the origins of contemporary france-4-第51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！



Furious　excitement。　　…　Lebon　at　Arras；　and　Carrier　at　Nantes。



If　intoxication　is　needed　to　awaken　the　brute；　a　dictatorship　suffices

to　arouse　the　madman。　　The　mental　equilibrium　of　most　of　these　new

sovereigns　is　disturbed；　the　distance　between　what　the　man　once　was

and　what　he　now　is；　is　too　great。　　Formerly　he　was　a　petty　lawyer；

village　doctor；　or　schoolmaster；　an　unknown　mover　of　a　resolution　in　a

local　club；　and　only　yesterday　he　was　one　voter　in　the　Convention　out

of　seven　hundred　and　fifty。　　Look　at　him　now；　the　arbiter；　in　one　of

the　departments；　of　all　fortunes　and　liberties；　and　master　of　five

thousand　lives。　　Like　a　pair　of　scales　into　which　a　disproportionate

weight　has　been　thrown；　his　reason　totters　on　the　side　of　pride。　　Some

of　them　regard　their　competency　unlimited；　like　their　powers；　and

having　just　joined　the　army；　claim　the　right　of　being　appointed　major…

generals。＇112＇　　〃Declare　officially；〃　writes　Fabre　to　the　Committee　of

Public　Safety；＇113＇　〃that；　in　future；　generals　shall　be　simply　the

lieutenants　of　the　delegates　to　the　Convention。〃　Awaiting　the　required

declaration；　they　claim　command　and；　in　reality；　exercise　it。　　〃I　know

of　neither　generals　nor　privates；〃　says　Gaston；　a　former　justice　of

the　peace；　to　the　officers；　〃as　to　the　Minister；　he　is　like　a　bull　in

a　china　shop；　I　am　in　command　here　and　must　be　obeyed。〃　〃What　are

generals　good　for？〃　adds　his　colleague　Guiter；　〃the　old　women　in　our

faubourgs　know　as　much　as　they　do。　　Plans；　formal　maneuvers；　tents；

camps；　redoubts？　All　this　is　of　no　use！　The　only　war　suitable　to

Frenchmen　after　this　will　be　a　rush　with　side　arms。〃　To　turn　out　of

office；　guillotine；　disorganize；　march　blindly　on；　waste　lives

haphazard；　force　defeat；　sometimes　get　killed　themselves；　is　all　they

know；　and　they　would　lose　all　if　the　effects　of　their　incapacity　and

arrogance　were　not　redeemed　by　the　devotion　of　the　officers　and　the

enthusiasm　of　the　soldiers。　　…　The　same　spectacle　is　visible　at

Charleroy　where；　through　his　absurd　orders；　Saint…Just　does　his　best

to　compromise　the　army；　leaving　that　place　with　the　belief　that　he　is

a　great　man。＇114＇　　…　There　is　the　same　spectacle　in　Alsace；　where

Lacoste；　Baudot；　Ruamps；　Soubrany；　Muhaud；　Saint…Just　and　Lebas；

through　their　excessive　rigor；　do　their　best　to　break　up　the　army　and

then　boast　of　it。　　The　revolutionary　Tribunal　is　installed　at

headquarters；　soldiers　are　urged　to　denounce　their　officers；　the

informer　is　promised　money　and　secrecy；　he　and　the　accused　are　not

allowed　to　confront　each　other；　no　investigation；　no　papers　allowed；

even　to　make　exception　to　the　verdict　…　a　simple　examination　without

any　notes；　the　accused　arrested　at　eight　o'clock；　condemned　at　nine

o'clock；　and　shot　at　ten　o'clock。＇115＇



Naturally；　under　such　a　system；　no　one　wants　to　command；　already；

before　Saint　Just's　arrival；　Meunier　had　consented　to　act　as　Major…

General　only　ad　interim；　〃every　hour　of　the　day〃　he　demanded　his

removal；　unable　to　secure　this；　he　refused　to　issue　any　order。　　The

representatives；　to　procure　his　successor；　are　obliged　to　descend　down

to　a　depot　captain；　Carlin；　bold　enough　or　stupid　enough　to　allow

himself　to　take　a　commission　under　their　lead；　which　was　a　commission

for　the　guillotine。　　…　If　such　is　their　presumption　in　military

matters；　what　must　it　be　in　civil　affairs！　On　this　side　there　is　no

external　check；　no　Spanish　or　German　army　capable　of　at　once　taking

them　in　flagrante　delicto；　and　of　profiting　by　their　ambitious

