书城公版The Origins of Contemporary France
19097600000535

第535章

[97] Moore, 267. -- Cf. Malouet, II. 240. Malouet, on the evening of Sept. 1, was at his sister-in-law's; there is a domiciliary visit at midnight; she faints on hearing the patrol mount the stairs. "Ibegged them not to enter the drawing-room, so as not to disturb the poor sufferer. The sight of a woman in a swoon and pleasing in appearance affected them, and they at once withdrew, leaving me alone with her." -- Beaulieu, "Essais," I. 108. (Regarding the two Abbaye butchers he meets in the house of Journiac-de-Saint-Méard, and who chat with him while issuing him with a safe-conduct): "What struck me was to detect generous sentiments through their ferocity, those of men determined to protect any one whose cause they adopted."[98] Weber, II. 265, 348.

[99] Sicard, 101. Billaud-Varennes, addressing the slaughterers. -Ibid.75. "Greater power," replied a member of the committee of supervision, "what are you thinking of? To give you greater power would be limiting those you have already. Have you forgotten that you are sovereigns? That the sovereignty of the people is confided to you, and that you are now in full exercise of it?"[100] Méhée, 171.

[101] Sicard, 81. At the beginning the Marseilles men themselves were averse to striking the disarmed, and exclaimed to the crowd: "Here, take our swords and pikes and kill the monsters!"[102] Macbeth by Shakespeare: "I have supped full with horrors."[103] Observe children drowning a dog or killing a snake. Tenacity of life irritates them, as if it were a rebellion against their despotism, the effect of which is to render them only the more violent against their victim.

[104] One may recall to mind the effect of bull-fights, also the irresistible fascination which Saint-Augustin experienced on first hearing the death-cry of a gladiator in the amphitheater.

[105] Mortimer-Ternaux, III. 131. Trial of the September actors; the judge's summing up. "The third and forty-sixth witnesses stated that they saw Monneuse (member of the commune) go to and come from la Force, express his delight at those sad events that had just occurred, acting very immorally in relation thereto, adding that there was violin playing in his presence, and that his colleague danced." -Sicard, 88.

[106] Sicard, 87, 91. This expression by a wine-merchant, who wants the custom of the murderers. - Granier de Cassagnac, II. 197-200. The original bills for wine, straw, and lights have been found.

[107] Sicard, 91. - Maton de la Varenne, 150.

[108] Mathon de la Varenne, 154. A man from the suburbs said to him (Mathon is an advocate):

"All right, Monsieur Fine-skin; I shall treat myself to a glass of your blood[109] Rétif de la Bretonne, "Les Nuits de Paris," 9th night, p.388.

"She screamed horribly, whilst the brigands amused themselves with their disgraceful acts. Her body even after death was not exempt.

These people had heard that she had been beautiful."[110] Prudhomme, "Les Révolutions de Paris," number for Sept. 8, 1792.

"The people subjected the flower-girl of the Palais-Royal to the law of retaliation." - Granier de Cassagnac, II. 329. According to the bulletin of the revolutionary tribunal, number for Sept. 3. --Mortimer-Ternaux, III. 291. Deposition of the caretaker's office of the Conciergerie prison. -- Buchez et Roux, XVII.198. "Histoire des hommes de proi," by Roch Marcandier.

[111] Mortimer-Ternaux III, 257. Trial of the September murderers;deposition of Roussel. - Ib., 628.

[112] Deposition of the woman Millet, ibid., 63. -- Weber, II. 350. -- Roch Marcandier, 197, 198. - Rétif de la Bretonne, 381.

[113] Deposition of the woman Millet, ibid., 63. -- Weber, II. 350. -- Roch Marcandier, 197, 198. - Rétif de la Bretonne, 381.

[114] On this mechanical and murderous action Cf: Dusaulx, "Mémoires,"440. He addresses the bystanders in favor of the prisoners, and, affected by his words, they hold out their hands to him. "But before this the executioners had struck me on the cheeks with the points of their pikes, from which hung pieces of flesh. Others wanted to cut off my head, which would have been done if two gendarmes had not kept them back."[115] Jourdan, 219.

[116] Méhée, 179.

[117] Mortimer-Ternaux, III. 558. The same idea is found among the federates and Parisians composing the company of the Egalité, which brought the Orleans prisoners to Versailles and then murdered them.

They explain their conduct by saying that they "hoped to put an end to the excessive expenditure to which the French empire was subject through the prolonged detention of conspirators."[118] Rétif de la Bretonne, 388.

[119] Méhée, 177.

[120] Prudhomme, "Les Crimes de la Révolution." III. 272.