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more　or　less？　　Let　them　go；　and　listen　to　me；　my　countrymen！〃

And　presently；　when　some　measure　of　order　was　restored；　he　began
his　tale。　　In　simple　language　now；　yet　with　a　vehemence　and
directness　that　drove　home　every　point；　he　tore　their　hearts　with
the　story　of　yesterday's　happenings　at　Gavrillac。　　He　drew　tears
from　them　with　the　pathos　of　his　picture　of　the　bereaved　widow
Mabey　and　her　three　starving；　destitute　children　…　〃orphaned　to
avenge　the　death　of　a　pheasant〃　…　and　the　bereaved　mother　of　that
M。　de　Vilmorin；　a　student　of　Rennes；　known　here　to　many　of　them；
who　had　met　his　death　in　a　noble　endeavour　to　champion　the　cause　of
an　esurient　member　of　their　afflicted　order。

〃The　Marquis　de　La　Tour　d'Azyr　said　of　him　that　he　had　too　dangerous
a　gift　of　eloquence。　　It　was　to　silence　his　brave　voice　that　he
killed　him。　But　he　has　failed　of　his　object。　　For　I；　poor　Philippe
de　Vilmorin's　friend；　have　assumed　the　mantle　of　his　apostleship；
and　I　speak　to　you　with　his　voice　to…day。〃

It　was　a　statement　that　helped　Le　Chapelier　at　last　to　understand；
at　least　in　part；　this　bewildering　change　in　Andre…Louis；　which
rendered　him　faithless　to　the　side　that　employed　him。

〃I　am　not　here；〃　continued　Andre…Louis；　〃merely　to　demand　at　your
hands　vengeance　upon　Philippe　de　Vilmorin's　murderers。　　I　am　here
to　tell　you　the　things　he　would　to…day　have　told　you　had　he　lived。〃

So　far　at　least　he　was　frank。　　But　he　did　not　add　that　they　were
things　he　did　not　himself　believe；　things　that　he　accounted　the
cant　by　which　an　ambitious　bourgeoisie　…　speaking　through　the　mouths
of　the　lawyers；　who　were　its　articulate　part　…　sought　to　overthrow
to　its　own　advantage　the　present　state　of　things。　　He　left　his
audience　in　the　natural　belief　that　the　views　he　expressed　were　the
views　he　held。

And　now　in　a　terrible　voice；　with　an　eloquence　that　amazed　himself；
he　denounced　the　inertia　of　the　royal　justice　where　the　great　are
the　offenders。　　It　was　with　bitter　sarcasm　that　he　spoke　of　their
King's　Lieutenant；　M。　de　Lesdiguieres。

〃Do　you　wonder；〃　he　asked　them；　〃that　M。　de　Lesdiguieres　should
administer　the　law　so　that　it　shall　ever　be　favourable　to　our　great
nobles？　　Would　it　be　just；　would　it　be　reasonable　that　he　should
otherwise　administer　it？〃　　He　paused　dramatically　to　let　his　sarcasm
sink　in。　　It　had　the　effect　of　reawakening　Le　Chapelier's　doubts；
and　checking　his　dawning　conviction　in　Andre…Louis'　sincerity。
Whither　was　he　going　now？

He　was　not　left　long　in　doubt。　　Proceeding；　Andre…Louis　spoke　as　he
conceived　that　Philippe　de　Vilmorin　would　have　spoken。　　He　had　so
often　argued　with　him；　so　often　attended　the　discussions　of　the
Literary　Chamber；　that　he　had　all　the　rant　of　the　reformers　…　that
was　yet　true　in　substance　…　at　his　fingers'　ends。

〃Consider；　after　all；　the　composition　of　this　France　of　ours。　　A
million　of　its　inhabitants　are　members　of　the　privileged　classes。
They　compose　France。　　They　are　France。　　For　surely　you　cannot
suppose　the　remainder　to　be　anything　that　matters。　　It　cannot　be
pretended　that　twenty…four　million　souls　are　of　any　account；　that
they　can　be　representative　of　this　great　nation；　or　that　they　can
exist　for　any　purpose　but　that　of　servitude　to　the　million　elect。〃

Bitter　laughter　shook　them　now；　as　he　desired　it　should。　　〃Seeing
their　privileges　in　danger　of　invasion　by　these　twenty…four
millions　…　mostly　canailles；　possibly　created　by　God；　it　is　true；
but　clearly　so　created　to　be　the　slaves　of　Privilege　…　does　it
surprise　you　that　the　dispensing　of　royal　justice　should　be　placed
in　the　stout　hands　of　these　Lesdiguieres；　men　without　brains　to
think　or　hearts　to　be　touched？　　Consider　what　it　is　that　must　be
defended　against　the　assault　of　us　others　…　canaille。　　Consider　a
few　of　these　feudal　rights　that　are　in　danger　of　being　swept　away
should　the　Privileged　yield　even　to　the　commands　of　their　sovereign；
and　admit　the　Third　Estate　to　an　equal　vote　with　themselves。

〃What　would　become　of　the　right　of　terrage　on　the　land；　of　parciere
on　the　fruit…trees；　of　carpot　on　the　vines？　　What　of　the　corvees
by　which　they　command　forced　labour；　of　the　ban　de　vendage；　which
gives　them　the　first　vintage；　the　banvin　which　enables　them　to
control　to　their　own　advantage　the　sale　of　wine？　　What　of　their
right　of　grinding　the　last　liard　of　taxation　out　of　the　people　to
maintain　their　own　opulent　estate；　the　cens；　the　lods…et…ventes；
which　absorb　a　fifth　of　the　value　of　the　land；　the　blairee；　which
must　be　paid　before　herds　can　feed　on　communal　lands；　the　pulverage
to　indemnify　them　for　the　dust　raised　on　their　roads　by　the　herds
that　go　to　market；　the　sextelage　on　everything　offered　for　sale　in
the　public　markets；　the　etalonnage；　and　all　the　rest？　　What　of　their
rights　over　men　and　animals　for　field　labour；　of　ferries　over　rivers；
and　of　bridges　over　streams；　of　sinking　wells；　of　warren；　of　dovecot；
and　of　fire；　which　last　yields　them　a　tax　on　every　peasant　hearth？
What　of　their　exclusive　rights　of　fishing　and　of　hunting；　the
violation　of　which　is　ranked　as　almost　a　capital　offence？

