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with abundant matter for reflection。 He read there in the raw what
is perhaps the most amazing page in the history of human development；
and in the end he was forced to the conclusion that all his early
preconceptions had been at fault； and that it was such exalted；
passionate enthusiasts as Vilmorin who had been right。
I suspect him of actually taking pride in the fact that he had been
mistaken； complacently attributing his error to the circumstance
that he had been； himself； of too sane and logical a mind to gauge
the depths of human insanity now revealed。
He watched the growth of hunger； the increasing poverty and distress
of Paris during that spring； and assigned it to its proper cause；
together with the patience with which the people bore it。 The world
of France was in a state of hushed； of paralyzed expectancy； waiting
for the States General to assemble and for centuries of tyranny to
end。 And because of this expectancy； industry had come to a
standstill； the stream of trade had dwindled to a trickle。 Men would
not buy or sell until they clearly saw the means by which the genius
of the Swiss banker； M。 Necker； was to deliver them from this morass。
And because of this paralysis of affairs the men of the people were
thrown out of work and left to starve with their wives and children。
Looking on； Andre…Louis smiled grimly。 So far he was right。 The
sufferers were ever the proletariat。 The men who sought to make
this revolution； the electors … here in Paris as elsewhere … were
men of substance； notable bourgeois； wealthy traders。 And whilst
these； despising the canaille； and envying the privileged； talked
largely of equality … by which they meant an ascending equality
that should confuse themselves with the gentry … the proletariat
perished of want in its kennels。
At last with the month of May the deputies arrived； Andre…Louis'
friend Le Chapelier prominent amongst them； and the States General
were inaugurated at Versailles。 It was then that affairs began to
become interesting； then that Andre…Louis began seriously to doubt
the soundness of the views he had held hitherto。
When the royal proclamation had gone forth decreeing that the
deputies of the Third Estate should number twice as many as those
of the other two orders together； Andre…Louis had believed that
the preponderance of votes thus assured to the Third Estate rendered
inevitable the reforms to which they had pledged themselves。
But he had reckoned without the power of the privileged orders over
the proud Austrian queen； and her power over the obese； phlegmatic；
irresolute monarch。 That the privileged orders should deliver battle
in defence of their privileges； Andre…Louis could understand。 Man
being what he is； and labouring under his curse of acquisitiveness；
will never willingly surrender possessions； whether they be justly
or unjustly held。 But what surprised Andre…Louis was the unutterable
crassness of the methods by which the Privileged ranged themselves
for battle。 They opposed brute force to reason and philosophy； and
battalions of foreign mercenaries to ideas。 As if ideas were to be
impaled on bayonets！
The war between the Privileged and the Court on one side； and the
Assembly and the People on the other had begun。
The Third Estate contained itself； and waited； waited with the
patience of nature； waited a month whilst； with the paralysis of
business now complete； the skeleton hand of famine took a firmer
grip of Paris； waited a month whilst Privilege gradually assembled
an army in Versailles to intimidate it … an army of fifteen
regiments； nine of which were Swiss and German … and mounted a park
of artillery before the building in which the deputies sat。 But
the deputies refused to be intimidated； they refused to see the guns
and foreign uniforms； they refused to see anything but the purpose
for which they had been brought together by royal proclamation。
Thus until the 10th of June； when that great thinker and
metaphysician； the Abbe Sieyes； gave the signal： 〃It is time；〃 said
he； 〃to cut the cable。〃
And the opportunity came soon； at the very beginning of July。 M。 du
Chatelet； a harsh； haughty disciplinarian； proposed to transfer the
eleven French Guards placed under arrest from the military gaol of
the Abbaye to the filthy prison of Bicetre reserved for thieves and
felons of the lowest order。 Word of that intention going forth； the
people at last met violence with violence。 A mob four thousand
strong broke into the Abbaye； and delivered thence not only the
eleven guardsmen； but all the other prisoners； with the exception of
one whom they discovered to be a thief； and whom they put back again；
That was open revolt at last； and with revolt Privilege knew how to
deal。 It would strangle this mutinous Paris in the iron grip of the
foreign regiments。 Measures were quickly concerted。 Old Marechal
de Broglie； a veteran of the Seven Years' War； imbued with a
soldier's contempt for civilians； conceiving that the sight of a
uniform would be enough to restore peace and order； took control
with Besenval as his second…in…command。 The foreign regiments were
stationed in the environs of Paris； regiments whose very names were
an irritation to the Parisians； regiments of Reisbach； of Diesbach；
of Nassau； Esterhazy； and Roehmer。 Reenforcements of Swiss were
sent to the Bastille between whose crenels already since the 30th
of June were to be seen the menacing mouths of loaded cannon。
On the 10th of July the electors once more addressed the King to
request the withdrawal of the troops。 They were answered next day
that the troops served the purpose of defending the liberties of
the Assembly！ And on the next day to that； which was a Sunday； the
philanthropist Dr。 Guillotin … whose philanthropic engine of painless
death was before very long to find a deal of work； came from the
Assembly； of which he was a member； to assure the electors of Paris
that all was well； appearances notwithstanding； since Necker was
more firmly in the saddle than ever。 He did not know that at the
very moment in which he was speaking so confidently； the
oft…dismissed and oft…recalled M。 Necker had just been dismissed
yet again by the hostile cabal about the Queen。 Privilege wanted
conclusive measures； and conclusive measures it would have …
conclusive to itself。
And at the same time yet another philanthropist； also a doctor； one
Jean…Paul Mara； of Italian extraction … better known as Marat； the
gallicized form of name he adopted … a man of letters； too； who had
spent some years in England； and there published several works on
sociology； was writing：
〃Have a care！ Consider what would be the fatal effect of a seditious
movement。 If you should have the misfortune to give way to that； you
will be treated as people in revolt； and blood will flow。〃
Andre…Louis was in the gardens of the Palais Royal； that place of
shops and puppet…shows； of circus and cafes； of gaming houses and
brothels； that universal rendezvous； on that Sunday morning when
the news of Necker's dismissal spread； carrying with it dismay and
fury。 Into Necker's dismissal the people