the origins of contemporary france-2-第73节
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are deliberating； 〃a few members of the club〃 get together and
decide that M。 Pascalis and M。 de la Roquette must be arrested。
At eleven o'clock at night eighty trustworthy National Guards； led
by the president of the club； travel a league off to seize them in
their beds and lodge them in the town prison。 … Zeal of this kind
excites some uneasiness； and if the municipality tolerates the
arrests； it is because it is desirous of preventing murder。
Consequently； on the following day； December 13th； it sends to
Marseilles for four hundred men of the Swiss Guard commanded by
Ernest； and four hundred National Guards； adding to these the
National Guard of Aix； and orders this company to protect the prison
against any violence。 But； along with the Marseilles National
Guards； there came a lot of armed people who are volunteers of
disorder。 On the afternoon of the 13th the first mob strives to
force the prison； and the next day； fresh squads congregate around
it demanding the head of M。 Pascalis。 The members of the club head
the riot with 〃a crowd of unknown men from outside the town； who
give orders and carry them out。〃 During the night the populace of
Aix are tampered with； and the dikes all give way at the same
moment。 At the first clamors the National Guard on duty on the
public promenade disband and disperse； while； as there is no signal
for the assemblage of the others； notwithstanding the regulations；
the general alarm is not sounded。 〃The largest portion of the
National Guard draws off so as not to appear to authorize by its
presence outrages which it has not been ordered to prevent。
Peaceable Citizens are in great consternation；〃 each one takes to
flight or shuts himself up in his house； the streets being deserted
and silent。 Meanwhile the prison gates are shattered with axes。
The procureur…syndic of the department； who requests the commandant
of the Swiss regiment to protect the prisoners； is seized； borne
off； and runs the risk of losing his life。 Three municipal officers
in their scarves； who arrive on the ground； dare not give the order
required by the commandant。 At this decisive moment； when it is
necessary to shed blood and kill a number of men； they obviously
fear to take the responsibility； their reply is； 〃We have no orders
to give。〃 … An extraordinary spectacle now presents itself in this
barrack courtyard surrounding the prison。 On the side of the law
stand eight hundred armed men； four hundred of the 〃Swiss〃 and four
hundred of the National Guard of Marseilles。 They are drawn up in
battle array； with guns to their shoulders； with special orders
repeated the evening before at three different times by the
municipal district and departmental authorities and they have the
sympathies of all honest people and of most of the National Guard。
But the legal indispensable phrase does not pass the lips of those
who by virtue of the Constitution should utter it； and a small group
of convicts are found to be sovereign。 The three municipal
officers are seized in their turn under the eyes of their own
soldiers who remain motionless； and 〃with bayonets at their breasts
they sign； under constraint； the order to give up M。 Pascalis to
the people。〃 M。 de la Roquette is likewise surrendered。 〃The only
portion of the National Guard of Aix which was visible；〃 that is to
say； the Jacobin minority； form a circle around the gate of the
prison and organize themselves into a council of war。 And there
they stand； at once 〃accusers； witnesses； judges； and executioners。〃
A captain conducts the two victims to the public promenade where
they are hung。 Very soon after this old M。 de Guiramand； whom the
National Guard of his village have brought a prisoner to Aix； is
hung in the same manner。
There is no prosecution of the assassins。 The new tribunal；
frightened or forestalled； has for some time back ranged itself on
the popular side； its writs； consequently； are served on the
oppressed； against the members of the assaulted dub。 Writs of
arrest； summonses to attend court； searches； seizures of
correspondence； and other proceedings； rain down upon them。 Three
hundred witnesses are examined。 Some of the arrested officers are
〃loaded with chains and thrust into dungeons。〃 Henceforth the club
rules； and 〃makes everybody tremble。〃＇48＇ 〃From the 23rd to the
27th of December； more than ten thousand passports are delivered at
