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！
Early in 1789； M。 de Gouy d'Arcy＇73＇ was the first to put his pen to
paper in behalf of popular rights。 A deputy of the noblesse to the
Constituent Assembly； he is the first to rally to the Third…Estate；
when the liberal minority of the noblesse came and took their seats in
the hall of the Communes； he had already been there eight days； and；
for thirty months； he 〃invariably seated himself on the side of the
'Left。'〃 Senior major…general； and ordered by the Legislative
Assembly to suppress the outbreak of the 6；000 insurgents at Noyon；
〃he kept his rigorous orders in his pocket for ten days〃； he endured
their insults； he risked his life 〃to save those of his misguided
fellow…citizens； and he had the good fortune not to spill a drop of
blood。〃 Exhausted by so much labor and effort； almost dying； ordered
into the country by his physicians； 〃he devoted his income to the
relief of poverty〃； he planted on his own domain the first liberty
tree that was erected； he furnished the volunteers with clothes and
arms； 〃instead of a fifth； he yielded up a third of his revenue under
the forced system of taxation。〃 His children live with him on the
property； which has been in the family four hundred years； and the
peasantry call him 〃their father。〃 No one could lead a more tranquil
or； indeed； a more meritorious existence。 But； being a noble； he is
suspected； and a delegate from the Paris Commune denounces him at
Compiègne as having in his house two cannon and five hundred and fifty
muskets。 There is at once a domiciliary visit。 Eight hundred men；
infantry and cavalry； appear before the chateau d'Arcy in battle
array。 He meets them at the door and tenders them the keys。 After a
search of six hours； they find twelve fowling pieces and thirteen
rusty pistols； which he has already declared。 His disappointed
visitors grumble； break； eat and drink to the extent of 2；000 crowns
damage。＇74＇ Nevertheless； urged by their leaders they finally retire。
But M。 de Gouy has 60；000 francs in rentals which would be so much
gain to the nation if he would emigrate； this must be effected； by
expelling him； and； moreover during his expulsion； they may fill their
pockets。 For eight days this matter is discussed in the Compiègne
club； in the bars； in the barracks； and； on the ninth day； 150
volunteers issue from the town； declaring that they are going to kill
M。 de Gouy and all who belong to him。 Informed of this； he departs
with his family； leaving the doors of his house wide open。 There is a
general pillage for five hours； the mob drink the costly wines； steal
the plate； demand horses to carry their booty away； and promise to
return soon and take the owner's head。 In effect； on the following
morning at four o'clock； there is a new invasion； a new pillage； and；
this time； the last one； the servants escape under a fire of musketry；
and M。 de Gouy； at the request of the villagers； whose vineyards are
devastated； is obliged to quit that part of the country。＇75＇ There
is no need to go through the whole file。 At Houdainville； at the house
of M。 de Saint…Maurice； at Nointel； on the estate of the Duc de
Bourbon； at Chantilly； on the estate of the Prince de Condé； at the
house of M。 de Fitz…James； and elsewhere； a certain Gauthier；
〃commandant of the Paris detachment of Searchers； and charged with the
powers of the Committee of Supervision；〃 makes his patriotic circuit；
and Roland knows beforehand of what that consists； namely； a
dragonnade＇76＇ in regular form on the domains of all nobles； absent or
present。＇77＇
Favorite game is still found in the clergy； more vigorously hunted
than the nobles； Roland； charged with the duty of maintaining public
order； asks himself how the lives of inoffensive priests； which the
law recommends to him； can be protected。 At Troyes； at the house of
M。 Fardeau； an old non…conformist curé； an altar decked with its
sacred vessels is discovered； and M。 Fardeau； arrested； refuses to
take the civic oath。 Torn from his prison； and ordered to shout 〃Vive
la Nation！〃 he again refuses。 On this； a volunteer； borrowing an ax
from a baker； chops off his head； and this head； washed in the river；
is borne to the H？tel…de…ville。＇78＇ At Meaux； a brigade of Parisian
gendarmerie murders seven priests； and； as an extra； six ordinary
malefactors in confinement。＇79＇ At Rheims； the Parisian volunteers
first make way with the post…master and his clerk； both under
suspicion because the smell of burnt paper had issued from their
chimney； and； next； M。 de Montrosier； an old retired officer； which is
the opening of the hunt。 Afterwards they fall upon two ecclesiastics
with pikes and sabers； whom their game…beaters have brought in from
the country； then on the former curé of Saint…Jean； and on that of
Rilly； their corpses are cut up； paraded through the streets in
portions； and burnt in a bonfire； one of the wounded priests； the abbé
Alexandre； is thrown in still alive。＇80＇ Roland recognizes the men
of September； who； exposing their still bloody pikes； came to his
domicile to demand their wages； wherever the band passes it announces；
〃in the name of the people；〃 its 〃plenary power to spread the example
of the capital。〃 Now； as 40；000 unsworn priests are condemned by the
decree of August 26 to leave their departments in a week and France in
a fortnight； shall they be allowed to depart？ Eight thousand of them
at Rouen； in obedience to the decree； charter transports； which the
riotous population of both sides of the Seine prevent from leaving。
Roland sees in his dispatches that in Rouen； as elsewhere； they crowd
the municipalities for their passports；＇81＇ but that these are often
refused。 Better still； at Troyes； at Meaux； at Lyons； at D？le； and in
many other towns； the same thing is done as at Paris； they are
confined in particular houses or in prisons； at least； provisionally；
〃for fear that they may congregate under the German eagle〃； so that；
made rebellious and declared traitors in spite of themselves； they may
still remain in their pens subject to the knife。 As the exportation
of specie is prohibited； those who have procured the necessary coin
are robbed of it on the frontier； while others； who fly at all
hazards； tracked like wild boars； or run down like hares； escape like
the bishop of Barral； athwart bayonets； or like the abbé Guillon；
athwart sabers； when they are not struck down； like the abbé Pescheur；
by the blows of a gun…stock。＇82＇
It is soon dawn。 The files are too numerous and too large； Roland
finds that； out of eighty…three； he can examine but fifty； he must
hasten on； leaving the East； his eyes again turn to the South。 On
this side； too； there are strange sights。 On the 2nd of September；
at Chalons…sur…Marne＇83＇； M。 Chanlaire； an octogenarian and deaf； is
returning； with his prayer…book under his arm； from the Mall； to which
he resorted daily to read his prayers。 A number of Parisian
volunteers who meet him； seeing that he looks like a devotee； order
him to shout； 〃Vive la Liberté〃 Unable to understand them； he makes
no reply。 They then seize him by the ears； and； not marching fast
enough； they drag him along； his old ears give way； and； excited by
seeing blood； they cut off his ears and nose； and thus； the poor old
man dripping with blood； they reach the H？tel…de…Ville。 At this sight
a notary； posted there as sentinel； and who is a man of feeling； is
horror…stricken and escapes； while the other National Guards hasten to
shut the iron gates。 The Parisians； still dragging along their
captive； go to the district and then to the department bureau 〃to
denounce aristocrats〃； on the way they continue to strike the
tottering old man； who falls down； they then decapitate him； place
pieces of his body on pikes； and parade these about。 Meanwhile； in
this same town； twenty…two gentlemen； at Beaune； forty priests and
nobles； at Dijon； eighty…three heads of families； locked up as
s