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office。＇37＇ Henriot appoints his comrades on the staff of paid spies
and denunciators； and； naturally； they take advantage of their
position to fill their pockets； under the pretext of incivism； they
multiply domiciliary visits； make the master of the house ransom
himself； or steal what suits them on the premises。＇38＇ … In the
Commune； and on the revolutionary…committees； every extortion can be；
and is； practiced。
〃I know；〃 says Quevremont； 〃two citizens who have been put in prison；
without being told why； and； at the end of three weeks or a month； let
out and do you know how？ By paying； one of them； fifteen thousand
livres； and the other； twenty…five thousand。 。 。 。 Gambron； at La
Force； pays one thousand five hundred livres a month for a room not to
live amongst lice； and besides this； he had to pay a bribe of two
thousand livres on entering。 This happened to many others who； again；
dared not speak of it； except in a whisper。〃＇39＇
Woe to the imprudent who； never concerning themselves with public
affairs； and relying on their innocence； discard the officious broker
and fail to pay up at once！ Brichard； the notary； having refused or
tendered too late； the hundred thousand crowns demanded of him； is to
put his head 〃at the red window。〃 … And I omit ordinary rapine； the
vast field open to extortion through innumerable inventories；
sequestrations and adjudications； through the enormities of
contractors； through hastily executed purchases and deliveries；
through the waste of two or three millions given weekly by the
government to the Commune for supplies for the capital； through the
requisitions of grain which give fifteen hundred men of the
revolutionary army an opportunity to clean out all the neighboring
farms； as far as Corbeil and Meaux； and benefit by this after the
fashion of the chauffeurs。＇40＇ … With such a staff； these anonymous
thefts cannot surprise us。 Babeuf； the falsifier of public contracts；
is secretary for provisions to the Commune； Maillard； the Abbaye
Septembriseur； receives eight thousand francs for his direction； in
the forty…eight sections； of the ninety…six observers and leaders of
public opinion； Chrétien； whose smoking…shop serves as the rendezvous
of rowdies； becomes a juryman at eighteen francs a day in the
revolutionary Tribunal； and leads his section with uplifted saber；＇41＇
De Sade； professor of crimes； is now the oracle of his quarter； and；
in the name of the Piques Section； he reads addresses to the
Convention。
III。
A Minister of Foreign Affairs。 … A General in command。 … The Paris
Commune。 … A Revolutionary Committee。
Let us examine some of these figures closely： the nearer they are to
the eye and foremost in position； the more the importance of the duty
brings into light the unworthiness of the potentate。 … There is
already one of them； whom we have seen in passing； Buchot； twice
noticed by Robespierre under his own hand as 〃a man of probity；
energetic and capable of fulfilling the most important functions；〃＇42＇
appointed by the Committee of Public Safety 〃Commissioner on External
Relations；〃 that is to say； Minister of Foreign Affairs； and kept in
this important position for nearly six months。 He is a school…master
from the Jura；＇43＇ recently disembarked from his small town and whose
〃ignorance； low habits and stupidity surpass anything that can be
imagined 。 。 。 The chief clerks have nothing to do with him； he
neither sees nor asks for them。 He is never found in his office； and
when it is indispensable to ask for his signature on any legislative
matter； the sole act to which he has reduced his functions； they are
compelled to go and force it from him in the Café Hardy； where he
usually passes his days。〃 It must be borne in mind that he is envious
and spiteful； avenging himself for his incapacity on those whose
competency makes him sensible of his incompetence； he denounces them
as Moderates； and； at last； succeeds in having a warrant of arrest
issued against his four chief clerks； on the morning of Thermidor 9；
with a wicked leer； he himself carries the news to one of them； M。
Miot。 Unfortunately for him； after Thermidor； he is turned out and M。
Miot is put in his place。 With diplomatic politeness； the latter
calls on his predecessor and 〃expresses to him the usual compliments。〃
Buchot； insensible to compliments； immediately thinks of the
substantial； and the first thing he asks for is to keep provisionally
his apartment in the ministry。 On this being granted； he expresses
his thanks and tells M。 Miot that it was very well to appoint him；
but 〃for myself； it is very disagreeable。 I have been obliged to come
to Paris and quit my post in the provinces； and now they leave me in
the street。〃 Thereupon； with astounding impudence； he asks the man
whom he wished to guillotine to give him a place as ministerial clerk。
M。 Miot tries to make him understand that for a former minister to
descend so low would be improper。 Buchot regards such delicacy as
strange； and； seeing M。 Miot's embarrassment； he ends by saying： 〃If
you don't find me fit for a clerk； I shall be content with the place
of a servant。〃 This estimate of himself shows his proper value。
The other； whom we have also met before； and who is already known by
his acts；＇44＇ general in Paris of the entire armed force； commander…
in…chief of one hundred and ten thousand men； is that former servant
or under…clerk of the procureur Formey； who； dismissed by his employer
for robbery； shut up in Bicêtre； by turns a runner and announcer for a
traveling show； barrier…clerk and September assassin； has purged the
Convention on the 2nd of June … in short； the famous Henriot； and now
simply a brute and a sot。 In this latter capacity； spared on the
trial of the Hébertists； he is kept as a tool； for the reason；
doubtless； that he is narrow； coarse and manageable； more compromised
than anybody else； good for any job； without the slightest chance of
becoming independent； unemployed in the army；45 having no prestige
with true soldiers； a general for street parade and an interloper and
lower than the lowest of the mob； his mansion； his box at the Opera…
Comique； his horses； his importance at festivals and reviews； and；
above all； his orgies make him perfectly content。 … Every evening； in
full uniform； escorted by his aides…de…camp； he gallops to Choisy…sur…
Seine； where； in the domicile of a flatterer named Fauvel； along with
some of Robespierre's confederates or the local demagogues； he revels。
They toss off the wines of the Duc de Coigny； smash the glasses；
plates and bottles； betake themselves to neighboring dance…rooms and
kick up a row； bursting in doors； and breaking benches and chairs to
pieces … in short； they have a good time。 … The next morning； having
slept himself sober； he dictates his orders for the day； veritable
masterpieces in which the silliness； imbecility and credulity of a
numskull； the