the origins of contemporary france-4-第47章

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subordinate　of　this　kind　they　defend　him；　often　at　the　risk　of　their

lives；　even　to　incurring　the　enmity　of　Robespierre。　　Cambon；＇40＇　who；

on　his　financial　committee；　is　also　a　sort　of　sovereign；　retains　at

the　Treasury　five　or　six　hundred　employees　unable　to　procure　their

certificate　of　civism；　and　whom　the　Jacobins　incessantly　denounce　so

as　to　get　their　places。　　Carnot　saves　and　employs　eminent　engineers；

D'Arcon；　de　Montalembert；　d'Obenheim；　all　of　them　nobles；　and　one　of

them　an　anti…Jacobin；　without　counting　a　number　of　accused　officers

whom　he　justifies；　replaces；　or　maintains。＇41＇　…　Through　these

courageous　and　humane　acts；　they　solace　themselves　for　their　scruples；

at　least　partially　and　for　the　time　being；　moreover；　they　are

statesmen　only　because　the　occasion　and　superior　force　makes　it

imperative；　more　led　by　others　than　leading；　terrorists　through

accident　and　necessity；　rather　than　through　system　and　instinct。　　If；

in　concert　with　ten　others；　Prieur　and　Carnot　order　wholesale　robbery

and　murder；　if　they　sign　orders　by　twenties　and　hundreds；　amounting　to

assassinations；　it　is　owing　to　their　forming　part　of　a　body。　　When　the

whole　committee　deliberates；　they　are　bound；　in　important　decrees；　to

submit　to　the　preponderating　opinion　of　the　majority；　after　voting　in

the　negative。　　In　relation　to　secondary　decrees；　in　which　there　has

been　no　preliminary　discussion　in　common；　the　only　responsible　member

is　the　one　whose　signature　stands　first；　the　following　signatures

affixed；　without　reading　the　document；　are　simply　a　〃formality　which

the　law　requires；〃　merely　a　visa；　necessarily　mechanical；　with　〃four

or　five　hundred　business　matters　to　attend　to　daily；〃　it　is　impossible

to　do　otherwise。　　To　read　all　and　vote　in　every　case；　would　be　〃a

physical　impossibility。〃＇42＇　…　Finally；　as　things　are；　〃is　not　the

general　will；　at　least　the　apparent　general　will；　that　alone　on　which

the　government　can　decide；　itself　ultra…revolutionary？〃＇43＇　　In　other

words；　should　not　the　five　or　six　rascals　in　a　State　who　vociferate；

be　listened　to；　rather　than　a　hundred　honest　folks　who　keep　their

mouths　shut？　With　this　sophism；　gross　as　it　is；　but　of　pure　Jacobin

manufacture；　Carnot　ends　by　hoodwinking　his　honor　and　his　conscience；

otherwise　intact；　and　far　more　so　than　his　colleagues；　he　likewise

undergoes　moral　and　mental　mutilation；　constrained　by　the　duties　of

his　post　and　the　illusions　of　his　creed；　he　succeeded　in　an　inward

decapitation　of　the　two　noblest　of　human　faculties；　common…sense；　the

most　useful；　and　the　moral　sense；　the　most　exalted　of　all。







IV。　　The　Statesmen。



Billaud…Varennes；　Collot　d'Herbois；　Robespierre；　Couthon　and　Saint…

Just。　　…　Conditions　of　this　rule。　　…　Dangers　to　which　they　are

subject。　　…　Their　dissensions。　　…　Pressure　of　Fear　and　Theory。



If　such　are　the　ravages　which　are　made　in　an　upright；　firm　and　healthy

personality；　what　must　be　the　havoc　in　corrupt　or　weak　natures；　in

which　bad　instincts　already　predominate！　…　And　note　that　they　are

without　the　protection　provided　by　a　pursuit　of　some　specific　and

useful　objective。　　They　are　〃government　men；〃　also　〃revolutionaries〃

or　〃the　people　in　total　control；〃＇44＇　they　are　in　actual　fact　men　with

an　overall　concept　of　things；　also　direct　these。　　The　creation；

organization　and　application　of　Terror　belongs　wholly　to　them；　they

are　the　constructors；　regulators　and　engineers　of　the　machine；＇45＇　the

recognized　heads　of　the　party；　of　the　sect　and　of　the　government；

especially　Billaud　and　Robespierre；　who　never　serve　on　missions；＇46＇

