the origins of contemporary france-4-第100章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Picture　to　yourself；　reader；　the　file　of　wretched　men　and　women

sleeping　on　the　pavement　when　the　weather　is　fine＇64＇　and　when　not

fine；　standing　up　on　stiff　tottering　legs；　above　all）in　winter；　〃the

rain　pouring　on　their　backs；〃　and　their　feet　in　the　snow；　for　so　many

weary　hours　in　dark；　foul；　dimly　lighted　streets　strewed　with　garbage；

for；　for　want　of　oil；　one　half　of　the　street　lamps　are　extinguished；

and　for　lack　of　money；　there　is　no　repaving；　no　more　sweeping；　the

offal　being　piled　up　against　the　walls。＇65＇　　The　crowd　draggles　along

through　it；　likewise；　nasty；　tattered　and　torn；　people　with　shoes　full

of　holes；　because　the　shoemakers　do　no　more　work　for　their　customers；

and　in　dirty　shirts；　because　no　more　soap　can　be　had　to　wash　with；

while；　morally　as　well　as　physically；　all　these　forlorn　beings

elbowing　each　other　render　themselves　still　fouler。　　…

Promiscuousness；　contact；　weariness；　waiting　and　darkness　afford　free

play　to　the　grosser　instincts；　especially　in　summer；　natural

bestiality　and　Parisian　mischievousness　have　full　play。　　〃Lewd

women〃＇66＇　pursue　their　calling　standing　in　the　row；　it　is　an

interlude　for　them；　〃their　provoking　expressions；　their　immoderate

laughter；〃　is　heard　some　distance　off　and　they　find　it　a　convenient

place：　two　steps　aside；　on　the　flank　of　the　row；　are　〃half　open　doors

and　dark　alleys〃　which　invite　tête…à…tête；　many　of　these　women　who

have　brought　their　mattresses　〃sleep　there　and　commit　untold

abominations。〃　What　an　example　for　the　wives　and　daughters　of　steady

workmen；　for　honest　servants　who　hear　and　see！　〃Men　stop　at　each　row

and　choose　their　dulcinea；　while　others；　less　shameless；　pounce　on　the

women　like　bulls　and　kiss　them　one　after　the　other。〃　Are　not　these　the

fraternal　kisses　of　patriotic　Jacobins？　Do　not　Mayor　Pache's　wife　and

daughter　go　to　the　clubs　and　kiss　drunken　sans…culottes？　And　what　says

the　guard？　…　It　has　enough　to　do　to　restrain　another　blind　and　deaf

animal　instinct；　aroused　as　it　is　by　suffering；　anticipation　and

deception。



On　approaching　each　butcher's　stall　before　it　opens　〃the　porters；

bending　under　the　weight　of　a　side　of　beef；　quicken　their　steps　so　as

not　to　be　assailed　by　the　crowd　which　presses　against　them；　seeming　to

devour　the　raw　meat　with　their　eyes。〃　They　force　a　passage；　enter　the

shop　in　the　rear；　and　it　seems　as　if　the　time　for　distributing　the

meat　had　come；　the　gendarmes；　spurring　their　horses　to　a　gallop；

scatter　the　groups　that　are　too　dense；　〃rascals；　in　pay　of　the

Commune；〃　range　the　women　in　files；　two　and　two；　〃shivering〃　in　the

cold　morning　air　of　December　and　January；　awaiting　their　turn。

Beforehand；　however；　the　butcher；　according　to　law；　sets　aside　the

portion　for　the　hospitals；　for　pregnant　women　and　others　who　are

confined；　for　nurses；　and　besides；　notwithstanding　the　law；　he　sets

aside　another　portion　for　the　revolutionary　committee　of　the　section；

for　the　assistant　commissioner　and　superintendent；　for　the　pashas　and

semi　pashas　of　the　quarter；　and　finally　for　his　rich　customers　who　pay

him　extra。＇67＇　　To　this　end；　〃porters　with　broad　shoulders　form　an

impenetrable　rampart　in　front　of　the　shop　and　carry　away　whole　oxen；〃

after　this　is　over；　the　women　find　the　shop　stripped；　while　many；

after　wasting　their　time　for　four　mortal　hours；〃　go　away　empty　handed。

…　With　this　prospect　before　them　the　daily　assemblages　get　to　be

uneasy　and　the　waves　rise；　nobody；　except　those　at　the　head　of　the

row；　is　sure　of　his　pittance　those　that　are　behind　regard　enviously

and　with　suppressed　anger　the　person　ahead　of　them。　　First　come

