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！
soul may take the form and rigidity of trenchant steel。 Suppose this
an animated blade； feeling and willing in conformity with its temper
and structure； it would delight in being brandished； and would need to
strike； such is the need of Saint…Just。 Taciturn； impassible； keeping
people at a distance； as imperious as if the entire will of the people
and the majesty of transcendent reason resided in his person； he seems
to have reduced his passions to the desire of dashing everything to
atoms； and to creating dismay。 It may be said of him that； like the
conquering Tartars； he measures his self…attributed grandeur by what
he fells； no other has so extensively swept away fortunes； liberties
and lives； no other has so terrifically heightened the effect of his
deeds by laconic speech and the suddenness of the stroke。 He orders
the arrest and close confinement of all former nobles； men and women；
in the four departments； in twenty…four hours； he orders the
bourgeoisie of Strasbourg to pay over nine millions in twenty…four
hours； ten thousand persons in Strasbourg must give up their shoes in
twenty…four hours； random and immediate discharges of musketry on the
officers of the Rhine army … such are the measures。＇149＇ So much the
worse for the innocent； there is no time to discern who they are； 〃a
blind man hunting for a pin in a dust…heap takes the whole heap。〃＇150＇
… And； whatever the order； even when it cannot be executed； so much
the worse for him to whom it is given； for the captain who； directed
by the representative to establish this or that battery in a certain
time； works all night with all his forces； 〃with as many men as the
place will hold。〃＇151＇ The battery not being ready at the hour named；
Saint…Just sends the captain to the guillotine。 … The sovereign
having once given an order it cannot be countermanded； to take back
his words would be weakening himself；＇152＇ in the service of
omnipotence； pride is insatiable； and； to mollify it； no barbaric act
is too great。 … The same appetite is visible in Collot d'Herbois；
who； no longer on the stage； plays before the town the melo…dramatic
tyrant with all becoming ostentation。 One morning； at Lyons； he
directs the revolutionary Tribunal to arrest； examine and sentence a
youthful 〃suspect〃 before the day is over。 〃Towards six o'clock；＇153＇
Collot being at table enjoying an orgy with prostitutes； buffoons and
executioners； eating and drinking to choice music； one of the judges
of the Tribunal enters； after the usual formalities； he is led up to
the Representative； and informs him that the young man had been
arrested and examined； and the strictest inquiries made concerning
him； he is found irreproachable and the Court decided to set him free。
Collot； without looking at the judge； raises his voice and says to
him：
〃I ordered you to punish that young man and I want him out of the way
before night。 If the innocent are spared； too many of the guilty will
escape。 Go。〃
The music and gaiety begin again； and in an hour the young man is
shot。〃 … And so in most of the other pachalics； if any head mentally
condemned by the pacha escapes or does not fall soon enough； the
latter is indignant at the delays and forms of justice； also against
the judges and juries； often selected by himself。 Javogues writes an
insulting letter to the commission of Feurs which has dared acquit two
former nobles。 Laignelot； Lecarpentier； Michaud； Monestier； Lebon；
dismiss； recompose； or replace the commissions of Fontenoy； Saint…
Malo； and Perpignan； and the tribunals of Pau； N？mes； and Arras； whose
judgments did not please them。＇154＇ Lebon； Bernard de Saintes；
Dartigoyte and Fouché re…arrest prisoners on the same charge； solemnly
acquitted by their own tribunals。 B？； Prieur de la Marne； and Lebon；
send judges and juries to prison that do not always vote death。＇155＇
Barras and Fréron dispatch； from brigade to brigade； to the
revolutionary Tribunal in Paris； the public prosecutor and president
of the revolutionary Tribunal of Marseilles； for being indulgent to
anti…revolutionaries； because； out of five hundred and twenty…eight
prisoners； they guillotined only one hundred and sixty…two。＇156＇ … To
contradict the infallible Representative！ That of itself is an
offense。 He owes it to himself to punish those who are not docile； to
re…arrest absolved delinquents； and to support cruelty with cruelty。
When for a long time someone has been imbibing a strong and nauseating
drink； not only does the palate get accustomed； but it often acquires
a taste for it； it soon wants to have it stronger； finally； it
swallows it pure； completely raw； with no admixture or condiment to
disguise its repulsiveness … Such； to certain imaginations； is the
spectacle of human gore； after getting accustomed to it they take
delight in seeing it。 Lequinio； Laignelot and Lebon invite the
executioner to dine with them；＇157＇ Monestier； 〃with his cut…throats；
is going himself in search of prisoners in the dungeons； so that he
may accompany them to the Tribunal and overwhelm them with charges； if
they are disposed to defend themselves； after their condemnation； he
attends in uniform〃 at their execution。＇158＇ Fouché； lorgnette in
hand； looks out of his window upon a butchery of two hundred and ten
Lyonnese。 Collot； Laporte and Fouché feast together in a large
company on the days when executions by shooting takes place； and； at
each discharge； stand up and cheer lustily； waving their hats。＇159＇
At Toulon； Fréron； in person； orders and sees executed； the first
grand massacre on the Champ de Mars。＇160＇ … On the Place d'Arras； M。
de Vielfort； already tied and stretched out on the plank； awaits the
fall of the knife。 Lebon appears on the balcony of the theatre； makes
a sign to the executioner to stop； opens the newspaper； and； in a loud
voice； reads off the recent successes of the French armies； then；
turning to the condemned man； exclaims： 〃Go； wretch； and take the news
of our victories to your brethren。〃＇161＇ At Feurs； where the shootings
take place at the house of M。 du Rosier； in the great avenue of the
park； his daughter； quite a young woman； advances in tears to
Javogues； and asks for the release of her husband。 〃Oh； yes； my
dear；〃 replies Javogues； 〃you shall have him home to…morrow。〃 In
effect； the next day； her husband is shot； and buried in the
avenue。＇162＇ … It is evident that they get to liking the business。
Like their September predecessors； they find amusement in murdering：
people around them allude gaily to 〃the red theater〃 and 〃the national
razor。〃 An aristocrat is said to be 〃putting his head at the national
window；〃 and 〃he has put his head through the cathole。〃＇163＇ They
themselves have the style and humor of their trade。 〃To…morrow； at
seven o'clock；〃 writes Hugues； 〃let the sacred guillotine be erected！〃
… 〃The demoiselle guillotine；〃 writes Lecarlier； 〃keeps steadily
agoing。〃＇164＇ … 〃The relatives and f