第 11 节
作者:开了      更新:2021-02-18 23:00      字数:9320
  theories; neither dare nor know how to escape from the tyranny of
  the prevailing dogma。   Henceforth it becomes the law。  All the
  Assemblies; the Constituent; the Legislative; the Convention;'29'
  submit to it entirely。  The public in the galleries is the admitted
  representatives of the people; under the same title; and even under
  a higher title; than the deputies。  Now; this public is that of the
  Palais…Royal; consisting of strangers; idlers; lovers of novelties;
  Paris romancers; leaders of the coffee…houses; the future pillars of
  the clubs; in short; the wild enthusiasts among the middle…class;
  just as the crowd which threatens doors and throws stones is
  recruited from among the wild enthusiasts of the lowest class。  Thus
  by an involuntary selection; the faction which constitutes itself a
  public power is composed of nothing but violent minds and violent
  hands。  Spontaneously and without previous concert dangerous
  fanatics are joined with dangerous brutes; and in the increasing
  discord between the legal authorities this is the illegal league
  which is certain to overthrow all。
  When a commanding general sits in council with his staff…officers
  and his counselors; and discusses the plan of a campaign; the chief
  public interest is that discipline should remain intact; and that
  intruders; soldiers; or menials; should not throw the weight of
  their turbulence and thoughtlessness into the scales which have to
  be cautiously and firmly held by their chiefs。  This was the express
  demand of the Government;'30' but the demand was not regarded; and
  against the persistent usurpation of the multitude nothing is left
  to it but the employment of force。  But force itself is slipping
  from its hands; while growing disobedience; like a contagion; after
  having gained the people is spreading among the troops。  …  From the
  23rd of June;'31' two companies of the French Guards refused to do
  duty。  Confined to their barracks; they on the 27th break out; and
  henceforth 〃they are seen every evening entering the Palais…Royal;
  marching in double file。〃 They know the place well; it is the
  general rendezvous of the abandoned women whose lovers and parasites
  they are。'32'  〃The patriots all gather around them; treat them to
  ice cream and wine; and debauch them in the face of their officers。〃
  To this; moreover; must be added the fact that their colonel; M。
  du Chatelet; has long been odious to them; that he has fatigued them
  with forced drills; worried them and diminished the number of their
  sergeants; that he suppressed the school for the education of the
  children of their musicians; that he uses the stick in punishing the
  men; and picks quarrels with them about their appearance; their
  board; and their clothing。  This regiment is lost to discipline: a
  secret society has been formed in it; and the soldiers have pledged
  themselves to their ensigns not to act against the National
  Assembly。  Thus the confederation between them and the Palais…Royal
  is established。   On the 30th of June; eleven of their leaders;
  taken off to the Abbaye; write to claim their assistance。  A young
  man mounts a chair in front of the Café Foy and reads their letter
  aloud; a band sets out on the instant; forces the gate with a
  sledge…hammer and iron bars; brings back the prisoners in triumph;
  gives them a feast in the garden and mounts guard around them to
  prevent their being re…taken。   When disorders of this kind go
  unpunished; order cannot be maintained; in fact; on the morning of
  the 14th of July; five out of six battalions had deserted。   As to
  the other corps; they are no better and are also seduced。
  〃Yesterday;〃 Desmoulins writes; 〃the artillery regiment followed the
  example of the French Guards; overpowering the sentinels and coming
  over to mingle with the patriots in the Palais…Royal 。  。  。。  We
  see nothing but the rabble attaching themselves to soldiers whom
  they chance to encounter。  'Allons; Vive le Tiers…Etat!' and they
  lead them off to a tavern to drink the health of the Commons。〃
  Dragoons tell the officers who are marching them to Versailles: 〃We
  obey you; but you may tell the ministers on our arrival that if we
  are ordered to use the least violence against our fellow…citizens;
  the first shot shall be for you。〃 At the Invalides twenty men;
  ordered to remove the cocks and ramrods from the guns stored in a
  threatened arsenal; devote six hours to rendering twenty guns