outcries；　then　jeering　and　then　scuffling；　the　women　rival　the　men　in

struggling　and　in　profanity；＇68＇　and　they　hustle　each　other。　　The　line

suddenly　breaks；　each　rushes　to　get　ahead　of　the　other；　the　foremost

place　belongs　to　the　most　robust　and　the　most　brutal；　and　to　secure　it

they　have　to　trample　down　their　neighbors。



There　are　fisticuffs　every　day。　　　When　an　assemblage　remains　quiet　the

spectators　take　notice　of　it。　　In　general　〃they　fight；＇69＇　snatch

bread　out　of　each　other's　hands；　those　who　cannot　get　any　forcing

whoever　gets　a　loaf　weighing　four　pounds　to　share　it　in　small　pieces。

The　women　yell　frightfully。　　。　　。　　。　　Children　sent　by　their　parents

are　beaten；〃　while　the　weak　are　pitched　into　the　gutter。　　〃In

distributing　the　meanest　portions　of　food＇70＇　it　is　force　which

decides；〃　the　strength　of　loins　and　arms；　〃a　number　of　women　this

morning　came　near　losing　their　lives　in　trying　to　get　four　ounces　of

butter。　　…　More　sensitive　and　more　violent　than　men；　〃they　do　not；　or

will　not；　listen　to　reason；＇71＇　they　pounce　down　like　harpies〃　on　the

market　wagons；　they　thrash　the　drivers；　strew　the　vegetables　and

butter　on　the　ground；　tumble　over　each　other　and　are　suffocated


through　the　impetuosity　of　the　assault；　some；　〃trampled　upon；　almost

crushed；　are　carried　off　half　dead。〃　Everybody　for　himself。　　Empty

stomachs　feel　that；　to　get　anything；　it　is　important　to　get　ahead；　not

to　await　for　the　distribution；　the　unloading　or　even　the　arrival　of

the　supplies。　　…　〃A　boat　laden　with　wine　having　been　signaled；　the

crowd　rushed　on　board　to　pillage　it　and　the　boat　sunk；〃　probably　along

with　a　good　many　of　its　invaders。＇72＇　　Other　gatherings　at　the

barriers　stop　the　peasants'　wagons　and　take　their　produce　before　they

reach　the　markets。　　Outside　the　barriers；　children　and　women　throw

stones　at　the　milkmen；　forcing　them　to　get　down　from　their　carts　and

distribute　milk　on　the　spot。　　Still　further　out；　one　or　two　leagues

off　on　the　highways；　gangs　from　Paris　go　at　night　to　intercept　and

seize　the　supplies　intended　for　Paris。　　〃This　morning；〃　says　a

watchman；　〃all　the　Faubourg　St。　　Antoine　scattered　itself　along　the

Vincennes　road　and　pillaged　whatever　was　on　the　way　to　the　city；　some

paid；　while　others　carried　off　without　paying。　　。　　。　　。　　The

unfortunate　peasants　swore　that　they　would　not　fetch　anything　more；〃

the　dearth　thus　increasing　through　the　efforts　to　escape　it。



In　vain　the　government　makes　its　requisitions　for　Paris　as　if　in　a

state　of　siege；　and　fixes　the　quantity　of　grain　on　paper　which　each

department；　district；　canton；　and　commune；　must　send　to　the　capital。

…　Naturally；　each　department；　district；　canton　and　commune　strives　to

retain　its　own　supplies；　for　charity　begins　at　home。＇73＇　Especially　in

a　village；　the　mayor　and　members　of　a　municipality；　themselves

cultivators；　are　lukewarm　when　the　commune　is　to　be　starved　for　the

benefit　of　the　capital。　　They　declare　a　less　return　of　grain　than

there　really　is；　they　allege　reasons　and　pretexts。　　They　mystify　or

suborn　the　commissioner　on　provisions；　who　is　a　stranger；　incompetent

and　needy；　they　make　him　drink　and　eat；　and；　now　and　then；　fill　his

pocket　book。　　He　slips　over　the　accounts；　he　gives　the　village

receipts　on　furnishing　three…quarters　or　a　half　of　the　demand；　often

in　spoilt　or　mixed　grain　or　poor　flour；　while　those　who　have　no　rusty

wheat　get　it　of　their　neighbors。　　Instead　of　parting　with　a　hundred

quintals　they　part　with　fifty；　while　the　quantity　of　grain　in　the

Paris　markets　is　not　only　insufficient；　but　the　grain　blackens　or

sprouts　and　the　flour　grows　musty。　　In　vain　the　government　makes

