the origins of contemporary france-2-第21章

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although；　in　order　to　please　the　people；　the　magistrates　are　changed

and　the　price　of　bread　and　meat　is　reduced。　　…　　It　is　not　surprising

that　after　such　tactics；　and　with　such　rewards；　the　riot　should

spread　through　the　neighborhood　far　and　near：　in　fact；　starting　from

Strasbourg　it　overruns　Alsace；　while　in　the　country　as　in　the　city；

there　are　always　drunkards　and　rascals　found　to　head　it。



No　matter　where；　be　it　in　the　East；　in　the　West；　or　in　the　North；

the　instigators　are　always　of　this　stamp。　　At　Cherbourg；　on　the　21st

of　July；＇16＇　the　two　leaders　of　the　riot　are　〃　highway　robbers；〃　who

place　themselves　at　the　head　of　women　of　the　suburbs；　foreign

sailors；　the　populace　of　the　harbor；　and　it　includes　soldiers　in

workmen's　smocks。　　They　force　the　delivery　of　the　keys　of　the　grain

warehouses；　and　wreck　the　dwellings　of　the　three　richest　merchants；

also　that　of　M。　de　Garantot；　the　sub…delegate：　〃All　records　and

papers　are　burnt；　at　M。　de　Garantot's　alone　the　loss　is　estimated　at

more　than　100；000　crowns　at　least。〃　　The　same　instinct　of

destruction　prevails　everywhere；　a　sort　of　envious　fury　against　all

who　possess；　command；　or　enjoy　anything。　　At　Maubeuge；　on　the　27th

of　July；　at　the　very　assembly　of　the　representatives　of　the

commune；＇17＇　the　rabble　interferes　directly　in　its　usual　fashion。　　A

band　of　nail　and　gun…makers　takes　possession　of　the　town…hall；　and

obliges　the　mayor　to　reduce　the　price　of　bread。　　Almost　immediately

after　this　another　band　follows　uttering　cries　of　death；　and　smashes

the　windows；　while　the　garrison；　which　has　been　ordered　out；　quietly

contemplates　the　damage　done。　　Death　to　the　mayor；　to　all　rulers；

and　to　all　employees！　The　rioters　force　open　the　prisons；　set　the

prisoners　free；　and　attack　the　tax…offices。　　The　octroi　offices　are

demolished　from　top　to　bottom：　they　pull　down　the　harbor　offices　and

throw　the　scales　and　weights　into　the　river。　　All　the　custom　and

excise　stores　are　carried　off；　and　the　officials　are　compelled　to

give　acquaintances。　　The　houses　of　the　registrar　and　of　the　sheriff；

that　of　the　revenue　comptroller；　two　hundred　yards　outside　the　town；

are　sacked；　the　doors　and　the　windows　are　smashed；　the　furniture　and

linen　is　torn　to　shreds；　and　　the　plate　and　jewelry　is　thrown　into

the　wells。　　The　same　havoc　is　committed　in　the　mayor's　town…house；

also　in　his　country…house　a　league　off。　　〃Not　a　window；　not　a　door；

not　one　article　or　eatable　〃　is　preserved；　their　work；　moreover；　is

conscientiously　done；　without　stopping　a　moment；　〃from　ten　in　the

evening　up　to　ten　in　the　morning　on　the　following　day。〃　In　addition

to　this　the　mayor；　who　has　served　for　thirty…four　years；　resigns　his

office　at　the　solicitation　of　the　well…disposed　but　terrified

people；　and　leaves　the　country。　　　At　Rouen；　after　the　24th　of

July；＇18＇　a　written　placard　shows；　by　its　orthography　and　its　style；

what　sort　of　intellects　composed　it　and　what　kind　of　actions　are　to

follow　it：



〃Nation；　you　have　here　four　heads　to　strike　off；　those　of　Pontcarry

（the　first　president）；　Maussion　（the　intendant）；　Godard　de　Belb？uf

（the　attorney…general）；　and　Durand　（the　attorney　of　the　King　in　the

town）。　　Without　this　we　are　lost；　and　if　you　do　not　do　it；　people

will　take　you　for　a　heartless　nation。〃



Nothing　could　be　more　explicit。　　The　municipal　body；　however；　to

whom　the　Parliament　denounces　this　list　of　proscriptions；　replies；

with　its　forced　optimism；　that



　〃no　citizen　should　consider　himself　or　be　considered　as　proscribed；

he　may　and　must　believe　himself　to　be　safe　in　his　own　dwelling；

satisfied　that　there　is　not　a　person　in　the　city　who　would　not　fly

to　his　rescue。〃



This　is　equal　to　telling　the　populace　that　it　is　free　to　do　as　it

pleases。　　On　the　strength　of　this　the　leaders　of　the　riot　work　on　in

security　for　ten　days。　　One　of　them　is　a　man　named　Jourdain；　a

lawyer　of　Lisieux；　and；　like　most　of　his　brethren；　a　demagogue　in

