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If the regiment is no longer wanted； let it be legally discharged。
But we will not leave our post； nor will we let our arms be taken from
us。〃 The two bodies of troops remain facing each other on the
staircase for three…quarters of an hour； almost intermingled； one
silent and the other excited； turbulent； and active； with all the
ardor and lack of discipline peculiar to a popular gathering； each
insurgent striving apart； and in his own way； to corrupt； intimidate；
or constrain the Swiss Guards。 Granier； of Marseilles； at the head of
the staircase； holds two of them at arms' length； trying in a friendly
manner to draw them down。＇91＇ At the foot of the staircase the crowd
is shouting and threatening； lighter men； armed with boat…hooks；
harpoon the sentinels by their shoulder…straps； and pull down four or
five； like so many fishes； amid shouts of laughter。 Just at this
moment a pistol goes off； nobody being able to tell which party fired
it。＇92＇ The Swiss； firing from above； clean out the vestibule and the
courts； rush down into the square and seize the cannon； the insurgents
scatter and fly out of range。 The bravest； nevertheless； rally behind
the entrances of the houses on the Carrousel； throw cartridges into
the courts of the small buildings and set them on fire。 During
another half…hour； under the dense smoke of the first discharge and of
the burning buildings； both sides fire haphazard； while the Swiss； far
from giving way； have scarcely lost a few men； when a messenger from
the King arrives； M。 d'Hervilly； who orders in his name the firing to
cease； and the men to return to their barracks。
Slowly and regularly they form in line and retire along the broad
alley of the garden。 At the sight of these foreigners； however； in
red coats； who had just fired on Frenchmen； the guns of the battalion
stationed on the terraces go off of their own accord； and the Swiss
column divides in two。 One body of 250 men turns to the right；
reaches the Assembly； lays down its arms at the King's order； and
allows itself to be shut up in the Feuillants church。 The others are
annihilated on crossing the garden； or cut down on the Place Louis XV。
by the mounted gendarmerie。 No quarter is given。 The warfare is that
of a mob； not civilized war； but primitive war； that of barbarians。 In
the abandoned palace into which the insurgents entered five minutes
after the departure of the garrison；＇93＇ they kill the wounded； the
two Swiss surgeons attending to them；＇94＇ the Swiss who had not fired
a gun； and who； in the balcony on the side of the garden； 〃cast off
their cartridge…boxes； sabers； coats； and hats； and shout： 'Friends；
we are with you； we are Frenchmen； we belong to the nation！'〃＇95＇
They kill the Swiss； armed or unarmed； who remain at their posts in
the apartments。 They kill the Swiss gate…keepers in their boxes。 They
kill everybody in the kitchens； from the head cook down to the pot
boys。＇96＇ The women barely escape。 Madame Campan； on her knees；
seized by the back； sees an uplifted saber about to fall on her； when
a voice from the foot of the staircase calls out： 〃What are you doing
there？ The women are not to be killed！〃 〃Get up； you hussy； the nation
forgives you！ 〃 To make up for this the nation helps itself and
indulges itself to its heart's content in the palace which now belongs
to it。 Some honest persons do； indeed； carry money and valuables to
the National Assembly； but others pillage and destroy all that they
can。＇97＇ They shatter mirrors； break furniture to pieces； and throw
clocks out of the window； they shout the Marseilles hymn； which one of
the National Guards accompanies on a harpsichord；＇98＇ and descend to
the cellars； where they gorge themselves。 〃For more than a
fortnight；〃 says an eye witness；＇99＇ 〃one walked on fragments of
bottles。〃 In the garden； especially； 〃it might be said that they had
tried to pave the walks with broken glass。〃 Porters are seen seated
on the throne in the coronation robes； a trollop occupies the Queen's
bed； it is a carnival in which unbridled base and cruel instincts find
plenty of good forage and abundant litter。 Runaways come back after
the victory and stab the dead with their pikes。 Nicely dressed
prostitutes fooling around with naked corpses。＇100＇ And； as the
destroyers enjoy their work； they are not disposed to be disturbed in
it。 In the courts of the Carrousel； where 1800 feet of building are
burning； the firemen try four times to extinguish the fire； 〃they are
shot at； and threatened with being pitched into the flames；〃＇101＇
while petitioners appear at the bar of the Assembly； and announce in a
threatening tone that the Tuileries are blazing； and shall blaze until
the dethronement becomes a law。
The poor Assembly； become Girondist through its late mutilation；
strives in vain to arrest the downhill course of things； and maintain；
as it has just sworn to do； 〃the constituted authorities〃；＇102＇ it
strives； at least； to put Louis XVI。 in the Luxembourg palace； to
appoint a tutor for the Dauphin； to keep the ministers temporarily in
office； and to save all prisoners； and those who walk the streets。
Equally captive； and nearly as prostrate as the King himself； the
Assembly merely serves as a recording office for the popular will；
that very morning furnishing evidence of the value which the armed
commonalty attaches to its decrees。 That morning murders were
committed at its door； in contempt of its safe conduct； at eight
o'clock Suleau and three others； wrested from their guards； are cut
down under its windows。 In the afternoon； from sixty to eighty of the
unarmed Swiss still remaining in the church of the Feuillants are
taken out to be sent to the H？tel…de…ville； and massacred on the way
at the Place de Grève。 Another detachment； conducted to the section of
the Roule； is likewise disposed of in the same way。＇103＇ Carle； at
the head of the gendarmerie； is called out of the Assembly and
assassinated on the Place Vend？me； and his head is carried about on a
pike。 The founder of the old monarchical club； M。 de Clermont…
Tonnerre； withdrawn from public life for two years past； and quietly
passing along the streets； is recognized； dragged through the gutter
and cut to pieces。 After such warnings （murder and pillage） the
Assembly can only obey； and； as usual； conceal its submission beneath
sonorous words。 If the dictatorial committee； self…imposed at the
H？tel…de…ville； still condescends to keep it alive； it is owing to a
new investiture；＇104＇ and by declaring to it that it must not meddle
with its doings now or in the future。 Let it confine itself to its
function； that of rendering decrees made by the faction。 Accordingly；
like fruit falling from a tree vigorously shaken； these decrees rattle
down； one after another； into the hands that await them；＇105＇
1。 the suspension of the King；
2。 the convoking of a national convention；
3。 electors and the eligible exempted fr