confiscate in the
churches of Paris 〃the crucifixes； music…stands； bells； railings； and
every object in bronze or of iron； chandeliers； cups； vases；
reliquaries； statues； every article of plate；〃 as well 〃on the altars
as in the sacristies；〃＇30＇ and we can imagine the enormous booty
obtained； to cart away the silver plate belonging to the single church
of Madeleine…de…la…ville required a vehicle drawn by four horses。
Now they use all this money； so freely seized； as freely as they do
power itself。 One fills his pockets in the Tuileries without the
slightest concern； another； in the Garde…Meuble； rummages secretaries；
and carries off a wardrobe with its contents。＇31＇ We have already
seen that in the depositories of the Commune 〃most of the seals are
broken；〃 that enormous sums in plate； in jewels； in gold and silver
coin have disappeared。 Future inquests and accounts will charge on
the Committee of Supervision； 〃abstractions； dilapidations； and
embezzlements；〃 in short； 〃a mass of violations and breaches of
trust。〃 When one is king； one easily mistakes the money…drawer of
the State for the drawer in which one keeps one's own money。
Unfortunately； this full possession of public power and the public
funds holds only by a slender thread。 Let the evicted and outraged
majority dare； as subsequently at Lyons； Marseilles； and Toulon； to
Return to the section assemblies and revoke the false mandate which
they have arrogated to themselves through fraud and force； and； on the
instance； they again become； through the sovereign will of the people；
and by virtue of their own deed； what they really are； usurpers；
extortioners； and robbers； there is no middle course for them between
a dictatorship and the galleys。 The mind； before such an
alternative； unless extraordinarily well…balanced； loses its
equilibrium； they have no difficulty in deluding themselves with the
idea that the State is menaced in their persons； and； in postulating
the rule； that all is allowable for them； even massacre。 Has not
Bazire stated in the tribune that； against the enemies of the nation；
〃all means are fair justifiable？ Has not another deputy； Jean Debry；
proposed the formation of a body of 1；200 volunteers； who 〃will
sacrifice themselves；〃 as formerly the assassins of the Old Man of the
Mountain； in 〃attacking tyrants； hand to hand； individually；〃 as well
as generals？＇32＇ Have we not seen Merlin de Thionville insisting that
〃the wives and children of the émigrés should be kept as hostages；〃
and declared responsible； or； in other words； ready for slaughter if
their relatives continue their attacks？＇33＇
That is all that is left to do； since all the other measures have
proved insufficient。 In vain has the Commune decreed the arrest of
journalists belonging to the opposite party； and distributed their
printing machinery amongst patriotic printers。＇34＇ In vain has it
declared the members of the Sainte…Chapelle club； the National Guards
who have sworn allegiance to Lafayette； the signers of the petition of
8；000； and of that of 20；000； disqualified for any service
whatever。＇35＇ In vain has it multiplied domiciliary visits； even to
the residence and carriages of the Venetian ambassador。 In vain；
through insulting and repeated examinations； does it keep at its bar；
under the hootings and death…cries of its tribunes； the most honorable
and most illustrious men； Lavoisier； Dupont de Nemours； the eminent
surgeon Desault； the most harmless and most refined ladies； Madame de
Tourzel； Mademoiselle de Tourzel； and the Princesse de Lamballe。＇36＇
In vain； after a profusion of arrests during twenty days； it envelopes
all Paris inside one cast of its net for a nocturnal search＇37＇during
which；
1。 the barriers are closed and doubly guarded；
2。 sentinels are on the quays and boats stationed on the Seine to
prevent escape by water；
3。 the city is divided beforehand into circumscriptions； and for each
section； a list of suspected persons；
4。 the circulation of vehicles is stopped；
5。 every citizen is ordered to stay at home；
6。 the silence of death reigns after six o'clock in the evening； and
then；
7。 in each street； a patrol of sixty pikemen； seven hundred squads of
sans…culottes； all working at the same time； and with their usual
brutality；
8。 doors are burst in with pile drivers；
9。 wardrobes are picked by locksmiths；
10。 walls are sounded by masons；
11。 cellars are searched even to digging in the ground；
12。 papers are seized；
13。 arms are confiscated；
14。 three thousand persons are arrested and led off；＇38＇ priests； old
men； the infirm； the sick。
The action lasts from ten in the evening to five o'clock in the
morning； the same as in a city taken by assault； the screams of women
rudely treated； the cries of prisoners compelled to march； the oaths
of the guards； cursing and drinking at each grog…shop； never was there
such an universal； methodical execution； so well calculated to
suppress all inclination for resistance in the silence of general
stupefaction。
And yet； at this very moment； there are those who act in good faith in
the sections and in the Assembly； and who rebel at being under such
masters。 A deputation from the Lombards section； and another from the
Corn…market； come to the Assembly and protest against the C