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butchers； like soldiers formerly running a gauntlet。 If there happens
to be well…known person； it is agreed to take more care in prolonging
the torment。 At La Force； the Federates who come for M。 de Rulhières
swear 〃with frightful imprecations that they will cut the head of
anyone daring to end his sufferings with a thrust of his pike〃； the
first thing is to strip him naked； and then； for half an hour； with
the flat of their sabers； they cut and slash him until he drips with
blood and is 〃skinned to his entrails。〃 All the monstrous instincts
who grovels chained up in the dregs of the human heart； not only
cruelty with its bared fangs；＇108＇ but also the slimier desires； unite
in fury against women whose noble or infamous repute makes them
conspicuous； against Madame de Lamballe； the Queen's friend； against
Madame Desrues； widow of the famous poisoner； against the flower…girl
of the Palais…Royal； who； two years before； had mutilated her lover； a
French guardsman； in a fit of jealousy。 Ferocity here is associated
with lewdness to add debasement to torture； while life is violated
through outrages on modesty。 In Madame de Lamballe； killed too
quickly； the libidinous butchers could outrage only a corpse； but for
the widow；＇109＇ and especially the flower…girl； they revive； like so
many Neros； the fire…circle of the Iroquois。＇110＇ From the Iroquois
to the cannibal； the gulf is small； and some of them jump across it。
At the Abbaye； an old soldier named Damiens； buries his saber in the
side of the adjutant…general la Leu； thrusts his hand into the
opening； tears out the heart 〃and puts it to his mouth as if to eat
it〃； 〃the blood；〃 says an eye…witness； 〃trickled from his mouth and
formed a sort of mustache for him。〃＇111＇ At La Force； Madame de
Lamballe is carved up。 What Charlot； the wig…maker； who carried her
head did； I to it； should not be described。 I merely state that
another wretch； in the Rue Saint…Antoine； bore off her heart and 〃ate
it。〃＇112＇
They kill and they drink； and drink and kill again。 Weariness comes
and stupor begins。 One of them； a wheelwright's apprentice； has
dispatched sixteen for his share； another 〃has labored so hard at this
merchandise as to leave the blade of his saber sticking in it〃； 〃I was
more tired；〃 says a Federate； 〃with two hours pulling limbs to pieces；
right and left； than any mason who for two days has been plastering a
wall。〃＇113＇ The first excitement is gone； and now they strike
automatically。＇114＇ Some of them fall asleep stretched out on benches。
Others； huddled together； sleep off the fumes of their wine； removed
on one side。 The exhalation from the carnage is so strong that the
president of the civil committee faints in his chair；＇115＇ the fumes
of the tavern blending with those from the charnel…house。 A heavy；
dull state of torpor gradually overcomes their clouded brains； the
last glimmerings of reason dying out one by one； like the smoky lights
on the already cold breasts of the corpses lying around them。 Through
the stupor spreading over the faces of butchers and cannibals； we see
appearing that of the idiot。 It is the revolutionary idiot； in which
all conceptions； save two； have vanished； two fixed； rudimentary； and
mechanical ideas； one destruction and the other that of public safety。
With no others in his empty head； these blend together through an
irresistible attraction； and the effect proceeding from their contact
may be imagined。 〃Is there anything else to do？ 〃asks one of these
butchers in the deserted court。 〃If there is no more to do；〃 reply
a couple of women at the gate； 〃you will have to think of
something；〃＇116＇ and； naturally； this is done。
As the prisons are to be cleaned out； it is as well to clean them all
out； and do it at once。 After the Swiss； priests； the aristocrats； and
the 〃white…skinned gentlemen；〃 there remain convicts and those
confined through the ordinary channels of justice； robbers； assassins；
and those sentenced to the galleys in the Conciergerie； in the
Chatelet； and in the Tour St。 Bernard； with branded women； vagabonds；
old beggars； and boys confined in Bicêtre and the Salpétrière。 They
are good for nothing； cost something to feed；＇117＇ and； probably；
cherish evil designs。 At the Salpétrière； for example； the wife of
Desrues； the poisoner； is； assuredly； like himself； 〃cunning； wicked；
and capable of anything〃； she must be furious at being in prison； if
