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they are going to fall upon them sword and pistol in hand。 For
several long days the famished convoy remains moored in the stream；
are carefully watched。 Boats filled with volunteers and peasants
row around it uttering insults and threats： in the neighboring
meadows the National Guards form themselves in line of battle。
Finally； a decision is arrived at。 The bravest； well armed get into
skiffs； approach the vessel cautiously； choose the most favorable
time and spot； rush on board； and take possession； and are perfectly
astonished to find neither enemies nor arms。 … Nevertheless； the
priests are confined on board； and their deputies； must make their
appearance before the mayor。 The latter； a former usher and good
Jacobin； being the most frightened； is the most violent。 He refuses
to stamp the passports； and； seeing two priests approach； one
provided with a sword…cane and the other with an iron…pointed stick；
thinks that there is to be a sudden attack。 〃Here are two more of
them；〃 he exclaims with terror； 〃they are all going to land。 My
friends； the town is in danger！ 〃 … On hearing this the crowd
becomes alarmed； and threatens the deputies； the cry of 〃To the lamp
post！〃 is heard； and； to save them； National Guards are obliged to
conduct them to prison in the center of a circle of bayonets。 …
It must be noted that these madmen are 〃at bottom the kindest people
in the world。〃 After the boarding of the ship； one of the most
ferocious； by profession a barber； seeing the long beards of these
poor priests； instantly cools down； draws forth his tools； and good…
naturedly sets to work； spending several hours in shaving them。 In
ordinary times ecclesiastics received nothing but salutations； three
years previously they were 〃respected as fathers and guides。〃 But at
the present moment the rustic； the man of the lower class； is out of
his bearings。 Forcibly and against nature； he has been made a
theologian； a politician； a police captain； a local independent
sovereign； and in such a position his head is turned。 Among these
people who seem to have lost their senses； only one； an officer of
the National Guard； remains cool； he is； besides； very polite； well…
behaved； and an agreeable talker； he comes in the evening to comfort
the prisoners and to take tea with them in prison； in fact； he is
accustomed to tragedies and； thanks to his profession； his nerves
are in repose … this person is the executioner。 The others； 〃whom
one would take for tigers；〃 are bewildered sheep； but they are not
the less dangerous； for； carried away by their delirium； they bear
down with their mass on whatever gives them umbrage。 … On the
road from Paris to Lyons＇79＇ Roland's commissioners witness this
terrible fright。 〃The people are constantly asking what our
generals and armies are doing； they have vengeful expressions
frequently on their lips。 Yes； they say； we will set out； but we
must （at first） purge the interior。〃
Something appalling is in preparation。 The seventh jacquerie is
drawing near； this one universal and final … at first brutal； and
then legal and systematic； undertaken and carried out on the
strength of abstract principles by leaders worthy of the means they
employ。 Nothing like it ever occurred in history； for the first
time we see brutes gone mad； operating on a grand scale and for a
long time； under the leadership of blockheads who have become
insane。
There is a certain strange malady commonly encountered in the
quarters of the poor。 A workman； over…taxed with work； in misery
and badly fed； takes to drink； he drinks more and more every day；
and liquors of the strongest kind。 After a few years his nervous
system； already weakened by spare diet； becomes over…excited and out
of balance。 An hour comes when the brain； under a sudden stroke；
ceases to direct the machine； in vain does it command； for it is no
longer obeyed； each limb； each joint； each muscle； acting separately
and for itself starts convulsively through discordant impulses。
Meanwhile the man is gay； he thinks himself a millionaire； a king；
loved and admired by everybody； he is not aware of the mischief he
is doing to himself he does not comprehend the advice given him； he
refuses the remedies offered to him； he sings and shouts for entire
days； and； above all； drinks more than ever。 … At last his face
