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！
masters。 A deputation from the Lombards section； and another from the
Corn…market； come to the Assembly and protest against the Commune's
usurpations。＇39＇ Choudieu； the Montagnard； denounces its blatant
corrupt practices。 Cambon； a stern financier； will no longer consent
to have his accounts tampered with by thieving tricksters。＇40＇ The
Assembly at last seems to have recovered itself。 It extends its
protection to Géray； the journalist； against whom the new pashas had
issued a warrant； it summons to its own bar the signers of the
warrant； and orders them to confine themselves in future to the exact
limits of the law which they transgress。 Better still； it dissolves
the interloping Council； and substitutes for it ninety…six delegates；
to be elected by the sections in twenty…four hours。 And； even still
better； it orders an account to be rendered within two days of the
objects it has seized； and the return of all gold or silver articles
to the Treasury。 Quashed； and summoned to disgorge their booty； the
autocrats of the H？tel…de…ville come in vain to the Assembly in force
on the following day＇41＇ to extort from it a repeal of its decrees；
the Assembly； in spite of their threats and those of their satellites；
stands its ground。 So much the worse for the stubborn； if they are
not disposed to regard the flash of the saber； they will feel its
sharp edge and point。 The Commune； on the motion of Manuel； decides
that； so long as public danger continues； they will stay where they
are； it adopts an address by Robespierre to 〃restore sovereign power
to the people；〃 which means to fill the streets with armed bands；＇42＇
it collects together its brigands by giving them the ownership of all
that they stole on the 10th of August。＇43＇ The session； prolonged into
the night； does not terminate until one o'clock in the morning。 Sunday
has come and there is no time to lose； for； in a few hours； the
sections； by virtue of the decree of the National Assembly； and
following the example of the Temple section the evening before； may
revoke the pretended representatives at the H？tel…de…ville。 To remain
at the H？tel…de…ville； and to be elected to the convention； demands on
the part of the leaders some striking action； and this they require
that very day。 That day is the second of September。
IV。
Date of the determination of this。 The actors and their parts。 …
Marat。 Danton。 … The Commune。 Its co…operators。 Harmony of
dispositions and readiness of operation。
Since the 23rd of August their resolution is taken。＇44＇ They have
arranged in their minds a plan of the massacre； and each one； little
by little； spontaneously； according to his aptitudes； takes the part
that suits him or is assigned to him。
Marat； foremost among them all； is the proposer and preacher of the
operation； which； for him； is a perfectly natural one。 It is the
epitome of his political system： a dictator or tribune； with full
power to slay； and with no other power but that； a good master
executioner； responsible； and 〃tied hand and foot〃； this is his
program for a government since July the 14th； 1789； and he does not
blush at it： 〃so much the worse for those who are not on a level with
it！〃＇45＇ He appreciated the character of the Revolution from the
first； not through genius； but sympathetically； he himself being
equally as one…sided and monstrous； crazy with suspicion and beset
with a homicidal mania for the past three years； reduced to one idea
through mental impoverishment； that of murder； having lost the faculty
for even the lowest order of reasoning； the poorest of journalists；
save for pikemen and Billingsgate market…women； so monotonous in his
constant paroxysms that the regular reading of his journal is like
listening to hoarse cries from the cells of a madhouse。＇46＇ From the
19th of August he excites people to attack the prisons。 〃The wisest
and best course to pursue；〃 he says； 〃is to go armed to the Abbaye；
drag out the traitors； especially the Swiss officers and their
accomplices； and put them to the sword。 What folly it is to give them
a trial！ That is already done。 You have massacred the soldiers； why
should you spare the officers； ten times guiltier？〃 Also； two days
later； his brain teeming with an executioner's fancies； insisting that
〃the soldiers deserved a thousand deaths。 As to the officers； they
should be drawn and quartered； like Louis Capet and his tools of the
Manège。〃＇47＇ On the strength of this the Commune adopts him as its
official editor； assigns him a tribune in its assembly room； entrusts
him to report its acts； and soon puts him on its supervisory or
executive committee。
A fanatic of this stamp； however； is good for nothing but as a
mouthpiece or instigator； he may； at best； figure in the end among the
subordinate managers。 The chief of the enterprise；＇48＇ Danton； is
of another species； and of another stature； a veritable leader of men：
Through his past career and actual position； through his popular
cynicism； ways and language； through his capacity for taking the
initiative and for command； through his excessive corporeal and
intellectual vigor； through his physical ascendancy due to his ardent；
absorbing will； he is well calculated for his terrible office。 He
alone of the Commune has become Minister； and there is no one but him
to shelter the violations of the Commune under the protection or under
the passivity of the central authority。 He alone of the Commune and
of the ministry is able to push things through and harmonize action in
the pell…mell of the revolutionary chaos； both in the councils of the
ministry which he governs； as he formerly governed at the H？tel…de
ville。 In the constant uproar of incoherent discussions；＇49＇ athwart
〃propositions ex abrupto； among shouts； swearing； and the going and
coming of questioning petitioners；〃 he is seen mastering his new
colleagues with his 〃stentorian voice； his gestures of an athlete； his
fearful threats；〃 taking upon himself their duties； dictating to them
what and whom he chooses； 〃fetching in commissions already drawn up；〃
taking charge of everything； 〃making propositions； arrests； and
proclamations； issuing brevets；〃 and drawing millions out of the
public treasury； casting a sop to his dogs in the Cordeliers and the
Commune； 〃to one 20；000 francs； and to another 10；000；〃 〃for the
Revolution； and on account of their patriotism；〃 such is a summary
report of his doings。 Thus gorged； the pack of hungry 〃brawlers〃 and
grasping intriguers； the whole serviceable force of the sections and
of the clubs； is in his hands。 One is strong in times of anarchy at
the head of such a herd。 Indeed； during the months of August and
September； Danton was king； and； later on； he may well say of the 2d
of September； as he did of the 10th of August； 〃I did it！〃＇50＇
Not that he is naturally vindictive or sanguinary： on the contrary；
with a butcher's temperament； he has a man's heart； and； at the risk
of compromising himself； against the wills of Marat and Robespierre；
he will； by…and…by； save his political adversaries； Duport； Brissot；
and the Girondists； the old party of the 〃 Right。 〃＇51＇ Not that he is
blinded by fear； enmities； or the theory； furious as a clubbist； he
has the clear…sightedness of the politician； he is not the dupe of the
sonorous phrases he utters； he knows the value of the rogues he
employs；＇52＇ he has no illusions about men or things； about other
people or about himself； if he slays； it is with a full consciousness
of what he is doing； of his party； of the situation； of the
revolution； while the crude expressions which； in the tones of his
bull's voice； he flings out as he passes along； are but a vivid
statement of the precise truth 〃We are the rabble！ We spring from the
gutters！〃 With the normal principles of mankind； 〃we should soon get
back into them。 We can only rule through fear！〃＇53＇ 〃The Parisians are
so