she could； she would set fire to Paris； she must have said so； she did
say it＇118＇ one more sweep of the broom。 This time； as the job is
more foul； the broom is wielded by fouler hands； among those who seize
the handle are the frequenters of jails。 The butchers at the Abbaye
prison； especially towards the close； had already committed
thefts；＇119＇ here； at the Chatelet and the Conciergerie prisons； they
carry away 〃everything which seems to them suitable；〃 even to the
clothes of the dead； prison sheets and coverlids； even the small
savings of the jailers； and； besides this； they enlist their cronies。
〃Out of 36 prisoners set free； many were assassins and robbers； the
killers attached them to their group。 There were also 75 women；
confined in part for larceny； who promised to faithfully serve their
liberators。〃 Later on； indeed； these are to become； at the Jacobin
and Cordeliers clubs； the tricoteuses （knitters） who fill their
tribunes。＇120＇ At the Salpétrière prison； 〃all the pimps of Paris；
former spies； 。 。 。 libertines； the rascals of France and all Europe；
prepare beforehand for the operation；〃 and rape alternates with
massacre。＇121＇ Thus far； at least； slaughter has been seasoned with
robbery； and the grossness of eating and drinking； at Bicétre；
however； it is crude butchery； the carnivorous instinct alone
satisfying itself。 Among other prisoners are 43 youths of the lowest
class； from 17 to 19 years of age； placed there for correction by
their parents； or by those to whom they are bound；＇122＇ one need only
look at them to see that they are genuine Parisian scamps； the
apprentices of vice and misery； the future recruits for the reigning
band； and these the band falls on； beating them to death with clubs。
At this age life is tenacious； and； no life being harder to take； it
requires extra efforts to dispatch them。 〃In that corner；〃 said a
jailer； 〃they made a mountain of their bodies。 The next day； when they
were to be buried； the sight was enough to break one's heart。 One of
them looked as if he were sleeping like one of God's angels； but the
rest were horribly mutilated。〃＇123＇ Here； man has sunk below
himself； down into the lowest strata of the animal kingdom； lower that
the wolf； for wolves do not strangle their young。
VI。 Jacobin Massacre。
Effect of the massacre on the public。 General dejection and the
dissolution of society。 The ascendancy of the Jacobins assured in
Paris。 The men of September upheld in the Commune and elected to
the Convention。
There are six days and five nights of uninterrupted butchery；＇124＇ 171
murders at the Abbaye； 169 at La Force； 223 at the Chatelet； 328 at
the Consciergerie； 73 at the Tour…Saint…Bernard； 120 at the
Carmelites； 79 at Saint Firmin； 170 at Bicêtre； 35 at the Salpétrière；
among the dead；＇125＇ 250 priests； 3 bishops or archbishops； general
officers； magistrates； one former minister； one royal princess；
belonging to the best names in France； and； on the other side； one
Negro； several working class women； kids； convicts； and poor old men：
What man now； little or big； does not feel himself threatened？ And
all the more because the band has grown larger。 Fournier； Lazowski；
and Bécard； the chiefs of robbers and assassins； return from Orleans
with fifteen hundred cut…throats。＇126＇ One the way they kill M。 de
Brissac； M。 de Lessart； and 42 others accused of lése…nation； whom
they wrested from their judges' hands； and then； by the way of
surplus； 〃following the example of Paris；〃 twenty…one prisoners taken
from the Versailles prisons。 At Paris the Minister of Justice thanks
them； the Commune congratulates them； and the sections feast them and
embrace them。＇127＇ Can anybody doubt that they were ready to begin
again？ Can a step be taken in or out of Paris without being subject to
their oppression or encountering their despotism？ Should one leave the
city； sentinels of their species are posted at the barriers and on the
section committees in continuous session。 Malouet； led before that of
Roule；＇128＇ sees before him a pandemonium of fanatics； at least a
hundred individuals in the same room； the suspected； those denouncing
them； collaborators； attendants； a long； green table in the center；
covered with swords and daggers； with the committee around it； 〃twenty
patriots with their shirt sleeves rolled up； some holding pistols and
others pens；〃 signing warrants of arrest； 〃quarreling with and
threatening each other； all talking