〃And　what　of　other　rights；　unspeakable；　abominable；　over　the　lives
and　bodies　of　their　people；　rights　which；　if　rarely　exercised；　have
never　been　rescinded。　　To　this　day　if　a　noble　returning　from　the
hunt　were　to　slay　two　of　his　serfs　to　bathe　and　refresh　his　feet　in
their　blood；　he　could　still　claim　in　his　sufficient　defence　that　it
was　his　absolute　feudal　right　to　do　so。

〃Rough…shod；　these　million　Privileged　ride　over　the　souls　and　bodies
of　twenty…four　million　contemptible　canaille　existing　but　for　their
own　pleasure。　　Woe　betide　him　who　so　much　as　raises　his　voice　in
protest　in　the　name　of　humanity　against　an　excess　of　these　already
excessive　abuses。　　I　have　told　you　of　one　remorselessly　slain　in
cold　blood　for　doing　no　more　than　that。　　Your　own　eyes　have　witnessed
the　assassination　of　another　here　upon　this　plinth；　of　yet　another
over　there　by　the　cathedral　works；　and　the　attempt　upon　my　own　life。

〃Between　them　and　the　justice　due　to　them　in　such　cases　stand　these
Lesdiguieres；　these　King's　Lieutenants；　not　instruments　of　justice；
but　walls　erected　for　the　shelter　of　Privilege　and　Abuse　whenever　it
exceeds　its　grotesquely　excessive　rights。

〃Do　you　wonder　that　they　will　not　yield　an　inch；　that　they　will
resist　the　election　of　a　Third　Estate　with　the　voting　power　to
sweep　all　these　privileges　away；　to　compel　the　Privileged　to　submit
themselves　to　a　just　equality　in　the　eyes　of　the　law　with　the
meanest　of　the　canaille　they　trample　underfoot；　to　provide　that　the
moneys　necessary　to　save　this　state　from　the　bankruptcy　into　which
they　have　all　but　plunged　it　shall　be　raised　by　taxation　to　be　borne
by　themselves　in　the　same　proportion　as　by　others？

〃Sooner　than　yield　to　so　much　they　prefer　to　resist　even　the　royal
command。〃

A　phrase　occurred　to　him　used　yesterday　by　Vilmorin；　a　phrase　to
which　he　had　refused　to　attach　importance　when　uttered　then。　　He
used　it　now。　　〃In　doing　this　they　are　striking　at　the　very
foundations　of　the　throne。　　These　fools　do　not　perceive　that　if
that　throne　falls　over；　it　is　they　who　stand　nearest　to　it　who　will
be　crushed。〃

A　terrific　roar　acclaimed　that　statement。　　Tense　and　quivering　with
the　excitement　that　was　flowing　through　him；　and　from　him　out　into
that　great　audience；　he　stood　a　moment　smiling　ironically。　　Then　he
waved　them　into　silence；；　and　saw　by　their　ready　obedience　how
completely　he　possessed　them。　　For　in　the　voice　with　which　he　spoke
each　now　recognized　the　voice　of　himself；　giving　at　last　expression
to　the　thoughts　that　for　months　and　years　had　been　inarticulately
stirring　in　each　simple　mind。

Presently　he　resumed；　speaking　more　quietly；　that　ironic　smile　about
the　corner　of　his　mouth　growing　more　marked：

〃In　taking　my　leave　of　M。　de　Lesdiguieres　I　gave　him　warning　out　of
a　page　of　natural　history。　　I　told　him　that　when　the　wolves；　roaming
singly　through　the　jungle；　were　weary　of　being　hunted　by　the　tiger；
they　banded　themselves　into　packs；　and　went　a…hunting　the　tiger　in
their　turn。　　M。　de　Lesdiguieres　contemptuously　answered　that　he　did
not　understand　me。　　But　your　wits　are　better　than　his。　　You
understand　me；　I　think？　　Don't　you？〃

Again　a　great　roar；　mingled　now　with　some　approving　laughter；　was
his　answer。　　He　had　wrought　them　up　to　a　pitch　of　dangerous　passion；
and　they　were　ripe　for　any　violence　to　which　he　urged　them。　　If　he
had　failed　with　the　windmill；　at　least　he　was　now　master　of　the　wind。

〃To　the　Palais！〃　they　shouted；　waving　their　hands；　brandishing　canes；
and　…　here　and　there　…　even　a　sword。　　〃To　the　Palais！　　Down　with　M。
de　Lesdiguieres！　　Death　to　the　King's　Lieutenant！〃

He　was　master　of　the　wind；　indeed。　　His　dangerous　gift　of　oratory
　…　a　gift　nowhere　more　powerful　than　in　France；　since　nowhere　else
are　men's　emotions　so　quick　to　respond　to　the　appeal　of　eloquence
　　…　had　given　him　this　mastery。　　At　his　bidding　now　the　gale　would
sweep　away　the　windmill　against　which　he　had　flung　himself　in　vain。
But　that；　as　he　straightforwardly　revealed　it；　was　no　part　of　his
intent。

〃Ah；　wait！〃　he　bade　them。　　〃Is　this　miserable　instrument　of