scaramouche-第40章

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become　interesting；　then　that　Andre…Louis　began　seriously　to　doubt
the　soundness　of　the　views　he　had　held　hitherto。

When　the　royal　proclamation　had　gone　forth　decreeing　that　the
deputies　of　the　Third　Estate　should　number　twice　as　many　as　those
of　the　other　two　orders　together；　Andre…Louis　had　believed　that
the　preponderance　of　votes　thus　assured　to　the　Third　Estate　rendered
inevitable　the　reforms　to　which　they　had　pledged　themselves。

But　he　had　reckoned　without　the　power　of　the　privileged　orders　over
the　proud　Austrian　queen；　and　her　power　over　the　obese；　phlegmatic；
irresolute　monarch。　　That　the　privileged　orders　should　deliver　battle
in　defence　of　their　privileges；　Andre…Louis　could　understand。　　Man
being　what　he　is；　and　labouring　under　his　curse　of　acquisitiveness；
will　never　willingly　surrender　possessions；　whether　they　be　justly
or　unjustly　held。　　But　what　surprised　Andre…Louis　was　the　unutterable
crassness　of　the　methods　by　which　the　Privileged　ranged　themselves
for　battle。　　They　opposed　brute　force　to　reason　and　philosophy；　and
battalions　of　foreign　mercenaries　to　ideas。　　As　if　ideas　were　to　be
impaled　on　bayonets！

The　war　between　the　Privileged　and　the　Court　on　one　side；　and　the
Assembly　and　the　People　on　the　other　had　begun。

The　Third　Estate　contained　itself；　and　waited；　waited　with　the
patience　of　nature；　waited　a　month　whilst；　with　the　paralysis　of
business　now　complete；　the　skeleton　hand　of　famine　took　a　firmer
grip　of　Paris；　waited　a　month　whilst　Privilege　gradually　assembled
an　army　in　Versailles　to　intimidate　it　…　an　army　of　fifteen
regiments；　nine　of　which　were　Swiss　and　German　…　and　mounted　a　park
of　artillery　before　the　building　in　which　the　deputies　sat。　　But
the　deputies　refused　to　be　intimidated；　they　refused　to　see　the　guns
and　foreign　uniforms；　they　refused　to　see　anything　but　the　purpose
for　which　they　had　been　brought　together　by　royal　proclamation。

Thus　until　the　10th　of　June；　when　that　great　thinker　and
metaphysician；　the　Abbe　Sieyes；　gave　the　signal：　〃It　is　time；〃　said
he；　〃to　cut　the　cable。〃

And　the　opportunity　came　soon；　at　the　very　beginning　of　July。　　M。　du
Chatelet；　a　harsh；　haughty　disciplinarian；　proposed　to　transfer　the
eleven　French　Guards　placed　under　arrest　from　the　military　gaol　of
the　Abbaye　to　the　filthy　prison　of　Bicetre　reserved　for　thieves　and
felons　of　the　lowest　order。　　Word　of　that　intention　going　forth；　the
people　at　last　met　violence　with　violence。　　A　mob　four　thousand
strong　broke　into　the　Abbaye；　and　delivered　thence　not　only　the
eleven　guardsmen；　but　all　the　other　prisoners；　with　the　exception　of
one　whom　they　discovered　to　be　a　thief；　and　whom　they　put　back　again；

That　was　open　revolt　at　last；　and　with　revolt　Privilege　knew　how　to
deal。　　It　would　strangle　this　mutinous　Paris　in　the　iron　grip　of　the
foreign　regiments。　　Measures　were　quickly　concerted。　　Old　Marechal
de　Broglie；　a　veteran　of　the　Seven　Years'　War；　imbued　with　a
soldier's　contempt　for　civilians；　conceiving　that　the　sight　of　a
uniform　would　be　enough　to　restore　peace　and　order；　took　control
with　Besenval　as　his　second…in…command。　　The　foreign　regiments　were
stationed　in　the　environs　of　Paris；　regiments　whose　very　names　were
an　irritation　to　the　Parisians；　regiments　of　Reisbach；　of　Diesbach；
of　Nassau；　Esterhazy；　and　Roehmer。　　Reenforcements　of　Swiss　were
sent　to　the　Bastille　between　whose　crenels　already　since　the　30th
of　June　were　to　be　seen　the　menacing　mouths　of　loaded　cannon。

