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Wine runs down into the gutter； and the scent of it fills the air；〃
it is a drinking bout： meanwhile they carry away the grain and flour
which the monks kept on hand according to law； fifty…two loads of it
being taken to the market。 Another troop comes to La Force； to
deliver those imprisoned for debt； a third breaks into the Garde
Meuble； carrying away valuable arms and armour。 Mobs assemble
before the hotel of Madame de Breteuil and the Palais…Bourbon； which
they intend to ransack； in order to punish their proprietors。 M。 de
Crosne； one of the most liberal and most respected men of Paris；
but； unfortunately for himself a lieutenant of the police； is
pursued； escaping with difficulty； and his hotel is sacked。
During the night between the 13th and 14th of May； the baker's shops
and the wine shops are pillaged； 〃men of the vilest class； armed
with guns； pikes； and turnspits； make people open their doors and
give them something to eat and drink； as well as money and arms。〃
Vagrants； ragged men； several of them 〃almost naked；〃 and 〃most of
them armed like savages； and of hideous appearance；〃 they are 〃 such
as one does not remember to have seen in broad daylight；〃 many of
them are strangers； come from nobody knows where。＇39＇ It is stated
that there were 50；000 of them； and that they had taken possession
of the principal guard…houses。
During these two days and nights； says Bailly； 〃Paris ran the risk
of being pillaged； and was only saved from the marauders by the
National Guard。〃 Already； in the open street；＇40＇ 〃these creatures
tore off women's shoes and earrings；〃 and the robbers were beginning
to have full sway。 Fortunately the militia organized itself and
the principal inhabitants and gentlemen enrolled themselves； 48；000
men are formed into battalions and companies； the bourgeoisie buy
guns of the vagabonds for three livres apiece； and sabers or pistols
for twelve sous。 At last； some of the offenders are hung on the
spot； and others disarmed； and the insurrection again becomes
political。 But； whatever its object； it remains always wild；
because it is in the hands of the mob。 Dusaulx； its panegyrist；
confesses＇41＇ that 〃he thought he was witnessing the total
dissolution of society。〃 There is no leader； no management。 The
electors who have converted themselves into the representatives of
Paris seem to command the crowd； but it is the crowd which commands
them。 One of them； Legrand； to save the H？tel…de…Ville； has no
other resource but to send for six barrels of gun…powder； and to
declare to the assailants that he is about to blow everything into
the air。 The commandant whom they themselves have chosen； M。 de
Salles； has twenty bayonets at his breast during a quarter of an
hour； and； more than once； the whole committee is near being
massacred。 Let the reader imagine； on the premises where the
discussions are going on； and petitions are being made； 〃a concourse
of fifteen hundred men pressed by a hundred thousand others who are
forcing an entrance；〃 the wainscoting cracking； the benches upset
one over another； the enclosure of the bureau pushed back against
the president's chair； a tumult such as to bring to mind 'the day of
judgment；〃 the death…shrieks； songs； yells； and 〃people beside
themselves； for the most part not knowing where they are nor what
they want。〃 Each district is also a petty center； while the
Palais…Royal is the main center。 Propositions； 〃 accusations； and
deputations travel to and fro from one to the other； along with the
human torrent which is obstructed or rushes ahead with no other
guide than its own inclination and the chances of the way。 One wave
gathers here and another there； their strategy consisting in pushing
and in being pushed。 Yet； their entrance is effected only because
they are let in。 If they get into the Invalides it is owing to the
connivance of the soldiers。 At the Bastille； firearms are
discharged from ten in the morning to five in the evening against
walls forty feet high and thirty feet thick； and it is by chance
that one of their shots reaches an invalid on the towers。 They are
treated the same as children whom one wishes to hurt as little as
possible。 The governor； on the first summons to surrender； orders
the cannon to be withdrawn from the embrasures； he makes the
garrison swear not to fire if it is not attacked； he invites the
first of the deputations to lunch； he allows the messenger