  useless; their object is to keep them intact for plunder and for the
  arming of the people。
  In short; the largest portion of the army has deserted。  However
  kind a superior officer might be; the fact of his being a superior
  officer secures for him the treatment of an enemy。  The governor;
  〃M。 de Sombreuil; against whom these people could utter no
  reproach;〃 will soon see his artillerists point their guns at his
  apartment; and will just escape being hung on the iron…railings by
  their own hands。  Thus the force which is brought forward to
  suppress insurrection only serves to furnish it with recruits。  And
  even worse; for the display of arms that was relied on to restrain
  the mob; furnished the instigation to rebellion。
  VI。
  July 13th and 14th 1789。
  The fatal moment has arrived; it is no longer a government which
  falls that it may give way to another; it is all government which
  ceases to exist in order to make way for an intermittent despotism;
  for factions blindly impelled on by enthusiasm; credulity; misery;
  and fear。'33' Like a tame elephant suddenly become wild again; the
  mob throws off it ordinary driver; and the new guides who it
  tolerates perched on its neck are there simply for show。  In future
  it will move along as it pleases; freed from control; and abandoned
  to its own feelings; instincts; and appetites。   Apparently; there
  was no desire to do more than anticipate its aberrations。  The King
  has forbidden all violence; the commanders order the troops not to
  fire;'34' but the excited and wild animal takes all precautions for
  insults; in future; it intends to be its own conductor; and; to
  begin; it treads its guides under foot。   On the 12th of July;
  near noon;'35' on the news of the dismissal of Necker; a cry of rage
  arises in the Palais…Royal; Camille Desmoulins; mounted on a table;
  announces that the Court meditates 〃a St。 Bartholomew of patriots。〃
  The crowd embrace him; adopt the green cockade which he has
  proposed; and oblige the dancing…saloons and theaters to close in
  sign of mourning: they hurry off to the residence of Curtius; and
  take the busts of the Duke of Orleans and of Necker and carry them
  about in triumph。   Meanwhile; the dragoons of the Prince de
  Lambesc; drawn up on the Place Louis…Quinze; find a barricade of
  chairs at the entrance of the Tuileries; and are greeted with a
  shower of stones and bottles。'36'  Elsewhere; on the Boulevard;
  before the H?tel Montmorency; some of the French Guards; escaped
  from their barracks; fired on a loyal detachment of the 〃Royal
  Allemand。〃 … The alarm bell is sounding on all sides; the shops
  where arms are sold are pillaged; and the H?tel…de…Ville is invaded;
  fifteen or sixteen well…disposed electors; who meet there; order the
  districts to be assembled and armed。   The new sovereign; the
  people in arms and in the street; has declared himself。
  The dregs of society at once come to the surface。  During the night
  between the 12th and 13th of July;'37' 〃all the barriers; from the
  Faubourg Saint…Antoine to the Faubourg Saint…Honoré; besides those
  of the Faubourgs Saint…Marcel and Saint…Jacques; are forced and set
  on fire。〃 There is no longer an octroi; the city is without a
  revenue just at the moment when it is obliged to make the heaviest
  expenditures; but this is of no consequence to the mob; which; above
  all things; wants to have cheap wine。  〃Ruffians; armed with pikes
  and sticks; proceed in several parties to give up to pillage the
  houses of those who are regarded as enemies to the public welfare。〃
  〃They go from door to door crying; 'Arms and bread!' During this
  fearful night; the bourgeoisie kept themselves shut up; each
  trembling at home for himself and those belonging to him。〃 On the
  following day; the 13th; the capital appears to be given up to
  bandits and the lowest of the low。  One of the bands hews down the
  gate of the Lazarists; destroys the library and clothes…presses; the
  pictures; the windows and laboratory; and rushes to the cellars;
  where it staves in the casks and gets drunk: twenty…four hours after
  this; about thirty of them are found dead and dying; drowned in
  wine; men and women; one of these being at the point of childbirth。
  In front of the house'38' the street is full of the wreckage; and of
  ruffians who hold in their hands; 〃 some; eatables; others a jug;
  forcing the passers…by to drink; and pouring out wine to all comers。
  Wine runs down into the gutter; and the scent of it fills the air;〃
  it is a drinking bout: meanwhile