the origins of contemporary france-1-第52节
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Mirabeau； a bold and prompt adventurer like that Dumouriez who； at
Cherbourg； when； through the feebleness of the Duc de Beuvron； the
stores of grain were given up and the riot began； hooted at and nearly
cut to pieces； suddenly sees the keys of the storehouse in the hands
of a Dutch sailor； and； yelling to the mob that it was betrayed
through a foreigner having got hold of the keys； himself jumps down
from the railing； seizes the keys and hands them to the officer of the
guard； saying to the people； 〃I am your father； I am the man to be
responsible for the storehouse！〃＇26＇ To entrust oneself with porters
and brawlers； to be collared by a political club； to improvise on the
highways； to bark louder than the barkers； to fight with the fists or
a cudgel； as much later with the young and rich gangs； against brutes
and lunatics incapable of employing other arguments； and who must be
answered in the same vein； to mount guard over the Assembly； to act as
volunteer constable； to spare neither one's own hide nor that of
others； to be one of the people to face the people； all these are
simple and effectual proceedings； but so vulgar as to appear to them
disgusting。 The idea of resorting to such means never enters their
head； they neither know how； nor do they care to make use of their
hands in such business。＇27＇ They are skilled only in the duel and；
almost immediately； the brutality of opinion； by means of assaults；
stops the way to polite combats。 Their arms； the shafts of the
drawing…room； epigrams； witticisms； songs； parodies； and other needle
thrusts are impotent against the popular bull。＇28＇ Their personality
lacks both roots and resources； through super…refinement it has
weakened； their nature； impoverished by culture； is incapable of the
transformations by which we are renewed and survive。 … An all…powerful
education has repressed； mollified； and enfeebled their very
instincts。 About to die； they experience none of the reactions of
blood and rage； the universal and sudden restoration of the forces；
the murderous spasm； the blind irresistible need of striking those who
strike them。 If a gentleman is arrested in his own house by a Jacobin
we never find him splitting his head open。＇29＇ They allow themselves
to be taken； going quietly to prison； to make an uproar would be bad
taste； it is necessary； above all things； to remain what they are；
well…bred people of society。 In prison both men and women dress
themselves with great care； pay each other visits and keep up a
drawing…room； it may be at the end of a corridor； by the light of
three or four candles； but here they circulate jests； compose
madrigals； sing songs and pride themselves on being as gallant； as gay
and as gracious as ever： need people be morose and ill…behaved because
accident has consigned them to a poor inn？ They preserve their dignity
and their smile before their judges and on the cart； the women；
especially； mount the scaffold with the ease and serenity
characteristic of an evening entertainment。 It is the supreme
characteristic of good…breeding； erected into an unique duty； and
become to this aristocracy a second nature； which is found in its
virtues as well as in its vices； in its faculties as well as in its
impotencies； in its prosperity as at its fall； and which adorns it
even in the death to which it conducts。
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Notes：
＇1＇。 Champfort； 110。
＇2＇。 George Sand； V。 59。 〃I was rebuked for everything； I never
made a movement which was not criticized。〃
＇3＇。 〃Paris； Versailles； et les provinces；〃 I。 162。 … 〃The king of
Sweden is here； be wears rosettes on his breeches； all is over； he is
ridiculous； and a provincial king。〃 （〃Le Gouvernement de Normandie；〃
by Hippeau； IV。 237； July 4； 1784。
＇4＇。 Stendhal； 〃Rome； Naples and Florence；〃 379。 Stated by an
English lord。
＇5＇ Marivaux； 〃La Petit…Ma？tre corrigé。 … Gresset； 〃Le Méchant。〃
Crébillon fils； 〃La Nuit et le Moment；〃 （especially the scene between
the scene between Citandre and Lucinde）。 … Collé； 〃La Verité dans le
Vin；〃 （the part of the abbé with the with the présidente）。 … De
Bezenval； 79。 （The comte de Frise and Mme。 de Blot）。 〃Vie privée du
Maréchal de Richelieu；〃 （scenes with Mme。 Michelin）。 … De Goncourt；
