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and burnt； together with two others alongside of it。 Taking refuge
in a cellar he still keeps on firing。 Bundles of lighted straw are
thrown in at the air…holes。 Almost suffocated； he springs out；
kills his first assailant with a shot from one pistol； and himself
with another。 His head is cut off with that of his servant。 The
guardsman is made to kiss the two heads； and； on his demanding a
glass of water； they fill his mouth with the blood which drops from
the severed head of his brother。 The victorious gang then set out
for Cahors； with the two heads stuck on bayonets； and the guardsman
in a cart。 It comes to a halt before a house in which a literary
circle meets； suspected by the Jacobin club。 The wounded man is
made to descend from the cart and is hung： his body is riddled with
balls； and everything the house contains is broken up； 〃the
furniture is thrown out of the windows； and the house pulled down。〃
… Every popular execution is of this character； at once prompt and
complete； similar to those of an Oriental monarch who； on the
instant； without inquiry or trial； avenges his offended majesty；
and。 for every offense； knows no other punishment than death。 At
Tulle； M。 de Massy；＇29＇ lieutenant of the 〃Royal Navarre；〃 having
struck a man that insulted him； is seized in the house in which he
took refuge； and； in spite of the three administrative bodies； is at
once massacred。 … At Brest； two anti…revolutionary caricatures
having been drawn with charcoal on the walls of the military coffee…
house； the excited crowd lay the blame of it on the officers； one of
these； M。 Patry； takes it upon himself； and； on the point of being
torn to pieces； attempts to kill himself。 He is disarmed； but； when
the municipal authorities come to his assistance； they find him
〃already dead through an infinite number of wounds；〃 and his head is
borne about on the end of a pike。＇30＇ …
VI。
Conduct of officers。 … Their self…sacrifice。… Disposition of the
soldiery。 … Military outbreaks。… Spread and increase of
insubordination。 … Resignation of the officers。
Much better would it be to live under an Eastern king； for he is not
found everywhere； nor always furious and mad； like the populace。
Nowhere are the nobles safe； neither in public nor in private life；
neither in the country nor in the towns； neither associated together
nor separate。 Popular hostility hangs over them like a dark and
threatening cloud from one end of the territory to the other； and the
tempest bursts upon them in a continuous storm of vexations； outrages；
calumnies； robberies； and acts of violence； here； there； and almost
daily； bloody thunderbolts fall haphazard on the most inoffensive
heads； on an old man asleep； on a Knight of Saint…Louis taking a
walk； on a family at prayers in a church。 But； in this aristocracy；
crushed down in some places and attacked everywhere； the thunderbolt
finds one predestined group which attracts it and on which it constantly
falls； and that is the corps of officers。
VI。
Conduct of the officers。 … Their self…sacrifice。 … Disposition
of the soldiery。 … Military outbreaks。 … Spread and increase of
insubordination。 … Resignation of the officers。
With the exception of a few fops； frequenters of drawing…rooms； and
the court favorites who have reached a high rank through the
intrigues of the antechamber； it was in this group； especially in
the medium ranks； that true moral nobility was then found。 Nowhere
in France was there so much tried； substantial merit。 A man of
genius； who associated with them in his youth； rendered them this
homage： many among them are men possessing 〃 the most amiable
characters and minds of the highest order。〃＇31＇ Indeed； for most of
them； military service was not a career of ambition； but an
obligation of birth。 It was the rule in each noble family for the
eldest son to enter the army； and advancement was of but little
consequence。 He discharged the debt of his rank； this sufficed for
him； and； after twenty or thirty years of service； the order of
Saint…Louis； and sometimes a meager pension； were all he had a right
to expect。 Amongst nine or ten thousand officers； the great
majority coming from the lower and poorer class of provincial
nobles； body…guards； lieutenants； captains； majors； lieutenant…
colonels； and even colonels； have no other pretension。 Satisfied
with favors＇32＇ restricted to their subordinate rank； they leave the
highest grades of the service to the heirs of the great families； to
the courtiers or to the parvenus at Versailles； and content
themselves with remaining the guardians of public order； and the
brave defenders of the State。 Under this system； when the heart is
not depraved it becomes exalted； it is made a point of honor to
serve without compensation； there is nothing but the public welfare
in view； and all the more because； at this moment； it is the
absorbing topic of all minds and of all literature。 Nowhere has
practical philosophy； that which consists in a spirit of abnegation；
more deeply penetrated than among this unrecognized nobility。 Under
a polished； brilliant； and sometimes frivolous exterior； they have a
serious soul ； the old sentiment of honor is converted into one of
patriotism。 Set to execute the laws； with force in hand to maintain
peace through fear； they feel the importance of their mission； and；
for two years； fulfill its duties with extraordinary moderation；
gentleness； and patience； not only at the risk of their lives； but
amidst great and multiplied humiliations； through the sacrifice of
their authority and self…esteem； through the subjection of their
intelligent will to the dictation and incapacity of the masters
imposed upon them。 For a noble officer to respond to the
requisitions of an extemporized bourgeois municipal body；＇33＇ to
subordinate his competence； courage； and prudence to the blunders
and alarms of five or six inexperienced； frightened； and timid
attorneys； to place his energy and daring at the service of their
presumption； feebleness； and lack of decision； even when their
orders or refusal of orders are manifestly absurd or injurious； even
when they are opposed to the previous instructions of his general or
of his minister； even when they end in the plundering of a market；
the burning of a chateau； the assassination of an innocent person；
even when they impose upon him the obligation of witnessing crime
with his sword sheathed and arms folded；＇34＇ … this is a hard
task。 It is hard for the noble officer to see independent； popular；
and bourgeois troops organized in the face of his own troops； rivals
and even hostile； in any case ten times as numerous and no less
exacting than sensitive … hard to be expected to show them
deference and extend civilities to them； to surrender to them posts；
arsenals； and citadels； to treat their chiefs as equals； however
ignorant or unworthy； and whatever they may be … here a lawyer；
there a Capuchin； elsewhere a brewer or a shoemaker； most generally
some demagogue； and； in many a town or village； some deserter or
soldier drummed out of his regiment for bad conduct； perhaps one of
the noble's own men； a scamp whom he has formerly discharged with
the yellow cartridge； telling him to go and be hung elsewhere。 It
is hard for the noble officer to be publicly and daily calumniated
on account of his rank and title； to be characterized as a traitor
at the club and in the newspapers； to be designated by name as an
object of popular suspicion and fury； to be hooted at in the streets
and in the theater； to submit to the disobedience of his men； to be
denounced； insulted； arrested； fleeced； hunted down and slaughtered
by them and by the populace； to see before him a cruel； ignoble； and
unavenged death … that of M。 de Launay； murdered at Paris …
that of M。 de Belzunce； murdered at Caen … that of M。 de
Beausset； murdered at Marseilles … that of M。 de Voisins；
murdered at Valence … that of M。 de Rully； murdered at Bastia； or
that of M。 de Rochetailler； murdered at Port…au…Prince。＇35＇ All
this is endured by the officers among the nobles。 Not one of the
municipalities； even Jacobin； can find any pretext which will
warrant the charge of disobeying orders。 Through tact and deference
they avoid all conflict with the National Guards。 Never do they
give provocation； and； even when insulted； rarely defend themselves。
Their gravest faults consist of imprudent conversations； vivacious
expressions and witticisms。 Like good watch…dogs amongst a
frightened herd which trample them under foot； or pierce them with
their horns； they allow themselves to be pierced and trampled on
without biting； and would remain at their post to the end were they
not driven away from it。
All to no purpose： doubly suspicious as members of a proscribed
class； and as heads of the army； it is against them that public