On　the　10th　of　July　the　electors　once　more　addressed　the　King　to
request　the　withdrawal　of　the　troops。　　They　were　answered　next　day
that　the　troops　served　the　purpose　of　defending　the　liberties　of
the　Assembly！　　And　on　the　next　day　to　that；　which　was　a　Sunday；　the
philanthropist　Dr。　Guillotin　…　whose　philanthropic　engine　of　painless
death　was　before　very　long　to　find　a　deal　of　work；　came　from　the
Assembly；　of　which　he　was　a　member；　to　assure　the　electors　of　Paris
that　all　was　well；　appearances　notwithstanding；　since　Necker　was
more　firmly　in　the　saddle　than　ever。　　He　did　not　know　that　at　the
very　moment　in　which　he　was　speaking　so　confidently；　the
oft…dismissed　and　oft…recalled　M。　Necker　had　just　been　dismissed
yet　again　by　the　hostile　cabal　about　the　Queen。　　Privilege　wanted
conclusive　measures；　and　conclusive　measures　it　would　have　…　
conclusive　to　itself。

And　at　the　same　time　yet　another　philanthropist；　also　a　doctor；　one
Jean…Paul　Mara；　of　Italian　extraction　…　better　known　as　Marat；　the
gallicized　form　of　name　he　adopted　…　a　man　of　letters；　too；　who　had
spent　some　years　in　England；　and　there　published　several　works　on
sociology；　was　writing：

〃Have　a　care！　　Consider　what　would　be　the　fatal　effect　of　a　seditious
movement。　　If　you　should　have　the　misfortune　to　give　way　to　that；　you
will　be　treated　as　people　in　revolt；　and　blood　will　flow。〃

Andre…Louis　was　in　the　gardens　of　the　Palais　Royal；　that　place　of
shops　and　puppet…shows；　of　circus　and　cafes；　of　gaming　houses　and
brothels；　that　universal　rendezvous；　on　that　Sunday　morning　when
the　news　of　Necker's　dismissal　spread；　carrying　with　it　dismay　and
fury。　　Into　Necker's　dismissal　the　people　read　the　triumph　of　the
party　hostile　to　themselves。　　It　sounded　the　knell　of　all　hope　of
redress　of　their　wrongs。

He　beheld　a　slight　young　man　with　a　pock…marked　face；　redeemed
from　utter　ugliness　by　a　pair　of　magnificent　eyes；　leap　to　a　table
outside　the　Caf？de　Foy；　a　drawn　sword　in　his　hand；　crying；　〃To
arms！〃　　And　then　upon　the　silence　of　astonishment　that　cry　imposed；
this　young　man　poured　a　flood　of　inflammatory　eloquence；　delivered
in　a　voice　marred　at　moments　by　a　stutter。　　He　told　the　people　that
the　Germans　on　the　Champ　de　Mars　would　enter　Paris　that　night　to
butcher　the　inhabitants。　　〃Let　us　mount　a　cockade！〃　he　cried；　and
tore　a　leaf　from　a　tree　to　serve　his　purpose　…　the　green　cockade　of
hope。

Enthusiasm　swept　the　crowd；　a　motley　crowd　made　up　of　men　and　women
of　every　class；　from　vagabond　to　nobleman；　from　harlot　to　lady　of
fashion。　　Trees　were　despoiled　of　their　leaves；　and　the　green
cockade　was　flaunted　from　almost　every　head。

〃You　are　caught　between　two　fires；〃　the　incendiary's　stuttering
voice　raved　on。　　〃Between　the　Germans　on　the　Champ　de　Mars　and　the
Swiss　in　the　Bastille。　　To　arms；　then！　　To　arms！〃

Excitement　boiled　up　and　over。　　From　a　neighbouring　waxworks　show
came　the　bust　of　Necker；　and　presently　a　bust　of　that　comedian　the
Duke　of　Orleans；　who　had　a　party　and　who　was　as　ready　as　any　other
of　the　budding　opportunists　of　those　days　to　take　advantage　of　the
moment　for　his　own　aggrandizement。　　The　bust　of　Necker　was　draped
with　crepe。

Andre…Louis　looked　on；　and　grew　afraid。　　Marat's　pamphlet　had
impressed　him。　It　had　expressed　what　himself　he　had　expressed　more
than　half　a　year　ago　to　the　mob　at　Rennes。　　This　crowd；　he　felt
must　be　restrained。　　That　hot…headed；　irresponsible　stutterer　would
have　the　town　in　a　blaze　by　night　unless　something　were　done。　　The
young　man；　a　causeless　advocate　of　the　Palais　named　Camille
Desmoulins；　later　to　become　famous；　leapt　down　from　his　table　still
waving　his　sword；　still　shouting；　〃To　arms！　　Follow　me！〃
Andre…Louis　advanced　to　occupy　the　improvised　rostrum；　which　the
stutterer　had　just　vacated；　to　make　an　effort　at　counteracting　that
inflammatory　performance。　　He　thrust　through　the　crowd；　and　came
suddenly　face　to　face　with　a　tall　man　beautifully　dressed；　whose
handsome　countenance　was　sternly　set；　whose　great　sombre　eyes
mouldered　as　if　with　suppressed　anger。

