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known； and the Convention had in no wise blamed him for them。
I have already spoken of the vanity of the deputies ‘‘on
mission；'' who were suddenly endowed with a power greater than
that of the most powerful despots； but this vanity is not enough
to explain their ferocity。
That arose from other sources。 Apostles of a severe faith； the
delegates of the Convention； like the inquisitors of the Holy
Office； could feel； can have felt； no pity for their victims。
Freed； moreover； from all the bonds of tradition and law；
they could give rein to the most savage instincts that primitive
animality has left in us。
Civilisation restrains these instincts； but they never die。 The
need to kill which makes the hunter is a permanent proof of this。
M。 Cunisset…Carnot has expressed in the following lines the grip
of this hereditary tendency； which； in the pursuit of the most
harmless game； re…awakens the barbarian in every hunter：
‘‘The pleasure of killing for killing's sake is； one may say；
universal； it is the basis of the hunting instinct； for it must
be admitted that at present； in civilised countries； the need to
live no longer counts for anything in its propagation。 In
reality we are continuing an action which was imperiously imposed
upon our savage ancestors by the harsh necessities of existence；
during which they had either to kill or die of hunger； while to…
day there is no longer any legitimate excuse for it。 But so it
is； and we can do nothing； probably we shall never break the
chains of a slavery which has bound us for so long。 We cannot
prevent ourselves from feeling an intense； often passionate；
pleasure in shedding the blood of animals towards whom； when the
love of the chase possesses us； we lose all feeling of pity。 The
gentlest and prettiest creatures； the song…birds； the charm of
our springtime； fall to our guns or are choked in our snares； and
not a shudder of pity troubles our pleasure at seeing them
terrified； bleeding； writhing in the horrible suffering we
inflict on them； seeking to flee on their poor broken paws or
desperately beating their wings； which can no longer support
them。 。 。 。 The excuse is the impulse of that imperious
atavism which the best of us have not the strength to resist。''
At ordinary times this singular atavism； restrained by fear of
the laws； can only be exercised on animals。 When codes are no
longer operative it immediately applies itself to man； which is
why so many terrorists took an intense pleasure in killing。
Carrier's remark concerning the joy he felt in contemplating the
faces of his victims during their torment is very typical。 In
many civilised men ferocity is a restrained instinct； but it is
by no means eliminated。
3。 Danton and Robespierre。
Danton and Robespierre represented the two principal personages
of the Revolution。 I shall say little of the former： his
psychology； besides being simple； is familiar。 A club orator
firstly； impulsive and violent； he showed himself always ready to
excite the people。 Cruel only in his speeches； he often
regretted their effects。 From the outset he shone in the first
rank； while his future rival； Robespierre； was vegetating almost
in the lowest。
At one given moment Danton became the soul of the Revolution； but
he was deficient in tenacity and fixity of conduct。 Moreover； he
was needy； while Robespierre was not。 The continuous fanaticism
of the latter defeated the intermittent efforts of the former。
Nevertheless； it was an amazing spectacle to see so powerful a
tribune sent to the scaffold by his pale； venemous enemy and
mediocre rival。
Robespierre； the most influential man of the Revolution and the
most frequently studied； is yet the least explicable。 It is
difficult to understand the prodigious influence which
gave him the power of life and death； not only over the enemies
of the Revolution but also over colleagues who could not have
been considered as enemies of the existing Government。
We certainly cannot explain the matter by saying with Taine that
Robespierre was a pedant lost in abstractions； nor by asserting
with the Michelet that he succeeded on account of his principles；
nor by repeating with his contemporary Williams that ‘‘one of the
secrets of his government was to take men marked by opprobrium or
soiled with crime as stepping…stones to his ambition。''
It is impossible to regard his eloquence as the cause of his
success。 His eyes protected by goggles； he painfully read his
speeches； which were composed of cold and indefinite
abstractions。 The Assembly contained orators who possessed an
immensely superior talent； such as Danton and the Girondists； yet
it was Robespierre who destroyed them。
We have really no acceptable explanation of the ascendancy which
the dictator finally obtained。 Without influence in the National
Assembly； he gradually became the master of the Convention and of
the Jacobins。 ‘‘When he reached the Committee of Public Safety
he was already；'' said Billaud…Varennes； ‘‘the most important
person in France。''
‘‘His history；'' writes Michelet； ‘‘is prodigious； far more
marvellous than that of Bonaparte。 The threads； the wheels； the
preparation of forces； are far less visible。 It is an honest
man； an austere but pious figure； of middling talents； that
shoots up one morning； borne upward by I know not what cataclysm。
There is nothing like it in the Arabian Nights。 And in a moment
he goes higher than the throne。 He is set upon the altar。
Astonishing story！''
Certainly circumstances helped him considerably。 People turned
to him as to the master of whom all felt the need。 But then he
was already there； and what we wish to discover is the cause of
his rapid ascent。 I would willingly suppose in him the existence
of a species of personal fascination which escapes us to…day。
His successes with women might be quoted in support of this
theory。 On the days when he speaks ‘‘the passages are choked
with women 。 。 。 there are seven or eight hundred in the
tribunes； and with what transports they applaud！ At the
Jacobins； when he speaks there are sobs and cries of emotion； and
men stamp as though they would bring the hall down。'' A young
widow； Mme。 de Chalabre； possessed of sixteen hundred pounds a
year； sends him burning love…letters and is eager to marry him。
We cannot seek in his character for the causes of his popularity。
A hypochondriac by temperament； of mediocre intelligence；
incapable of grasping realities； confined to abstractions； crafty
and dissimulating； his prevailing note was an excessive pride
which increased until his last day。 High priest of a new faith；
he believed himself sent on earth by God to establish the
reign of virtue。 He received writings stating ‘‘that he
was the Messiah whom the Eternal Being had promised to reform
the world。''
Full of literary pretensions； he laboriously polished his
speeches。 His profound jealousy of other orators or men of
letters； such as Camille Desmoulins； caused their death。
‘‘Those who were particularly the objects of the tyrant's rage；''
writes the author already cited； ‘‘were the men of letters。 With
regard to them the jealousy of a colleague was mingled with the
fury of the oppressor； for the hatred with which he persecuted
them was caused less by their resistance to his despotism than by
their talents； which eclipsed his。''
The contempt of the dictator for his colleagues was immense and
almost unconcealed。 Giving audience to Barras at the hour of his
toilet； he finished shaving； spitting in the direction of his
colleague as though he did not exist； and disdaining to reply to
his questions。
He regarded the bourgeoisie and the deputies with the same
hateful disdain。 Only the multitude found grace in his eyes。
‘‘When the sovereign people exercises its power；'' he said； ‘‘we
can only bow before it。 In all it does all is virtue and truth；
and no excess； error； or crime is possible。''
Robespierre suffered from the persecution mania。 That he had
others' heads cut off was not only because he had a mission as an
apostle； but because he believed himself hemmed in by enemies and
conspirators。 ‘‘Great as was the cowardice of his colleagues
where he was concerned；'' writes M。 Sorel； ‘‘the fear he had of
them was still greater。''
His dictatorship； absolute during five months； is a striking
example of the power of certain leaders。 We can understand that
a tyrant backed by an army can easily destroy whom he pleases；
but that a single man should succeed in sending to death a large
number of his equals is a thing that is not easily explained。
The power of Robespierre was so absolute that he was able to send
to the Tribunal； and therefore to the scaffold； the most eminent
deputies： Desmoulins； Hebert； Danton； and many another。 The
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