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all the brigands in Paris；＇118＇ then the insurrection will undoubtedly
take place。〃 Already the plan of the massacre is under consideration
by the lowest class of fanatics at the mayoralty； the Evêché； and the
Jacobin club。＇119＇
Some isolated house is to be selected； with a suite of three rooms on
the ground floor； and a small court in the rear； the twenty…two
Girondists are to be caught in the night and brought to this
slaughter…house arranged beforehand； each in turn is to be passed
along to the last room； where he is to be killed and his body tumbled
into a hole dug in the middle of the court； and then the whole covered
over with quick…lime； it will be supposed that they have emigrated；
and； to establish the fact； false correspondence will be printed。＇120＇
A member of the Committee on the Municipal Police declares that the
plan is feasible：
〃We will Septemberize（kill） them not we ourselves； but men who are
ready； and who will be well paid for it。〃
The Montagnards present Léonard Bourdon and Legendre； make no
objection。 The latter simply remarks that the Girondists should not
be seized in the Convention； outside the Convention 〃they are
scoundrels whose death would save the Republic；〃 and the act is
lawful； he would like to see 〃with them every rascal on the 'black'
side perish without interfering。〃 Several； instead of 22 deputies；
demand 30 or 32； and some 300； the suspected of each district may be
added； while ten or a dozen proscription lists are already made out。
Through a clean sweep； executed the same night； at the same hour； they
may be conducted to the Carmelites； near the Luxembourg； and； 〃if
there is not room enough there；〃 to Bicêtre； here； 〃they will
disappear from the surface of the globe。〃＇121＇ Certain leaders desired
to entrust the purification of Paris to the sagacity of popular
instinct。 〃In loose and disconnected phrases〃 they address the people：
〃Rouse yourselves； and act according to your inclinations； as my
indications might only startle those you should strike down and
thereby allow them to escape！〃 Varlet proposes； on the contrary； a
plan of public safety； very full and explicit； in fifteen articles：
〃Sweep away the deputies of the 'Plain；' and other deputies of the
Constituent and Legislative Assemblies； all nobles； priests；
pettifoggers； etc。； exterminate the whole of that race； and the
Bourbons； too； with entire suppression of the Ministers。〃
Hébert； for his part； alluding to the Girondists； writes in his
gazette that 〃the last hour of their death is going to strike；〃 and
that； 〃when their foul blood shall have been spilled； aristocratic
brawlers will return to their holes； the same as on the 10th of
August。 〃Naturally； the professional slaughterers are notified。 A
certain Laforet； an old…clothes dealer on the Quai…du…Louvre； who；
with his wife； had already distinguished themselves on the 2nd of
September； reckons that 〃there are in Paris 6；000 sans…culottes ready
to massacre at the first sign all dangerous deputies； and eight
thousand petitioners；〃 undoubtedly those who； in the several sections；
signed the addresses to the Convention against the Commune。 Another
〃Septemberizer；〃＇122＇ commanding the battalion of the Jardin des
Plantes； Henriot； on meeting a gang of men working on the wharves；
exclaims in his rough voice：
〃Good morning； my good fellows； we shall need you soon； and at better
work。 You won't have wood to carry in your carts you'll have to
carry dead bodies。〃
〃All right；〃 replies one of the hands； half tipsy； 〃we'll do it as we
did the 2nd of September。 We'll turn a penny by it。〃 …
Cheynard； a locksmith and machinist at the mint； is manufacturing
daggers； and the women of the tribunes are already supplied with two
hundred of them。〃 …
Finally； on the 29th of May； Hébert proposes； in the Jacobin
club；＇123＇ 〃to pounce down on the Commission of Twelve；〃 and another
Jacobin declares that 〃those who have usurped dictatorial power；〃
meaning by that the Girondists； 〃are outlawed。〃
All this is extreme； clumsily done； useless and dangerous； or； at
least； premature； and the chiefs of the 〃Mountain；〃 Danton；
Robespierre； and Marat himself； better informed and less shortsighted；
are well aware that brutal murder would be revolting to the already
half…aroused departments。＇124＇ The legislative machinery is not to be
shattered； but made use of； it must be employed against itself to