Thus　face　to　face；　each　looking　into　the　eyes　of　the　other；　they
stood　for　a　long　moment；　the　jostling　crowd　streaming　past　them；
unheeded。　　Then　Andre…Louis　laughed。

〃That　fellow；　too；　has　a　very　dangerous　gift　of　eloquence；　M。　le
Marquis；〃　he　said。　　〃In　fact　there　are　a　number　of　such　in　France
to…day。　　They　grow　from　the　soil；　which　you　and　yours　have　irrigated
with　the　blood　of　the　martyrs　of　liberty。　　Soon　it　may　be　your　blood
instead。　　The　soil　is　parched；　and　thirsty　for　it。〃

〃Gallows…bird！〃　he　was　answered。　　〃The　police　will　do　your　affair
for　you。　　I　shall　tell　the；　Lieutenant…General　that　you　are　to　be
found　in　Paris。〃

〃My　God；　man！〃　cried　Andre…Louis；　〃will　you　never　get　sense？　　Will
you　talk　like　that　of　Lieutenant…Generals　when　Paris　itself　is
likely　to　tumble　about　your　ears　or　take　fire　under　your　feet？　
Raise　your　voice；　M。　le　Marquis。　　Denounce　me　here；　to　these。　　You
will　make　a　hero　of　me　in　such　an　hour　as　this。　　Or　shall　I　denounce
you？　　I　think　I　will。　　I　think　it　is　high　time　you　received　your
wages。　　Hi！　　You　others；　listen　to　me！　　Let　me　present　you　to。。。　〃

A　rush　of　men　hurtled　against　him；　swept　him　along　with　them；　do
what　he　would；　separating　him　from　M。　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr；　so　oddly
met。　　He　sought　to　breast　that　human　torrent；　the　Marquis；　caught
in　an　eddy　of　it；　remained　where　he　had　been；　and　Andre…Louis'　last
glimpse　of　him　was　of　a　man　smiling　with　tight　lips；　an　ugly　smile。

Meanwhile　the　gardens　were　emptying　in　the　wake　of　that　stuttering
firebrand　who　had　mounted　the　green　cockade。　　The　human　torrent
poured　out　into　the　Rue　de　Richelieu；　and　Andre…Louis　perforce　must
suffer　himself　to　be　borne　along　by　it；　at　least　as　far　as　the　Rue
du　Hasard。　　There　he　sidled　out　of　it；　and　having　no　wish　to　be
crushed　to　death　or　to　take　further　part　in　the　madness　that　was
afoot；　he　slipped　down　the　street；　and　so　got　home　to　the　deserted
academy。　　For　there　were　no　pupils　to…day；　and　even　M。　des　Amis；
like　Andre…Louis；　had　gone　out　to　seek　for　news　of　what　was
happening　at　Versailles。

This　was　no　normal　state　of　things　at　the　Academy　of　Bertrand　des
Amis。　　Whatever　else　in　Paris　might　have　been　at　a　standstill　lately；
the　fencing　academy　had　flourished　as　never　hitherto。　　Usually　both
the　master　and　his　assistant　were　busy　from　morning　until　dusk；　and
already　Andre…Louis　was　being　paid　now　by　the　lessons　that　he　gave；
the　master　allowing　him　one　half　of　the　fee　in　each　case　for　himself；
an　arrangement　which　the　assistant　found　profitable。　　On　Sundays　the
academy　made　half…holiday；　but　on　this　Sunday　such　had　been　the
state　of　suspense　and　ferment　in　the　city　that　no　one　having
appeared　by　eleven　o'clock　both　des　Amis　and　Andre…Louis　had　gone
out。　　Little　they　thought　as　they　lightly　took　leave　of　each　other
　…　they　were　very　good　friends　by　now　…　that　they　were　never　to
meet　again　in　this　world。

Bloodshed　there　was　that　day　in　Paris。　　On　the　Place　Vendome　a
detachment　of　dragoons　awaited　the　crowd　out　of　which　Andre…Louis
had　slipped。　　The　horsemen　swept　down　upon　the　mob；　dispersed　it；
smashed　the　waxen　effigy　of　M。　Necker；　and　killed　one　man　on　the
spot　…　an　unfortunate　French　Guard　who　stood　his　ground。　　That　was
a　beginning。　　As　a　consequence　Besenval　brought　up　his　Swiss　from
the　Champ　de　Mars　and　marshalled　them　in　battle　order　on　the　Champs
Elysees　with　four　pieces　of　artillery。　　His　dragoons　he　stationed
in　the　Place　Louis　XV。　　That　evening　an　enormous　crowd；　streaming
along　the　Champs　Elysees　and　the　Tuileries　Gardens；　considered　with
eyes　of　alarm　that　warlike　preparation。　　Some　insults　were　cast
upon　those　foreign　mercenaries　and　some　stones　were　flung。