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suspicions；〃＇130＇ and naught makes headway against suspicions； not
even the most positive evidence。 On September 4； 1792； talking
confidentially with Pétion； and hard pressed with the questions that
he put to him； he ends by saying； 〃Very well； I think that Brissot is
on Brunswick's side。〃＇131＇ … Naturally； finally； he； like Marat；
imagines the darkest fictions； but they are less improvised； less
grossly absurd； more slowly worked out and more industriously
interwoven in his calculating inquisitorial brain。
〃Evidently；〃 he says to Garat； 〃the Girondists are conspiring。〃＇132＇
〃And where？〃 demands Garat。
〃Everywhere；〃 Robespierre replies； 〃in Paris； throughout France； over
all Europe。 Gensonné； at Paris； is plotting in the Faubourg St。
Antoine； going about among the shopkeepers and persuading them that we
patriots mean to pillage their shops。 The Gironde （department） has
for a long time been plotting its separation from France so as to join
England； the chiefs of its deputation are at the head of the plot； and
mean to carry it out at any cost。 Gensonné makes no secret of it； he
tells all among them who will listen to him that they are not
representatives of the nation； but plenipotentiaries of the Gironde。
Brissot is plotting in his journal； which is simply a tocsin of civil
war； we know of his going to England； and why he went； we know all
about his intimacy with that Lebrun； minister of foreign affairs； a
Liegois and creature of the Austrian house。 Brissot's best friend is
Clavière； and Clavière has plotted wherever he could breathe。 Rabaut；
treacherous like the Protestant and philosopher that he is； was not
clever enough to conceal his correspondence with that courtier and
traitor Montesquiou； six months ago they were working together to open
Savoy and France to the Piedmontese。 Servan was made general of the
Pyrenean army only to give the keys of France to the Spaniards。〃
〃Is there no doubt of this in your mind？〃 asks Garat。
〃None； whatever。〃＇133＇
Such assurance； equal to that of Marat； is terrible and worse in its
effect； for Robespierre's list of conspirators is longer than that of
Marat。 Political and social； in Marat's mind； the list comprehends
only aristocrats and the rich； theological and moral in Robespierre's
mind； it comprehends all atheists and dishonest persons； that is to
say； nearly the whole of his party。 In this narrow mind； given up to
abstractions and habitually classifying men under two opposite
headings； whoever is not with him on the good side is against him on
the bad side； and； on the bad side； the common understanding between
the factious of every flag and the rogues of every degree； is natural。
〃All aristocrats are corrupt； and every corrupt man is an aristocrat；〃
for； 〃republican government and public morality are one and the same
thing。〃＇134＇
Not only do evil…doers of both species tend through instinct and
interest to league together； but their league is already perfected。
One has only to open one's eyes to detect 〃in all its extent〃 the plot
they have hatched； 〃the frightful system of destruction of public
morality。〃＇135＇ Guadet； Vergniaud； Gensonné； Danton； Hébert； 〃all of
them artificial characters；〃 had no other end in view ： 〃they
felt＇136＇ that； to destroy liberty； it was necessary to favor by every
means whatever tended to justify egoism； wither the heart and efface
that idea of moral beauty； which affords the only rule for public
reason in its judgment of the defenders and enemies of humanity。〃 …
Their heirs remain； but let those be careful。 Immorality is a
political offense； one conspires against the State merely by making a
parade of materialism or by preaching indulgence； by acting
scandalously； or by following evil courses； by stock…jobbing； by
dining too sumptuously； by being vicious； scheming； given to
exaggeration； or 〃on the fence；〃 by exciting or perverting the people；
by deceiving the people； by finding fault with the people； by
distrusting the people；＇137＇ short； when one does not march straight
along on the prescribed path marked out by Robespierre according to
principles： whoever stumbles or turns aside is a scoundrel； a traitor。
Now； not counting the Royalists； Feuillantists； Girondists；
Hébertists； Dantonists； and others already decapitated or imprisoned
according to their merit； how many traitors still remain in the
Convention； on the Committees； amongst the representatives on mission；
in the administrative bodies not properly weeded out； amongst petty
tyrannical underlings and the entire ruling； influential class at
Paris and in the provinces？ Outside of 〃about twenty political
Trappists in the Convention；〃 outside of a small devoted group of pure
Jacobins in Paris； outside of a faithful few scattered among the
popular clubs of the departments； how many Fouchés； Vadiers； Talliens；
Bourdons； Collots； remain amongst the so…called revolutionaries？ How
many dissidents are there； disguised as orthodox； charlatans disguised
as patriots； and pashas disguised as sans…culottes？＇138＇ Add all this
vermin to that which Marat seeks to crush out； it is no longer by
hundreds of thousands； but by millions。 exclaim Baudot； Jeanbon…
Saint…André and Guffroy； that the guilty must be counted and cut off
their heads！ … And all these heads； Robespierre； according to his
maxims； must strike off。 He is well aware of this； hostile as his
intellect may be to precise ideas； he； when alone in his closet； face
to face with himself； sees clearly； as clearly as Marat。 Marat's
chimera； on first spreading out its wings； bore its frenzied rider
swiftly onward to the charnel house； that of Robespierre； fluttering
and hobbling along； reaches the goal in its turn； in its turn； it
demands something to feed on； and the rhetorician； the professor of
principles； begins to assess the voracity of the monstrous brute on
which he is mounted。 Slower than the other； this one is still more
ravenous； for； with similar claws and teeth； it has a vaster appetite。
At the end of three years Robespierre has overtaken Marat； at that
distant end of the line； at the station where Marat had established
himself from the very beginning； and the theoretician now adopts the
policy； the aim； the means； the work； and almost the vocabulary of a
maniac：＇139＇
armed dictatorship of the urban mob；
systematic perturbation of the bribed rabble；
war against the bourgeoisie；
extermination of the rich；
placing opposition writers； administrators and deputies outside the
law。
Both monsters get the same food； only； to the ration of his monster；
Robespierre adds 〃vicious men〃 as its special and favorite prey。
Henceforth； he may in vain abstain from action； take refuge in his
rhetoric； stop his chaste ears； and raise his hypocritical eyes to
heaven； he cannot avoid seeing or hearing under his immaculate feet
the streaming gore； and the bones crashing in the open jaws of th