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others； he is well acquainted with the families he proscribes； names
to him are not merely so many letters strung together； but they recall
personal souvenirs and evoke living forms。 At all events； he is the
spectator； artisan and beneficiary of his own dictatorship； the
silver…plate and money he confiscates passes under his eye； through
his hands； he sees the 〃suspects〃 he incarcerates march before him； he
is in the court…room on the rendering of the sentence of death；
frequently； the guillotine he has supplied with heads works under his
windows； he sleeps in the mansion of an emigré he makes requisitions
for the furniture； linen and wine belonging to the decapitated and the
imprisoned；＇96＇ lies in their beds； drinks their wine and revels with
plenty of company at their expense； and in their place。 In the same
way as a bandit chief who neither kills nor robs with his own hands；
but has murder and robbery committed in his presence； by which he
substantially profits； not by proxy； but personally； through the well…
directed blows ordered by him。 … To this degree； and in such
proximity to physical action； omnipotence is a noxious atmosphere
which no state of health can resist。 Restored to the conditions which
poisoned man in barbarous times or countries； he is again attacked by
moral maladies from which he was thenceforth believed to be exempt； he
retrogrades even to the strange corruptions of the Orient and the
Middle Ages； forgotten leprosies； apparently extinct； with exotic
pestilences to which civilized lands seemed closed； reappear in his
soul with their issues and tumors。
VII。 Brutal Instincts。
Eruption of brutal instincts。 … Duquesnoy at Metz。 … Dumont at
Amiens。 … Drunkards。 … Cusset； Bourbotte； Moustier； Bourdon de
l'Oise； Dartigoyte。
〃It seems；〃 says a witness who was long acquainted with Maignet； 〃that
all he did for these five or six years was simply the delirious phase
of an illness； after which he recovered； and lived on as if nothing
had happened。〃＇97＇ And Maignet himself writes 〃I was not made for
these tempests。〃 That goes for everyone but especially for the coarser
natures； subordination would have restrained them while dictatorial
power make the instincts of the brute and the mob appear。
Contemplate Duquesnoy； a sort of mastiff； always barking and biting；
when gorged he is even more furious。 Delegate to the army of the
Moselle； and passing by Metz＇98＇ he summoned before him Altmayer； the
public prosecutor； although he had sat down to dinner。 The latter
waits three hours and a half in the ante…chamber； is not admitted；
returns； and； at length received； is greeted with a thundering
exclamation：
〃Who are you？〃
〃The public prosecutor；〃 he replies。
〃You look like a bishop … you were once a curé or monk … you can't be
a revolutionary 。 。 。 。 I have come to Metz with unlimited powers。
Public opinion here is not satisfactory。 I am going to drill it。 I
am going to set folks straight here。 I mean to shoot； here in Metz；
as well as in Nancy； five or six hundred every fortnight。〃
The same at the house of General Bessières； commandant of the town
encountering there M。 Cledat； an old officer； the second in command；
he measures him from head to foot：
〃You look like a muscadin。 Where did you come from？ You must be a bad
republican … you look as if you belonged to the ancient régime。〃
〃My hair is gray；〃 he responds； 〃but I am not the less a good
republican： you may ask the General and the whole town。〃
〃Be off！ Go to the devil； and be quick about it； or I will have you
arrested！〃 …
The same； in the street； where he lays hold of a man passing； on
account of his looks； the justice of the peace； Joly； certifies to the
civism of this person； and he 〃eyes〃 Joly：
〃You too； you are an aristocrat！ I see it in your eyes！ I never make
a mistake。〃
Whereupon； tearing off the Judge's badge； he sends him to prison。 …
Meanwhile； a fire； soon extinguished； breaks out in the army bakery；
officers； townspeople； laborers； peasants and even children form a
line （for passing water） and Duquesnoy appears to urge them on in his
way： using his fists and his foot； he falls on whoever he meets； on an
employee in the commissariat； on a convalescent officer； on two men in
the line； and many others。 He shouts to one of them； 〃You are a
muscadin！〃 To another：
〃I see by your eyes that you are an aristocrat！〃
To another：
〃You are a bloody beggar； an aristocrat； a rascal；〃
and he strikes him in the stomach； he seizes a fourth by his collar
and throws him down on the pavement。＇99＇ In addition to this； all are
imprisoned。 The fire being extinguished； an indiscreet fellow； who
stood by looking on； recommends 〃 the dispenser of blows 〃to wipe his
forehead。〃 〃You can't see straight … who are you？ Answer me； I am the
representative。〃 The other replies mildly： 〃Representative； nothing
could be more respectable。〃 Duquesnoy gives the unlucky courtier a
blow under the nose： 〃You are disputing … go to prison；〃 〃 which I did
at once；〃 adds the docile subject。 … That same evening； 〃whereas； in
the conflagration； none of the inhabitants in good circumstances
offered their services in extinguishing the fire；＇100＇ and none but
sans…culottes came thereto； from the garrison as well as from the
commune；〃 Duquesnoy orders 〃that a tax of 40；000 livres be imposed on
the commune of Metz； levied on the fortunes of the rich and
distributed among the poor； payable within ten days。〃＇101＇ 〃Fais…
moi f。。。。 dedans tous ces b。。。 là＇102＇；〃 〃quatre j。。。f。。。 à
raccourcir；〃＇103＇ At Arras； as at Metz； the lout is ever the ruffian
and the butcher。
Others are either jolly fellows； or blackguards。 A certain André
Dumont； an old village attorney； now king of Picardie； or sultan； as
occasion offers； 〃figures as a white Negro；〃 sometimes jovial； but
generally as a rude hardened cynic； treating female prisoners and
petitioners as in a kermesse。＇104＇ … One morning a lady enters his
ante…room； and waits amidst about twenty sans…culottes； to solicit the
release of her husband。 Dumont appears in a morning…gown； seats
himself and listens to the petitioner。
〃Sit down； citoyenne。〃
He takes her on his lap； thrusts his hand in her bosom and exclaims：
〃Who would suppose that the bust of a marchioness would feel so soft
to one of the people's representatives。〃
The sans…culottes shout with laughter。 He sends the poor woman away
and keeps her husband locked up。 In the evening he may write to the
Convention that he investigates things himself； and closely examines
aristocrats。 … If one is to maintain the revolutionary enthusiasm at
a high level it is helpful to have a drop too much in one's head； and
most of them take precautions in this direction。 At Lyons；＇105＇ 〃the
representatives sent to ensure the people's welfare； Albitte and
Collot；〃 call upon the