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type of a swaggerer； always drunk or soaked with brandy。 A blockhead；
with a beery voice； blinking eyes； and a face distorted by nervous
twitching； he possesses all the external characteristics of his
employment。 In talking； he vociferates like men with the scurvy； his
voice is sepulchral； and when he stops talking his features come to
rest only after repeated agitations； he blinks three times； after
which his face recovers its equilibrium。〃＇180＇
Marat； Hébert； and Henriot； the maniac； the thief and the brute。 Were
it not for the dagger of Charlotte Corday；＇181＇ it is probable that
this trio； master of the press and of the armed force； aided by
Jacques Roux； Leclerc； Vincent； Ronsin； and other madmen of the slums；
would have put aside Danton； suppressed Robespierre； and governed
France。 Such are the counselors； the favorites； and the leaders of
the ruling revolutionary class； did one not know what was to occur
during the next fourteen months； one might form an idea of its
government from the quality of these men。
And yet； such as this government is； France accepts or submits to it。
In fact； Lyons； Marseilles； Toulon； N？mes； Bordeaux； Caen； and other
cities； feeling the knife at their throats；＇182＇ turn aside the stroke
with a movement of horror。 They rise against their local Jacobins； but
it is nothing more than an instinctive movement。 They do not think of
forming States within the State； as the 〃Mountain〃 pretends that they
do； nor of usurping the central authority； as the 〃Mountain〃 actually
does。 Lyons cries； 〃Long live the Republic； one and indivisible；〃
receives with honor the commissioners of the Convention； permits
convoys of arms and horses destined for the army of the Alps to pass。
To excite a revolt there； requires the insane demands of Parisian
despotism just as it requires the brutal persistence of religious
persecution to render the province of la Vendée insurgent。 Without the
prolonged oppression that weighs down consciences； and the danger to
life always imminent； no city or province would have attempted
secession。 Even under this government of inquisitors and butchers no
community； save those of Lyons and La Vendée； makes any sustained
effort to break up the State； withdraw from it and live by itself。 The
national sheaf has been too strongly bound together by secular
centralization。 One's country exists； and when that country is in
danger； when the armed stranger attacks the frontier； one follows the
flag…bearer； whoever he may be； whether usurper； adventurer；
blackguard； or cut…throat； provided only that he marches in the van
and holds the banner with a firm hand。＇183＇ To tear that flag from
him； to contest his pretended right； to expel him and replace him by
another； would be a complete destruction of the common weal。 Brave men
sacrifice their own repugnance for the sake of the common good； in
order to serve France； they serve her unworthy government。 In the
committee of war； the engineering and staff officers who give their
days to the study of military maps； think of nothing else than of
knowing it thoroughly； one of them； d'Arcon； 〃managed the raising of
the siege of Dunkirk； and of the blockade of Maubeuge；＇184＇ nobody
excels him in penetration； in practical knowledge； in quick perception
and in imagination； it is a spirit of flame； a brain compact of
resources。 I speak of him； says Mallet du Pan； 〃from an intimate
acquaintance of ten years。 He is no more a revolutionnaire than I am。〃
Carnot＇185＇ does even more than this： he gives up his honor when； with
his colleagues on the Committee of Public Safety； Billaud…Varennes；
Couthon； Saint…Just； Robespierre； he puts his name to decrees which
are assassinations。 A similar devotion brings recruits into the armies
by hundreds of thousands； bourgeois＇186＇ and peasants； from the
volunteers of 1791 to the levies of 1793； and the latter class fight
not only for France； but also； and more than all； for the Revolution。
For； now that the sword is drawn； the mutual and growing exasperation
leaves only the extreme parties in the field。 Since the 10th of
August； and more especially since the 21st of January； it has no
longer been a question how to deal with the ancient regime； of cutting
away its dead portions or its troublesome thorns； of accommodating it
to modern requirements； of establishing civil equality； a limited
monarchy； a parliamentary government。 The question is how to escape
conquest by armed force to avert the military executions of
Brunswick；＇187＇ the vengeance of the proscribed émigrés； the
restoration and the aggravation of the old feudal and fiscal order of
things。 Both through their traditions and their experience； the mass
of the country people hate this ancient order； and with all the
accumulated hatred which an unceasing and secular spoliation has
caused。 Irrespective of costs； the rural masses will never again
suffer the tax…collector among them； nor the excise man in the cellar；
nor the fiscal agent on the frontier。 For them the ancient regime is
nothing more than these things； and； in fact； they have paid no taxes；
or scarcely any； since the beginning of the Revolution。 On this matter
the people's idea is fixed； positive； unalterable； and as soon as they
perceive in the distant future the possible re…establishment of the
taille； the tithe； and the seignorial rights； they choose their side；
they will fight to the death。 As to the artisans and lesser
bourgeois； their spur is the magnificent prospect of careers； to which
the doors are thrown open； of unbounded advancement； of promotion
offered to merit； more than all； their illusions are still intact。
Camped out there； facing the enemy； those noble ideals； which in the
hands of the Parisian demagogues had turned into sanguinary harlots；
remain pure and virginal in the minds of the soldiers and their
officers。 Liberty； equality； the rights of man； the reign of reason
all these vague and sublime images moved before their eyes when they
climbed the escarpment of Jemmapes under a storm of grapeshot； or when
they wintered； with naked feet； among the snows of the Vosges。 These
ideas； in descending from heaven to earth； were not dishonored and
distorted under their feet； they did not see them transformed in their
hands to frightful caricatures。 These men are not pillars of clubs；
nor brawlers in the sections； nor the inquisitors of a committee； nor
hired informers； nor providers for the scaffold。 Apart from the
sabbath revolutionaire； brought back to earth by their danger； and
having understood the inequality of talents and the need for
discipline； they do the work of men； they suffer； they fast； they face
bullets； they are conscious of their generosity and their sacrifices；
they are heroes； and they look upon themselves as liberators。＇188＇
They are proud of this。 According to an astute observer＇189＇ who knew
their survivors；
〃many of them believed that the French alone were reasonable beings。
。 。 In our eyes the people in the rest of Europe； who were fighting to
keep their chains； were only pitiable imbeciles or knaves sold to the
despots who were attacking us。 Pitt and Cobourg seemed to us the
chiefs of these knaves and the personification of all the treachery
and stupidity in the world。 。 。 In 1794 our inmost； serious sentiment
was wholly contained in this idea： to be useful to our country； all
other things； our clothes； our food； advancement； were poor ephemeral
details。 As society did not exist； there was no such thing for us as
social success； that leading element in the character of our nation。
Our only gatherings were national festivals； moving ceremonies which
nourished in us the love of our country。 In the streets our eyes
filled with tears when we saw an inscription in honor of the young
drummer； Barra。 。 。 This sentiment was the only religion we
had。〃＇190＇
But it was a religion。 When the heart of a nation is so high it will
deliver itself； in spite of its rulers； whatever their excesses may
be； whatever their crimes； for the nation atones for their follies by
its courage； it hides their crimes beneath its great achievements。
_______________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 AF II； 45； May 6； 1793 （in English）。
＇2＇ Moore； II。 185 （October 20）。 〃It is evident that all the
departments of France are in theory allowed to have an equal share in
the government； yet in fact the single department of Paris has the
whole power of the government。〃 Through the pressure of the mob Paris
makes the law for the Convention and for all France。 … Ibid。； II。 534
（during the king's trial）。 〃All the departments of France； including
that of Paris； are in reality often obliged to submit to the clamorous
tyranny of a set of hired ruffians in the tribunes who usurp the name
and functions of the sovereign people； and； sec