the origins of contemporary france-2-第96节

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inverse　sense；　contrary　to　the　law；　and　yet　more　contrary　to

nature。＇21＇　　For；　by　a　violent　inversion；　the　lower　grades　in　the

graduated　scale　of　civilization　and　culture　now　are　found　uppermost；

while　the　superior　grades　are　found　at　the　uniform。　The　Constitution

having　suppressed　inequality；　this　has　again　arisen　in　an　inverse

sense。　　The　populace；　both　of　town　and　country；　taxes；　imprisons；

pillages；　and　slays　more　arbitrarily；　more　brutally；　more　unjustly

than　feudal　barons；　and　for　its　serfs　or　villains　it　has　its　ancient

chieftains。



V。

Persecutions　in　private　life。



Let　us　suppose　that；　in　order　not　to　excite　suspicion；　they　are

content　to　be　without　arms；　to　form　no　more　associations；　not　to

attend　elections；　to　shut　themselves　up　at　home；　to　strictly　confine

themselves　within　the　harmless　precincts　of　domestic　life。　　The　same

distrust；　the　same　animosity；　still　pursues　them　there。　　…　　At

Cahors；＇22＇　where　the　municipal　authorities；　in　spite　of　the　law；

had　just　expelled　the　Carthusians　who；　under　legal　sanction；　chose

to　remain　and　live　in　common；　two　of　the　monks；　before　their

departure；　give　to　M。　de　Beaumont；　their　friend　and　neighbor；　four

dwarf　pear…trees　and　some　onions　in　blossom　in　their　garden。　　On　the

strength　of　this；　the　municipal　body　decree　that



　〃the　sieur　Louis　de　Beaumont；　formerly　count；　is　guilty　of　having

audaciously　and　maliciously　damaged　national　property；〃　condemns　him

to　pay　a　fine　of　three　hundred　livres；　and　orders　〃that　the　four

pear…trees；　pulled　up　in　the　so…called　Carthusian　garden；　be　brought

on　the　following　day；　Wednesday；　to　the　door　of　the　said　sieur　de

Beaumont；　and　there　remain　for　four　consecutive　days；　guarded；　day

and　night；　by　two　fusiliers；　at　the　expense　of　the　said　sieur　de

Beaumont；　and　upon　the　said　trees　shall　be　placed　the　following

inscription；　to　wit：　Louis　de　Beaumont；　destroyer　of　the　national

property。　　And　the　judgment　herewith　rendered　shall　be　printed　to

the　number　of　one　thousand　copies；　read；　published；　and　posted　at

the　expense　of　the　said　sieur　de　Beaumont；　and　duly　addressed

throughout　the　department　of　Lot　to　the　districts　and　municipalities

thereof；　as　well　as　to　all　societies　of　the　Friends　of　the

Constitution　and　of　Liberty。〃



Every　line　of　this　legal　invective　discloses　the　malignant　envy　of

the　local　recorder；　who　revenges　himself　for　having　formerly　bowed

too　low。　　…　　The　following　year；　M。　de　Beaumont；　having　formally　and

under　notarial　sanction　bought　a　church　which　was　sold　by　the

district；　along　with　the　ornaments　and　objects　of　worship　it

contained；　the　mayor　and　municipal　officers；　followed　by　a　lot　of

workmen；　come　and　carry　away　and　destroy　everything　　…

confessionals；　altars；　and　even　the　saint's　canonised　body；　which

had　been　interred　for　one　hundred　and　fifty　years：　so　that；　after

their　departure；　〃the　edifice　resembled　a　vast　barn　filled　with

ruins　and　rubbish。〃＇23＇　It　must　be　noted　that；　at　this　very　time；　M。

de　Beaumont　is　military　commandant　at　Perigord。　　The　treatment　he

undergoes　shows　what　is　in　reserve　for　ordinary　nobles。　　I　do　not

recommend　them　to　attend　official　sales　of　property。＇24＇　　…　　Will

they　even　be　free　in　their　domestic　enjoyments；　and　on　entering　a

drawing…room　are　they　sure　of　quietly　passing　an　evening　there？　　…

At　Paris；　even；　a　number　of　persons　of　rank；　among　them　the

ambassadors　of　Denmark　and　Venice；　are　listening　to　a　concert　in　a

mansion　in　the　Faubourg　Saint…Honoré　given　by　a　foreign　virtuoso；

when　a　cart　enters　the　court　loaded　with　fifty　bundles　of　hay；　the

monthly　supply　for　the　horses。　　A　patriot；　who　sees　the　cart　driven

in；　imagines　that　the　King　is　concealed　underneath　the　hay；　and　that

he　has　come　there　for　the　purpose　of　plotting　with　the　aristocrats

about　his　flight。　　A　mob　gathers；　and　the　National　Guard　arrives；

along　with　a　commissioner；　while　four　grenadiers　stand　guard　around

the　cart。　　The　commissioner；　in　the　meantime；　inspects　the　hotel；　he

sees　music…stands；　and　the　arrangements　for　a　supper；　comes　back；

has　the　cart　unloaded；　and　states　to　the　people　that　he　has　found

nothing　suspicious。　　The　people　do　not　believe　him；　and　demand　a

second　inspection。　　This　is　made　by　twenty…four　delegates；　the

bundles　of　hay；　moreover；　are　counted；　and　several　of　them　are

unbound；　but　all　in　vain。　　Disappointed　and　irritated；　having

anticipated　a　spectacle；　the　crowd　insists　that　all　the　invited

