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is in danger；〃 says many eye witnesses；＇118＇ 〃has made no change in
the physiognomy of Paris。 There are the same amusements； the same
gossip。 。 。 。 The theaters are full as usual。 The wine…shops and
places of diversion overflow with the people； National Guards； and
soldiers。 。 。 。 The fashionable world enjoys its pleasure…parties；〃 …
〃The day after the decree； the effect of the ceremony； so skillfully
managed； is very slight。 〃The National Guard in the procession； writes
a patriotic journalist；＇119＇ 〃first shows indifference and even
boredom〃； it is exasperated with night watches and patrol duty； they
probably tell each others that in parading for the nation； one finds
no time to work for one's self。 A few days after this the manifesto
of the Duke of Brunswick 〃produces no sensation whatever。 People laugh
at it。 Only the newspapers and their readers are familiar with it。 。 。
。 The mass know nothing about it。 Nobody fears the coalition nor
foreign troops。〃＇120＇ On the 10th of August； outside the theater of
the combat； all is quiet in Paris。 People walk about and chat in the
streets as usual。〃＇121＇ On the 19th of August； Moore； the
Englishman；＇122＇ sees； with astonishment； the heedless crowd filling
the Champs Elysées； the various diversions； the air of a fête； the
countless small shops in which refreshments are sold accompanied with
songs and music； and the quantities of pantomimes and marionettes。
〃Are these people as happy as they seem to be？〃 he asks of a Frenchman
along with him。 〃They are as jolly as gods！〃 〃Do you think the
Duke of Brunswick is ever in their heads？〃 〃Monsieur； you may be
sure of this； that the Duke of Brunswick is the last man they think
of。〃
Such is the unconcern or light…heartedness of the gross； egoistic
mass； otherwise busy； and always passive under any government whatever
it may be； a veritable flock of sheep； allowing government to do as it
pleases； provided it does not hinder it from browsing and capering as
it chooses。 As to the men of sensibility who love their country；
they are still less troublesome； for they are gone or going （to the
army）； often at the rate of a thousand and even two thousand a day；
ten thousand in the last week of July；＇123＇ fifteen thousand in the
first two weeks of September；＇124＇ in all perhaps 40；000 volunteers
furnished by the capital alone and who； with their fellows
proportionate in number supplied by the departments； are to be the
salvation of France。 Through this departure of the worthy； and this
passivity of the flock； Paris belongs to the fanatics among the
population。 〃These are the sans…culottes；〃 wrote the patriotic Palloy；
〃the scum and riffraff of Paris； and I glory in belonging to that
class which has put down the so…called honest folks。〃＇125＇ 〃Three
thousand workmen；〃 says the Girondist Soulavie； later； 〃made the
Revolution of the 10th of August； against the kingdom of the
Feuillants； the majority of the capital and against the Legislative
Assembly。〃＇126＇ Workmen； day laborers； and petty shop…keepers； not
counting women； common vagabonds and regular bandits； form； indeed；
one…twentieth of the adult male population of the city； about 9；000
spread over all sections of Paris； the only ones to vote and act in
the midst of universal stupor and indifference。 We find in the Rue
de Seine； for example； seven of them； Lacaille； keeper of a roasting…
shop； Philippe； 〃a cattle…breeder； who leads around she…asses for
consumptives；〃 now president of the section； and soon to become one of
the Abbaye butchers； Guérard； 〃a Rouen river…man who has abandoned the
navigation of the Seine on a large scale and keeps a skiff； in which
he ferries people over the river from the Pont du Louvre to the Quai
Mazarin；〃 and four characters of the same stamp。 Their energy；
however； replaces their lack of education and numerical inferiority。
One day； Guérard； on passing M。 Hua； the deputy； tells him in the way
of a warning； 〃You big rascal； you were lucky to have other people
with you。 If you had been alone； I would have capsized my boat； and
had the pleasure of drowning a blasted aristocrat！〃 These are the
〃matadors of the quarter〃。＇127＇ Their ignorance does not trouble
them； on the contrary； they take pride in coarseness and vulgarity。
One of the ordinary speechmakers of the Faubourg Saint…Antoine；
Gouchon； a designer for calicos； comes to the bar of the Assembly； 〃in
