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the origins of contemporary france-2-第22章

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a trap; and that there was a desire to get rid of them by

treachery。'36'  Seized with rage they set fire to the chateau; and

during the following week'37' destroy three abbeys; ruin eleven

chateaux and pillage others。  〃 All records are destroyed; the

registers and court…rolls are carried off; and the deposits

violated。〃  Starting from this spot; 〃the hurricane of

insurrection〃 stretches over the whole of Alsace from Huningue to

Landau。'38'  The insurgents display placards; signed Louis; stating

that for a certain lapse of time they shall be permitted to exercise

justice themselves; and; in Sundgau; a well…dressed weaver;

decorated with a blue belt; passes for a prince; the King's second

son。  They begin by falling on the Jews; their hereditary leeches;

they sack their dwellings; divide their money among themselves; and

hunt them down like so many fallow…deer。  At Bale alone; it is said

that twelve hundred of these unfortunate fugitives arrived with

their families。   The distance between the Jew creditor and the

Christian proprietor is not great; and this is soon cleared。

Remiremont is only saved by a detachment of dragoons。  Eight hundred

men attack the chateau of Uberbrünn。  The abbey of Neubourg is taken

by storm。  At Guebwiller; on the 31st of July; five hundred

peasants; subjects of the abbey of Murbach; make a descent on the

abbot's palace and on the house of the canons。  Cupboards; chests;

beds; windows; mirrors; frames; even the tiles of the roof and the

hinges of the casements are hacked to pieces: 〃They kindle fires on

the beautiful inlaid floors of the apartments; and there burn up the

library and the title…deeds。〃 The abbot's superb carriage is so

broken up that not a wheel remains entire。  〃Wine streams through

the cellars。  One cask of sixteen hundred measures is half lost; the

plate and the linen are carried off。〃   Society is evidently being

overthrown; while with the power; property is changing hands。



These are their very words。  In Franche…Comte'39' the inhabitants of

eight communes come and declare to the Bernardins of Grace…Dieu and

of Lieu…Croissant 〃that; being of the Third…Estate; it is time now

for the people to rule over abbots and monks; considering that the

domination of the latter has lasted too long;〃 and thereupon they

carry off all the titles to property and to rentals belonging to the

abbey in their commune。  In Upper Dauphiny; during the destruction

of M。 de Murat's chateau; a man named Ferréol struck the furniture

with a big stick; exclaiming; 〃Hey; so much for you; Murat; you have

been master a good while; now it's our turn!〃'40'  Those who rifle

houses; and steal like highway robbers; think that they are

defending a cause; and reply to the challenge; 〃Who goes there?〃 〃We

are for the brigand Third…Estate!〃  Everywhere the belief prevails

that they are clothed with authority; and they conduct themselves

like a conquering horde under the orders of an absent general。  At

Remiremont and at Luxeuil they produce an edict; stating that 〃all

this brigandage; pillage; and destruction〃 is permitted。  In

Dauphiny; the leaders of the bands say that they possess the King's

orders。  In Auvergne; 〃they follow imperative orders; being advised

that such is his Majesty's will。〃 Nowhere do we see that an

insurgent village exercises personal vengeance against its lord。  If

the people fire on the nobles they encounter; it is not through

personal hatred。  They are destroying the class; and do not pursue

individuals。  They detest feudal privileges; holders of charters;

the cursed parchments by virtue of which they are made to pay; but

not the nobleman who; when he resides at home; is of humane

intentions; compassionate; and even often beneficent。  At Luxeuil;

the abbot; who is forced with uplifted ax to sign a relinquishment

of his seignorial rights over twenty…three estates; has dwelt among

them for forty…six years; and has been wholly devoted to them。'41'

