the origins of contemporary france-4-第150节

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Prairial　separated　and　formed　two　camps　of　enemies；　watching　each

other　with　arms　in　hand；　entrenched　and　making　sorties　on　each　other：



On　one　side　are　the　simple　bandits　and　the　lowest　of　the　populace；　the

followers　of　Marat；　incorrigible　monomaniacs；　headstrong；　conceited

spirits　proud　of　their　crimes　and　disposed　to　repeat　them　rather　than

admit　their　guilt；　the　dogmatic　simpletons　who　go　ahead　with　their

eyes　shut　and　who　have　forgotten　everything　and　learnt　nothing。　　On

the　other　side；　men　still　possessing　common　sense；　and　who　have

profited　somewhat　by　experience；　who　know　what　a　government　of　clubs

and　pikes　leads　to；　who　fear　for　themselves　and　are　unwilling　to　begin

again；　step　by　step；　the　mad　course　on　which　at　each　stage；　they　have

come　near　perishing。



On　one　side　two　members　of　the　Directory；　the　minority　of　the

Ancients；　the　majority　of　the　Five　Hundred；　and　the　vilest　of　the

Parisian　rabble。　　On　the　other；　the　majority　of　the　Ancients；　the

minority　of　the　Five　Hundred　and　three　members　of　the　Directory；　the

latter　supported　by　their　executive　staff。＇142＇　　…



Which　of　the　two　troops　will　crush　the　other？　Nobody　knows；　for　most

of　them　are　ready　to　pass　from　one　to　the　other　camp　according　as　the

chances　for　success　appear　more　or　less　great。　　And；　from　day　to　day；

any　defection　amongst　the　Five　Hundred；　amongst　the　Ancients　or　in　the

Directory；　foreseen　or　not；　may　change　a　minority　into　a　majority。

Where　will　the　majority　be　to…morrow？　From　which　side　is　the　next　coup

d'état　to　come　…　　　Who　will　make　it？　Will　it　be　the　ultra　Jacobins；

and；　through　another　9th　of　Thermidor；　will　they　declare　the　mitigated

Jacobins　〃outlaws？〃　Will　it　be　the　mitigated　Jacobins；　and；　through

another　18th　of　Fructidor；　will　they　put　the　ultras　under　lock　and

key？　If　one　or　the　other　of　these　blows　is　struck；　will　it　succeed？

And　if　it　succeeds　will　a　stable　government　be　at　last　established？

Siéyès　well　knows　that　it　will　not；　he　is　farseeing　in　his　acts；

although　chimerical　in　his　theories。　　In　power　himself；　titular

Director；　counselor　and　guardian　of　the　intelligent　republic　against

the　stupid　republic；　he　well　knows　that　all　of　them；　so　long　as　they

are　republicans　of　both　bands；　take　a　road　without　an　issue。＇143＇

Barras　is　of　the　same　opinion；　and　taking　time　by　the　forelock；　turns

around　and　promises　Louis　XVIII。　　his　co…operation　in　restoring　the

legitimate　monarchy　in　exchange　he　receives　letters　patent　granting

him　full　pardon；　exemption　from　all　future　prosecution　and　a　promise

of　twelve　millions。　　…Siéyès；　more　sagacious；　seeks　force　where　it

exists；　in　the　army；　he　prepares　Joubert；　sounds　Moreati；　thinks　of

Jourdan；　of　Bernadotte　and　of　Macdonald；　before　surrendering　himself

to　Bonaparte；　〃he　requires　a　sword。〃　Boulay　de　la　Meurthe；　comparing

in　a　pamphlet　the　English　revolution　with　the　French　revolution；

announces　and　brings　on　the　establishment　of　a　military　protectorate。

…　〃The　Constitution　of　the　year　III。　　will　not　work；〃　said　Baudin；　one

of　the　Five　Hundred；　to　Cornet；　one　of　the　Ancients；　〃only　I　do　not

see　where　to　find　the　executive　arm。〃　The　Jacobin　republic　still

lives；　and　its　servants；　its　doctors；　already　speak　aloud　of　its

interment　the　same　as　strangers　and　heirs　in　the　room　of　a　dying　man

who　has　become　unconscious；　like　Tiberius　when　sinking　in　his　palace

at　Misene。＇144＇　…　If　the　expiring　man　does　not　go　fast　enough　some　one

will　help　him。　　The　old　monster；　borne　down　with　crimes　and　rotten

with　vices；　rattles　in　his　throat　on　his　purple　cushions；　his　eyes　are

closed；　his　pulse　is　feeble；　and　he　gasps　for　breath。　　Here　and　there；

around　is　bed；　stand　groups　of　those　who　minister　to　his　debauches　at

Capri　and　his　murders　at　Rome；　his　minions　and　executioners　who

publicly　take　part　in　the　new　reign；　the　old　one　is　finished；　one　need

no　longer　be　circumspect　and　mute　before　corpse。　　Suddenly　the　dying

man　opens　his　eyes；　speaks　and　asks　for　food。　　The　military　tribune；　〃

the　executive　arm；〃　boldly　clears　the　apartment；　he　throws　a　pile　of

bedclothes　over　the　old　man's　head　and　quickens　the　last　sigh。　　Such

is　the　final　blow；　an　hour　later　and　breathing　stops。



X。　　　　Contrast　between　Civil　and　Military　France。



Anti…social　character　of　the　sect　and　the　faction。　　…　Contrast　between

civil　and　military　France。　　…　Elements　of　reorganization　in

institutions；　habits；　and　in　military　sentiments。　　…　Character　of　the