the name of the men of July 14 and Augusts 10；〃 to glorify the
political reign of brutal incapacity； according to him； it is more
enlightened than that of the cultivated：＇128＇〃those great geniuses
graced with the fine title of Constitutionalists are forced to do
justice to men who never studied the art of governing elsewhere than
in the book of experience。 。 。 。 Consulting customs and not
principles； these clever people have for a long period been busy with
the political balance of things； we have found it without looking for
it in the heart of man： Form a government which will place the poor
above their feeble resources and the rich below their means； and the
balance will be perfect。〃 ＇129＇
This is more than clear； their declared purpose is a complete
leveling； not alone of political rights； but； again； and especially；
of conditions and fortunes； they promise themselves 〃absolute
equality； real equality；〃 and； still better； 〃the magistracy and all
government powers。〃＇130＇ France belongs to them； if they are bold
enough to seize hold of it。 And； on the other hand； should they
miss their prey； they feel themselves lost； for the Brunswick
manifesto；＇131＇ which had made no impression on the public； remains
deeply impressed in their minds。 They apply its threats to themselves；
while their imagination； as usual； translates it into a specific
legend：＇132＇ all the inhabitants of Paris are to be led out on the
plain of Saint…Denis； and there decimated； previous to this； the most
notorious patriots will be singled out together with forty or fifty
market…women and broken on the wheel。 Already； on the 11th of August；
a rumor is current that 800 men of the late royal guards are ready to
make a descent on Paris；＇133＇ that very day the dwelling of
Beaumarchais is ransacked for seven hours；＇134＇ the walls are pierced；
the privies sounded； and the garden dug down to the rock。 The same
search is repeated in the adjoining house。 The women are especially
〃enraged at not finding anything；〃 and wish to renew the attempt；
swearing that they will discover where things are hidden in ten
minutes。 The nightmare is evidently too much for these unballasted
minds。 They break down under the weight of their accidental kingship；
their inflamed pride； extravagant desires； and intense and silent
fears which form in them that morbid and evil concoction which； in
democracy as well as in a monarchy； fashions a Nero。＇135＇
Their leaders； who are even more upset； conceited； and despotic； have
no scruples holding them back； for the most noteworthy are corrupt；
acting alone or as leaders。 Of the three chiefs of the old
municipality； Pétion； the mayor； actually in semi…retirement； but
verbally respected； is set aside and considered as an old decoration。
The other two remain active and in office； Manuel；＇136＇ the syndic…
attorney； son of a porter； a loud…talking； untalented bohemian； stole
the private correspondence of Mirabeau from a public depository；
falsified it； and sold it for his own benefit。 Danton；＇137＇ Manuel's
deputy； faithless in two ways； receives the King's money to prevent
the riot； and makes use of it to urge it on。 Varlet； 〃that
extraordinary speech…maker； led such a foul and prodigal life as to
bring his mother in sorrow to the grave； afterwards he spent what was
left； and soon had nothing。〃＇138＇ Others not only lacked honor but
even common honesty。 Carra； with a seat in the secret Directory of the
Federates； and who drew up the plan of the insurrection； had been
condemned by the Macon tribunals to two years' imprisonment for theft
and burglary。＇139＇ Westermann； who led the attacking column； had stolen
a silver dish； with a coat of arms on it； from Jean Creux； keeper of a
restaurant； rue des Poules； and was twice sent away from Paris for
swindling。＇140＇ Panis； chief of the Committee of Supervision；＇141＇ was
turned out of the Treasury Department； where his uncle was a sub
cashier； in 1774； for robbery。 His colleague； Sergent； appropriates
to himself 〃three gold watches； an agate ring； and other jewels；〃 left
with him on deposit。＇142＇ 〃Breaking seals； false charges； breaches of
trust；〃 embezzlements； are familiar transactions。 In their hands piles
of silver plate and 1；100；000 francs in gold are to disappear。＇143＇
Among the members of the new Commune； Huguenin； the president； a clerk
at the barriers； is a brazen embezzler。＇144＇ Rossignol； a journeyman
jeweller； implicated in an assassination； is at this moment subject to
judicial