effect the required injury； in this way the operation at a distance
will appear legal； and； garnished with the usual high…flown speeches；
impose on the provincial mind。＇125＇ From the 3rd of April；
Robespierre； in the Jacobin club； always circumspect and considerate；
had limited and defined in advance the coming insurrection。 〃Let all
good citizens；〃 he says； 〃meet in their sections； and come and force
us to place the disloyal deputies under arrest。〃 Nothing can be more
moderate； and； if they refer to principles； nothing can be more
correct。 The people always reserves the right to cooperate with its
mandatories； which right it practices daily in the galleries。 Through
extreme precaution； which well describes the man；＇126＇ Robespierre
refuses to go any further in his interference。 〃I am incapable of
advising the people what steps to take for its salvation。 That is not
given to one man alone。 I； who am exhausted by four years of
revolution； and by the heart…rending spectacle of the triumph of
tyranny； am not thus favored。 。 。 。 I； who am wasted by a slow fever；
and； above all by the fever of patriotism。 As I have said； there
remains for me no other duty to fulfill at the present moment。〃
What's more； he enjoins the municipality 〃to unite with the people；
and form a close alliance with it。〃 In other words； the blow must
be struck by the Commune； the 〃Mountain〃 must appear to have nothing
to do with it。 But； 〃it is privy to the secret〃；＇127＇ its chiefs pull
the wires which set the brutal dancing…jacks in motion on the public
trestles of the H？tel…de…ville。 Danton and Lacroix wrote in the
bureau of the Committee of 〃Public Safety；〃 the insolent summons which
the procureur of the Commune is to read to the Convention on the 31st
of May； and； during seven days of crisis； Danton； Robespierre and
Marat are the counselors； directors and moderators of all proceedings；
and lead； push on or restrain their stooges of the insurrection within
the limits of this program。
VII。 The central Jacobin committee in power。
The 27th day of May。 … The central revolutionary committee。 … The
municipal body displaced and then restored。 … Henriot； commanding
general。 …
It is a tragicomic drama in three acts； each winding up with a coup de
théatre； always the same and always foreseen。 Legendre； one of the
principal stage hands； has taken care to announce beforehand that；
〃If this lasts any longer；〃 said he； at the Cordeliers club；＇128＇ 〃if
the 'Mountain' remains quiet any longer； I shall call in the people；
and tell the galleries to come down and take part with us in the
deliberations。〃
At first； on the 27th of May； in relation to the arrest of Hébert and
his companions； the 〃Mountain；〃 supported by the galleries； becomes
furious。＇129＇ In vain does the majority again and again demonstrate
its numerical superiority。 〃We shall resist；〃 says Danton； 〃so long as
there are a hundred true citizens to help us。〃 〃President；〃
exclaims Marat to Isnard； you are a tyrant！ a despicable tyrant！〃
〃I demand；〃 says Couthon； 〃that the President be impeached！〃 〃Off
with the President to the Abbaye！〃 The 〃Mountain〃 has decided that
he shall not preside； it springs from the benches and rushes at him；
shouts 〃death to him；〃 becomes hoarse with its vociferations； and
compels him to leave the chair through weariness and exhaustion。 It
drives out his successor； Fonfrède； in the same manner； and ends by
putting Hérault…Séchelles； one of its own accomplices； in the chair。
Meanwhile； at the entrance of the Convention； 〃the regulations have
been violated〃； a crowd of armed men 〃have spread through the passages
and obstructed the approaches〃； the deputies； Meillan； Chiappe and
Lydon； on attempting to leave； are arrested； Lydon being stopped 〃by
the point of a saber at his breast；〃＇130＇ while the leaders on the
inside encourage； protect and justify their trusty aids outdoors。
Marat； with his usual audacity； on learning that Raffet； the
commandant； was clearing the passages； comes to him 〃with a pistol in
his hand and puts him under arrest；〃＇131＇ on the ground that the
people and its sacred rights of petition and the petitioners must be
respected。 There are 〃five or six hundred； almost all of them
armed；〃＇132＇ stationed for three hours at the doors of the hall； at
the last moment； two other troops； dispatched by the Gravilliers and
Croix…Rouge sections； arrive and bring them their final affl