guests；　men　and　women；　should　leave　the　house　on　foot；　and　only　get

into　their　carriages　at　the　end　of　the　street。　　〃First　comes　a　file

of　empty　carriages；〃　next；　〃all　the　guests　in　their　evening　attire；

and　the　ladies　in　full　dress；　trembling　with　fear；　with　downcast

eyes；　between　two　rows　of　men；　women；　and　children；　who　stare　them

in　the　face；　and　overwhelm　them　with　insults。〃＇25＇



Suspected　of　holding　secret　meetings；　and　called　to　account　in　his

own　house；　has　the　noble　at　least　the　right　to　frequent　a　public

saloon；　to　eat　in　a　restaurant；　and　to　take　the　fresh　air　in　a

balcony？　　…　　The　Vicomte　de　Mirabeau；　who　has　just　dined　in　the

Palais…Royal；　stands　at　the　window　to　take　the　air；　and　is

recognized；　there　is　a　gathering；　and　the　cry　is　soon　heard；　〃Down

with　Mirabeau…Tonneau　（barrel…Mirabeau）！〃＇26＇　〃Gravel　is　flung　at

him　from　all　sides；　and　occasionally　stones。　　One　of　the　window…

panes　is　broken　by　a　stone。　　Immediately　picking　up　the　stone；　he

shows　it　to　the　crowd；　and；　at　the　same　time；　quietly　places　it　on

the　sill　of　the　window；　in　token　of　moderation。〃　There　is　a　loud

outcry；　his　friends　force　him　to　withdraw　inside；　and　Bailly；　the

mayor；　comes　in　person　to　quiet　the　aggressors。　　In　this　case　there

are　good　reasons　for　their　hatred。　　The　gentleman　whom　they　stone　is

a　bon…vivant；　large　and　fat；　fond　of　rich　epicurean　Suppers；　and　on

this　account　the　populace　imagine　him　to　be　a　monster；　and　even

worse；　an　ogre。　　With　regard　to　these　nobles；　whose　greatest

misfortune　is　to　be　over…polished　and　too　worldly；　the　over…excited

imagination　revives　its　old　nursery　tales。　　…　　M。　de　Montlosier；

living　in　the　Rue　Richelieu；　finds　that　he　is　watched　on　his　way　to

the　National　Assembly。　　One　woman　especially；　from　thirty　to　thirty…

two　years　of　age；　who　sold　meat　at　a　stall　in　the　Passage　Saint…

Guillaume；　〃regarded　him　with　special　attention。　　As　soon　as　she　saw

him　coming　she　took　up　a　long；　broad　knife　which　she　sharpened

before　him；　casting　furious　looks　at　him。〃　He　asks　his　housekeeper

what　this　means。　　Two　children　of　that　quarter　have　disappeared；

carried　off　by　gipsies；　and　the　report　is　current　that　M。　de

Montlosier；　the　Marquis　de　Mirabeau；　and　other　deputies　of　the

〃right；〃　meet　together　〃to　hold　orgies　in　which　they　eat　little

children。〃



In　this　state　of　public　opinion　there　is　no　crime　which　is　not

imputed　to　them；　no　insult　which　is　not　freely　bestowed　on　them。

〃Traitors；　tyrants；　conspirators；　assassins；〃　such　is　the　current

vocabulary　of　the　clubs　and　newspapers　in　relation　to　them。

〃Aristocrat〃　signifies　all　this；　and　whoever　dares　to　refute　the

calumny　is　himself　an　aristocrat。　　…　　At　the　Palais…Royal；　it　is

constantly　repeated　that　M。　de　Castries；　in　his　last　duel；　made　use

of　a　poisoned　sword；　and　an　officer　of　the　navy　who　protests　against

this　false　report　is　himself　accused；　tried　on　the　spot；　and

condemned　〃to　be　shut　up　in　the　guard…house　or　thrown　into　the

fountain。〃＇27＇　　…　　The　nobles　must　beware　of　defending　their　honor

in　the　usual　way　and　of　meeting　an　insult　with　a　challenge！　At

Castelnau；　near　Cahors；＇28＇　one　of　those　who；　the　preceding　year；

marched　against　the　incendiaries；　M。　de　Bellud；　Knight　of　Saint…

Louis；　on　coming　down　the　public　square　with　his　brother；　a

guardsman；　is　greeted　with　cries　of　〃The　aristocrat！　to　the　lamp

post　！〃　His　brother　is　in　a　morning　coat　and　slippers；　and　not

wishing　to　get　into　trouble　they　do　not　reply。　　A　squad　of　the

National　Guard；　passing　by；　repeats　the　cry；　but　they　still　remain

silent。　　The　shout　continues；　and　M。　de　Bellud；　after　some　time　has

elapsed；　begs　the　captain　to　order　his　men　to　be　quiet。　　He　refuses；

and　M。　de　Bellud　demands　satisfaction　outside　the　town。　　At　these

words　the　National　Guards　rush　at　M。　de　Bellud　with　fixed　bayonets。

His　brother　receives　a　saber…cut　on　the　neck；　while　he；　defending

himself　with　his　sword；　slightly　wounds　the　captain　and　one　of　the

men。　　The　two　brothers；　alone　against　the　whole　body；　fight　on；

retreating　to　their　house；　in　which　they　are　blockaded。　　Towards

seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　two　or　three　hundred　National　Guards

from　Cahors　arrive　to　reinforce　the　besiegers。　　The　house　is　taken；

and　the　guardsman；　escaping　across　the　fields；　sprains　his　ankle　and

is　captured。　　M。　de　Bellud；　who　has　found　his　way　into　another

house；　continues　to　defend　himself　there：　the　house　is　set　on　fire

and　burnt；　together　with　two　others　alongside　of　it。　　Taking　refuge

in　a　cellar　he　still　k