the origins of contemporary france-2-第106章

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neighborhood。　　In　the　month　of　December；　1790；　the　chateau　had

already　been　ransacked　by　the　people　of　the　parishes　in　the

vicinity：　nothing　was　found；　and　the　Department　first　censured　and

afterwards　interdicted　these　arbitrary　searches。　　On　this　occasion

they　will　manage　things　better。　　…　　On　the　26th　of　June；　1791；　at

ten　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　municipal　body　of　Poleymicux；　along

with　two　other　bodies　in　their　scarves；　and　three　hundred　National

Guards；　are　seen　approaching；　under　the　usual　pretext　of　searching

for　arms。　　Madame　Guillin　presents　herself；　reminds　them　of　the

interdict　of　the　Department；　and　demands　the　legal　order　under　which


they　act。　　They　refuse　to　give　it。　　M。　Guillin　descends　in　his　turn

and　offers　to　open　his　doors　to　them　if　they　will　produce　the　order。

They　have　no　order　to　show　him。　During　the　colloquy　a　certain　man

named　Rosier；　a　former　soldier　who　had　deserted　twice；　and　who　is

now　in　command　of　the　National　Guard；　seizes　M。　Guillin　by　the

throat；　the　old　captain　defends　himself；　presents　a　pistol　at　the

man；　which　misses　fire；　and　then；　throwing　the　fellow　off；　withdraws

into　the　house；　closing　the　door　behind　him。　…　　Soon　after　this；　the

tocsin　sounds　in　the　neighborhood；　thirty　parishes　start　up；　and　two

thousand　men　arrive。　　Madame　Guillin；　by　entreaties；　succeeds　in

having　delegates　appointed；　chosen　by　the　crowd；　to　inspect　the

chateau。　　These　delegates　examine　the　apartments；　and　declare　that

they　can　find　nothing　but　the　arms　ordinarily　kept　on　hand。　　This

declaration　is　of　no　effect：　the　multitude；　whose　excitement　is

increased　by　waiting；　feel　their　strength；　and　have　no　idea　of

returning　empty…handed。　　A　volley　is　fired；　and　the　chateau　windows

are　riddled　with　balls。　　As　a　last　effort　Madame　Guillin；　with　her

two　children　in　her　arms；　comes　out；　and　going　to　the　municipal

officers；　calls　upon　them　to　do　their　duty。　　Far　from　doing　this

they　retain　her　as　a　hostage；　and　place　her　in　such　a　position　that；

if　there　is　firing　from　the　chateau；　she　may　receive　the　bullets。

Meanwhile；　the　doors　are　forced；　the　house　is　pillaged　from　top　to

bottom；　and　then　set　on　fire；　M。　Guillin；　who　seeks　refuge　in　the

keep；　is　almost　reached　by　the　flames。　　At　this　moment；　some　of　the

assailants；　less　ferocious　than　the　rest；　prevail　upon　him　to

descend；　and　they　answer　for　his　life。　　Scarcely　has　he　shown

himself　when　others　fall　on　him；　they　cry　that　he　must　be　killed；

that　he　has　a　life…rent　of　36；000　francs　from　the　State；　and　〃this

will　be　so　much　saved　for　the　nation。〃　〃He　is　hacked　to　pieces

alive；〃　his　head　is　cut　off　and　borne　upon　a　pike；　his　body　is　cut

up；　and　sent　piece　by　piece　to　each　parish；　several　wash　their　hands

in　his　blood；　and　besmear　their　faces　with　it。　　It　seems　as　if

tumult；　clamor；　incendiarism；　robbery；　and　murder　had　aroused　in

them　not　only　the　cruel　instincts　of　the　savage；　but　the　carnivorous

appetites　of　the　brute；　some　of　them；　seized　by　the　gendarmerie　at

Chasselay；　had　roasted　the　dead　man's　arm　and　dined　upon　it。＇16＇　　…

Madame　Guillin；　who　is　saved　through　the　compassion　of　two　of　the

inhabitants　of　the　place；　succeeds；　after　encountering　many　dangers；

in　reaching　Lyons；　she　and　her　children　lost　everything；　〃the

chateau；　its　dependencies；　the　crop　of　the　preceding　year；　wine；

grain；　furniture；　plate；　ready　money；　assignats；　notes；　and

contracts。〃　Ten　days　later；　the　department　gives　notice　to　the

National　Assembly　that　〃similar　projects　are　still　being　plotted　and

arranged；　and　that　there　are　（always）　threats　of　burning　chateaux

and　rent…rolls；〃　that　no　doubt　of　this　can　possibly　exist：　〃the

inhabitants　of　the　country　only　await　the　opportunity；　to　renew

these　scenes　of　horror。〃＇17＇



IV。



The　nobles　obliged　to　leave　the　rural　districts。　　…　　　They　take

refuge　in　towns。　　…　　The　dangers　they　incur。　　…　　The　eighty…two

gentlemen　of　Caen



