the origins of contemporary france-1-第3章

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the　most　opposed　to　the　vagabond　humor　of　the　idle　and　plundering

barbarian；　the　habit　and　taste　for　labor。　　In　the　districts　depopulated

through　Roman　exactions；　through　the　revolt　of　the　Bagaudes；　through

the　invasion　of　the　Germans；　and　the　raids　of　brigands；　the

Benedictine　monk　built　his　cabin　of　boughs　amid　briers　and

brambles。＇4＇　　Large　areas　around　him；　formerly　cultivated；　are　nothing

but　abandoned　thickets。　　Along　with　his　associates　he　clears　the　ground

and　erects　buildings；　he　domesticates　half…tamed　animals；　he

establishes　a　farm；　a　mill；　a　forge；　an　oven；　and　shops　for　shoes　and

clothing。　　According　to　the　rules　of　his　order；　he　reads　daily　for　two

hours。　　He　gives　seven　hours　to　manual　labor；　and　he　neither　eats　nor

drinks　more　than　is　absolutely　essential。　　Through　his　intelligent；

voluntary　labor；　conscientiously　performed　and　with　a　view　to　the

future；　he　produces　more　than　the　layman　does。　　Through　his　temperate；

judicious；　economical　system　he　consumes　less　than　the　layman　does。

Hence　it　is　that　where　the　layman　had　failed　he　sustains　himself　and

even　prospers。＇5＇　　　He　welcomes　the　unfortunate；　feeds　them；　sets　them

to　work；　and　unites　them　in　matrimony　and　beggars；　vagabonds；　and

fugitive　peasants　gather　around　the　sanctuary。　　Their　camp　gradually

becomes　a　village　and　next　a　small　town；　man　plows　as　soon　as　he　can

be　sure　of　his　crops；　and　becomes　the　father　of　a　family　as　soon　as　he

considers　himself　able　to　provide　for　his　offspring。　　In　this　way　new

centers　of　agriculture　and　industry　are　formed；　which　likewise　become

new　centers　of　population。＇6＇



To　food　for　the　body　add　food　for　the　soul；　not　less　essential。

For；　along　with　nourishment；　it　was　still　necessary　to　furnish　Man

with　inducements　to　live；　or；　at　the　very　least；　with　the　resignation

that　makes　life　endurable；　and　also　with　the　poetic　daydreams　taking

the　place　of　massing　happiness。＇7＇　　Down　to　the　middle　of　the

thirteenth　century　the　clergy　stands　almost　alone　in　furnishing　this。

Through　its　innumerable　legends　of　saints；　through　its　cathedrals　and

their　construction；　through　its　statues　and　their　expression；　through

its　services　and　their　still　transparent　meaning；　it　rendered　visible

〃the　kingdom　of　God。〃　It　finally　sets　up　an　ideal　world　at　the　end　of

the　present　one；　like　a　magnificent　golden　pavilion　at　the　end　of　a

miry　morass。＇8＇　　The　saddened　heart；　athirst　for　tenderness　and

serenity；　takes　refuge　in　this　divine　and　gentle　world。　　Persecutors

there；　about　to　strike；　are　arrested　by　an　invisible　hand；　wild　beasts

become　docile；　the　stags　of　the　forest　come　of　their　own　accord　every

morning　to　draw　the　chariots　of　the　saints；　the　country　blooms　for

them　like　a　new　Paradise；　they　die　only　when　it　pleases　them。

Meanwhile　they　comfort　mankind；　goodness；　piety；　forgiveness　flows

from　their　lips　with　ineffable　sweetness；　with　eyes　upturned　to

heaven；　they　see　God；　and　without　effort；　as　in　a　dream；　they　ascend

into　the　light　and　seat　themselves　at　His　right　hand。　　How　divine　the

legend；　how　inestimable　in　value；　when；　under　the　universal　reign　of

brute　force；　to　endure　this　life　it　was　necessary　to　imagine　another；

and　to　render　the　second　as　visible　to　the　spiritual　eye　as　the　first

was　to　the　physical　eye。　　The　clergy　thus　nourished　men　for　more　than

twelve　centuries；　and　in　the　grandeur　of　its　recompense　we　can

estimate　the　depth　of　their　gratitude。　　Its　popes；　for　two　hundred

years；　were　the　dictators　of　Europe。　　It　organized　crusades；　dethroned

monarchs；　and　distributed　kingdoms。　　Its　bishops　and　abbots　became

