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第21章

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

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