Amidst　these　multiplied　and　reviving　Jacqueries　there　is　nothing

left　but　flight；　and　the　nobles；　driven　out　of　the　rural　districts；

seek　refuge　in　the　towns。　　But　here　also　a　jacquerie　awaits　them。　As

the　effects　of　the　Constitution　are　developed；　successive

administrations　become　feebler　and　more　partial；　the　unbridled

populace　has　become　more　excitable　and　more　violent；　the　enthroned

club　has　become　more　suspicious　and　more　despotic。　　Henceforth　the

club；　through　or　in　opposition　to　the　administrative　bodies；　leads

the　populace；　and　the　nobles　will　find　it　as　hostile　as　the

peasants。　　All　their　reunions；　even　when　liberal；　are　closed　like

that　in　Paris；　through　the　illegal　interference　of　mobs；　or　through

the　iniquitous　action　of　the　popular　magistrates。　　All　their

associations；　even　when　legal　and　salutary；　are　broken　up　by　brute

force　or　by　municipal　intolerance；　They　are　punished　for　having

thought　of　defending　themselves；　and　slaughtered　because　they　try　to

avoid　assassination。　　…　　Three　or　four　hundred　gentlemen；　who　were

threatened　on　their　estates；　sought　refuge　with　their　families　in

Caen；＇18＇　and　they　trusted　to　find　one　there；　for；　by　three

different　resolutions；　the　municipal　body　promised　them　aid　and

protection。　　Unfortunately；　the　club　thinks　otherwise；　and；　on

August　23；　1791；　prints　and　posts　up　a　list　of　their　names　and

residences；　declaring　that　since　〃their　suspected　opinions　have

compelled　them　to　abandon　the　rural　districts；〃　they　are　emigrants

in　the　interior；〃　from　which　it　follows　that　〃their　conduct　must　be

scrupulously　watched；〃　because　〃it　may　be　the　effect　of　some

dangerous　plot　against　the　country。〃　Fifteen　are　especially

designated；　among　others　〃the　former　curé　of　Saint…Loup；　the　great

bloodhound　of　the　aristocrats；　and　all　of　them　very　suspicious

persons；　harboring　the　worst　intentions。〃　　…　　Thus　denounced　and

singled　out；　it　is　evident　that　they　can　no　longer　sleep　peacefully：

moreover；　now　that　their　addresses　are　published；　they　are　openly

threatened　with　domiciliary　visits　and　violence。　　As　to　the

administrative　authorities；　their　intervention　cannot　be　expected

on；　the　department　itself　gives　notice　to　the　minister　that；　as　the

law　stands；　it　cannot　put　the　chateau　in　the　hands　of　the

regulars；＇19＇　as　this　would；　it　is　said；　excite　the　National　Guard。

Besides；　how　without　an　army　is　this　post　to　be　wrested　from　the

hands　which　hold　it？　It　is　impossible　with　only　the　resources　which

the　Constitution　affords　us。〃　Thus；　in　the　defense　of　the　oppressed；

the　Constitution　is　a　dead　letter。　　…　　Hence　it　is　that　the

refugees；　finding　protection　only　in　themselves；　undertake　to　help

each　other。　　No　association　can　be　more　justifiable；　more　pacific；

more　innocent。　　Its　object　is　〃to　demand　the　execution　of　the　laws

constantly　violated；　and　to　protect　persons　and　property。〃　In　each

quarter　they　will　try　to　bring　together　〃all　good　citizens；〃　they

will　form　a　committee　of　eight　members；　and；　in　each　committee；

there　will　always　be　〃an　officer　of　justice　or　a　member　of　the

administrative　body　with　an　officer　or　subaltern　of　the　National

Guard。〃　Should　any　citizen　be　attacked　in　person　or　property　the

association　will　draw　up　a　petition　in　his　favor。　　Should　any

particular　act　of　violence　require　the　employment　of　public　force；

the　members　of　the　district　will　assemble　under　the　orders　of　the

officer　of　justice　and　of　the　National　Guard　to　enforce　obedience。

〃In　all　possible　cases〃　they　〃will　avoid　with　the　greatest　care　any

insult　of　individuals；　they　will　consider　that　the　object　of　the

meeting　is　solely　to　ensure　public　peace；　and　that　protection　from

the　law　to　which　every　citizen　is　entitled。〃　　…　　In　short；　they　are

volunteer　constables。　　Turn　the　inquiry　which　way　they　will；　a

hostile　municipality　and　a　prejudiced　tribunal　can　put　no　other

construction　upon　it；　they　find　nothing　else。　　The　only　evidence

against　one　of　the　leaders　is　a　letter　in　which　he　tries　to　prevent

a　gentleman　from　going　to　Coblentz；　striving　to　prove　to　him　that　h