the origins of contemporary france-4-第104章

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same　at　Rouen；　which　contains　sixty　thousand　inhabitants；　and；　in

addition；　within　the　past　fortnight　the　distribution　has　failed　three

times。　　In　other　reports；　those　who　are　well…off　suffer　more　than　the

indigent　because　they　take　no　part　in　the　communal　distribution；　〃all

resources　for　obtaining　food　being；　so　to　say；　interdicted　to　them。〃　…

Five　ounces　of　bread　per　diem　for　four　months　is　the　allowance　to　the

forty　thousand　inhabitants　of　Caen　and　its　district。＇129＇　　A　great

many　in　the　town；　as　well　as　in　the　country；　live　on　bran　and　wild

herbs。〃　At　the　end　of　Prairial；　〃there　is　not　a　bushel　of　grain　in　the

town　storehouses；　while　the　requisitions；　enforced　in　the　most

rigorous　and　imposing　style；　produce　nothing　or　next　to　nothing。〃

Misery　augments　from　week　to　week：　〃it　is　impossible　to　form　any　idea

of　it；　the　people　of　Caen　live　on　brown　bread　and　the　blood　of　cattle。

。　　。　　。　　Every　countenance　bears　traces　of　the　famine。　　。　　。　　Faces

are　of　livid　hue。　　。　　。　　。　　It　is　impossible　to　await　the　new　crop；

until　the　end　of　Fructidor。〃　…　Such　are　the　exclamations　everywhere。

The　object　now；　indeed；　is　to　cross　the　narrowest　and　most　terrible

defile；　a　fortnight　more　of　absolute　fasting　and　hundreds　of　thousands

of　lives　would　be　sacrificed。＇130＇　At　this　moment　the　government　half

opens　the　doors　of　its　storehouses；　it　lends　a　few　sacks　of　flour　on

condition　of　re…payment；　…　for　example；　at　Cherbourg　a　few　hundreds　of

quintals　of　oats；　by　means　of　oat　bread；　the　poor　can　subsist　until

the　coming　harvest。　　But　above　all；　it　doubles　its　guard　and　shows　its

bayonets。　　At　Nancy；　a　traveler　sees＇131＇　〃more　than　three　thousand

persons　soliciting　in　vain　for　a　few　pounds　of　flour。〃　They　are

dispersed　with　the　butt…ends　of　muskets。　　…　Thus　are　the　peasantry

taught　patriotism　and　the　townspeople　patience。　　Physical　constraint

exercised　on　all　in　the　name　of　all；　this　is　the　only　procedure　which

an　arbitrary　socialism　can　resort　to　for　the　distribution　of　food　and

to　discipline　starvation。







VII。　　Misery　at　Paris。



Famine　and　misery　at　Paris。　　…　Steps　taken　by　the　government　to　feed

the　capital。　　…　Monthly　cost　to　the　Treasury。　　…　Cold　and　hunger　in

the　winter　of　1794…1795。　　…　Quality　of　the　bread。　　…　Daily　rations

diminished。　　…　Suffering；　especially　of　the　populace。　　…　Excessive

physical　suffering；　despair；　suicides；　and　deaths　from　exhaustion　in

1795。　　…　Government　dinners　and　suppers。　　…　Number　of　lives　lost

through　want　and　war。　　…　Socialism　as　applied；　and　its　effects　on

comfort；　well…being　and　mortality。



Anything　that　a　totalitarian　government　may　do　to　ensure　that　the

capital　is　supplied　with　food　is　undertaken　and　carried　out　by　this

one；　for　here　is　its　seat；　and　one　more　degree　of　dearth　in　Paris

would　overthrow　it。　　Each　week；　on　reading　the　daily　reports　of　its

agents；＇132＇　it　finds　itself　on　the　verge　of　explosion；　twice；　in

Germinal　and　Prairial；　a　popular　outbreak　does　overthrow　it　for　a　few

hours；　and；　if　it　maintains　itself；　it　is　on　the　condition　of　either

giving　the　needy　a　piece　of　bread　or　the　hope　of　getting　it。

Consequently；　military　posts　are　spaced　out　around　Paris；　up　to

eighteen　leagues　off；　on　all　the　highways；　permanent　patrols　in

correspondence　with　each　other　to　urge　on　the　wagoners　and　draft

relays　of　horses　on　the　spot。　　Escorts　dispatched　from　Paris　to　meet

convoys；＇133＇　requisition　〃all　the　carts　and　all　the　horses　whatever

to　effect　transportation　in　preference　to　any　other　work　or　service。〃

All　communes　traversed　by　a　highway　are　ordered　to　put　rubble　and

manure　on　the　bad　spots　and　cover　the　whole　way　with　a　layer　of　soil；

so　that　the　horses　may　drag　their　loads　in　spite　of　the　slippery　road。

The　national　agents　are　ordered　to　draft　the　necessary　number　of　men

to　break　the　ice　around　the　water…mills。＇134＇　A　requisition　is　made

for　〃all　the　barley　throughout　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　Republic；

