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theft； in three months he succeeds in bringing about a deficiency of
130；000；000； 〃without vouchers。〃＇11＇ On another side； the Duke of
Orleans； become Philippe…Egalité； dragged along by the men once in his
pay； with a rope around his neck and almost strangled； has to pay out
more than ever； even down to the very depths of his purse； to save his
own life he consents to vote for the King's death； besides resigning
himself to other sacrifices；＇12＇ it is probable that a large portion
of his 74；000；000 of indebtedness at his death is due to all this。
Thus in possession of civil and military offices； of arms and money；
the faction； masters of Paris； has nothing to do but master the
isolated Convention； and this it invests on all sides。＇13＇
II。
Its parliamentary recruits。 Their characters and minds。 Saint…
Just。 Violence of the minority in the Convention。 Pressure of
the galleries。 Menaces of the streets。
Through the elections； the Jacobin advance…guard of fifty deputies is
already posted there； while； owing to the fascination it has to
excitable and despotic natures； to brutal temperaments； narrow；
disjointed minds； weak imaginations； doubtful honesty； and old
religious or social rancor； it succeeds in doubling this number at the
end of six months。＇14＇ On the benches of the extreme 〃Left；〃 around
Robespierre； Danton and Marat； the original nucleus of the September
faction； sit men of their stamp； first； the corrupt； like Chabot；
Tallien and Barras； wretches like Fouché； Guffroy and Javogues； crazy
enthusiasts like David； savage maniacs like Carrier； paltry simpletons
like Joseph Lebon； common fanatics like Levasseur； Baubot； Jeanbon…
Saint…André； Romme and Lebas。 Add also； and especially； the future
iron…handed representatives； uncouth； authoritarian； and narrow…
minded； excellent troopers for a political militia； Bourbotte；
Duquesnoy； Rewbell； and Bentabole； 〃a lot of ignorant bastards；〃 said
Danton；＇15＇ 〃without any common sense； and patriotic only when drunk。
Marat is nothing but a bawler。 Legendre is fit for nothing but to cut
up his meat。 The rest are good for little else than voting by either
sitting down or standing up； but they are cold blooded and have broad
shoulders。〃 From amongst these energetic nonentities we see ascending
a young monster； with calm； handsome features； Saint…Just。 He is a
kind of precocious Sylla； 25 years old and a new…comer； who springs at
once from the ranks and； by dint of atrocities； obtains a prominent
position。＇16＇ Six years before this he began life by a domestic
robbery； on a visit to his mother； he left the house during the night；
carrying off the plate and jewels； which he squandered while living in
a lodging house in the Rue Fromenteau； in the center of Parisian
prostitution；＇17＇ on the strength of this； and at the demand of his
friends； he is shut up in a house of correction for six months。 On
returning to his lodgings he occupied himself with writing an obscene
poem in the style of La Pucelle and then； through a fit of rage
resembling a spasm； he plunged headlong into the Revolution。 He
possessed a 〃blood calcified by study；〃 a colossal pride； an unhinged
conscience； a pompous； gloomy imagination haunted with the bloody
recollections of Rome and Sparta； an intelligence so warped and
twisted as to be comfortable only among excessive paradoxes； shameless
sophistry； and devastating lies。＇18＇ All these dangerous ingredients
which； mingled in the crucible of suppressed； concentrated ambition；
long and silently boiling within him； have led to a constant defiance；
a determined callousness； an automatic rigidity； and to the summary
politics of the Utopian dictator and exterminator。 It is plain
that such a minority will not obey parliamentary rules； and； rather
than yield to the majority that it will introduce into the debate boos
and hisses； insults； threats； and scuffles with daggers； pistols；
sabers and even the 〃blunder busses〃 of a veritable combat。
〃Vile intriguers； calumniators； scoundrels； monsters； assassins；
blackguards； fools and hogs；〃 such are the usual terms in which they
address each other； and these form the least of their outrages。＇19＇
The president； at certain sessions； is obliged three times to put on
his hat and； at last； breaks his bell。 They insult him； force him to
leave his seat and demand that 〃he be removed。' Bazire tries to snatch
a declaration presented by him 〃out of his hands。〃 Bourdon； from the
department of Oise； cries out to him that if he 〃dares to read it he
will assassinate him。〃＇20＇ The chamber 〃has become an arena of
gladiators。〃＇21＇ Sometimes the entire 〃Mountain〃 darts from its
benches on the left； while a similar human wave rolls down from those
on the right； both clash in the center of the room amidst furious
screams and shouts； in one of these hubbubs one of the 〃Mountain〃
having drawn a pistol the Girondist Duperret draws his sword。＇22＇
After the middle of December prominent members of the 〃Right；〃
constantly persecuted； threatened and outraged；〃 reduced to 〃being out
every night； are compelled to carry arms in self…defense；〃＇23＇ and；
after the King's execution； 〃almost all〃 bring them to the sessions of
the Convention。 Any day； indeed； they may look for the final attack；
and they are not disposed to die unavenged： during the night of March
9； finding that they are only forty…three； they agree to launch
themselves in a body 〃at the first hostile movement； against their
adversaries and kill as many as possible〃 before perishing。＇24＇
It is a desperate resource； but the only one。 For； besides the madmen
belonging to the Convention； they have against them the madmen in the
galleries； and these likewise are September murderers。 The vilest
Jacobin rabble purposely takes its stand near them； at first in the
old Riding…school； and then in the new hall in the Tuileries。 They see
above and in a circle around them drilled adversaries； eight or nine
hundred heads packed 〃in the great gallery at the bottom； under a deep
and silent vault；〃 and； besides these； on the sides； a thousand or
fifteen hundred more； two immense tribunes completely filled。＇25＇ The
galleries of the Constituent and Legislative Assemblies； compared with
these； were calm。 Nothing is more disgraceful to the Convention；
writes a foreign spectator；＇26＇ than the insolence of the audience。
One of the regulations prohibits； indeed； any mark of approval or
disapproval； 〃but it is violated every day； and nobody is ever
punished for this delinquency。〃 The majority in vain expresses its
indignation at this 〃gang of hired ruffians；〃 who beset and oppress
it； while at the very time that it utters its complaints； it endures
and tolerates it。 〃The struggle is frightful；〃 says a deputy；＇27＇
〃screams； murmurs； stampings； shouts。 。 。 The foulest insults were
launched from the galleries。〃 〃For a long time；〃 says another； 〃no one
can speak here without obtaining their