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！
o'clock in the afternoon； BillaudVarennes； deputy…attorney for the
Commune； 〃in his well…known puce…colored coat and black perruque；〃
walking over the corpses； says to the Abbaye butchers： 〃Fellow…
citizens； you are immolating your enemies； you are performing your
duty。〃 He returns during the night； highly commends them； and
confirms the promise of the 〃agreed wages。〃 On the following any at
noon； he again returns； congratulates them more warmly； allows each
one twenty francs； and urges them to keep on。＇74＇ In the mean time；
Santerre； summoned to the general staff headquarters by Roland；
hypocritically deplores his voluntary inability； and persists in not
giving the orders； without which the National Guard cannot move。＇75＇
At the sections； the presidents； Chénier； Ceyrat； Boula； Momoro；
Collot d'Herbois； dispatch or take their victims back under pikes。 At
the Commune； the council…general votes 12；000 francs； to be taken from
the dead； to defray the expenses of the operation。＇76＇ In the
Committee of Supervision； Marat sends off dispatches to spread murder
through the departments。 It is evident that the leaders and their
subordinates are unanimous； each at his post and in the service he
performs； through the spontaneous co…operation of the whole party； the
command from above meets the impulse from below；＇77＇ both unite in a
common murderous disposition； the work being done with the more
precision in proportion to its being easily done。 Jailers have
received orders to open the prison doors； and give themselves no
concern。 Through an excess of precaution； the knives and forks of the
prisoners have been taken away from them。＇78＇ One by one； on their
names being called； they will march out like oxen in a slaughter…
house； while about twenty butchers to each prison； from to two to
three hundred in all；＇79＇ will suffice to do the work。
V。 Abasement and Stupor。
Common workers。 Their numbers。 Their condition。 Their
sentiments。 Effect of murder on the murderers。 Their
degradation。 Their insensibility。
Two kinds of men make up the recruits； and it is especially on their
crude brains that we have to admire the effect of the revolutionary
dogma。
First； there are the Federates of the South； lusty fellows； former
soldiers or old bandits； deserters； bohemians； and scoundrels of all
lands and from every source； who； after finishing their work at
Marseilles and Avignon； have come to Paris to begin over again。
〃Triple nom de Dieu！〃 exclaims one of them； 〃I didn't come a hundred
and eighty leagues to restrain myself from sticking a hundred and
eighty heads on the end of my pike！〃＇80＇ Accordingly； they form in
themselves a special； permanent； resident body； allowing no one to
divert them from their adopted occupation。 〃They turn a deaf ear to
the excitements of spurious patriotism〃；＇81＇ they are not going to be
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