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。 I really believe that； at the last meeting； he sung alone in this
manner three quarters of an hour at different times； the assembly
repeating the last line of the verse。〃 … 〃 How odd！〃 exclaims a common
woman alongside of Morellet； 〃how droll； passing all their time here；
singing in that fashion！ Is that what they come here for？〃 … Not alone
for that： after the circus…parade is over； the ordinary haranguers；
and especially the hair…dresser； come and propose measures for murder
〃in infuriate language and with fiery gesticulation。〃 Such are the
good speakers＇49＇ and men for show。 The others； who remain silent；
and hardly know to write； act and do the rough work。 A certain
Chalaudon； member of the Commune；＇50＇ is one of this kind； president
of the Revolutionary Committee of the section of 〃L'Homme armé；〃 and
probably an excellent man…hunter； for 〃the government committees
assigned to him the duty of watching the right bank of the Seine； and；
with extraordinary powers conferred on him； he rules from his back
shop one half of Paris。 Woe to those he has reason to complain of；
those who have withdrawn from； or not given him； their custom！
Sovereign of his quarter up to Thermidor 10； his denunciations are
death…warrants。 Some of the streets； especially that of Grand
Chantier； he 〃depopulates。〃 And this Marais exterminator is a
〃cobbler；〃 a colleague in leather； as well as in the Commune； of Simon
the shoemaker； the preceptor and murderer of the young Dauphin。
Still lower down than this admirable municipal body； let us try to
imagine； from at least one complete example； the forty…eight
revolutionary committees who supply it with hands。 … There is one of
them of which we know all the members； where the governing class；
under full headway； can be studied on the spot and in action。＇51＇ This
consists of the underworld； nomadic class which is revolutionary only
through its appetites； no theory and no convictions animate it； during
the first three years of the Revolution it pays no attention to； or
cares for； public matters； if； since the 10th of August； and
especially since the 2nd of June； it takes any account of these； it is
to get a living and gorge itself with plunder。 … Out of eighteen
members； simultaneously or in succession； of the 〃Bonnet Rouge；〃
fourteen； before the 10th of August and especially since the 2nd of
June； are unknown in this quarter； and had taken no part in the
Revolution。 The most prominent among these are three painters；
heraldic； carriage and miniature； evidently ruined and idle on account
of the Revolution； a candle…dealer； a vinegar…dealer； a manufacturer
of saltpeter； and a locksmith； while of these seven personages； four
have additionally enhanced the dignity of their calling by vending
tickets for small lotteries； acting as pawnbrokers or as keepers of a
biribi＇52＇ saloon。 Seated along with these are two upper…class
domestics； a hack…driver； an ex…gendarme dismissed from the corps； a
cobbler on the street corner； a runner on errands who was once a
carter's boy； and another who； two months before this； was a
scavenger's apprentice； the latter penniless and in tatters before he
became one of the Committee； and since that； well clad； lodged and
furnished。 Finally； a former dealer in lottery…tickets； himself a
counterfeiter by his own admission； and a jail…bird。 Four others have
been dismissed from their places for dishonesty or swindling； three
are known drunkards； two are not even Frenchmen； while the ring…
leader； the man of brains of this select company is； as usual； a
seedy； used…up lawyer； the ex…notary Pigeot； and expelled from his
professional body on account of bankruptcy。 He is probably the author
of the following speculation： After the month of September； 1793； the
Committee； freely arresting whomsoever it pleased in the quarter； and
even outside of it； makes a haul of 〃three hundred heads of families〃
in four months； with whom it fills the old barracks it occupies in the
rue de Sèvres。 In this confined and unhealthy tenement； more than one
hundred and twenty prisoners are huddled together； sometimes ten in
one room； two in the same bed； and； for their keeping； they pay three
hundred francs a day。 As sixty…two francs of this charge are
verified； there is of this sum； （not counting other extortions or
concessions which are not official）； two hundred and thirty…eight
francs profit daily for these 'honest' contractors。 Accordingly； they
live freely and have 〃the most magnificent dinners 〃 in their assembly
chamber； the contribution of ten or twelve francs apiece is 〃 nothing
〃 for them。 … But； in this opulent St。 Germain quarter； so many rich
and noble men and women form a herd which must be conveniently
stalled； so as to be the more easily milked。 Consequently； toward the
end of March； 1794； the Committee； to increase its business and fill
up the pen； hires a large house on the corner of the boulevard
possessing a court and a garden； where the high society of the quarter
is assigned lodgings of two rooms each； at twelve francs a day； which
gives one hundred and fifty thousand livres per annum； and； as the
rent is twenty…four hundred francs； the Committee gain one hundred and
forty…seven thousand six hundred livres by the operation； we must add
to this twenty sorts of profit in money and other matters … taxes on
the articles consumed and on supplies of every description； charges on
the dispatch and receipt of correspondence and other gratuities； such
as ransoms and fees。 A penned…up herd refuses nothing to its
keepers；＇53＇ and this one less than any other； for if this herd is
plundered it is preserved； its keepers finding it too lucrative to
send it to the slaughter…house。 During the last six months of Terror；
but two out of the one hundred and sixty boarders of the 〃Bonnet
Rouge〃 Committee are withdrawn from the establishment and handed over
to the guillotine。 It is only on the 7th and 8th of Thermidor that
the Committee of Public Safety； having undertaken to empty the
prisons； breaks in upon the precious herd and disturbs the well…laid
scheme； so admirably managed。 … It was only too well managed； for it
excited jealousy； three months after Thermidor； the 〃 Bonnet Rouge〃
committee is denounced and condemned； ten are sentenced to twenty
years in irons； with the pillory in addition； and； among others； the
clever notary；＇54＇ amidst the jeering and insults of the crowd。 … And
yet these are not the worst； their cupidity had mollified their
ferocity。 Others； less adroit in robbing； show greater cruelty in
murdering。 In any event； in the provinces as well as in Paris； in the
revolutionary committees paid three francs a day for each member； the
quality of one or the other of the officials is about the same。
According to the pay…lists which Barère keeps； there are twenty…one
thousand five hundred of these committees in France。＇55＇
IV。 Provincial Administration。
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