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attend that evening the fête of Reason and； in fact； they go in a
body。 Behind an actress in short petticoats wearing a red cap；
representing Liberty or Reason； march the deputies； likewise in red
caps； shouting and singing until they reach the new temple； which is
built of planks and pasteboard in the choir of Notre Dame。 They take
their seats in the front rows； while the Goddess； an old frequenter of
the suppers of the Duc de Soubise； along with 〃all the pretty dames of
the Opera；〃 display before them their operatic graces。＇20＇ They sing
the 〃Hymn to Liberty；〃 and； since the Convention has that morning
decreed that it must sing； I suppose that it also joined in。＇21＇ After
this there follows dancing； but； unfortunately； the authorities are
wanting for stating whether the Convention danced or not。 In any
event； it is present at the dance； and thus consecrates an unique
orgy； not Rubens' 〃Kermesse〃 in the open air； racy and healthy； but a
nocturnal boulevard…jollification； a 〃Mardi…gras〃 composed of lean and
haggard scapegraces。 … In the great nave of the Cathedral； 〃the
dancers； almost naked； with bare necks and breasts； and stockings down
at the heel；〃 writhe and stamp； 〃howling the carmagnole。〃 In the side
chapels； which are 〃shut off by high tapestries； prostitutes with
shrill voices〃 pursue their avocation。＇22＇ … To descend to this low
level so barefacedly； to fraternise with barrier sots； and wenches； to
endure their embraces and hiccoughs； is bad enough； even for docile
deputies。 More than one half of them loathed it beforehand and
remained at home； after this they do not feel disposed to attend the
Convention。＇23＇ … But the 〃 Mountain sends for them； and an officer
brings them back；〃 it is necessary that they should co…operate through
their presence and felicitations in the profanations and apostasies
which follow；＇24＇ it is necessary that they should approve of and
decree that which they hold in horror； not alone folly and nonsense；
but crime； the murder of innocent people； and that of their friends。
… All this is done。 〃Unanimously； and with the loudest applause；〃
the Left； united with the Right； sends Danton to the scaffold； its
natural chieftain； the great promoter and leader of the
Revolution。＇25＇ 〃Unanimously； and with the loudest applause；〃 the
Right； united with the Left； votes the worse decrees of the
Revolutionary government。＇26＇ 〃Unanimously；〃 with approving and
enthusiastic cheers； manifesting the warmest sympathy for Collot
d'Herbois； Couthon； and Robespierre；＇27＇ the Convention； through
multiplied and spontaneous re…elections； maintains the homicidal
government which the Plain detests； because it is homicidal； and which
the Mountain detests； because it is decimated by it。 Plain and
Mountain； by virtue of terror； majority after majority； end in
consenting to and bringing about their own suicide： on the 22nd of
Prairial； the entire Convention has stretched out its neck；＇28＇ on the
8th of Thermidor； for a quarter of an hour after Robespierre's
speech；＇29＇ it has again stretched this out； and would probably have
succumbed； had not five or six of them； whom Robespierre designated or
named； Bourdon de l'Oise； Vadier； Cambon； Billaud and Panis；
stimulated by the animal instinct of self…preservation； raised their
arms to ward off the knife。 Nothing but imminent； personal； mortal
danger could； in these prostrated beings； supplant long…continued fear
with still greater fear。 Later on； Siéyès； on being asked how he
acted in these times； replied； 〃I lived。〃 In effect； he and others
are reduced to that； they succeeded in doing this； at all costs； and
at what a price！＇30＇ His secret notes； his most private sketches
confirm this＇31＇。 。 。
〃On the Committee of March 20； 〃Paillasse； half drunk； gives a
dissertation on the way to carry on the war； and interrogates and
censures the Minister。 The poor Minister evades his questions with
café gossip and a review of campaigns。 These are the men placed at
the head of the government to save the Republic！〃 … 〃 H。。。。； in his
distraction； had the air of a sly fox inwardly smiling at his own
knavish thoughts。 Ruit irrevocabile vulgus 。 。 。 Jusque Datum
sceleri。〃 … 〃Are you keeping silent？〃 … 〃Of what use is my glass of
wine in this torrent of ardent spirits？ 〃 …
All this is very well； but he did not merely keep silent and abstain。
He voted； legislated and decreed； along with the unanimous Convention；
he was a collaborator； not only passively； through his presence； but
also through his active participation in the acts of the government
which he elected and enthroned； re…elected twelve times； cheered every
week； and flattered daily； authorizing and keeping on to the end its
work of spoliation and massacre。
〃Everybody is guilty here；〃 said Carrier in the Convention； 〃even to
the president's bell。〃
In vain do they constantly repeat to themselves that they were forced
to obey under penalty of death： the conscience of the purest among
them； if he has any； replies：
〃You too； in spite of yourself； I admit； less than others； if you
please； but you were a terrorist； that is to say； a brigand and an
assassin。〃＇32＇
III。 The Committee of Public Safety。
The Men who do the work。 … Carnot； Prieur de…la…C？te d'Or； Jean Bon
Saint André； Robert Lindet。
On a man becoming a slave； said old Homer； the Gods take away the half
of his soul； the same is true of a man who becomes a tyrant。 … In the
Pavilion de Flore； alongside of and above the enslaved Convention； sit
the twelve kings it has enthroned； twice a day；＇33＇ ruling over it as
well as over France。＇34＇ Of course； some guarantee is required from
those who fill this place； there is not one of them who is not a
revolutionary of long standing； an impenitent regicide； a fanatic in
essence and a despot through principle； but the fumes of omnipotence
have not intoxicated them all to the same degree。 … Three or four of
them； Robert Lindet； Jean Bon St。 André； Prieur de la C？te…d'Or and
Carnot； confine themselves to useful and secondary duties； this
suffices to keep them partially safe。 As specialists； charged with an
important service； their first object is to do this well； and hence
they subordinate the rest to this； even theoretical exigencies and the
outcries of the clubs。
Lindet's prime object is to feed the departments that are without
wheat； and the towns that are soon to be short of bread。
Prieur's business is to see that biscuits； brandy； clothes； shoes；
gunpowder and arms are manufactured。＇35＇
Jean Bon； that vessels are equipped and crews drilled。
Carnot； to draw up campaign plans and direct the march of armies： the
dispatch of so many bags of grain during the coming fortnight to this
or that town； or warehouse in this or that district； the making up of
so many weekly rations； to be deported during the month to certain
places on the frontier； the transfor