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the origins of contemporary france-2-第92章

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people of his village to a dinner; and attempted to form them into a

body of guards to protect themselves against incendiaries and

brigands; along with the well…disposed men of the place 〃he

patrolled every evening to restore tranquillity to the parish。〃 On a

rumor spreading that 〃the wells were poisoned;〃 he placed sentinels

alongside of all the wells except his own; 〃to prove that he was

acting for the parish and not for himself。〃 In short; he did all he

could to conciliate the villagers; and to interest them in the

common safety。  …  But; by virtue of being a noble and an officer he

is distrusted; and it is Perron; the syndic of the commune; to whom

the commune now listens。  Perron announces that the King 〃having

abjured his sworn word;〃 no more confidence is to be placed in him;

and; consequently; neither in his officers nor in the gentry。  On M。

de Bussy proposing to the National Guards that they should go to the

assistance of the chateau of Thil; which is in flames; Perron

prevents them; declaring that 〃these fires are kindled by the nobles

and the clergy。〃 M。 de Bussy insists; and entreats them to go;

offering to abandon 〃his terrier;〃 that is to say all his seignorial

dues; if they will only accompany him and arrest this destruction。

They refuse to do so。  He perseveres; and; on being informed that

the chateau of Juillenas is in peril; he collects; after great

efforts; a body of one hundred and fifty men of his parish; and;

marching with them; arrives in time to save the chateau; which a mob

was about to set on fire。  But the popular excitement; which he had

just succeeded in calming at Juillenas; has gained the upper hand

amongst his own troop: the brigands have seduced his men; 〃which

obliges him to lead them back; while; along the road; they seem

inclined to fire at him。〃  …  Having returned; he is followed with

threats even to his own house: a band comes to attack his chateau;

finding it on the defensive; they insist on being led to that of

Courcelles。  …  ?In the midst of all this violence M。 de Bussy; with

about fifteen friends and tenants; succeeds in protecting himself

and; by dint of patience; energy; and cool blood; without killing or

wounding a single man; ends in bringing back security throughout the

whole canton。  The jacquerie subsides; and it seems as if the newly

restored order would be maintained。  He sends for Madame de Bussy to

return; and some months pass away。  …  The popular imagination;

however; is poisoned; and whatever a gentleman may do; he is no

longer tolerated on his estate。  A few leagues from there; on April

29; 1790; M。 de Bois…d'Aisy; deputy to the National Assembly; had

returned to his parish to vote at the new elections。'12'  〃Scarcely

has he arrived;〃 when the commune of Bois…d'Aisy gives him notice

through its mayor 〃that it will not regard him as eligible。〃 He

attends the electoral meeting which is held in the church there; a

municipal officer in the pulpit inveighs against nobles and priests;

and declares that they must not take part in the elections。  All

eyes turn upon M。 de Boisd'Aisy; who is the only noble present。

Nevertheless; he takes the civic oath; which nearly costs him dear;

for murmurs arise around him; and the peasants say that he ought to

have been hanged like the lord of Sainte…Colombe; to prevent his

taking the oath。  In fact; the evening before; the latter; M。 de

Vitteaux; an old man of seventy…four years of age; was expelled from

the primary assembly; then torn out of the house in which he had

sought refuge; half killed with blows; and dragged through the

streets to the open square; his mouth was stuffed with manure; a

stick was thrust into his ears; and 〃he expired after a martyrdom of

three hours。〃 The same day; in the church of the Capuchins; at

Sémur; the rural parishes which met together excluded their priests

and gentry in the same fashion。  M。 de Damas and M。 de Sainte…Maure

were beaten with clubs and stones; the curé of Massigny died after

six stabs with a knife; and M。 de Virieu saved himself as he best

could。  …  With such examples before them it is probable that many

of the nobles will no longer exercise their right of suffrage。  M。

de Bussy does not pretend to do it。  He merely tries to prove that

he is loyal to the nation; and that he meditates no wrong to the

National Guard or to the people。  He proposed; at the out…set; to

the volunteers of Ma?on to join them; along with his little troop;