nor　relax　their　hold　for　a　moment　on　the　central　motor。　　The　former；

an　active　politician；　with　Collot　for　his　second；　is　charged　with

urging　on　the　constituted　authorities；　the　districts；　the

municipalities；　the　national　agents；　the　revolutionary　committees；　and

the　representatives　on　mission　in　the　interior。＇47＇　The　latter；　a

theologian；　moralist；　titular　doctor　and　preacher；　is　charged　with

ruling　the　Convention　and　indoctrinating　the　Jacobins　with　sound

principles；　behind　him　stands　Couthon；　his　lieutenant；　with　Saint…

Just；　his　disciple　and　executor　of　works　of　great　importance；　in　their

midst；　Barère；　the　Committee's　mouthpiece；　is　merely　a　tool；　but

indispensable；　conveniently　at　hand　and　always　ready　to　start　whatever

drum…beating　is　required　on　any　given　theme　in　honor　of　the　party

which　stuffs　his　brain。　　Below　these　comes　the　Committee　of　General

Security；　Vadier；　Amar；　Vouland；　Guffroy；　Panis；　David；　Jagot　and　the

rest；　those　who　undertook；　reported　on；　and　acted　in　behalf　of

universal　proscription。　　All　these　bear　the　imprint　of　their　service；

they　could　be　recognized　by　〃their　pallid　hue；　hollow　and　bloodshot

eyes；〃＇48＇　habits　of　omnipotence　stamped　〃on　their　brows；　and　on　their

deportment；　something　indescribably　haughty　and　disdainful。　　The

Committee　of　General　Security　reminded　one　of　the　former　lieutenants

of　police；　and　the　Committee　of　Public　Safety；　of　the　former　ministers

of　state。〃　In　the　Convention；　〃it　is　considered　an　honor　to　talk　with

them；　and　a　privilege　to　shake　hands　with　them；　one　seems　to　read

one's　duty　on　their　brows。〃　On　the　days　on　which　their　orders　are　to

be　converted　into　laws　〃the　members　of　the　Committee　and　the　reporter

of　the　bill；　keep　people　waiting；　the　same　as　the　heads　and

representatives　of　the　former　sovereign　power；　on　their　way　to　the

Assembly　hall；　they　are　preceded　by　a　group　of　courtiers　who　seem　to

announce　the　masters　of　the　world。〃＇49＇　…　In　fact；　they　reign　…　but

observe　on　what　conditions。



〃Make　no　complaints；〃　said　Barère；＇50＇　to　the　composer　of　an　opera；

the　performance　of　which　had　just　been　suspended：　〃as　times　go；　you

must　not　attract　public　attention。　　Do　we　not　all　stand　at　the　foot　of

the　guillotine；　all；　beginning　with　myself？〃　Again；　twenty　years

later；　in　a　private　conversation；　on　being　interrogated　as　to　the

veritable　object；　the　secret　motive　of　the　Committee　of　Public　Safety；

he　replied：



〃As　we　were　animated　by　but　one　sentiment；＇51＇　my　dear　sir；　that　of

self…preservation；　we　had　but　one　desire；　that　of　maintaining　an

existence　which　each　of　us　believed　to　be　menaced。　　You　had　your

neighbor　guillotined　to　prevent　your　neighbor　from　guillotining

you。〃＇52＇



The　same　apprehension　exists　in　stouter　souls；　although　there　may　have

been；　along　with　fear；　motives　of　a　less　debased　order。



　〃How　many　times；〃　says　Carnot；＇53＇　〃we　undertook　some　work　that

required　time；　with　the　conviction　that　we　should　not　be　allowed　to

complete　it！〃　…　〃　It　was　uncertain＇54＇　whether；　the　next　time　the

clock　struck　the　hour；　we　should　not　be　standing　before　the

revolutionary　Tribunal　on　our　way　to　the　scaffold　without；　perhaps；

having　had　time　to　bid　adieu　to　our　families。　　。　　。　　。　　We　pursued　our

daily　task　so　as　not　to　let　the　machine　stand　still；　as　if　a　long　life

were　before　us；　when　it　was　probable　that　we　should　not　see　the　next

day's　sun。〃



It　is　impossible　to　count　on　one's　life；　or　that　of　another；　for

twenty…four　hours；　should　the　iron　hand　which　holds　one　by　the　throat

tighten　its　grasp；　all　will　be　over　that　evening。



　〃There　were　certain　days　so　difficult　that　one　could　see　no　way　to

control　circumstances；　those　who　were　directly　menaced　resigned