régime　instituted　on　the　18th　of　Brumaire；　year　VIII。



If　the　Jacobin　Republic　dies；　it　is　not　merely　on　account　of　decay；

nor　because　of　its　murders；　but；　and　above　all；　because　it　is　not　born

viable：　at　the　outset　it　harbored　within　itself　a　principle　of

dissolution　an　innate　mortal　poison；　not　alone　for　others　but　for

itself。　…　That　which　maintains　a　political　society　is　the　mutual

respect　of　its　members；　especially　the　respect　of　the　governed　for　its

rulers　and　of　the　rulers　for　the　governed；　and；　therefore；　habits　of

mutual　trust　and　confidence。　　On　the　part　of　the　governed；　a　well…

grounded　certainty　that　the　rulers　will　not　attack　private　rights；

and；　on　the　part　of　the　rulers；　a　well…founded　certainty　that　the

governed　will　not　attack　public　powers；　both　inwardly　recognizing　that

these　rights；　more　or　less　broad　or　restricted；　are　inviolable；　that

these　powers；　more　or　less　ample　or　limited；　are　legitimate。　　Finally；

each　being　convinced　that；　in　case　of　conflict；　the　trial　will　be

conducted　according　to　forms　which　law　or　custom　provide；　that　pending

the　discussion；　the　strongest　will　not　abuse　his　strength；　and　that；

when　the　discussion　is　over；　the　successful　party　will　not　wholly

sacrifice　the　loser。　　Only　on　this　condition　can　there　be　harmony

between　governors　and　the　governed；　participation　of　all　in　the　common

work；　internal　tranquility；　and；　accordingly；　stability；　security；

well…being　and　force。　　Without　this　deep　and　persistent　disposition　of

minds　and　hearts；　the　bond　of　union　among　men　is　absent。　　It

constitutes　the　brightest　of　social　sentiments；　it　may　be　said　that

this　is　the　soul　of　which　the　State　is　the　body。　　…　Now；　in　the

Jacobin　State；　this　soul　has　perished；　it　has　not　died　out　through

unforeseen　accidents；　but　through　a　forced　result　of　the　system；

through　a　practical　effect　of　the　speculative　theory；　which；

converting　each　man　into　an　absolute　sovereign；　sets　every　man　warring

against　other　men；　and　which；　under　the　pretence　of　regenerating　the

human　species；　lets　loose；　authorizes　and　consecrates　the　worst

instincts　of　human　nature；　all　the　lusts　of　license；　tyranny　and

domination。　　…　In　the　name　of　a　non…existent　ideal　people　whom　it

declares　sovereign；　the　Jacobins　have　violently　usurped　all　public

powers；　brutally　abolished　all　private　rights；　regarding　the　actual

living　people　as　a　beast　of　burden；　and　yet　worse；　as　a　robot；

subjecting　their　human　machine　to　the　cruelest　restraints　in　order　to

mechanically　maintain　it　in　the　unnatural；　rigid　posture；　which；

according　to　principles；　they　inflict　upon　it。　　Thenceforth；　all　ties

are　sundered　between　them　and　the　nation；　to　prey　upon；　bleed　and

starve　this　nation；　to　re…conquer　it　after　it　bad　escaped　them；　to

repeatedly　enchain　and　gag　it　…　all　this　they　could　well　do；　but　to

reconcile　it　to　their　government；　never！　…　Between　them；　and　for　the

same　reason；　through　another　consequence　of　the　same　theory；　and

another　effect　of　the　same　lusts；　no　bond　between　them　would　hold。

Each　faction　inside　of　the　party；　having　forged　its　ideal　people

according　to　its　own　logical　process　and　necessities；　exercised　the

orthodox　privilege　of　claiming　the　monopoly　of　sovereignty。＇145＇　To

secure　the　benefits　of　omnipotence；　it　has　combated　its　rivals　with

falsified；　annulled　or　constrained　elections；　with　plots　and

mendacity；　with　ambushes　and　sudden　assaults；　with　the　pikes　of　the

rabble　and　with　the　bayonets　of　soldiers。　　It　has　then　massacred；

guillotined；　shot；　and　deported　the　vanquished　as　tyrants；　traitors　or

rebels；　and　survivors　do　not　forget　this。　　They　have　learnt　what　their

so　called　eternal　constitutions　amount　to；　they　know　how　to　estimate

their　proclamations　and　oaths；　their　respect　for　law；　justice；　their

humanity；　they　understand　them　and　know　that　they　are　all　so　many

fraternal　Cains；＇146＇　all　more　or　less　debased；　dangerous；　soiled　and

depraved　by　their　work；　the　distrust　is　irremediable。　　They　can　still

turn　out　manifests；　decrees　and　cabals；　and　get　up　revolutions；　but

they　can　no　longer　agree　amongst　themselves　and　heartily　defer　to　the

justified　ascendancy　and　recognized　authority　of　any　one　or　among

their　own　body。　　…　After　ten　years　of　mutual　assault　there　is　not　one

among　the　three　thousand　legislators　who　have　sat　in　the　sovereign

assemblies　that　can　count　on　the　deference　and　loyalty　of　a　hundred

Frenchmen。　　The　social　body　is　disintegrated；　amongst　the　millions　of

disconnected　atoms　not　a　nucleus　of　spon