the origins of contemporary france-2-第23部分

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and　limbs　possessed　each　its　own　intelligence　and　will；　whose　one

leg　would　wish　to　walk　when　the　other　one　wanted　to　rest；　whose

throat　would　close　when　the　stomach　demanded　food；　whose　mouth　would

sing　when　the　eyelids　were　weighed　down　with　sleep；　and　you　will

have　a　striking　picture　of　the　condition　of　things　in　the　capital〃



There　are　〃sixty　Republics〃＇3＇　in　Paris；　each　district　is　an

independent；　isolated　power；　which　receives　no　order　without

criticizing　it；　always　in　disagreement　and　often　in　conflict　with

the　central　authority　or　with　the　other　districts。　　It　receives

denunciations；　orders　domiciliary　visits；　sends　deputations　to　the

National　Assembly；　passes　resolutions；　posts　its　bills；　not　only　in

its　own　quarter　but　throughout　the　city；　and　sometimes　even　extends

its　jurisdiction　outside　of　Paris。　　Everything　comes　within　its

province；　and　particularly　that　which　ought　not　to　do　so。　　　On　the

18th　of　July；　the　district　of　Petits…Augustins＇4＇　〃decrees　in　its

own　name　the　establishment　of　justices　of　the　peace；〃　under　the

title　of　tribunes；　and　proceeds　at　once　to　elect　its　own；　nominating

the　actor　Molé。　　On　the　30th；　that　of　the　Oratoire　annuls　the

amnesty　which　the　representatives　of　the　commune　in　the　H？tel…de…

Ville　had　granted；　and　orders　two　of　its　members　to　go　to　a　distance

of　thirty　leagues　to　arrest　M。　de　Bezenval。　　On　the　19th　of　August；

that　of　Nazareth　issues　commissions　to　seize　and　bring　to　Paris　the

arms　deposited　in　strong　places。　　From　the　beginning　each　assembly

sent　to　the　Arsenal　in　its　own　name；　and　〃obtained　as　many

cartridges　and　as　much　powder　as　it　desired。〃　Others　claim　the　right

of　keeping　a　watchful　eye　over　the　H？tel…de…Ville　and　of

reprimanding　the　National　Assembly。　　The　Oratoire　decides　that　the

representatives　of　the　commune　shall　be　invited　to　deliberate　in

public。　　Saint…Nicholas　des　Champs　deliberates　on　the　veto　and　begs

the　Assembly　to　suspend　its　vote。　　　It　is　a　strange　spectacle；

that　of　these　various　authorities　each　contradicting　and　destroying

the　other。　　To…day　the　H？tel…de…Ville　appropriates　five　loads　of

cloth　which　have　been　dispatched　by　the　Government；　and　the　district

of　Saint…Gervais　opposes　the　decision　of　the　H？tel…de…Ville。　　To…

morrow　Versailles　intercepts　grain　destined　for　Paris；　while　Paris

threatens；　if　it　is　not　restored；　to　march　on　Versailles。　　I　omit

the　incidents　that　are　ridiculous：＇5＇　anarchy　in　its　essence　is　both

tragic　and　grotesque；　and；　in　this　universal　breaking　up　of　things；

the　capital；　like　the　kingdom；　resembles　a　bear…garden　when　it　does

not　resemble　a　Babel。