dispatched from the H？tel…de…Ville to inspect the fortress； he
receives several discharges without returning them； and lets the
first bridge be carried without firing a shot。＇42＇ When； at length；
he does fire； it is at the last extremity； to defend the second
bridge； and after having notified the assailants that he is going to
do so。 In short； his forbearance and patience are excessive； in
conformity with the humanity of the times。 The people； in turn； are
infatuated with the novel sensations of attack and resistance； with
the smell of gunpowder； with the excitement of the contest； all they
can think of doing is to rush against the mass of stone； their
expedients being on a level with their tactics。 A brewer fancies
that he can set fire to this block of masonry by pumping over it
spikenard and poppy…seed oil mixed with phosphorus。 A young
carpenter； who has some archaeological notions； proposes to
construct a catapult。 Some of them think that they have seized the
governor's daughter； and want to burn her in order to make the
father surrender。 Others set fire to a projecting mass of buildings
filled with straw； and thus close up the passage。 〃The Bastille was
not taken by main force；〃 says the brave Elie； one of the
combatants； 〃it surrendered before even it was attacked；〃＇43＇ by
capitulation； on the promise that no harm should be done to anybody。
The garrison； being perfectly secure； had no longer the heart to
fire on human beings while themselves risking nothing；＇44＇ and； on
the other hand； they were unnerved by the sight of the immense
crowd。 Eight or nine hundred men only＇45＇ were concerned in the
attack； most of them workmen or shopkeepers belonging to the
faubourg； tailors； wheelwrights； mercers and wine…dealers； mixed
with the French Guards。 The Place de la Bastille； however； and all
the streets in the vicinity； were crowded with the curious who came
to witness the sight； 〃among them；〃 says a witness；＇46＇ 〃were a
number of fashionable women of very good appearance； who had left
their carriages at some distance。〃 To the hundred and twenty men of
the garrison looking down from their parapets it seemed as though
all Paris had come out against them。 It is they； also； who lower
the drawbridge an introduce the enemy： everybody has lost his head；
the besieged as well as the besiegers； the latter more completely
because they are intoxicated with the sense of victory。 Scarcely
have they entered when they begin the work of destruction； and the
latest arrivals shoot at random those that come earlier； 〃each one
fires without heeding where or on whom his shot tells。〃 Sudden
omnipotence and the liberty to kill are a wine too strong for human
nature； giddiness is the result； men see red； and their frenzy ends
in ferocity。
For the peculiarity of a popular insurrection is that nobody obeys
anybody； the bad passions are free as well as the generous ones；
heroes are unable to restrain assassins。 Elie； who is the first to
enter the fortress； Cholat； Hulin； the brave fellows who are in
advance； the French Guards who are cognizant of the laws of war； try
to keep their word of honor； but the crowd pressing on behind them
know not whom to strike； and they strike at random。 They spare the
Swiss soldiers who have fired at them； and who； in their blue
smocks； seem to them to be prisoners； on the other hand； by way of
compensation； they fall furiously on the invalides who opened the
gates to them； the man who prevented the governor from blowing up
the fortress has his wrist severed by the blow of a saber； is twice
pierced with a sword and is hung； and the hand which had saved one
of the districts of Paris is promenaded through the streets in
triumph。 The officers are dragged along and five of them are
killed； with three soldiers； on the spot； or on the way。 During the
long hours of firing； the murderous instinct has become aroused； and
the wish to kill； changed into a fixed idea； spreads afar among the
crowd which has hitherto remained inactive。 It is convinced by its
own clamor； a hue and cry is all that it now needs； the moment one
strikes； all want to strike。 〃Those who had no arms；〃 says an
officer； 〃threw stones at me；＇47＇ the women ground their teeth and
shook their fists at me。 Two of my men had already been
assassinated behind me。 I finally got to within some hundreds of
paces of the H？tel…de…Ville； amidst a general cry that I should be
hung； when a head； stuck on a pike； was