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this same town； twenty…two gentlemen； at Beaune； forty priests and
nobles； at Dijon； eighty…three heads of families； locked up as
suspected without evidence or examination； and confined at their own
expense two months under pikes； ask themselves every morning whether
the populace and the volunteers； who shout death cries through the
streets； mean to release them in the same way as in Paris。＇84＇ A
trifle is sufficient to provoke a murder。 On the 19th of August； at
Auxerre as the National Guard is marching along； three citizens； after
having taken the civic oath； 〃left the ranks；〃 and； on being called
back； 〃to make them fall in；〃 one； either impatient or in ill…humor；
〃replied with an indecent gesture〃。 The populace； taking it as an
insult； instantly rush at them； and shoving aside the municipal body
and the National Guards； wound one and kill the other two。＇85＇ A
fortnight after； in the same town； several young ecclesiastics are
massacred； and 〃the corpse of one of them remains three days on a
manure heap； the relatives not being allowed to bury it。〃 About the
same date； in a village of sabot makers； five leagues from Autun； four
ecclesiastics provided with passports； among them a bishop and his two
grand…vicars； are arrested； then examined； robbed； and murdered by the
peasantry。 Below Autun； especially in the district of Roanne； the
villagers burn the rent…rolls of national property； the volunteers put
property…owners to ransom； both； apart from each other or together；
give themselves up 〃to every excess and to every sort of iniquity
against those whom they suspect of incivism under pretense of
religious opinions。〃＇86＇ However preoccupied or upset Roland's mind
may be by the philosophic generalities with which it is filled； he has
long inspected manufactures in this country； the name of every place
is familiar to him； objects and forms are this time clearly defined to
his arid imagination； and he begins to see things through and beyond
mere words。
Madame Roland rests her finger on Lyons； so familiar to her two years
before； she becomes excited against 〃the quadruple aristocracy of the
town； petty nobles； priests； heavy merchants； and limbs of the law； in
short； those formerly known as honest folks； according to the
insolence of the ancient régime。〃＇87＇ She may now find an aristocracy
of another kind there； that of the gutter。 Following the example of
Paris； the Lyons clubbists； led by Charlier； have arranged for a
massacre on a grand scale of the evil…disposed or suspected Another
ringleader； Dodieu； has drawn up a list by name of two hundred
aristocrats to he hung； on the 9th of September； women with pikes； the
maniacs of the suburbs； bands of 〃the unknown；〃 collected by the
central club；＇88＇ undertake to clean out the prisons。 If the butchery
is not equal to that of Paris； it is because the National Guard； more
energetic； interferes just at the moment when a Parisian emissary；
Saint…Charles； reads off a list of names in the prison of Roanne
already taken from the prison register。 But； in other places； it
arrives too late。 Eight officers of the Royal…Pologne regiment； in
garrison at Auch； some of them having been in the service twenty and
thirty years； had been compelled to resign owing to the
insubordination of their men； but； at the express desire of the
Minister of War； they had patriotically remained at their posts； and；
in twenty days of laborious marching； they had led their regiment from
Auch to Lyons。 Three days after their arrival； seized at night in
their beds； conducted to Pierre…Encize； pelted with stones on the way；
kept in secret confinement； and with frequent and prolonged
examinations； all this merely put their services and their innocence
in stronger light。 They are taken from the prison by the Jacobin mob；
of the eight； seven are killed in the street； and four priests along
with them； while the exhibition of their work by the murderers is
still more brazen than at Paris。 They parade the heads of the dead all
night on the ends of their pikes； they carry them to the Place des
Terreaux into the coffee…houses； they set them on the tables and
derisively offer them beer； they then light torches； enter the
Célestins theater； and； marching on the stage with their trophies；
blending real and mock tragedy。 The epilogue is both grotesque and
horrible。 Roland； at the bottom of the file； finds a letter from his
colleague； Danton；＇89＇ who begs him to release the officers； murdered
three months ago； 〃for；〃 says Danton； 〃if no charge can be found
against them； it would be crying injustice to keep them longer in
irons。〃 Roland's clerk makes a minute on Danton's letter： 〃This
matter disposed of。〃 At this I imagine the couple looking at each
other in silence。 Madame Roland may remember that； at the beginning
of the Revolution； she herself demanded heads； especially 〃two
illustrious heads；〃 and hoped 〃that the National Assembly would
formally try them； or that some generous Decius〃＇90＇ would devote
himself to 〃striking them down。〃＇91＇ Her prayers are granted。 The
trial is about to begin in the regular way； and the Decius she has
invoked is everywhere found throughout France。
The south…east corner remains； that Provence； described to him by
Barbaroux as the last retreat of philosophy and freedom。 Roland
follows the Rh？ne down with his finger； and on both banks he finds； as
he passes along； the usual characteristic misdeeds。 … On the right
bank； in Cantal and in the Gard； 〃the defenders of the country〃 fill
their pockets at the expense of taxpayers designated by
themselves；＇92＇ this forced subscription is called 〃a voluntary gift。〃
〃Poor laborers at Nismes were taxed 50 francs； others 200； 300； 900；
1；000； under penalty of devastation and of bad treatment。〃 In the
country near Tarascon the volunteers； returning to the old…fashioned
ways of bandits； brandish the saber over the mother's head； threaten
to smother the aunt in her bed； hold the child over a deep well； and
thus extort from the farmer or proprietor even as much as 4；000 or
5；000 francs。 Generally the farmer keeps silent； for； in case of
complaint； he is sure to have his buildings burnt and his olive trees
cut down。＇93＇ … On the left bank； in the Isère； Lieutenant…colonel
Spendeler； seized by the populace of Tullins； was murdered； and then
hung by his feet in a tree on the roadside；＇94＇ in the Dr？me； the
volunteers of Gard forced the prison at Montélimart and hacked an
innocent person to death with a saber；＇95＇ in Vaucluse； the pillaging
is general and constant。 With all public offices in their hands； and
they alone admitted into the National Guard； the old brigands of
Avignon； with the municipality for their accomplice； sweep the town
and raid about the country； in town； 450；000 francs of 〃voluntary
gifts〃 are handed over to the Glacière murderers by the friends and
relatives of the dead； in the country； ransoms of 1；000 and 10；000
francs are imposed on rich cultivators； to say nothing of the orgies
of conquest and the pleasures of despots； money forcibly obtained in
honor of innumerable liberty trees； banquets at a cost of five or six
hundred francs； paid for by extorted funds； reveling of every sort and
unrestrained havoc on the invaded farms；＇96＇ in short； the abuse
drunken force amusing itself with brutality and proud of its violence。
Following this long line of murders and robbery； the Minister reaches
Marseilles； and I imagine him stopping at this city some…what
dumbfounded。 Not that he is in any way astonished at widespread
murders； undoubtedly he has had received information of them from Aix；
Aubagne； Apt； Brignolles； and Eyguières； while there are a series of
them at Marseilles； one in July； two in August； and two in
September；＇97＇ but this he must be used to。 What disturbs him here is
to see the national bond dissolving； he sees departments breaking
away； new； distinct； independ