Aix。〃 〃If the emigrations continue；〃 write the commissioners； 〃there
will be no one left at Aix but workmen without work and with no
resources。 Whole streets are uninhabited。 。 。 。 。 As long as
such crimes can be permitted with impunity fear will drive out of
this town every one who has the means of living elsewhere。〃 … ？Many
come back after the arrival of the commissioners； hoping to obtain
justice and security through them。 But； 〃if a prosecution is not
ordered； we shall scarcely have departed from Aix when three or four
hundred families will abandon it。 。 。 。 And what man in his
senses would dare guarantee that each village will not soon have
some one hung in it？ 。 。 。 Country valets arrest their masters。
。 。 。 The expectation of impunity leads the inhabitants of
villages to commit all sorts of depredations in the forests； which
is very harmful in a region where woods are very scarce。 They set
up the most absurd and most unjust pretensions against rich
proprietors； and the fatal rope is ever the interpreter and the
signal of their will。〃 There is no refuge against these outrages。
〃The department； the districts； the municipalities； administer only
in conformity with the multiplied petitions of the club。〃 In the
sight of all； and on one solemn day； a crushing defeat has
demonstrated the weakness of the government officials； and； bowed
beneath the yoke of their new masters； they preserve their legal
authority only on the condition that it remains at the service of
the victorious party。
_____________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ Festivals approving the federation of all the National Guards in
France。 （SR。）
＇2＇ See the address of the commune of Paris； June 5； 1790。 〃Let the
most touching of all utterances be heard on this day （the
anniversary of the taking of the Bastille）； Frenchmen； we are
brothers！ Yes； brothers； freemen and with a country！〃 Roux et
Buchez； VI。 275。
＇3＇ Buchez and Roux； IV。 3； 309； V。 123； VI。 274； 399。 …
Duvergier； Collection of Laws and Decrees。 Decree of June 8 and 9；
1790。
＇4＇ For one who； like myself； has lived for years among the Moslems；
the 5 daily ritual prayers all performed while turned towards Mecca；
this description of the French taking of the oath； has something
familiar in it。 （SR。）
＇5＇ Michelet； 〃Histoire de la Révolution Fran？aise；〃 II； 470； 474。
＇6＇ De Ferrières； II。 91。 … Albert Babeau； I。 340。 （Letter
addressed to the Chevalier de Poterat； July 18； 1790。） … De
Dampmartin； 〃Evénements qui se sont passés sous mes yeux；〃etc。； 155。
＇7＇ One may imagine the impression Taine's description made upon the
thousands of political science students and others in the years
after this book was printed and widely sold all over Europe。 （SR。）
＇8＇ Sauzay； I。 202。
＇9＇ Albert Babeau； ib。 I； 339 … De Ferrières； II； 92。
＇10＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 H。 1453； Correspondence of M。 de
Bercheney； May 23； 1790。
＇11＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 ibid； May 13； 1790。 〃M。 de la
Rifaudière was dragged from his carriage and brought to the guard…
house； which was immediately filled with people； shouting； 'To the
lamp post； the aristocrat！' … The fact is this： after his having
repeatedly shouted Vive le Roi et la Nation！ They wanted him to
shout Vive la Nation！ alone； upon which he gave Vive la Nation tant
qu'elle pourra。〃 … At Blois； on the day of the Federation； a mob
promenades the streets with a wooden head covered with a wig； and a
placard stating that the aristocrats must be decapitated。
＇12＇ Might Freud （ 1856… 1939） have been inspired； directly or
indirectly； by Taine's observation？ 'La Révolution' vol。 I； was
published in 1877 when Freud was 21 years old！！ （SR。）
＇13＇ Mercure de France； the articles by Mallet du Pan （June 18th and
August 16； 1791； April 14； 1792）。
＇14＇ Moniteur； IV。 560。 （sitting of June 5； 1790） report of M。
Freteau。 〃These facts are attested by fifty witnesses。〃 … Cf。
The number of April 19； 1791。
＇15＇ Solon was a famous legislator who reformed Athens some 2500
years ago。 （SR。）
＇16＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 KK； 1105； Correspondence of M。 de
Thiard； military commandant in Brittany （September； 1789）； 〃There
are in every petty village three conflicting powers； the présidial；
the bourgeois militia； and the permanent committee。 Each is anxious
to outrank the other； and； on this occasion； a scene happened to
come und