incapacity　and　mischievous　interference。　　Whatever　the　social

instrumentality　may　be　…　judiciary；　administration；　credit；　commerce；

manufactures；　agriculture　…　they　can　dislocate　and　destroy　it　with

impunity。　　…　They　never　fail　to　do　this；　and；　moreover；　in　their

dispatches；　they　take　credit　to　themselves　for　the　ruin　they　cause。

That；　indeed；　is　their　mission；　otherwise；　they　would　be　regarded　as

bad　Jacobins；　they　would　soon　become　〃suspects；〃　they　rule　only　on

condition　of　being　infatuated　and　destructive；　the　overthrow　of

common…sense　is　with　them　an　act　of　State　grace；　a　necessity　of　the

office；　and；　on　this　common　ground　of　compulsory　unreason；　every

species　of　physical　delirium　may　be　set　established。



With　those　that　we　can　follow　closely；　not　only　is　their　judgment

perverted；　but　the　entire　nervous　apparatus　is　affected；　a　permanent

over…excitement　and　a　morbid　restlessness　has　begun。　　…　Consider

Joseph　Lebon；　son　of　a　sergeant…at…arms；　subsequently；　a　teacher　with

the　Oratoriens　of　Beaune；　next；　curé　of　Neuville…Vitasse；　repudiated

as　an　interloper　by　the　élite　of　his　parishioners；　not　respected；

without　house　or　furniture；　and　almost　without　a　flock。＇116＇　　Two

years　after　this；　finding　himself　sovereign　of　his　province；　his　head

is　spinning。　　Lesser　events　would　have　made　it　turn；　his　is　only　a

twenty…eight…year…old　head；　not　very　solid；　without　any　inside

ballast；＇117＇　already　disturbed　by　vanity；　ambition；　rancor；　and

apostasy；　by　the　sudden　and　complete　volteface　which　puts　him　in

conflict　with　his　past　educational　habits　and　most　cherished

affections：　it　breaks　down　under　the　vastness　and　novelty　of　this

greatness。　　…　In　the　costume　of　a　representative；　a　Henry　IV　hat；　tri…

color　plume；　waving　scarf；　and　saber　dragging　the　ground；　Lebon　orders

the　bell　to　be　rung　and　summons　the　villagers　into　the　church；　where；

aloft　in　the　pulpit　in　which　he　had　formerly　preached　in　a　threadbare

cassock；　he　displays　his　metamorphosis。



〃Who　would　believe　that　I　should　have　returned　here　with　unlimited

powers！〃＇118＇



And　that；　before　his　counterfeit　majesty；　each　person　would　be　humble；

bowed　down　and　silent！　To　a　member　of　the　municipality　of　Cambray　who；

questioned　by　him；　looked　straight　at　him　and　answered　curtly；　and

who；　to　a　query　twice　repeated　in　the　same　terms；　dared　to　answer

twice　in　the　same　terms；　he　says：



　〃Shut　up　！　You　disrespect　me；　you　do　not　behave　properly　to　the

national　representative。〃



He　immediately　commits　him　to　prison。＇119＇　…　One　evening；　at　the

theater；　he　enters　a　box　in　which　the　ladies；　seated　in　front；　keep

their　places。　　In　a　rage；　he　goes　out；　rushes　on　the　stage　and；

brandishing　his　great　saber；　shouts　and　threatens　the　audience；　taking

immense　strides　across　the　boards　and　acting　and　looking　so　much　like

a　wild　beast　that　several　of　the　ladies　faint　away：



　〃Look　there　！〃　he　shouts；　at　those　muscadines　who　do　not　condescend

to　move　for　a　representative　of　twenty…five　millions　of　men！　Everybody

used　to　make　way　for　a　prince　…　they　will　not　budge　for　me；　a

representative；　who　am　more　than　a　king！〃＇120＇



The　word　is　spoken。　　But　this　king　is　frightened；　and　he　is　one　who

thinks　of　nothing　but　conspiracy；＇121＇　in　the　street；　in　open

daylight；　the　people　who　are　passing　him　are　plotting　against　him

either　by　words　or　signs。　　Meeting　in　the　main　street　of　Arras　a　young

girl　and　her　mother　talking　Flemish；　…　that　seems　to　him　〃suspect。〃

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　he　demands。　　〃What's　that　to　you？〃　replies　the

