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* The immense multitude of the starving in town and country；
* the long lines of women for three years waiting for bread in all the
cities；
* this or that town of twenty…three thousand souls in which one…third
of the population dies in the hospitals in three months；
* the crowds of paupers at the poor…houses；
* the file of poor wretches entering and the file of coffins going
out；
* the asylums deprived of their property； overcrowded with the sick；
unable to feed the multitude of foundlings pining away in their
cradles the very first week； their little faces in wrinkles like those
of old men；
* the malady of want aggravating all other maladies； the long
suffering of a persistent vitality amidst pain and which refuses to
succumb； the final death…rattle in a garret or in a ditch。
Contrast this with this the small； powerful； triumphant group of
Jacobins which； having understood how to place themselves in the good
places； is determined to stay there at any cost。 … About ten o'clock
in the morning；＇152＇ Cambacérès； president of the Committee of Public
Safety； is seen entering its hall in the Pavillon de l'Egalité。 He is
a large； cautious and shrewd personage who will； later on； become
arch…chancellor of the Empire and famous for his epicurean inventions
and other peculiar tastes revived from antiquity。 Scarcely seated； he
orders an ample pat…au…feu to be placed on the chimney hearth and； on
the table； 〃fine wine and fine white bread； three articles；〃 says a
guest； 〃 not to be found elsewhere in all Paris。〃 Between twelve and
two o'clock； his colleagues enter the room in turn； take a plate of
soup and a slice of meat； swallow some wine； and then proceed； each to
his bureau； to receive his coterie； giving this one an office and
compelling another to pay up； looking all the time after his own
special interests。 At this moment； especially； towards the close of
the Convention； there are no public interests； all interests being
private and personal。 … In the mean time； the deputy in charge of
provisions； Roux de la Haute Marne； an unfrocked Benedictine； formerly
a terrorist in the provinces； subsequently the protégé and employee of
Fouché； with whom he is to be associated in the police department；
keeps the throng of women in check which daily resorts to the
Tuileries to beg for bread。 He is well adapted for this duty； being
tall； chubby； ornamental； and with vigorous lungs。 He has taken his
office in the right place； in the attic of the palace； at the top of
long； narrow and steep stairs； so that the line of women stretching up
between the two walls； piled one above the other； necessarily becomes
immovable。 With the exception of the two or three at the front； no
one has her hands free to grab the haranguer by the throat and close
the oratorical stop…cock。 He can spout his tirades accordingly with
impunity； and for an indefinite time。 On one occasion； his sonorous
jabber rattles away uninterruptedly from the top to the bottom of the
staircase； from nine o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the
afternoon。 Under such a voluble shower； his hearers become weary and
end by going home。 … About nine or ten o'clock in the evening； the
Committee of Public Safety reassembles； but not to discuss business。
Danton and La Révellière preach in vain； each is too egoistic and too
worn…out； they let the rein slacken on Cambacérès。 As to him； he
would rather keep quiet and drag the cart no longer； but there are two
things necessary which he must provide for on pain of death。 … 〃It
will not do；〃 says he in plaintive tones； 〃to keep on printing the
assignats at night which we want for the next day。 If that lasts； ma
foi； we run the risk of being strung up at a lantern。 。 。Go and find
Hourier…Eloi； as he has charge of the finances； and tell him that we
entreat him to keep us a…going for a fortnight or eighteen days
longer； when the executive Directory will come in and do what it
pleases。〃 〃 But food … shall we have enough for to…morrow？
〃Aha； I don't know … I'll send for our colleague Roux； who will post
us on that point。〃 Roux enters； the official spokesman； the fat；
jovial tamer of the popular dog。 〃Well； Roux； how do we stand about
supplying Paris with food？〃 〃The supply； citizen President； is just as
abundant as ever； two ounces per head； … at least for most of the
sections。〃 〃Go to the devil with your abundant supply！ You'll have our
heads off！ 〃 All remain silent； for this possible dénouement sets them
to thinking。 Then； one of them exclaims： 〃President； are there any
refreshments provided for us？ After working so hard for so many days
we need something to strengthen us ！〃 〃Why； yes ； there is a good
calf's…tongue； a large turbot； a large piece of pie and some other
things。〃 They cheer up； begin to eat and drink champagne； and indulge
in drolleries。 About eleven or twelve o'clock the members of other
Committees come in； signatures are affixed to their various decrees；
on trust； without reading them over。 They； in their turn； sit down at
the table and the conclave of sovereign bellies digests without giving
itself further trouble about the millions of stomachs that are empty。
_______________________________________________________________________…
Notes：
＇1＇ On the other more complicated functions； such as the maintenance
of roads； canals； harbors； public buildings； lighting； cleanliness；
hygiene； superior secondary and primary education； hospitals； and
other asylums； highway security； the suppression of robbery and
kindred crimes； the destruction of wolves； etc。； see Rocquam； 〃Etat de
la France au 18 Brumaire；〃 and the 〃Statistiques des Departements；〃
published by the prefets； from years IX。 to XIII。 … These branches
of the service were almost entirely overthrown； the reader will see
the practical results of their suppression in the documents referred
to。
＇2＇ 〃St。 John de Crêvec？ur；〃 by Robert de Crêvec？ur； p。216。 （Letter
of Mdlle。 de Gouves； July； 1800。） 〃We are negotiating for the payment
of； at least； the arrearages since 1789 on the Arras property。〃 （M。
de Gouves and his sisters had not emigrated； and yet they had had no
income from their property for ten years。）
＇3＇ Cf。 〃The Revolution；〃 vol。 I。； 254…261； 311…352； vol。 II。； 234…
272。
＇4＇ Cf。 〃The Revolution；〃 II。； 273…276。
＇5＇ Buchez et Roux； XXII。； 178。 （Speech by Robespierre in the
Convention； December 2； 1792。） … Mallet…Dupan； 〃Mémoires。〃 I。； 400。
About the same date； 〃a deputation from the department of Gard
expressly demands a sum of two hundred and fifty millions； as
indemnity to the cultivator； for grain which it calls national
property。〃 … This fearful sum of two hundred and fifty millions； they
add； is only a fictive advance； placing at its disposal real and
purely national wealth； not belonging in full ownership to any
distinct member of the social body any more than the pernicious metals