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！
employment now for the innumerable hands which cultivated them。
Fortunate are they who at the relief works obtain a miserable sum by
handling a pick…axe！ 〃I saw；〃 says Bailly； 〃mercers； jewellers； and
merchants implore the favor of being employed at twenty sous the
day。〃 Enumerate； if you can； in one or two recognized callings； the
hands which are doing nothing：＇13＇ 1；200 hair…dressers keep about
6；000 journeymen； 2；000 others follow the same calling in private…
houses； 6；000 lackeys do but little else than this work。 The body
of tailors is composed of 2；800 masters； who have under them 5；000
workmen。 〃Add to these the number privately employed the
refugees in privileged places like the abbeys of Saint…Germain and
Saint…Marcel； the vast enclosure of the Temple； that of Saint…John
the Lateran； and the Faubourg Saint…Antoine； and you will find at
least 12；000 persons cutting； fitting； and sewing。〃 How many in
these two groups are now idle！ How many others are walking the
streets； such as upholsterers； lace…makers； embroiderers； fan…
makers； gilders； carnage…makers； binders； engravers； and all the
other producers of Parisian nick…nacks！ For those who are still at
work how many days are lost at the doors of bakers' shops and in
patrolling as National Guards！ Gatherings are formed in spite of the
prohibitions of the H？tel…de…Ville；＇14＇ and the crowd openly discuss
their miserable condition： 3；000 journeymen…tailors near the
Colonnade； as many journeymen…shoemakers in the Place Louis XV。； the
journeymen…hairdressers in the Champs…Elysees； 4；000 domestics
without places on the approaches to the Louvre； and their
propositions are on a level with their intelligence。 Servants
demand the expulsion from Paris of the Savoyards who enter into
competition with them。 Journeymen…tailors demand that a day's wages
be fixed at forty sous； and that the old…clothes dealers shall not
be allowed to make new ones。 The journeymen…shoemakers declare that
those who make shoes below the fixed price shall be driven out of
the kingdom。 Each of these irritated and agitated crowds contains
the germ of an outbreak and； in truth； these germs are found on
every pavement in Paris： at the relief works； which at Montmartre
collect 17；000 paupers； in the Market； where the bakers want to hang
the flour commissioners； and at the doors of the bakers； of whom
two； on the 14th of September and on the 5th of October； are
conducted to the lamp post and barely escape with their lives。 In
this suffering； mendicant crowd； enterprising men become more
numerous every day： they consist of deserters； and from every
regiment； they reach Paris in bands； often 250 in one day。 There；
〃caressed and fed to the top of their bent；〃＇15＇ having received
from the National Assembly 50 livres each； maintained by the King in
the enjoyment of their advance…money； entertained by the districts；
of which one alone incurs a debt of 14；000 livres for wine and
sausages furnished to them； 〃they accustom themselves to greater
expense；〃 to greater license； and are followed by their companions。
〃During the night of the 31st of July the French Guards on duty at
Versailles abandon the custody of the King and betake themselves to
Paris； without their officers； but with their arms and baggage；〃
that 〃they may take part in the cheer which the city of Paris
extends to their regiment。〃 At the beginning of September； 16；000
deserters of this stamp are counted。＇16＇ Now； among those who
commit murder these are in the first rank； and this is not
surprising when we take the least account of their antecedents；
education； and habits。 It was a soldier of the 〃Royal Croat〃 who
tore out the heart of Berthier。 They were three soldiers of the
regiment of Provence who forced the house of Chatel at Saint…Denis；
and dragged his head through the streets。 It is Swiss soldiers who；
at Passy； knock down the commissioners of police with their guns。
Their headquarters are at the Palais…Royal； amongst women whose
instruments they are； and amongst agitators from whom they receive
the word of command。 Henceforth； all depends on this word； and we
have only to contemplate the new popular leaders to know what it
will be。
III。
The new popular leaders。… Their ascendancy 。… Their education。 …
Their sentiments。… Their situation。 … Their councils。 … Their
denunciations。 …
Administrators and members of district assemblies； agitators of
barracks； coffee…houses； clubs and public thoroughfares； writers of
pamphlets； penny…a…liners are multiplying as fast as buzzing insects
are hatched on a sultry night。 After the 14th of July thousands of
jobs have become available for released ambitions； 〃attorneys；
notaries' clerks； artists； merchants； shopkeepers； comedians and
especially advocates；＇17＇ each wants to be either an officer； a
director； a councillor； or a minister of the new reign； while
journals； which are established by dozens；＇18＇ form a permanent
tribune； where speakers come to court the people to their personal
advantage。〃 Philosophy； fallen into such hands； seems to parody
itself； and nothing equals its emptiness； unless it be its
mischievousness and success。 Lawyers； in the sixty assembly
districts； roll out the high…sounding dogmas of the revolutionary
catechism。 This or that one； passing from the question of a party
wall to the constitution of empires； becomes the improvised
legislator； so much the more inexhaustible and the more applauded as
his flow of words； showered upon his hearers； proves to them that
every capacity and every right are naturally and legitimately
theirs。
〃When that man opened his mouth；〃 says a cold…blooded witness； 〃we
were sure of being inundated with quotations and maxims； often
apropos of street lamp posts； or of the stall of a herb…dealer。 His
stentorian voice made the vaults ring； and after he had spoken for
two hours； and his breath was completely exhausted； the admiring and
enthusiastic shouts which greeted him amounted almost to frenzy。
Thus the orator fancied himself a Mirabeau； while the spectators
imagined themselves the Constituent Assembly； deciding the fate of
France。〃
The journals and pamphlets are written in the same style。 Every
brain is filled with the fumes of conceit and of big words； the
leader of the crowd is he who raves the most； and he guides the wild
enthusiasm which he increases。
Let us consider the most popular of these chiefs ； they are the
green or the dry fruit of literature； and of the bar。 The newspaper
is the stall which every morning offers them for sale； and if they
suit the overexcited public it is simply owing to their acid or
bitter flavor。 Their empty； unpracticed minds are wholly void of
political conceptions； they have no capacity or practical
experience。 Desmoulins is twenty…nine years of age； Loustalot
twenty…seven； and their intellectual ballast consists of college
reminiscences； souvenirs of