clerks　and　depositaries　of　butchers　and　grocers；　allowing　them　five　or

ten　per　cent。　　profit　on　retail　sales　of　the　food　it　supplies　them

with　at　wholesale；　and　thus　creates　in　Paris；　at　the　expense　of　all

France；　an　artificial　drop　in　prices。　　Naturally；　the　bread＇74＇　which；

thanks　to　the　State；　costs　three　sous　in　Paris；　is　furtively　carried

out　of　Paris　into　the　suburbs；　where　six　sous　are　obtained　for　it。

There　is　the　same　furtive　leakage　for　other　food　furnished　by　the

State　on　the　same　conditions　to　other　dealers；　the　tax　is　a　burden

which　forces　them　to　go　outside　their　shops。　　Food　finds　its　level

like　water；　not　alone　outside　of　Paris；　but　in　Paris　itself。



*　Naturally；　〃the　grocers　peddle　their　goods〃　secretly；　〃sugar；

candles；　soap；　butter；　dried　vegetables；　meat　pies　and　the　rest；〃

amongst　private　houses；　in　which　these　articles　are　bought　at　any

price。



*　Naturally；　the　butcher　keeps　his　large　pieces　of　beef　and　choice

morsels　for　the　large　eating　houses；　and　for　rich　customers　who　pay

him　whatever　profit　he　asks。



*　Naturally；　whoever　is　in　authority；　or　has　the　power；　uses　it　to

supply　himself　first；　largely；　and　in　preference；　we　have　seen　the

levies　of　the　revolutionary　committees；　superintendents　and　agents；　as

soon　as　rations　are　allotted　to　all　mouths；　each　potentate　will　have

several　rations　delivered　for　his　mouth　alone；　in　the　meantime＇75＇　the

patriots　who　guard　the　barriers　appropriate　all　provisions　that

arrive；　and　the　next　morning；　should　any　scolding　appear　in　the　orders

of　the　day；　it　is　but　slight。



Such　are　the　two　results　of　the　system：　not　only　is　the　food　which　is

supplied　to　Paris　scant　and　poor；　but　the　regular　consumers　of　it；

those　who　take　their　turn　to　get　it；　obtain　but　a　small　portion；　and

that　the　worst。＇76＇　A　certain　inspector；　on　going　to　the　corn　market

for　a　sample　of　flour；　writes　〃that　it　cannot　be　called　flour；＇77＇　it

is　ground　bran；〃　and　not　a　nutritive　substance；　the　bakers　are　forced

to　take　it；　the　markets　containing　for　the　most　part　no　other　supply

than　this　flour。〃　…　Again；　three　weeks　later；　〃Food　is　still　very

scarce　and　poor　in　quality。　　The　bread　is　disagreeable　to　the　taste

and　produces　maladies　with　which　many　citizens　are　suffering；　like

dysentery　and　other　inflammatory　ailments。〃　The　same　report；　three

months　later　during　the　month　of　Niv？se：　〃Complaints　are　constantly

made　of　the　poor　quality　of　flour；　which；　it　is　said；　makes　a　good

many　people　ill　；　it　causes　severe　pain　in　the　intestines；　accompanied

with　a　slow　fever。　　…　During　Vent？se；　〃the　scarcity　of　every　article

is　extremely　great；〃＇78＇　especially　of　meat。　　Some　women　in　the　Place

Maubert；　pass　six　hours　in　a　line　waiting　for　it；　and　do　not　get　the

quarter　of　a　pound；　in　many　stalls　there　is　none　at　all；　not　〃an

ounce〃　being　obtainable　to　make　broth　for　the　sick。　　Workmen　do　not

get　it　in　their　shops　and　do　without　their　soup；　they　live　on　〃bread

and　salted　herrings。〃　A　great　many　people　groan　over　〃not　having　eaten

bread　for　a　fortnight；〃　women　say　that　〃they　have　not　had　a　dish　of

meat　and　vegetables　（pot　au　feu）　for　a　month。〃　Meanwhile　〃vegetables

are　astonishingly　scarce　and　excessively　dear。　　。　　。　　。　　two　sous　for

a　miserable　carrot；　and　as　much　for　two　small　leeks。〃　Out　of　two

thousand　women　who　wait　at　the　central　market　for　a　distribution　of

beans；　only　six　hundred　receive　any。　　Potatoes　increase　in　price　in

one　week　from　two　to　three　francs　a　bushel；　and　oatmeal　and　ground

peas　triple　in　price。　　〃The　grocers　have　no　more　brown　sugar；　even　for

the　sick；〃　and　sell　candles　and　soap　only　by　the　half　pound。　　…　A

fortnight　later　candles　are　wholly　want