But　behind　all　these　discordant　authorities　the　real　sovereign；　who

is　the　mob；　is　very　soon　apparent。　　　On　the　15th　of　July　it

undertakes　the　demolition　of　the　Bastille　of　its　own　accord；　and

this　popular　act　is　sanctioned　；　for　it　is　necessary　that

appearances　should　be　kept　up；　even　to　give　orders　after　the　blow　is

dealt；　and　to　follow　when　it　is　impossible　to　lead。＇6＇　　A　short　time

after　this　the　collection　of　the　octroi　at　the　barriers　is　ordered

to　be　resumed；　forty　armed　individuals；　however；　present　themselves

in　their　district　and　say；　that　if　guards　are　placed　at　the　octroi

stations；　〃they　will　resist　force　with　force；　and　even　make　use　of

their　cannon。〃　　　On　the　false　rumor　that　arms　are　concealed　in　the

Abbey　of　Montmartre；　the　abbess；　Madame　de　Montmorency；　is　accused

of　treachery；　and　twenty　thousand　persons　invade　the　monastery。　　

The　commander　of　the　National　Guard　and　the　mayor　are　constantly

expecting　a　riot；　they　hardly　dare　absent　themselves　a　day　to　attend

the　King　fête　at　Versailles。　　As　soon　as　the　multitude　can　assemble

in　the　streets；　an　explosion　is　imminent。　　〃On　rainy　days；〃　says

Bailly；　〃I　was　quite　at　my　ease。〃　　It　is　under　this　constant

pressure　that　the　Government　is　carried　on；　and　the　elect　of　the

people；　the　most　esteemed　magistrates；　those　who　are　in　best　repute；

are　at　the　mercy　of　the　throng　who　clamor　at　their　doors。　　In　the

district　of　St。　　Roch；＇7＇　after　many　useless　refusals；　the　General

Assembly；　notwithstanding　all　the　reproaches　of　its　conscience　and

the　resistance　of　its　reason；　is　obliged　to　open　letters　addressed

to　Monsieur；　to　the　Duke　of　Orleans；　and　to　the　Ministers　of　War；　of

Foreign　Affairs；　and　of　the　Marine。　　In　the　committee　on

subsistence；　M。　Serreau；　who　is　indispensable　and　who　is　confirmed

by　a　public　proclamation；　is　denounced；　threatened；　and　constrained

to　leave　Paris。　　M。　de　la　Salle；　one　of　the　strongest　patriots　among

the　nobles；　is　on　the　point　of　being　murdered　for　having　signed　an

order　for　the　transport　of　gunpowder；＇8＇　the　multitude；　in　pursuit

of　him；　attach　a　rope　to　the　nearest　street…lamp；　ransack　the　H？tel…

de…Ville；　force　every　door；　mount　into　the　belfry；　and　seek　for　the

traitor　even　under　the　carpet　of　the　bureau　and　between　the　legs　of

the　electors；　and　are　only　stayed　in　their　course　by　the　arrival　of

the　National　Guard。



The　people　not　only　sentence　but　they　execute；　and；　as　is　always　the

case；　blindly。　　At　Saint…Denis；　Chatel；　the　mayor's　lieutenant；

whose　duty　it　is　to　distribute　flour；　had　reduced　the　price　of　bread

at　his　own　expense：　on　the　3rd　of　August　his　house　is　forced　open　at

two　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　he　takes　refuge　in　a　steeple；　the