principles；　the　other　is　a　strolling　actor　from　Paris　named　Bordier；

famous　in　the　part　of　harlequin；＇19＇　a　bully　in　a　house　of　ill…fame；

〃a　night…rover　and　drunkard；　and　who；　fearing　neither　God　nor

devil；〃　has　taken　up　patriotism；　and　comes　down　into　the　provinces

to　play　tragedy；　and　that；　tragedy　in　real　life。　　The　fifth　act

begins　on　the　night　of　the　3rd　of　August；　with　Bordier　and　Jourdain

as　the　principal　actors；　and　behind　them　the　rabble　along　with

several　companies　of　fresh　volunteers。　　A　shout　is　heard；　〃Death　to

the　monopolists！　death　to　Maussion！　we　must　have　his　head！〃　They

pillage　his　hotel：　many　of　them　become　intoxicated　and　fall　asleep

in　his　cellar。　　The　revenue　offices；　the　toll…gates　of　the　town；　the

excise　office；　all　buildings　in　which　the　royal　revenue　is

collected；　are　wrecked。　　Immense　bonfires　are　lighted　in　the　streets

and　on　the　old　market　square；　furniture；　clothes；　papers；　kitchen

utensils；　are　all　thrown　in　pell…mell；　while　carriages　are　dragged

out　and　tumbled　into　the　Seine。　　It　is　only　when　the　town…hall　is

attacked　that　the　National　Guard；　beginning　to　be　alarmed；　makes　up

its　mind　to　seize　Bordier　and　some　others。　　The　following　morning；

however；　at　the　shout　of　Carabo；　and　led　by　Jourdain；　the　prison　is

forced；　Bordier　set　free；　and　the　intendant's　residence；　with　its

offices；　is　sacked　a　second　time。　　When；　finally；　the　two　rascals

are　taken　and　led　to　the　scaffold；　the　populace　is　so　strongly　in

their　favor　as　to　require　the　pointing　of　loaded　cannon　on　them　to

keep　them　down。　　　At　Besan？on；＇20＇　on　the　13th　of　August；　the

leaders　consist　of　the　servant　of　an　exhibitor　of　wild　animals；　two

goal…birds　of　whom　one　has　already　been　branded　in　consequence　of　a

riot；　and　a　number　of　〃inhabitants　of　ill…repute；〃　who；　towards

evening；　spread　through　the　town　along　with　the　soldiers。　　The

gunners　insult　the　officers　they　meet；　seize　them　by　the　throat　and

want　to　throw　them　into　the　Doubs。　　Others　go　to　the　house　of　the

commandant；　M。　de　Langeron；　and　demand　money　of　him；　on　his　refusing

to　give　it　they　tear　off　their　cockades　and　exclaim；　〃We　too　belong

to　the　Third…Estate！〃　in　other　words；　that　they　are　the　masters：

subsequently　they　demand　the　head　of　the　intendant；　M。　de　Caumartin；

forcibly　enter　his　dwelling　and　break　up　his　furniture。　　On　the

following　day　the　rabble　and　the　soldiers　enter　the　coffee…houses；

the　convents；　and　the　inns；　and　demand　to　be　served　with　wine　and

eatables　as　much　as　they　want；　and　then；　heated　by　drink；　they　burn

the　excise　offices；　force　open　several　prisons；　and　set　free　all　the

smugglers　and　deserters。　　To　put　an　end　to　this　saturnalia　a　grand

banquet　in　the　open　air　is　suggested；　in　which　the　National　Guard　is

to　fraternize　with　the　whole　garrison；　but　the　banquet　turns　into　a

drinking…bout；　entire　companies　remaining　under　the　tables　dead

drunk；　other　companies　carry　away　with　them　four　hogsheads　of　wine；

and　the　rest；　finding　themselves　left　in　the　lurch；　are　scattered

abroad　outside　the　walls　in　order　to　rob　the　cellars　of　the

neighboring　villages。　　The　next　day；　encouraged　by　the　example　set

them；　a　portion　of　the　garrison；　accompanied　by　a　number　of　workmen；

repeat　the　expedition　in　the　country。　　Finally；　after　four　days　of

this　orgy；　to　prevent　Besan？on　and　its　outskirts　from　being

indefinitely　treated　as　a　conquered　country；　the　burgess　guard；　in

alliance　with　the　soldiers　who　have　remained　loyal；　rebel　against

the　rebellion；　go　in　quest　of　the　marauders　and　hang　two　of　them

that　same　evening。　　　Such　is　rioting！＇21＇　an　irruption　of　brute

force　which；　turned　loose　on　the　habitations　of　men；　can　do　nothing

but　gorge　itself；　waste；　break；　destroy；　and　do　damage　to　itself；

and　if　we　follow　the　details　of　local　history；　we　see　how；　in　these

days；　similar　outbreaks　of　violence　might　be　expected　at　any　time。



At　Troyes；＇22＇　on　the　18th　of　July；　a　market…day；　the　peasants

refuse　to　pay　the　entrance　duties；　the　octroi　having　been　suppressed

at　Paris；　it　ought　also　to　be　s