In the canton of Crémieu; 〃where the havoc is immense;〃 all the

nobles; write the municipal officers; are 〃patriots and benevolent。〃

In Dauphiny; the engineers; magistrates; and prelates; whose

chateaux are sacked; were the first to espouse the cause of the

people and of public liberties against the ministers。  In Auvergne;

the peasants themselves 〃manifest a good deal of repugnance to act

in this way against such kind masters。〃 But it must be done; the

only concession which can be made in consideration of the kindness

which had been extended to them is; not to burn the chateau of the

ladies of Vanes; who had been so charitable; but they burn all their

title…deeds; and torture the business agent at three different times

by fire; to force him to deliver a document which he does not

possess; they then only withdraw him from the fire half…broiled;

because the ladies; on their knees; implore mercy for him。  They are

like the soldiers on a campaign who execute orders with docility;

for which necessity is the only plea; and who; without regarding

themselves as brigands; commit acts of brigandage。



But here the situation is more tragic; for it is war in the midst of

peace; a war of the brutal and barbaric multitude against the highly

cultivated; well…disposed and confiding; who had not anticipated

anything of the kind; who had not even dreamt of defending

themselves; and who had no protection。  The Comte de Courtivron;

with his family; was staying at the watering…place of Luxeuil with

his uncle; the Abbé of Clermont…Tonnerre; an old man of seventy

years。  On the 19th of July; fifty peasants from Fougerolle break

into and demolish everything in the houses of an usher and a

collector of the excise。  Thereupon the mayor of the place intimates

to the nobles and magistrates who are taking the waters; that they

had better leave the house in twenty…four hours; as 〃he had been

advised of an intention to burn the houses in which they were

staying;〃 and he did not wish to have Luxeuil exposed to this danger

on account of their presence there。  The following day; the guard;

as obliging as the mayor; allows the band to enter the town and to

force the abbey: the usual events follow; renunciations are

extorted; records and cellars are ransacked; plate and other effects

are stolen。  M。 de Courtivron escaping with his uncle during the

night; the alarm bell is sounded and they are pursued; and with

difficulty obtain refuge in Plombières。  The bourgeoisie of

Plombières; however; for fear of compromising themselves; oblige

them to depart。  On the road two hundred insurgents threaten to kill

their horses and to smash their carriage; and they only find safety

at last at Porentruy; outside of France。  On his return; M。 de

Courtivron is shot at by the band which has just pillaged the abbey

of Lure; and they shout out at him as he passes; 〃Let's massacre the

nobles!〃 Meanwhile; the chateau of Vauvilliers; to which his sick

wife had been carried; is devastated from top to bottom; the mob

search for her everywhere; and she only escapes by hiding herself in

a hay…loft。  Both are anxious to fly into Burgundy; but word is sent

them that at Dijon 〃the nobles are blockaded by the people;〃 and

that; in the country; they threaten to set their houses on fire。  

There is no asylum to be had; either in their own homes nor in the

homes of others; nor in places along the roads; fugitives being

stopped in all the small villages and market…towns。  In Dauphiny'42'

〃the Abbess of St。  Pierre de Lyon; one of the nuns; M。 de Perrotin;

M。 de Bellegarde; the Marquis de la Tour…du…Pin; and the Chevalier

de Moidieu; are arrested at Champier by the armed population; led to

the C?te Saint…André; confined in the town…hall; whence they send to

Grenoble for assistance;〃 and; to have them released; the Grenoble

Committee is obliged to send commissioners。  Their only refuge is in

the large cities; where some semblance of a precarious order exists;

and in the ranks of the City Guards; which march from Lyons; Dijon;

and Grenoble; to keep the inundation down。  Throughout the country

scattered chateaux are swallowed up by the popular tide; and; as the

feudal rights are often in plebeian hands; it insensibly rises

beyond its first overflow。   There is no limit to an insurrection

against property。  This one extends from abbeys and chateaux to the

〃houses of the bourgeoisie。〃'43'  The grudge at first was confined

to the holders of charters; now it is extended to all who possess

anything。  Well…to…do farmers and priests abandon their parishes and

fly to the towns。  Travelers are put to ransom。  Thieves; robbers;

and returned convicts; at the head of armed bands; seize whatever

they can lay their hands on。  Cupidity becomes inflamed by such

examples; on domains which are deserted and in a state of confusion;

where there is nothing to indicate a master's presence; all seems to

lapse to the first comer。  A small farmer of the neighbor
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