mob　follow　him；　cut　his　throat　and　drag　his　head　along　the　streets。

　Not　only　do　the　people　execute；　but　they　pardon　　and　with　equal

discernment。　　On　the　11th　of　August；　at　Versailles；　as　a　parricide

is　about　to　be　broken　on　the　wheel；　the　crowd　demand　his　release；

fly　at　the　executioner；　and　set　the　man　free。＇9＇　　Veritably　this　is

sovereign　power　like　that　of　the　oriental　sovereign　who　arbitrarily

awards　life　or　death！　A　woman　who　protests　against　this　scandalous

pardon　is　seized　and　comes　near　being　hung；　for　the　new　monarch

considers　as　a　crime　whatever　is　offensive　to　his　new　majesty。

Again；　he　receives　public　and　humble　homage。　　The　Prime　Minister；　on

imploring　the　pardon　of　M。　de　Bezenval　at　the　H？tel…de…Ville；　in　the

presence　of　the　electors　and　of　the　public；　has　put　it　in

appropriate　words：



　〃It　is　before　the　most　unknown；　the　obscurest　citizen　of　Paris　that

I　prostrate　myself；　at　whose　feet　I　kneel。〃



A　few　days　before　this；　at　Saint…Germain…en…Laye；　and　at　Poissy；　the

deputies　of　the　National　Assembly　not　only　kneel　down　in　words；　but

actually；　and　for　a　long　time；　on　the　pavement　in　the　street；　and

stretch　forth　their　hands；　weeping；　to　save　two　lives　of　which　only

one　is　granted　to　them。　　…　　Behold　the　monarch　by　these　brilliant

signs！　Already　do　the　young；　who　are　eager　imitators　of　all　actions

that　are　in　fashion；　ape　them　in　miniature；　during　the　month　which

follows　the　murder　of　Berthier　and　Foulon；　Bailly　is　informed　that

the　gamins　in　the　streets　are　parading　about　with　the　heads　of　two

cats　stuck　on　the　ends　of　two　poles。＇10＇



　II。　　。



The　distress　of　the　people。　　…　The　dearth　and　the　lack　of　work。　　…

How　men　of　executive　ability　are　recruited。



A　pitiable　monarch；　whose　recognized　sovereignty　leaves　him　more

miserable　than　he　was　before！　Bread　is　always　scarce；　and　before　the

baker's　doors　the　row　of　waiting　people　does　not　diminish。　　In　vain

Bailly　passes　his　nights　with　the　committee　on　supplies；　they　are

always　in　a　state　of　terrible　anxiety。　　Every　morning　for　two　months

there　is　only　one　or　two　days'　supply　of　flour；　and　often；　in　the

evening；　there　is　not　enough　for　the　following　morning。＇11＇　　The

life　of　the　capital　depends　on　a　convoy　which　is　ten；　fifteen；

twenty　leagues　off；　and　which　may　never　arrive：　one　convoy　of　twenty

carts　is　pillaged　on　the　18th　of　July；　on　the　Rouen　road；　another；

on　the　4th　of　August；　in　the　vicinity　of　Louviers。　　Were　it　not　for

Salis'　Swiss　regiment；　which；　from　the　14th　of　July　to　the　end　of

September；　marches　day　and　night　as　an　escort；　not　a　boat…load　of

grain　would　reach　Paris　from　Rouen。＇12＇　　The　commissaries　charged

with　making　purchases　or　with　supervising　the　expeditions　are　in

danger　of　their　lives。　　Those　who　are　sent　to　provinces　are　seized；

and　a　column　of　four　hundred　men　with　cannon　has　to　be　dispatched　to

deliver　them。　　The　one　who　is　sent　to　Rouen　learns　that　he　will　be

hung　if　he　dares　to　enter　the　place。　　At　Mantes　a　mob　surrounds　his

cabriolet；　the　people　regarding　whoever　comes　there　for　the　purpose

of　carrying　away　grain　as　a　public　pest；　he　escapes　with　difficulty

out　of　a　back　door　and　returns　on　foot　to　Paris。　　　From　the　very

beginning；　according　to　a　universal　rule；　the　fear　of　a　short　supply

helps　to　augment　the　famine。　　Every　one　lays　in　a　stock　for　several

days；　on　one　occasion　sixteen　loaves　of　four　pounds　each　are　found

in　an　old　woman's　garret。　　The　bakings；　consequently；　which　are

estimated　according　to　the　quantity　needed　for　a　single　day；　become

inadequate；　and　the　last　of　those　who　wait　at　the　bakers'　shops　for

bread　return　home　empty…handed。　　　On　the　other　hand　the

appropriations　made　by　the　city　and　the　State　to　diminish　the　price

of　bread　simply　serve　to　lengthen　the　rows　of　those　who　wait　for　it；

the　countrymen　flock　in　thither；　and　return　home　loaded　to　their

villages。　　At　Saint…Denis；　bread　having　been　reduced　to　two　sous　the

pound；　none　is　left　for　the　inhabitants。　　To　this　constant　anxiety

add　that　of　unemployment。　　Not　only　is　there　no　certainty　of　there

being　bread　at　the　bakers'　during　the　coming　week；　but　many　know

that　they　will　not　have　money　in　the　coming　week　with　which　to　buy

bread。　　Now　that　security　has　disappeared　and　the　rights　of　property

are　shaken；　work　is　wanting。　　The　rich；　deprived　of　their　feudal

dues；　and；　in　addition　thereto　of　their　rents；　have　reduced　their

expenditure；　many　of　them；　threatened　by　the　committee　of

investigation；　exposed　to　domiciliary　visits；　and　liable　to　be

informed　against　by　their　servants；　have　emigrated。　　In　the　month　of

September　M。　Necker　laments