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Terrorists whom Fouquier…Tinville had merely served as a faithful
agent。
Beside Fouquier…Tinville we may set Dumas； who presided over the
Revolutionary Tribunal； and who also displayed an excessive
cruelty； which was whetted by an intense fear。 He never went out
without two loaded pistols； barricaded himself in his house； and
only spoke to visitors through a wicket。 His distrust of
everybody； including his own wife； was absolute。 He even
imprisoned the latter； and was about to have her executed when
Thermidor arrived。
Among the men whom the Convention brought to light； Billaud…
Varenne was one of the wildest and； most brutal。 He may be
regarded as a perfect type of bestial ferocity。
‘‘In these hours of fruitful anger and heroic anguish he
remained calm； acquitting himself methodically of his taskand
it was a frightful task： he appeared officially at the massacres
of the Abbaye； congratulated the assassins； and promised them
money； upon which he went home as if he had merely been taking a
walk。 We see him as president of the Jacobin Club； president of
the Convention； and member of the Committee of Public Safety； he
drags the Girondists to the scaffold： he drags the queen thither；
and his former patron； Danton； said of him； ‘Billaud has a dagger
under his tongue。' He approves of the cannonades at Lyons； the
drownings at Nantes； the massacres at Arras； he organises the
pitiless commission of Orange； he is concerned in the laws of
Prairial； he eggs on Fouquier…Tinville； on all decrees of death
is his name； often the first； he signs before his colleagues； he
is without pity； without emotion； without enthusiasm； when others
are frightened； hesitate； and draw back； he goes his way；
speaking in turgid sentences； ‘shaking his lion's mane'for to
make his cold and impassive face more in harmony with the
exuberance that surrounds him he now decks himself in a yellow
wig which would make one laugh were it on any but the sinister
head of Billaud…Varenne。 When Robespierre； Saint…Just； and
Couthon are threatened in turn； he deserts them and goes over to
the enemy； and pushes them under the knife。 。 。 。 Why？ What is
his aim？ No one knows； he is not in any way ambitious； he
desires neither power nor money。''
I do not think it would be difficult to answer why。 The thirst
for blood； of which we have already spoken； and which is very
common among certain criminals； perfectly explains the
conduct of Billaud…Varennes。 Bandits of this type kill for the
sake of killing； as sportsmen shoot gamefor the very pleasure
of exercising their taste for destruction。 In ordinary times men
endowed with these homicidal tendencies refrain； generally from
fear of the policeman and the scaffold。 When they are able to
give them free vent nothing can stop them。 Such was the case
with Billaud…Varenne and many others。
The psychology of Marat is rather more complicated； not only
because his craving for murder was combined with other elements
wounded self…love； ambition； mystic beliefs； &c。but also
because we must regard him as a semi…lunatic； affected by
megalomania； and haunted by fixed ideas。
Before the Revolution he had advanced great scientific
pretensions； but no one attached much importance to his
maunderings。 Dreaming of place and honour； he had only obtained
a very subordinate situation in the household of a great noble。
The Revolution opened up an unhoped…for future。 Swollen with
hatred of the old social system which had not recognised his
merits； he put himself at the head of the most violent section of
the people。 Having publicly glorified the massacres of
September； he founded a journal which denounced everybody and
clamoured incessantly for executions。
Speaking continually of the interests of the people； Marat became
their idol。 The majority of his colleagues heartily despised
him。 Had he escaped the knife of Charlotte Corday； he certainly
would not have escaped that of the guillotine。
5。 The Destiny of those Members of the Convention who survived
the Revolution。
Beside the members of the Convention whose psychology presents
particular characteristics there were othersBarras； Fouche；
Tallien； Merlin de Thionville； &c。completely devoid of
principles or belief； who only sought to enrich themselves。
They sought to build up enormous fortunes out of the public
misery。 In ordinary times they would have been qualified as
simple scoundrels； but in periods of revolution all standards
of vice and virtue seem to disappear。
Although a few Jacobins remained fanatics； the majority renounced
their convictions as soon as they had obtained riches； and became
the faithful courtiers of Napoleon。 Cambaceres； who； on
addressing Louis XVI。 in prison； called him Louis Capet； under
the Empire required his friends to call him ‘‘Highness'' in
public and ‘‘Monseigneur'' in private； thus displaying the
envious feeling which accompanied the craving for equality in
many of the Jacobins。
‘‘The majority of the Jacobins；'' writes M。 Madelin ‘‘were
greatly enriched； and like Chabot； Bazire； Merlin； Barras；
Boursault； Tallien； Barrere； &c。； possessed chateaux and
estates。 Those who were not wealthy as yet were soon to become
so。 。 。 In the Committee of the year III。 alone the staff of the
Thermidorian party comprised a future prince； 13 future counts； 5
future barons； 7 future senators of the Empire； and 6 future
Councillors of State； and beside them in the Convention there
were； between the future Duke of Otranto to the future Count
Regnault； no less than 50 democrats who fifteen years
later possessed titles； coats of arms； plumes； carriages；
endowments； entailed estates； hotels； and chateaux。
Fouche died worth L600；000。''
The privileges of the ancien regime which had been so
bitterly decried were thus very soon re…established for the
benefit of the bourgeoisie。 To arrive at this result it was
necessary to ruin France； to burn entire provinces； to multiply
suffering； to plunge innumerable families into despair； to
overturn Europe； and to destroy men by the hundred thousand on
the field of battle。
In closing this chapter we will recall what we have already said
concerning the possibility of judging the men of this period。
Although the moralist is forced to deal severely with certain
individuals； because he judges them by the types which society
must respect if it is to succeed in maintaining itself； the
psychologist is not in the same case。 His aim is to understand；
and criticism vanishes before a complete comprehension。
The human mind is a very fragile mechanism； and the marionettes
which dance upon the stage of history are rarely able to resist
the imperious forces which impel them。 Heredity； environment；
and circumstances are imperious masters。 No one can say with
certainty what would have been his conduct in the place of the
men whose actions he endeavours to interpret。
BOOK III
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN ANCESTRAL INFLUENCES AND REVOLUTIONARY
PRINCIPLES
CHAPTER I
THE LAST CONVULSIONS OF ANARCHYTHE DIRECTORY
1。 The Psychology of the Directory。
As the various revolutionary assemblies were composed in part of
the same men； one might suppose that their psychology would be
very similar。
At ordinary periods this would have been so； for a constant
environment means constancy of character。 But when circumstances
change as rapidly as they did under the Revolution； character
must perforce transform itself to adapt itself thereto。 Such was
the case with the Directory。
The Directory comprised several distinct assemblies： two large
chambers； consisting of different categories of deputies； and one
very small chamber； which consisted of the five Directors。
The two larger Assemblies remind one strongly of the Convention
by their weakness。 They were no longer forced to obey popular
riots； as these were energetically prevented by the Directors；
but they yielded without discussion to the dictatorial
injunctions of the latter。
The first deputies to be elected were mostly moderates。 Everyone
was weary of the Jacobin tyranny。 The new Assembly dreamed of
rebuilding the ruins with which France was covered； and
establishing a liberal government without violence。
But by one of those fatalities which were a law of the
Revolution； and which prove that the course of events is often
superior to men's wills； these deputies； like their predecessors；
may be said always to have done the contrary of what they wished
to do。 They hoped to be moderate； and they were violent； they
wanted to eliminate the influence of the Jacobins； and they
allowed themselves to be led by them； they thought to repair the
ruins of the country and they succeeded only in adding others to
them； they aspired to religious peace； and they finally
persecuted