〃　this　must　be　utilized　to　produce　〃the　mixture　for　making　bread；〃

while　the　brewers　are　forbidden　to　use　barley　in　the　manufacture　of

beer；　the　starch　makers　are　forbidden　to　convert　potatoes　into　starch；

with　penalty　of　death　against　all　offenders　〃as　destroyers　of

alimentary　produce；〃　the　breweries　and　starch…factories＇135＇　are　to　be

closed　until　further　notice。　　Paris　must　have　grain；　no　matter　of　what

kind；　no　matter　how；　and　at　any　cost；　not　merely　in　the　following

week；　but　to…morrow；　this　very　day；　because　hunger　chews　and　swallows

everything；　and　it　will　not　wait。　　…　Once　the　grain　is　obtained；　a

price　must　be　fixed　which　people　can　pay。　　Now；　the　difference　between

the　selling　and　cost　price　is　enormous；　it　keeps　on　increasing　as　the

assignat　declines　and　it　is　the　government　which　pays　this。　　〃You

furnish　bread　at　three　sous；〃　said　Dubois…Crancé；　Floréal　16；　year

III；＇136＇　〃and　it　costs　you　four　francs。　　Paris　consumes　8；000

quintals　of　meal　daily；　which　expenditure　alone　amounts　to　1；200

millions　per　annum。〃　Seven　months　later；　when　a　bag　of　flour　brings

13；000　francs；　the　same　expenditure　reaches　546　millions　per　month。　　…

Under　the　ancient　régime；　Paris；　although　overgrown；　continued　to　be

an　useful　organism；　if　it　absorbed　much；　it　elaborated　more；　its

productiveness　compensated　for　what　it　consumed；　and；　every　year；

instead　of　exhausting　the　public　treasury　it　poured　77　millions　into

it。　　The　new　régime　has　converted　it　into　a　monstrous　canker　in　the

very　heart　of　France；　a　devouring　parasite　which；　through　its　six

hundred　thousand　leeches；　drains　its　surroundings　for　a　distance　of

forty　leagues；　consumes　one…half　the　annual　revenue　of　the　State；　and

yet　still　remains　emaciated　in　spite　of　the　sacrifices　made　by　the

treasury　it　depletes　and　the　exhaustion　of　the　provinces　which　supply

it　with　food。



Always　the　same　alimentary　system；　the　same　long　lines　of　people

waiting　at；　and　before；　dawn　in　every　quarter　of　Paris；　in　the　dark；

for　a　long　time；　and　often　to　no　purpose；　subject　to　the　brutalities

of　the　strong　and　the　outrages　of　the　licentious！　On　the　9th　of

Thermidor；　the　daily　trot　of　the　multitude　in　quest　of　food　has　lasted

uninterruptedly　for　seventeen　months；　accompanied　with　outrages　of　the

worst　kind　because　there　is　less　terror　and　less　submissiveness；　with

more　obstinacy　because　provisions　at　free　sale　are　dearer；　with

greater　privation　because　the　ration　distributed　is　smaller；　and　with

more　sombre　despair　because　each　household；　having　consumed　its

stores；　has　nothing　of　its　own　to　make　up　for　the　insufficiencies　of

public　charity。　…　　And　to　cap　it　all；　the　winter　of　1794…1795　is　so

cold＇137＇　that　the　Seine　freezes　and　people　cross　the　Loire　on　foot。

Rafts　no　longer　arrive　and；　to　obtain　fire…wood；　it　is　necessary　〃to

cut　down　trees　at　Boulogne；　Vincennes；　Verrières；　St。　　Cloud；　Meudon

and　two　other　forests　in　the　vicinity。〃　Fuel　costs　〃four　hundred

francs　per　cord　of　wood；　forty　sous　for　a　bushel　of　charcoal；　twenty

sous　for　a　small　basket。　　The　needy　are　seen　in　the　streets　sawing　the

wood　of　their　bedsteads　to　cook　with　and　to　keep　from　freezing。〃　On

the　resumption　of　transportation　by　water　amongst　the　cakes　of　ice

〃rafts　are　sold　as　fast　as　the　raftsmen　can　haul　the　wood　out　of　the

water；　the　people　being　obliged　to　pass　three　nights　at　the　landing　to

get　it；　each　in　turn　according　to　his　number。〃　〃On　Pluvi？se　3　at　least

two　thousand　persons　are　at　the　Louviers　landing；〃　each　with　his　card

