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！
〃On the appearance of a hussar；〃 writes Desmoulins； 〃they shout；
'There goes Punch！' and the stone…cutters fling stones at him。 Last
night two officers of the hussars； MM。 de Sombreuil and de Polignac；
came to the Palais…Royal。 。 。 chairs were flung at them； and they
would have been knocked down if they had not run away。 The day
before yesterday they seized a spy of the police and gave him a
ducking in the fountain。 They ran him down like a stag； hustled
him； pelted him with stones； struck him with canes； forced one of
his eyes out of its socket； and finally； in spite of his entreaties
and cries for mercy； plunged him a second time in the fountain。 His
torments lasted from noon until half…past five o'clock； and he had
about ten thousand executioners。〃 Consider the effect of such a
focal center at a time like this。 A new power has sprung up
alongside the legal powers； a legislature of the highways and public
squares； anonymous； irresponsible； without restraint。 It is driven
onward by coffeehouse theories； by strong emotions and the vehemence
of mountebanks； while the bare arms which have just accomplished the
work of destruction in the Faubourg Saint…Antoine； form its
bodyguard and ministerial cabinet。
V。
Popular mobs become a political force。 … Pressure on the Assembly。 …
Defection of the soldiery。
This is the dictatorship of a mob； and its proceedings； conforming
to its nature； consist in acts of violence； wherever it finds
resistance； it strikes。 The people of Versailles； in the streets
and at the doors of the Assembly； daily 〃come and insult those whom
they call aristocrats。〃＇24＇ On Monday； June 22nd； 〃d'Espréménil
barely escapes being knocked down； the Abbé Maury。 。 。 owes his
escape to the strength of a curé； who takes him up in his arms and
tosses him into the carriage of the Archbishop of Arles。〃 On the
23rd； 〃the Archbishop of Paris and the Keeper of the Seals are
hooted； railed at； scoffed at； and derided； until they almost sink
with shame and rage。〃 So formidable is the tempest of rage with
which they are greeted； that Passeret； the King's secretary； who
accompanies the minister； dies of the excitement that very day。 On
the 24th； the Bishop of Beauvais is almost knocked down by a stone
striking him on the head。 On the 25th； the Archbishop of Paris is
saved only by the speed of his horses； the multitude pursuing him
and pelting him with stones。 His mansion is besieged； the windows
are all shattered； and； notwithstanding the intervention of the
French Guards； the peril is so great that he is obliged to promise
that he will join the deputies of the Third…Estate。 This is the way
in which the rude hand of the people effects a reunion of the
Orders。 It bears as heavily on its own representatives as on its
adversaries。 〃Although our hall was closed to the public；〃 says
Bailly； 〃there were always more than six hundred spectators。〃＇25＇
These were not respectful and silent； but active and noisy； mingling
with the deputies； raising their hands to vote in all cases； taking
part in the deliberations； by their applause and hisses： a
collateral Assembly which often imposes its own will on the other。
They take note of and put down the names of their opponents；
transmit them to the chair…bearers in attendance at the entrance of
the hall； and from them to the mob waiting for the departure of the
deputies； these names are from now considered as the names of public
enemies。＇26＇ Lists are made out and printed； and； at the Palais…
Royal in the evening； they become the lists of the proscribed。
It is under this brutal pressure that many decrees are passed； and；
amongst them； that by which the commons declare themselves the
National Assembly and assume supreme power。 The night before；
Malouet had proposed to ascertain； by a preliminary vote； on which
side the majority was。 In an instant all those against had gathered
around him to the number of three hundred。 〃Upon which a mans
springs out from the galleries； falls upon him and takes him by the
collar exclaiming； 'Hold your tongue； you false citizen！' 〃 Malouet
is released and the guard comes forward； 〃but terror has spread
through the hall； threats are uttered against opponents； and the
next day we were only ninety。〃 Moreover； the lists of their names
had been circulated； some of them； deputies from Paris； went to see
Bailly that very evening。 One amongst them； 〃a very honest man and
good patriot；〃 had been told that his house was to be set on fire。
Now his wife had just given birth to a child； and the slightest
tumult before the house would have been fatal。 Such arguments are
decisive。 Consequently； three days afterwards； at the Tennis…court；
but one deputy； Martin d'Auch； dares to write the word 〃opposing〃
after his name。 Insulted by many of colleagues； 〃at once denounced
to the people who had collected at the entrance of the building； he
is obliged to escape by a side door to avoid being cut to pieces；〃
and； for several days； to keep away from the meetings。＇27＇ … Owing
to this intervention of the galleries the radical minority；
numbering about thirty；＇28＇ lead the majority； and they do not allow
them to free themselves。 On the 28th of May； Malouet； having
demanded a secret session to discuss the conciliatory measures which
the King had proposed； the galleries hoot at him； and a deputy； M。
Bourche； addresses him in very plain terms。 〃You must know； sir；
that we are deliberating here in the presence of our masters； and
that we must account to them for our opinions。〃 This is the doctrine
of the Contrat…Social。 Through timidity； fear of the Court and of
the privileged class； through optimism and faith in human nature；
through enthusiasm and the necessity of adhering to previous
actions； the deputies； who are novices； provincial； and given up to
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