167 to 174。
＇6＇。 Laclos； 〃Les Liaisons Dangereuses。〃 Mme。 de Merteuil was
copied after a Marquise de Grenoble。 … Remark the difference between
Lovelace and Valmont； one being stimulated by pride and the other by
vanity。
＇7＇。 The growth of sensibility is indicated by the following dates：
Rousseau； 〃Sur l'influence des lettres et des arts；〃 1749； 〃Sur
l'inégalité；〃 1753； 〃Nouvelle Héloise；〃 1759。 Greuze； 〃Le Pére de
Famille lisant la Bible；〃 1755； 〃L'Accordée de Village；〃 1761。
Diderot； 〃Le fils natural；〃 1757； 〃Le Pére de Famille；〃 1758。
＇8＇。 Mme。 de Genlis； 〃Mémoires；〃 chap。 XVII。 … George Sand； I。 72。
The young Mme。 de Francueil； on seeing Rousseaufor the first time；
burst into tears。
＇9＇。 This point has been brought out with as much skill as accuracy
by Messieurs de Goncourt in 〃L'Art au dix…huitième siècle；〃 I。 433…
438。
＇10＇。 The number for August； 1792； contains 〃Les Rivaux d'eux…
mêmes。〃 … About the same time other pieces are inserted in the
〃Mercure；〃 such as 〃The federal union of Hymen and Cupid；〃 〃Les
Jaloux；〃 〃A Pastoral Romance；〃 〃Ode Anacréontique à Mlle。 S。 D。 。 。 。
〃 etc。
＇11＇。 Mme。 de Genlis； 〃Adéle et Théodore；〃 I。 312。 … De Goncourt；
〃La Femme an dixhuitième siècle；〃 318。 … Mme。 d'Oberkirk； I。 56。 …
Description of the puff au sentiment of the Duchesse de Chartres （de
Goncourt； 311）： 〃In the background is a woman seated in a chair and
holding an infant； which represents the Duc de Valois and his nurse。
On the right is a parrot pecking at a cherry； and on the left a little
Negro； the duchess's two pets： the whole is intermingled with locks of
hair of all the relations of Mme。 de Chartres； the hair of her
husband； father and father…in…law。〃
＇12＇。 Mme。 de Genlis； 〃Les Dangers du Monde。〃 I； scène VII； II；
scène IV； … 〃Adèle et Théodore；〃 I。 312； … 〃Souvenirs de Félicie；〃
199； … Bachaumont； IV； 320。
＇13＇。 Mme。 de la Rochejacquelein； 〃Mémoires。〃
＇14＇。 Mme。 de Genlis； 〃Mémoires；〃 chap。 XX。 … De Lauzun； 270。
＇15＇。 Mme。 d'Oberkirk； II。 35 （1783…1784）。 Mme。 Campan； III。 371。 …
Mercier； 〃Tableau de Paris；〃 passim。
＇16＇。 〃Correspondance〃 by Métra； XVII。 55； （1784）。 Mme。
d'Oberkirk； II。 234。 … 〃Marie Antoinette；〃 by d'Arneth and Geffroy；
II。 63； 29。
＇17＇。 〃Le Gouvernement de Normandie；〃 by Hippeau； IV。 387 （Letters
of June 4； 1789； by an eye…witness）。
＇18＇。 Florian； 〃Ruth〃。
＇19＇。 Hippeau； IV。 86 （June 23； 1773）； on the representation of 〃Le
Siege de Calais；〃 at the Comédie Fran？aise； at the moment when Mlle。
Vestris has pronounced these words：
Le Fran？ais dans son prince aime à trouver un frère
Qui； né fils de l'Etat； en devienne le père。
〃Long and universal plaudits greeted the actress who had turned in
the direction of the Dauphin。〃 In another place these verses recur：
Quelle le？on pour vous； superbes potentats！
Veillez sur vos sujets dans le rang le plus bas；
Tel； loin de vos regards； dans la misère expire；
Qui quelque jour peut…être； e？t sauvé votre empire。
〃The Dauphin and the Dauphine in turn applauded the speech。 This
demonstration of their sensibility was welcomed with new expressions
of affection and gratitude。〃
＇20＇。 Madame de Genlis； 〃Souvenirs de Félicie；〃 76； 161。
＇21＇。 M。 de Montlosier； in the Constituent Assembly； is about the
only person familiar with feudal laws。
＇22＇。 〃A competent and impartial man who would estimate the
chances of the success of the Révolution would find that there are
more against it than against the five winning numbers in a lottery；
but this is possible； and unfortunately； this time； they all came out〃
（Duc de Lévis； 〃Souvenirs；〃 328。）
＇23＇。 〃Corinne；〃 by Madame de Sta？l； the character of the Comte
d'Erfeuil。 … Malonet； 〃Mémoires；〃 II。 297 （a memorable instance of
political stupidity）。
＇24＇。 Mme。 Campan； II。 140； 313。 … Duc de Choiseul； 〃Mémoires。〃
＇25＇。 Journal of Dumont d'Urville； commander of the vessel which
transported Charles X。 into exile in 1830。 … See note 4 at the end of
the volume。
＇26＇。 Dumouriez； 〃Mémoires；〃 III。 chap。 III。 （July 21； 1789）。
＇27＇。 1 〃All these fine ladies and gentlemen who knew so well how
to bow and courtesy and walk over a carpet； could not take three steps
on God's earth without getting dreadfully fatigued。 They could not
even open or shut a door； they had not even strength enough to lift a
log to put it on the fire； they had to call a servant to draw up a
chair for them； th