here；　sovereign　princes；　and　there；　veritable　founders　of　dynasties。

It　held　in　its　grasp　a　third　of　the　territory；　one…half　of　the

revenue；　and　two…thirds　of　the　capital　of　Europe。　　Let　us　not　believe

that　Man　counterfeits　gratitude；　or　that　he　gives　without　a　valid

motive；　he　is　too　selfish　and　too　envious　for　that。　　Whatever　may　be

the　institution；　ecclesiastic　or　secular；　whatever　may　be　the　clergy；

Buddhist　or　Christian；　the　contemporaries　who　observe　it　for　forty

generations　are　not　bad　judges。　　They　surrender　to　it　their　will　and

their　possessions；　just　in　proportion　to　its　services；　and　the　excess

of　their　devotion　may　measure　the　immensity　of　its　benefaction。



II。　　Services　and　Recompenses　of　the　Nobles。



Up　to　this　point　no　aid　is　found　against　the　power　of　the　sword　and

the　battle…ax　except　in　persuasion　and　in　patience。　　Those　States

which；　imitating　the　old　empire；　attempted　to　rise　up　into　compact

organizations；　and　to　interpose　a　barrier　against　constant　invasion；

obtained　no　hold　on　the　shifting　soil；　after　Charlemagne　everything

melts　away。　　There　are　no　more　soldiers　after　the　battle　of　Fontanet；

during　half　a　century　bands　of　four　or　five　hundred　outlaws　sweep　over

the　country；　killing；　burning；　and　devastating　with　impunity。　　But；　by

way　of　compensation；　the　dissolution　of　the　State　raises　up　at　this

very　time　a　military　generation。　　Each　petty　chieftain　has　planted　his

feet　firmly　on　the　domain　he　occupies；　or　which　he　withholds；　he　no

longer　keeps　it　in　trust；　or　for　use；　but　as　property；　and　an

inheritance。　　It　is　his　own　manor；　his　own　village；　his　own　earldom；　it

no　longer　belongs　to　the　king；　he　contends　for　it　in　his　own　right。

The　benefactor；　the　conservator　at　this　time　is　the　man　capable　of

fighting；　of　defending　others；　and　such　really　is　the　character　of　the

newly　established　class。　　The　noble；　in　the　language　of　the　day；　is　the

man　of　war；　the　soldier　（miles）；　and　it　is　he　who　lays　the　second

foundation　of　modern　society。



In　the　tenth　century　his　extraction　is　of　little　consequence。　　He　is

oftentimes　a　Carlovingian　count；　a　beneficiary　of　the　king；　the　sturdy

proprietor　of　one　of　the　last　of　the　Frank　estates。　　In　one　place　he　is

a　martial　bishop　or　a　valiant　abbot　in　another　a　converted　pagan；　a

retired　bandit；　a　prosperous　adventurer；　a　rude　huntsman；　who　long

supported　himself　by　the　chase　and　on　wild　fruits。＇9＇　　The　ancestors

of　Robert　the　Strong　are　unknown；　and　later　the　story　runs　that　the

Capets　are　descended　from　a　Parisian　butcher。　　In　any　event　the　noble

of　that　epoch　is　the　brave；　the　powerful　man；　expert　in　the　use　of

arms；　who；　at　the　head　of　a　troop；　instead　of　flying　or　paying　ransom；

offers　his　breast；　stands　firm；　and　protects　a　patch　of　the　soil　with

his　sword。　　To　perform　this　service　he　has　no　need　of　ancestors；　all

that　he　requires　is　courage；　for　he　is　himself　an　ancestor；　security

for　the　present；　which　he　insures；　is　too　acceptable　to　permit　any

quibbling　about　his　title。…Finally；　after　so　many　centuries；　we　find

each　district　possessing　its　armed　men；　a　settled　body　of　troops

capable　of　resisting　nomadic　invasion；　the　community　is　no　longer　a

prey　to　strangers。　　At　the　end　of　a　century　this　Europe；　which　had　been

sacked　by　the　Vikings；　is　to　throw　200；000　armed　men　into　Asia。

Henceforth；　both　north　and　south；　in　the　face　of　Moslems　and　of

pagans；　instead　of　being　conquered　it　is　to　conquer。　　For　the　second

time　an　ideal　figure　becomes　apparent　after　that　of　the　saint；＇10＇

the　hero；　and　the　newborn　sentiment；　as　effective　as　the　old　one；　thus

groups　men　together　into　a　stable　society。　　…This　consists　of　a