allowing　him　four　sticks　at　fifteen　sous　each。　　Naturally；　there　is

pulling；　hauling；　tumult　and　a　rush；　〃the　dealers　take　to　flight　for

fear；　and　the　inspectors　come　near　being　murdered；〃　they　get　away

along　with　the　police　commissioner　and　〃the　public　helps　itself。〃

Likewise；　the　following　day；　there　is　〃an　abominable　pillage；〃　the

gendarmes　and　soldiers　placed　there　to　maintain　order；　〃make　a　rush

for　the　wood　and　carry　it　away　together　with　the　crowd。〃　Bear　in　mind

that　on　this　day　the　thermometer　is　sixteen　degrees　below　zero；　that

one　hundred；　two　hundred　other　lines　of　people　likewise　stand　waiting

at　the　doors　of　bakers　and　butchers；　enduring　the　same　cold；　and　that

they　have　already　endured　it　and　will　yet　endure　it　a　month　and　more。

Words　are　wanting　to　describe　the　sufferings　of　these　long　lines　of

motionless　beings；　during　the　night；　at　daybreak；　standing　there　five

or　six　hours；　with　the　blast　driving　through　their　rags　and　their　feet

freezing。　　…　Vent？se　is　beginning；　and　the　ration　of　bread　is　reduced

to　a　pound　and　a　half；＇138＇　Vent？se　ends；　and　the　ration　of　bread；

kept　at　a　pound　and　a　half　for　the　three　hundred　and　twenty…four

laborers；　falls　to　one　pound；　in　fact；　a　great　many　get　none　at　all；

many　only　a　half　and　a　quarter　of　a　pound。　　Germinal　follows　and　the

Committee　of　Public　Safety；　finding　that　its　magazines　are　giving　out；

limits　all　rations　to　a　quarter　of　a　pound。　　Thereupon；　on　the　12th　of

Germinal；　an　insurrection　of　workmen　and　women　breaks　out；　the

Convention　is　invaded　and　liberated　by　military　force。　　Paris　is

declared　in　a　state　of　siege　and　the　government；　again　in　the　saddle；

tightens　the　reins。　　Thenceforth；　the　ration　of　meat　served　out　every

four　or　five　days；　is　a　quarter　of　a　pound；　bread　averages　every　day；

sometimes　five；　sometimes　six　and　sometimes　seven　ounces；　at　long

intervals　eight　ounces；　often　three；　two　and　one　ounce　and　a　half；　or

even　none　at　all；　while　this　bread；　black　and　〃making　mischief；〃

becomes　more　and　more　worthless　and　detestable。＇139＇　People　who　are

well　off　live　on　potatoes；　but　only　for　them；　for；　in　the　middle　of

Germinal；　these　cost　fifteen　francs　the　bushel　and；　towards　the　end；

twenty　francs；　towards　the　end　of　Messidor；　forty…five　francs；　in　the

first　month　of　the　Directory；　one　hundred　and　eighty　francs；　and　then

two　hundred　and　eighty…four　francs；　whilst　other　produce　goes　up　at

the　same　rates。　　…　After　the　abolition　of　the　〃maximum　〃　the　evil

springs　not　from　a　lack　of　provisions；　but　from　their　dearness：　the

shops　are　well　supplied。　　Whoever　comes　with　a　full　purse　gets　what　he

wants＇140＇：　The　former　rich；　the　property　owners　and　large

capitalists；　may　eat　on　the　condition　that　they　hand　their　bundles　of

assignats　over；　that　they　withdrawing　their　last　louis　from　its

hiding…place；　that　they　sell　their　jewelry；　clocks；　furniture　and

clothes。　　And　the　nouveaux　rich；　the　speculators；　the　suppliers；　the

happy　and　extravagant　robbers；　spend　four　hundred；　one　thousand；　three

thousand；　then　five　thousand　francs　for　their　dinner；　and　revel　in　the

great　eating　establishments　on　fine　wines　and　exquisite　cheer：　the

burden　of　the　scarcity　is　transferred　to　other　shoulders。　　…　At

present；　the　class　which　suffers；　and　which　suffers　beyond　all　bounds

of　patience　is；　together　with　employees　and　people　with　small

incomes；＇141＇　the　crowd　of　workmen；　the　City　plebeians；　the　low

Parisian　populace



*　which　lives　from　day　to　day；

*　which