they refused to have him and thus the fault is not on his side。  On

the 14th of July; 1790; the day of the Federation on his domain; he

sends all his people off to Villiers; furnished with the tricolour

cockade。  He himself; with three of his friends; attends the

ceremony to take the oath; all four in uniform; with the cockade on

their hats; without any weapons but their swords and a light cane in

their hands。  They salute the assembled National Guards of the three

neighboring parishes; and keep outside the enclosure so as not to

give offense。  But they have not taken into account the prejudices

and animosities of the new municipal bodies。  Perron; the former

syndic; is now mayor。  A man named Bailly; who is the village

shoemaker; is another of the municipal officers; their councilor is

an old dragoon; one of those soldiers probably who have deserted or

been discharged; and who are the firebrands of almost every riot

that takes place。  A squad of a dozen or fifteen men leave the ranks

and march up to the four gentlemen; who advance; hat in hand; to

meet them。 Suddenly the men aim at them; and Bailly; with a furious

air; demands: 〃What the devil do you come here for?〃 M。 de Bussy

replies that; having been informed of the Federation; he had come to

take the oath like the rest of the people。  Bailly asks why he had

come armed。  M。 de Bussy remarks that 〃having been in the service;

the sword was inseparable from the uniform;〃 and had they come there

without that badge they would have been at fault; besides; they must

have observed that they had no other arms。  Bailly; still in a rage;

and; moreover; exasperated by such good reasons; turns round with

his gun in his hand towards the leader of the squad and asks him

three times in succession; 〃Commander; must I fire?〃 The commander

not daring to take the responsibility of so gratuitous a murder;

remains silent; and finally orders M。 de Bussy to 〃clear out;〃

〃which I did;〃 says M。 de Bussy。  …  Nevertheless; on reaching home;

he writes to the municipal authorities clearly setting forth the

motive of his coming; and demands an explanation of the treatment he

had received。  Mayor Perron throws aside his letter without reading

it; and; on the following day; on leaving the mass; the National

Guards come; by way of menace; to load their guns in sight of M。 de

Bussy; round his garden。 … A few days after this; at the instigation

of Bailly; two other proprietors in the neighborhood are

assassinated in their houses。  Finally; on a journey to Lyons; M。 de

Bussy learns 〃that the chateaux in Poitou are again in flames; and

that the work is to begin again everywhere。〃  …  Alarmed at all

these indications; 〃he resolves to form a company of volunteers;

which; taking up their quarters in his chateau; can serve the whole

canton on a legal requisition。〃 He thinks that about fifteen brave

men will be sufficient。  He has already six men with him in the

month of October; 1790; green coats are ordered for them; and

buttons are bought for the uniform。 Seven or eight domestics may be

added to the number。  In the way of arms and munitions the chateau

contains two kegs of gunpowder which were on hand before 1789; seven

blunderbusses; and five cavalry sabers; left there in passing by M。

de Bussy's old dragoons: to these must be added two double…barreled

fowling…pieces; three soldiers' muskets; five brace of pistols; two

poor common guns; two old swords; and a hunting…knife。  Such is the

garrison; such the arsenal; and these are the preparations; so well

justified and so slight; which prejudice conjointly with gossip is

about to transform into a great conspiracy。



The chateau; in effect; was an object of suspicion in the village

from the very first day。  All its visitors; whenever they went out

or came in; with all the details of their actions; were watched;

denounced; exaggerated; and misinterpreted。  If through the

awkwardness or carelessness of so many inexperienced National

Guards; a stray ball reaches a farm…house one day in broad daylight;

it comes from the chateau; it is the aristocrats who have fired upon

the peasants。  …  There is the same state of suspicion in the

neighboring towns。  The municipal body of Valence; hearing that two

youths had ordered coats made 〃of a color which seemed suspicious;〃

send for the tailor; he confesses the fact; and adds that 〃they

intended to put the buttons on themselves。〃 Such a detail is

alarming。  An inquiry is set o
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