child；　who　does　not　know　him。　　The　girl；　the　mother　and　the　father　are

sent　to　prison。＇122＇　…　On　the　ramparts；　another　young　girl；

accompanied　by　her　mother；　is　taking　the　air；　and　reading　a　book。

〃Give　me　that　book；〃　says　the　representative。　　The　mother　hands　it　to

him；　it　is　the　〃　History　of　Clarissa　Harlowe。〃　The　young　girl；

extending　her　hand　to　receive　back　the　book；　adds；　undoubtedly　with　a

smile：　〃That　is　not　'suspect。'〃　Lebon　deals　her　a　blow　with　his　fist

on　her　stomach　which　knocks　her　down；　both　women　are　searched　and　he

personally　leads　them　to　the　guard…room。　　…　The　slightest　expression；

a　gesture；　puts　him　beside　himself；　any　motion　that　he　does　not

comprehend　makes　him　start；　as　with　an　electric　shock。　　Just　arrived

at　Cambray；　he　is　informed　that　a　woman　who　had　sold　a　bottle　of　wine

below　the　maximum；　had　been　released　after　a　procès…verbal。　　On

reaching　the　Hotel…de…ville；　he　shouts　out：　〃Let　everybody　here　pass

into　the　Consistory！〃　The　municipal　officer　on　duty　opens　a　door

leading　into　it。　　Lebon；　however；　not　knowing　who　he　is；　takes　alarm。

〃He　froths　at　the　mouth；〃　says　the　municipal　officer；　〃and　cries　out

as　if　possessed　by　a　demon。　　'Stop；　stop；　scoundrel；　you　are　running

off！'　He　draws　his　saber　and　seizes　me　by　the　collar；　I　am　dragged　and

borne　along　by　him　and　his　men。　　'I　have　hold　of　him；　I　have　hold　of

him！'　he　exclaims；　and；　indeed；　he　did　hold　me　with　his　teeth；　legs；

and　arms；　like　a　madman。　　At　last；　'scoundrel；　monster；　bastard；'　says

he；　'are　you　a　marquis？'　'　No；'　I　replied；　'I　am　a　sans…culotte。'　'Ah；

well　people；　you　hear　what　he　says；'　he　exclaims；　'he　says　that　he　is

a　sans…culotte；　and　that　is　the　way　he　greets　a　denunciation　on　the

maximum！　I　remove　him。　　Let　him　be　kicked　in　prison！'〃＇123＇　It　is

certain　that　the　King　of　Arras　and　Cambray　is　not　far　from　a　raging

fever；　with　such　symptoms　an　ordinary　individual　would　be　sent　to　an

asylum。



Not　so　vain；　less　fond　of　parading　his　royalty；　but　more　savage　and

placed　in　Nantes　amidst　greater　dangers；　Carrier；　under　the　pressure

of　more　somber　ideas；　is　much　more　furious　and　constant　in　his

madness。　　Sometimes　his　attacks　reach　hallucination。　　〃I　have　seen

him；〃　says　a　witness；　〃so　carried　away　in　the　tribune；　in　the　heat　of

his　harangue　when　trying　to　overrule　public　opinion；　as　to　cut　off　the

tops　of　the　candles　with　his　saber；〃　as　if　they　were　so　many

aristocrats'　heads。＇124＇　　Another　time；　at　table；　after　having

declared　that　France　could　not　feed　its　too　numerous　population；　and

that　it　was　decided　to　cut　down　the　excess；　all　nobles；　magistrates；

priests；　merchants；　etc。；　he　becomes　excited　and　exclaims；　〃Kill；

kill！〃　as　if　he　were　already　engaged　in　the　work　and　ordering　the

operation。＇125＇　　Even　when　fasting；　and　in　an　ordinary　condition；　he

is　scarcely　more　cooled　down。　　When　the　administrators　of　the

department　come　to　consult　with　him；＇126＇　they　gather　around　the　door

to　see　if　he　looks　enraged；　and　is　in　a　condition　to　hear　them。　　He

not　only　insults　petitioners；　but　likewise　the　functionaries　under　him

who　make　reports　to　him；　or　take　his　orders；　his　foul　nature　rises　to

his　lips　and　overflows　in　the　vilest　terms：



〃Go　to　hell　and　be　damned。　　I　have　no　time。〃＇127＇



They　consider　themselves　lucky　if　they　get　off　with　a　volley　of

obscene　oaths；　for　he　generally　draws　his　saber：



〃The　first　bastard　that　mentions　supplies；　I　will　cut　his　head

off。〃＇128＇



And　to　the　president　of　the　military　commission；　who　demands　that

verdicts　be　rendered　before　ordering　executions：



〃You；　you　old　rascal；　you　old　bastard；　you　want　verdicts；　do　you！　Go

ahead！　If　the　whole　pen　is　not　emptied　in　a　couple　of　hours　I　will

have　you　and　your　colleagues　shot！〃



His　gestures；　his　look　have　such　a　powerful　effect　upon　the　mind　that

the　other；　who　is　also　a　〃bruiser；〃　dies　of