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the origins of contemporary france-2-第82章

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are deliberating; 〃a few members of the club〃 get together and

decide that M。  Pascalis and M。  de la Roquette must be arrested。

At eleven o'clock at night eighty trustworthy National Guards; led

by the president of the club; travel a league off to seize them in

their beds and lodge them in the town prison。 … Zeal of this kind

excites some uneasiness; and if the municipality tolerates the

arrests; it is because it is desirous of preventing murder。

Consequently; on the following day; December 13th; it sends to

Marseilles for four hundred men of the Swiss Guard commanded by

Ernest; and four hundred National Guards; adding to these the

National Guard of Aix; and orders this company to protect the prison

against any violence。  But; along with the Marseilles National

Guards; there came a lot of armed people who are volunteers of

disorder。  On the afternoon of the 13th the first mob strives to

force the prison; and the next day; fresh squads congregate around

it demanding the head of M。  Pascalis。  The members of the club head

the riot with 〃a crowd of unknown men from outside the town; who

give orders and carry them out。〃 During the night the populace of

Aix are tampered with; and the dikes all give way at the same

moment。  At the first clamors the National Guard on duty on the

public promenade disband and disperse; while; as there is no signal

for the assemblage of the others; notwithstanding the regulations;

the general alarm is not sounded。  〃The largest portion of the

National Guard draws off so as not to appear to authorize by its

presence outrages which it has not been ordered to prevent。

Peaceable Citizens are in great consternation;〃 each one takes to

flight or shuts himself up in his house; the streets being deserted

and silent。  Meanwhile the prison gates are shattered with axes。

The procureur…syndic of the department; who requests the commandant

of the Swiss regiment to protect the prisoners; is seized; borne

off; and runs the risk of losing his life。  Three municipal officers

in their scarves; who arrive on the ground; dare not give the order

required by the commandant。  At this decisive moment; when it is

necessary to shed blood and kill a number of men; they obviously

fear to take the responsibility; their reply is; 〃We have no orders

to give。〃  … An extraordinary spectacle now presents itself in this

barrack courtyard surrounding the prison。  On the side of the law

stand eight hundred armed men; four hundred of the 〃Swiss〃 and four

hundred of the National Guard of Marseilles。  They are drawn up in

battle array; with guns to their shoulders; with special orders

repeated the evening before at three different times by the

municipal district and departmental authorities and they have the

sympathies of all honest people and of most of the National Guard。

But the legal indispensable phrase does not pass the lips of those

who by virtue of the Constitution should utter it; and a small group

of convicts are found to be sovereign。   The three municipal

officers are seized in their turn under the eyes of their own

soldiers who remain motionless; and 〃with bayonets at their breasts

they sign; under constraint; the order to give up M。  Pascalis to

the people。〃 M。  de la Roquette is likewise surrendered。  〃The only

portion of the National Guard of Aix which was visible;〃 that is to

say; the Jacobin minority; form a circle around the gate of the

prison and organize themselves into a council of war。  And there

they stand; at once 〃accusers; witnesses; judges; and executioners。〃

A captain conducts the two victims to the public promenade where

they are hung。  Very soon after this old M。 de Guiramand; whom the

National Guard of his village have brought a prisoner to Aix; is

hung in the same manner。



There is no prosecution of the assassins。  The new tribunal;

frightened or forestalled; has for some time back ranged itself on

the popular side; its writs; consequently; are served on the

oppressed; against the members of the assaulted dub。  Writs of

arrest; summonses to attend court; searches; seizures of

correspondence; and other proceedings; rain down upon them。  Three

hundred witnesses are examined。  Some of the arrested officers are

〃loaded with chains and thrust into dungeons。〃 Henceforth the club

rules; and 〃makes everybody tremble。〃'48'  〃From the 23rd to the

27th of December; more than ten thousand passports are delivered at

Aix。〃 〃If the emigrations continue;〃 write the commissioners; 〃there

will be no one left at Aix but workmen without work and with no

resources。  Whole streets are uninhabited。  。  。  。  。  As long as

such crimes can be permitted with impunity fear will drive out of

this town every one who has the means of living elsewhere。〃  … ?Many

come back after the arrival of the commissioners; hoping to obtain

justice and security through them。  But; 〃if a prosecution is not

ordered; we shall scarcely have departed from Aix when three or four

hundred families will abandon it。  。  。  。  And what man in his

senses would dare guarantee that each village will not soon have

some one hung in it? 。  。  。  Country valets arrest their masters。

。  。  。  The expectation of impunity leads the inhabitants of

villages to commit all sorts of depredations in the forests; which

is very harmful in a region where woods are very scarce。  They set

up the most absurd and most unjust pretensions against rich

proprietors; and the fatal rope is ever the interpreter and the

signal of their will。〃 There is no refuge against these outrages。

〃The department; the districts; the municipalities; administer only

in conformity with the multiplied petitions of the club。〃 In the

sight of all; and on one solemn day; a crushing defeat has

demonstrated the weakness of the government officials; and; bowed

beneath the yoke of their new masters; they preserve their legal

authority only on the condition that it remains at the service of

the victorious party。



_____________________________________________________________________



Notes:



'1' Festivals approving the federation of all the National Guards in

France。  (SR。)



'2' See the address of the commune of Paris; June 5; 1790。  〃Let the

most touching of all utterances be heard on this day (the

anniversary of the taking of the Bastille); Frenchmen; we are

brothers! Yes; brothers; freemen and with a country!〃 Roux et

Buchez; VI。  275。



'3' Buchez and Roux; IV。  3; 309; V。  123; VI。  274; 399。 …

Duvergier; Collection of Laws and Decrees。  Decree of June 8 and 9;

1790。



'4' For one who; like myself; has lived for years among the Moslems;

the 5 daily ritual prayers all performed while turned towards Mecca;

this description of the French taking of the oath; has something

familiar in it。  (SR。)



'5' Michelet; 〃Histoire de la Révolution Fran?aise;〃 II; 470; 474。



'6' De Ferrières; II。  91。 …  Albert Babeau; I。  340。  (Letter

addressed to the Chevalier de Poterat; July 18; 1790。)  …  De

Dampmartin; 〃Evénements qui se sont passés sous mes yeux;〃etc。; 155。



'7' One may imagine the impression Taine's description made upon the

thousands of political science students and others in the years

after this book was printed and widely sold all over Europe。  (SR。)



'8' Sauzay; I。  202。



'9' Albert Babeau; ib。  I; 339  …  De Ferrières; II; 92。



'10' 〃Archives Nationales;〃 H。 1453; Correspondence of M。  de

Bercheney; May 23; 1790。



'11' 〃Archives Nationales;〃 ibid; May 13; 1790。  〃M。  de la

Rifaudière was dragged from his carriage and brought to the guard…

house; which was immediately filled with people; shouting; 'To the

lamp post; the aristocrat!'  …  The fact is this: after his having

repeatedly shouted Vive le Roi et la Nation! They wanted him to

shout Vive la Nation! alone; upon which he gave Vive la Nation tant

qu'elle pourra。〃  …  At Blois; on the day of the Federation; a mob

promenades the streets with a wooden head

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