scaramouche-第55章
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uniform would be enough to restore peace and order； took control
with Besenval as his second…in…command。 The foreign regiments were
stationed in the environs of Paris； regiments whose very names were
an irritation to the Parisians； regiments of Reisbach； of Diesbach；
of Nassau； Esterhazy； and Roehmer。 Reenforcements of Swiss were
sent to the Bastille between whose crenels already since the 30th
of June were to be seen the menacing mouths of loaded cannon。
On the 10th of July the electors once more addressed the King to
request the withdrawal of the troops。 They were answered next day
that the troops served the purpose of defending the liberties of
the Assembly！ And on the next day to that； which was a Sunday； the
philanthropist Dr。 Guillotin … whose philanthropic engine of painless
death was before very long to find a deal of work； came from the
Assembly； of which he was a member； to assure the electors of Paris
that all was well； appearances notwithstanding； since Necker was
more firmly in the saddle than ever。 He did not know that at the
very moment in which he was speaking so confidently； the
oft…dismissed and oft…recalled M。 Necker had just been dismissed
yet again by the hostile cabal about the Queen。 Privilege wanted
conclusive measures； and conclusive measures it would have …
conclusive to itself。
And at the same time yet another philanthropist； also a doctor； one
Jean…Paul Mara； of Italian extraction … better known as Marat； the
gallicized form of name he adopted … a man of letters； too； who had
spent some years in England； and there published several works on
sociology； was writing：
〃Have a care！ Consider what would be the fatal effect of a seditious
movement。 If you should have the misfortune to give way to that； you
will be treated as people in revolt； and blood will flow。〃
Andre…Louis was in the gardens of the Palais Royal； that place of
shops and puppet…shows； of circus and cafes； of gaming houses and
brothels； that universal rendezvous； on that Sunday morning when
the news of Necker's dismissal spread； carrying with it dismay and
fury。 Into Necker's dismissal the people read the triumph of the
party hostile to themselves。 It sounded the knell of all hope of
redress of their wrongs。
He beheld a slight young man with a pock…marked face； redeemed
from utter ugliness by a pair of magnificent eyes； leap to a table
outside the Caf？de Foy； a drawn sword in his hand； crying； 〃To
arms！〃 And then upon the silence of astonishment that cry imposed；
this young man poured a flood of inflammatory eloquence； delivered
in a voice marred at moments by a stutter。 He told the people that
the Germans on the Champ de Mars would enter Paris that night to
butcher the inhabitants。 〃Let us mount a cockade！〃 he cried； and
tore a leaf from a tree to serve his purpose … the green cockade of
hope。
Enthusiasm swept the crowd； a motley crowd made up of men and women
of every class； from vagabond to nobleman； from harlot to lady of
fashion。 Trees were despoiled of their leaves； and the green
cockade was flaunted from almost every head。
〃You are caught between two fires；〃 the incendiary's stuttering
voice raved on。 〃Between the Germans on the Champ de Mars and the
Swiss in the Bastille。 To arms； then！ To arms！〃
Excitement boiled up and over。 From a neighbouring waxworks show
came the bust of Necker； and presently a bust of that comedian the
Duke of Orleans； who had a party and who was as ready as any other
of the budding opportunists of those days to take advantage of the
moment for his own aggrandizement。 The bust of Necker was draped
with crepe。
Andre…Louis looked on； and grew afraid。 Marat's pamphlet had
impressed him。 It had expressed what himself he had expressed more
than half a year ago to the mob at Rennes。 This crowd； he felt
must be restrained。 That hot…headed； irresponsible stutterer would
have the town in a blaze by night unless something were done。 The
young man； a causeless advocate of the Palais named Camille
Desmoulins； later to become famous； leapt down from his table still
waving his sword； still shouting； 〃To arms！ Follow me！〃
Andre…Louis advanced to occupy the improvised rostrum； which the
stutterer had just vacated； to make an effort at counteracting that
inflammatory performance。 He thrust through the crowd； and came
suddenly face to face with a tall man beautifully dressed； whose
handsome countenance was sternly set； whose great sombre eyes
mouldered as if with suppressed anger。
Thus face to face； each looking into the eyes of the other； they
stood for a long moment； the jostling crowd streaming past them；
unheeded。 Then Andre…Louis laughed。
〃That fellow； too； has a very dangerous gift of eloquence； M。 le
Marquis；〃 he said。 〃In fact there are a number of such in France
to…day。 They grow from the soil； which you and yours have irrigated
with the blood of the martyrs of liberty。 Soon it may be your blood
instead。 The soil is parched； and thirsty for it。〃
〃Gallows…bird！〃 he was answered。 〃The police will do your affair
for you。 I shall tell the； Lieutenant…General that you are to be
found in Paris。〃
〃My God； man！〃 cried Andre…Louis； 〃will you never get sense？ Will
you talk like that of Lieutenant…Generals when Paris itself is
likely to tumble about your ears or take fire under your feet？
Raise your voice； M。 le Marquis。 Denounce me here； to these。 You
will make a hero of me in such an hour as this。 Or shall I denounce
you？ I think I will。 I think it is high time you received your
wages。 Hi！ You others； listen to me！ Let me present you to。。。 〃
A rush of men hurtled against him； swept him along with them； do
what he would； separating him from M。 de La Tour d'Azyr； so oddly
met。 He sought to breast that human torrent； the Marquis； caught
in an eddy of it； remained where he had been； and Andre…Louis' last
glimpse of him was of a man smiling with tight lips； an ugly smile。
Meanwhile the gardens were emptying in the wake of that stuttering
firebrand who had mounted the green cockade。 The human torrent
poured out into the Rue de Richelieu； and Andre…Louis perforce must
suffer himself to be borne along by it； at least as far as the Rue
du Hasard。 There he sidled out of it； and having no wish to be
crushed to death or to take further part in the madness that was
afoot； he slipped down the street； and so got home to the deserted
academy。 For there were no pupils to…day； and even M。 des Amis；
like Andre…Louis； had gone out to seek for news of what was
happening at Versailles。
This was no normal state of things at the Academy of Bertrand des
Amis。 Whatever else in Paris might have been at a standstill lately；
the fencing academy had flourished as never hitherto。 Usually both
the master and his assistant were busy from morning until dusk； and
already Andre…Louis was being paid now by the lessons that he gave；
the master allowing him one half of the fee in each case for himself；
an arrangement which the assistant found profitable。 On Sundays the
academy made half…holiday； but on this Sunday such had been the
state of suspense and ferment in the city that no one having
appeared by eleven o'clock both des Amis and Andre…Louis had gone
out。 Little they thought as they lightly took leave of each other
… they were very good friends by now … that they were never to
meet again in this world。
Bloodshed there was that day in Paris。 On the Place Vendome a
detachment of dragoons awaited the crowd out of which Andre…Louis
had slipped。 The horsemen swept down upon the mob； dispersed it；
smashed the waxen effigy of M。 Necker； and killed one man on the
spot … an unfortunate French Guard who stood his ground。 That was
a beginning。 As a consequence Besenval brought up his Swiss from
the Champ de Mars and marshalled them in battle order on the Champs
Elysees with four pieces of artillery。 His dragoons he stationed
in the Place Louis XV。 That evening an enormous crowd； streaming
along the Champs Elysees and the Tuileries Gardens； considered with
eyes of alarm that warlike preparation。 Some insults were cast
upon those foreign mercenaries and some s