grows dark and his eyes become blood…shot。 Radiant visions give way
to black and monstrous phantoms； he sees nothing around him hut
menacing figures； traitors in ambush； ready to fall upon him
unawares； murderers with upraised arms ready to cut his throat；
executioners preparing torments for him； and he seems to be wading
in a pool of blood。 So he precipitates； and； in order that he
himself may not be killed； he kills。 No one is more to be dreaded；
for his delirium sustains him； his strength is prodigious； his
movements unforeseen； and he endures； without heeding them；
suffering and wounds under which a healthy man would succumb。 …
France； like such a madman； exhausted by fasting under the monarchy；
drunk by the unhealthy drug of the Social…Contract； and by countless
other adulterated or fiery beverages； is suddenly struck with
paralysis of the brain； at once she is convulsed in every limb
through the incoherent play and contradictory twitching of her
discordant organs。 At this time she has traversed the period of
joyous madness； and is about to enter upon the period of somber
delirium： behold her capable of daring； suffering； and doing all；
capable of incredible exploits and abominable barbarities； the
moment her guides； as erratic as herself； indicate an enemy or an
obstacle to her fury。
THE END。
__________________________________________________________________
NOTES：
＇1＇ Moniteur； XI。 763。 （Sitting of March 28； 1792。） … 〃Archives
Nationales；〃 F7； 3235。 （Deliberation of the Directory of the
Department； November 29； 1791； and January 27； 1792。 … Petition
of the Municipality of Mende and of forty…three others； November 30；
1791。）
＇2＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 F7； 3198。 Minutes of the meeting of the
municipal officers of Arles； September 2； 1791。 … Letters of the
Royal Commissioners and of the National Assembly； October 24；
November 6； 14； 17； 21； and December 21； 1791。 … The
Commissioners； to be impartial； attend in turn a mass by a nonjuring
priest and one by a priest of the opposite side。 〃The church is
full〃 with the former and always empty with the latter。
＇3＇ 〃Mémoire〃 of M。 Mérilhon； for Froment； passim。 … Report of M。
Alquier； p。 54。 … De Dampmartin； I。 208。
＇4＇ … De Dampmartin； I。 208。They would exclaim to the catholic
peasants： 〃Allons； mes enfants； Vive le Roi！〃 （shouts of enthusiasm）：
〃those wretches of democrats； let us make an example of them； and
restore the sacred rights of the throne and the altar！〃 … 〃As you
please；〃 replied the rustics in their patois； 〃but we must hold fast
to the Revolution； for there are some good things about it。〃 … They
remain calm； refuse to march to the assistance of Uzès； and withdraw
into their mountains on the first sign of the approach of the
National Guard。
＇5＇ This is what the author Soljenitsyne observed about his Russian
countrymen in an interview with M。 Pivot in the French television in
1998。 （SR。）
＇6＇ Dauban； 〃La Demagogie à Paris；〃 p。598； Letter of M。 de Brissac；
August 25； 1789。
＇7＇ Moniteur； X。 339。 （Journal de Troyes； and a letter from
Perpignan； November； 1791。）
＇8＇ Mercure de France； No。 for September 3； 1791。 〃Let Liberty be
presented to us； and all France will kneel before her； but noble and
proud hearts will eternally resist the oppression which assumes her
sacred mask。 They will invoke liberty； but liberty without crime；
the liberty which is maintained without dungeons； without
inquisitors； without incendiaries； without brigands； without forced
oaths； without illegal coalitions； without mob outrages； that
liberty； finally； which allows no oppressor to go unpunished； and
which does not crush peaceable citizens beneath the weight of the
chains it has broken。〃
＇9＇ Rivarol； 〃Mémoires；〃 p。367。 （Letter of M。 Servan； published in
the 〃Actes des Ap？tres。〃）
＇10＇ The King's brother； later to become King of France under the
name of Louis XVIII。 （SR。）
＇11＇ 〃Archives Nationa1es；〃 F7。 3257。 Official reports；
investigations； and correspondence in relation with the affair of M。
Bussy （October； 1790）。
＇12＇ Mercure de France； May 15； 1790。 （Letter of Baron de Bois…
d'Aisy； April 29； read in the National Assembly。） … Moniteur； IV。
302。 Sitting of May 6。 （Official statement of the Justice of the
Peace of Vitteaux； April 28。）
＇13＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 DXXIX。 4。 Letter of M。 Belin…
Chatellenot （near Asnay…le…Duc） to the President of the National
A