themselves　wholly　to　chance。〃＇55＇　…　〃　The　decisions　for　which　we　are

so　much　blamed；〃　says　another；＇56＇　〃were　not　generally　thought　of　two

days；　or　one　day；　beforehand；　they　sprung　out　of　the　crisis　of　the

moment。　　We　did　not　desire　to　kill　for　the　sake　of　killing　。　　。　　。

but　to　conquer　at　all　hazards；　remain　masters；　and　ensure　the　sway　of

our　principles。〃　…　That　is　true；　…　they　are　subjects　as　well　as

despots。　　At　the　Committee　table；　during　their　nocturnal　sessions；

their　sovereign　presides；　a　formidable　figure；　the　revolutionary　Idea

which　confers　on　them　the　right　to　slay；　on　condition　of　exercising　it

against　everybody；　and　therefore　on　themselves。　　Towards　two　o'clock；

or　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　exhausted；　out　of　words　and　ideas；

not　knowing　where　to　slay；　on　the　right　or　on　the　left；　they　anxiously

turn　to　this　figure　and　try　to　read　its　will　in　its　fixed　eyes。



　〃Who　shall　fall　to…morrow？　〃　…



Ever　the　same　reply　steadily　expressed　on　the　features　of　the

impassable　phantom：　〃the　counter…revolutionaries；〃　under　which　name　is

comprised　all　who　by　act；　speech；　thought　or　inmost　sentiment；　either

through　irritation　or　carelessness；　through　humanity　or　moderation；

through　egoism　or　nonchalance；　through　passive；　neutral　or　indifferent

feeling；　serve　well　or　ill　the　Revolution。＇57＇　…　All　that　remains　is

to　add　names　to　this　horribly　comprehensive　decree。　　Shall　Billaud　do

it？　Shall　Robespierre　do　it？　Will　Billaud　put　down　Robespierre's　name；

or　Robespierre　put　down　Billaud's；　or　each　the　name　of　the　other；　with

those　he　chooses　to　select　from　among　the　two　Committees？　Osselin；

Chabot；　Bazire；　Julien　de　Toulouse；　Lacroix；　Danton；　were　on　them；　and

when　they　left；　their　heads　fell。＇58＇　　　Hérault…Séchelles；　again；　was

on　them；　maintained　in　office　with　honor　through　the　recent

approbation　of　the　Convention；＇59＇　one　of　the　titular　twelve；　and　on

duty　when　an　order　issued　by　the　other　eleven　suddenly　handed　him　over

to　the　revolutionary　Tribunal　for　execution。　　…　Whose　turn　is　it　now

among　the　eleven？　Seized　unawares；　the　docile　Convention　unanimously

applauding；　after　three　days　of　a　judicial　farce；　the　cart　will　bear

him　to　the　Place　de　la　Révolution；　Samson　will　tie　him　fast；　shouters

at　thirty　sous　a　day　will　clap　their　hands；　and；　on　the　following

morning；　the　popular　politicians　will　congratulate　each　other　on

seeing　the　name　of　a　great　traitor　on　the　bulletin　of　the

guillotined。＇60＇　　To　this　end；　to　enable　this　or　that　king　of　the　day

to　pass　from　the　national　Almanac　to　the　mortuary　list；　merely

required　an　understanding　among　his　colleagues；　and；　perhaps；　this　is

already　arrived　at。　　Among　whom　and　against　whom？　…　It　is　certain

that；　as　this　idea　occurs　to　the　eleven；　seated　around　the　table；　they

eye　each　other　with　a　shudder　they　calculate　the　chances　and　turn

things　over　in　their　minds；　words　have　been　uttered　that　are　not

forgotten。　　Carnot　often　made　this　charge　against　Saint…Just：　〃You　and

Robespierre　are　after　a　dictatorship。〃＇61＇　Robespierre　replied　to

Carnot　：　〃I　am　ready　for　you　on　the　first　defeat。〃＇62＇　On　another

occasion；　Robespierre；　in　a　rage；　exclaimed：　〃The　Committee　is

conspiring　against　me！〃　and；　turning　to　Billaud；　〃I　know　you；　now！〃

Billaud　retorted；　〃I　know　you　too；　you　are　a　counter…

revolutionary！〃＇63＇　There　are　conspirators　and　counter…

revolutionaries；　then；　on　the　committee　itself；　what　can　be　done　to

avoid　this　appellation；　which　is　a　sentence　of　death　？　…　Silently；　the

fatal　phantom　enthroned　in　their　midst；　the　Erinyes＇64＇　through　which

they　rule；　renders　his　oracle　and　all　take　it　to　heart