resident　corps　of　men…at…arms；　in　which；　from　father　to　son；　one　is

always　a　soldier。　　Each　individual　is　born　into　it　with　his　hereditary

rank；　his　local　post；　his　pay　in　landed　property；　with　the　certainty

of　never　being　abandoned　by　his　chieftain；　and　with　the　obligation　of

giving　his　life　for　his　chieftain　in　time　of　need。　　In　this　epoch　of

perpetual　warfare　only　one　set…up　is　valid；　that　of　a　body　of　men

confronting　the　enemy；　and　such　is　the　feudal　system；　we　can　judge　by

this　trait　alone　of　the　perils　which　it　wards　off；　and　of　the　service

which　it　enjoins。　　〃In　those　days；〃　says　the　Spanish　general　chronicle；

〃kings；　counts；　nobles；　and　knights；　in　order　to　be　ready　at　all

hours；　kept　their　horses　in　the　rooms　in　which　they　slept　with　their

wives。〃　The　viscount　in　his　tower　defending　the　entrance　to　a　valley

or　the　passage　of　a　ford；　the　marquis　thrown　as　a　forlorn　hope　on　the

burning　frontier；　sleeps　with　his　hand　on　his　weapon；　like　an　American

lieutenant　among　the　Sioux　behind　a　western　stockade。　　His　dwelling　is

simply　a　camp　and　a　refuge。　　Straw　and　heaps　of　leaves　cover　the

pavement　of　the　great　hall；　here　he　rests　with　his　troopers；　taking

off　a　spur　if　he　has　a　chance　to　sleep。　　The　loopholes　in　the　wall

scarcely　allow　daylight　to　enter；　the　main　thing　is　not　to　be　shot

with　arrows。　　Every　taste；　every　sentiment　is　subordinated　to　military

service；　there　are　certain　places　on　the　European　frontier　where　a

child　of　fourteen　is　required　to　march；　and　where　the　widow　up　to

sixty　is　required　to　remarry。　　Men　to　fill　up　the　ranks；　men　to　mount

guard；　is　the　call；　which　at　this　moment　issues　from　all　institutions

like　the　summons　of　a　brazen　horn。　　…　Thanks　to　these　braves；　the

peasant（villanus）　enjoys　protection。　　He　is　no　longer　to　be

slaughtered；　no　longer　to　be　led　captive　with　his　family；　in　herds；

with　his　neck　in　the　yoke。　　He　ventures　to　plow　and　to　sow；　and　to

reply　upon　his　crops；　in　case　of　danger　he　knows　that　he　can　find　an

asylum　for　himself；　and　for　his　grain　and　cattle；　in　the　circle　of

palisades　at　the　base　of　the　fortress。　　By　degrees　necessity

establishes　a　tacit　contract　between　the　military　chieftain　of　the

donjon　and　the　early　settlers　of　the　open　country；　and　this　becomes　a

recognized　custom。　　They　work　for　him；　cultivate　his　ground；　do　his

carting；　pay　him　quittances；　so　much　for　house；　so　much　per　head　for

cattle；　so　much　to　inherit　or　to　sell；　he　is　compelled　to　support　his

troop。　　But　when　these　rights　are　discharged　he　errs　if；　through　pride

or　greed；　he　takes　more　than　his　due。　　…　As　to　the　vagabonds；　the

wretched；　who；　in　the　universal　disorder　and　devastation；　seek　refuge

under　his　guardianship；　their　condition　is　harder。　　The　soil　belongs　to

the　lord　because　without　him　it　would　be　uninhabitable。　　If　he　assigns

them　a　plot　of　ground；　if　he　permits　them　merely　to　encamp　on　it；　if

he　sets　them　to　work　or　furnishes　them　with　seeds　it　is　on　conditions；

which　he　prescribes。　　They　are　to　become　his　serfs；　subject　to　the　laws

on　mainmorte。＇11＇　　Wherever　they　may　go　he　is　to　have　the　right　of

fetching　them　back。　　From　father　to　son　they　are　his　born　domestics；

applicable　to　any　pursuit　he　pleases；　taxable　and　workable　at　his

discretion。　　They　are　not　allowed　to　transmit　anything　to　a　child

unless　the　latter；　〃living　from　their　pot；〃　can；　after　their　death；

continue　their　service。　　〃Not　to　be　killed；〃　says　Stendhal；　〃and　to

have　a　good　sheepskin　coat　in　winter；　was；　for　many　people　in　the

tenth　century；　the　height　of　felicity〃；　let　us　add；　for　a　woman；　that

of　not　being　violated　by　a　whole　band。　　When　we　clearly　represent　to

ourselves　the　condition　of　humanity　in　those　d