按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
children。 Those who wallow in wealth must （then） supply the wants of
those who lack the necessaries of life。〃 Otherwise； 〃the honest
citizen whom society abandons to poverty and despair； reverts back to
the state of nature and the right of forcibly claiming advantages
which were only alienated by him to procure greater ones。 All
authority which is opposed to this is tyrannical； and the judge who
condemns a man to death （through it） is simply a cowardly
assassin。〃＇31＇
Thus do the innumerable riots which the dearth excites； find
justification； and； as the dearth is permanent； the daily riot is
legitimate。 … On the other hand； having laid down the principle of
popular sovereignty he deduces from this； 〃the sacred right of
constituents to dismiss their delegates； 〃 to seize them by the throat
if they prevaricate； to keep them in the right path by fear； and wring
their necks should they attempt to vote wrong or govern badly。 Now；
they are always subject to this temptation。
〃If there is one eternal truth of which it is important to convince
man； it is that the mortal enemy of the people； the most to be dreaded
by them； is the Government。〃 〃Any minister who remains more than 2
days in office； once the ministry is able to plot against the country
is 'suspect。' 〃＇32＇ … Bestir yourselves； then； ye unfortunates in town
and country； workmen without work； street stragglers without fuel or
shelter sleeping under bridges； prowlers along the highways； beggars；
tattered vagabonds； cripples and tramps； and seize your faithless
representatives！ … On July 14th and October 5th and 6th； 〃the people
had the right not only to execute some of the conspirators in military
fashion； but to immolate them all； to put to the sword the entire body
of royal satellites leagued together for our destruction； the whole
herd of traitors to the country； of every condition and degree。〃＇33＇
Never go to the Assembly； 〃without filling your pockets with stones
and throwing them at the impudent scoundrels who preach monarchical
maxims；〃 〃I recommend to you no other precaution but that of telling
their neighbors to look out。〃＇34＇ … 〃We do not demand the resignation
of the ministers…we demand their heads。 We demand the heads of all
the cabinet officials in the Assembly； your mayor's； your general's；
the heads of most of the staff…officers； of most of the municipal
council； of the principal agents of the executive power in the
kingdom。 〃 … Of what use are half…way measures； like the sack of the
hotel de Castries？＇35＇
〃Avenge yourselves wisely！ Death！ Death！ is the sole penalty for
traitors raging to destroy you It is the only one that strikes terror
into them。 Follow the example of your implacable enemies！ Keep always
armed； so that they may not escape through the delays of the law！ Stab
them on the spot or blow their brains out！ 〃 … 〃 Twenty…four millions
of men shout in unison： If the black； gangrened； archi…gangrened
officials dare pass a bill reducing and reorganizing the army；
citizens； then you build eight hundred scaffolds in the Tuileries
garden and hang on them every traitor to his country … that infamous
Riquetti； Comte de Mirabeau； at the head of them … and； at the same
time； erect in the middle of the fountain basin a big pile of logs to
roast the ministers and their tools！〃＇36＇ … Could 〃the Friend of the
People〃 rally around him two thousand men determined 〃to save the
country； he would go and tear the heart out of that infernal Mottié in
the very midst of his battalions of slaves； he would go and burn the
monarch and his imps in his palace； impale the deputies on their
benches； and bury them beneath the flaming ruins of their den。〃＇37＇…
On the first cannon shot being fired on the frontier；
〃it is indispensable that the people should close the gates of the
towns and unhesitatingly make way with every priest； public
functionary and anti…revolutionary； known instigators and their
accomplices。〃 … 〃 It would be wise for the people's magistrates to
keep constantly manufacturing large quantities of strong； sharp；
short…bladed； double…edged knives； so as to arm each citizen known as
a friend of his country。 Now； the art of fighting with these terrible
weapons consists in this： Use the left arm as buckler； and cover it up
to the arm…pit with a sleeve quilted with some woollen stuff； filled
with rags and hair； and then rush on the enemy； the right hand
wielding the knife。〃＇38＇ … Let us use these knives as soon as
possible； for 〃what means are now remaining for us to put an end to
the problems which overwhelm us？ I repeat it； no other but executions
by the people。〃＇39＇ … The Throne is at last down； but 〃be careful not
to give way to false pity！ 。 。 。 。 No quarter！ I advise you to
decimate the anti…revolutionary members of the municipality； of the
justices of the peace； of the members of the departments and of the
National Assembly。〃＇40＇ … At the outset； a few lives would have
sufficed： 〃five hundred heads ought to have fallen when the Bastille
was taken； and all would then have gone on well。〃 But； through lack of
foresight and timidity； the evil was allowed to spread； and the more
it spread the larger the amputation should have been。 … With the
sure； keen eye of the surgeon； Marat gives its dimensions； he has made
his calculation beforehand。 In September； 1792； in the Council at the
Commune； he estimates forty thousand as the number of heads that
should be laid low。＇41＇ Six weeks later； the social abscess having
enormously increased； the figures swell in proportion； he now demands
two hundred and seventy thousand heads；＇42＇ always on the score of
humanity； 〃to ensure public tranquility；〃 on condition that the
operation be entrusted to him； as the temporary enforcer of the
justice。 … Except for this last point； the rest is granted to him； it
is unfortunate that he could not see with his own eyes the complete
fulfillment of his programme； the batches condemned by the
revolutionary Tribunal； the massacres of Lyons and Toulon； the
drownings of Nantes。 … From the beginning to the end； he was in
keeping with the Revolution； lucid on account of his blindness； thanks
to his crazy logic； thanks to the concordance of his personal malady
with the public malady； to the early manifestation of his complete
madness in the midst of the incomplete or tardy madness of the rest；
he alone steadfast； remorseless； triumphant； perched aloft at the
first bound on the sharp pinnacle which his rivals dared not climb or
only stumbled up。
II。 Danton。
Danton。 … Richness of his faculties。 … Disparity between his
condition and instincts。 … The Barbarian。 … His work。 … His
weakness。
There is nothing of the madman about Danton； on the contrary； not only
is his intellect sound； but he possesses political aptitudes to an
eminent degree； and to such an extent that； in this particular； none
of his associates or adversaries compare with him； whi