友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

the origins of contemporary france-2-第93章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




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

alarming。  An inquiry is set on foot and the alarm increases; people

in a strange uniform have been seen passing on their way to the

chateau of Villiers; from thence; on reaching the number of two

hundred; they will go and join the garrison of Besan?on; they will

travel four at a time in order to avoid detection。  At Besan?on they

are to meet a corps of forty thousand men; commanded by M。

Autichamp; which corps is to march on to Paris to carry off the

King; and break up the National Assembly。  The National Guards along

the whole route are to be forced into the lines。  At a certain

distance each man is to receive 1;200 francs; and; at the end of the

expedition; is to be enrolled in the Artois Guard; or sent home with

a recompense of 12;000 francs。  …  ?Meanwhile; the Prince de Condé;

with forty thousand men; will come by the way of Pont Saint…Esprit

in Languedoc; rally the disaffected of Carpentras and of the Jalès

camp to his standard; and occupy Cette and the other seaports; and

finally; the Comte d'Artois; on his side; will enter by Pont…

Beauvoisin with thirty thousand men。  …  A horrible discovery! The

municipal authorities of Valence immediately inform those of Lyons;

Besan?on; Chalons; Ma?on; and others beside。  On the strength of

this the municipal body of Ma?on; 〃considering that the enemies of

the Revolution are ever making the most strenuous efforts to

annihilate the Constitution which secures the happiness of this

empire;〃 and 〃that it is highly important to frustrate their

designs;〃 sends two hundred men of its National Guard to the chateau

of Villiers;〃 empowered to employ armed force in case of

resistance。〃 For greater security; this troop is joined by the

National Guards of the three neighboring parishes。  M。 de Bussy; on

being told that they were climbing over the wall into his garden;

seizes a gun and takes aim; but does not fire; and then; the

requisition being legal; throws all open to them。 There are found in

the house six green coats; seven dozens of large buttons; and

fifteen dozens of small ones。  The proof is manifest。  He explains

what his project was and states his motive  …  it is a mere pretext。

He makes a sign; as an order; to his valet  …  there is a positive

complicity。  M。 de Bussy; his six guests; and the valet; are

arrested and transported to Ma?on。  A trial takes place; with

depositions and interrogatories; in which the truth is elicited in

spite of the most adverse testimony; it is clear that M。 de Bussy

never intended to do more than defend himself。  …  But prejudice is

a blindfold to hostile eyes。  It cannot be admitted that; under a

constitution which is perfect; an innocent man could incur danger;

the objection is made to him that 〃it is not natural for an armed

company to be formed to resist a massacre by which it is not menaced

;〃 they are convinced beforehand that he is guilty。  On a decree of

the National Assembly the minister had ordered all accused persons

to be brought to Paris by the constabulary and hussars; the National

Guard of Ma?on; 〃in the greatest state of agitation;〃 declares that;

〃as it had arrested M。 de Bussy; it would not consent to his

transport by any other body。  。  。  Undoubtedly; the object is to

allow him to escape on the way;〃 but it will know how to keep its

captive secure。  The guard; in fine; of its own authority; escorts

M。 de Bussy to Paris; into the Abbaye prison; where he is kept

confined for several months  …  so long; indeed; that; after a new

trial and investigation; the absurdity of the accusation being too

palpable; they are obliged to set him at liberty。  …  Such is the

situation of most of the gentry on their own estates; and M。 de

Bussy; even acquitted and vindicated; will act wisely in not

returning home。



III。



Domiciliary visits。  …  The fifth jacquerie。  …  Burgundy and

Lyonnais in 1791。  …  M。 de Chaponay and M。 Guillin…Dumoutet



He would be nothing but a hostage there。  Alone against thousands;

sole survivor and representative of an abolished régime which all

detest; it is the noble against whom everybody turns whenever a

political shock seems to shake the new régime。  He is at least

disarmed; as he might be dangerous; and; in these popular

executions; brutal instincts and appetites break loose like a bull

that dashes through a door and rages through a dwelling…house。  In

the same department; some months later; on the news arriving of the

arrest of the King at Varennes; 〃all nonjuring'13' priests and ci…

devant nobles are exposed to the horrors of persecution。〃 Bands

forcibly enter houses to seize arms: Commarin; Grosbois; Montculot;

Chaudenay; Créancé; Toisy; Chatellenot; and other houses are thus

visited; and several are sacked。  During the night of June 26…27;

1791; at the chateau of Créancé 〃there is pillaging throughout; the

mirrors are broken; the pictures are torn up; and the doors are

broken down。〃 The master of the house; 〃M。 de Comeau…Créncé; Knight

of St。  Louis; horribly maltreated; is dragged to the foot of the

stairs; where he lies as if dead:〃 previous to this; 〃he was forced

to give a considerable contribution; and to refund all penalties

collected by him before the Revolution as the local lord of the

manor。  〃  …  Two other proprietors in the neighborhood; both

Knights of St。  Louis; are treated in the same way。  〃That is the

way in which three old and brave soldiers are rewarded for their

services!〃 A fourth; a peaceable man; escapes beforehand; leaving

his keys in the locks and his gardener in the house。

Notwithstanding this; the doors and the clothes…presses were broken

open; the pillaging lasting five hours and a half; with threats of

setting the house on fire if the seigneur did not make his

appearance。  Questions were asked 〃as to whether he attended the

mass of the new curé whether he had formerly exacted fines; and

finally; whether any of the inhabitants had any complaint to make

against him。〃 No complaint is made; on the contrary; he is rather

beloved。  …  But; in tumults of this sort; a hundred madmen and

fifty rogues prescribe the law to the timid and the indifferent。

These outlaws declared that 〃they were acting under orders; they

compelled the mayor and prosecuting attorney to take part in their

robberies; they likewise took the precaution to force a few honest

citizens; by using the severest threats; to march along with them。〃

These people come the next day to apologize to the pillaged

proprietor; while the municipal officers draw up a statement of the

violence practiced against them。 The violence nevertheless; is

accomplished; and; as it will go unpunished; it is soon to be

repeated。



A beginning and an end are already made in the two neighboring

departments。  There; especially in the south; nothing is more

instructive than to see how an outbreak stimulated by enthusiasm for

the public good immediately degenerates under the impulse of private

interest; and ends in crime。  …  Around Lyons;'14' under the same

pretext and at the same date; similar mobs perform similar

visitations; and; on all these occasions; 〃the rent…rolls are burnt;

and houses are pillaged and set on fire。  Municipal authority;

organized for the security of property; is in many hands but one

facility more for its violation。  The National Guard seems to be

armed merely for the protection of robbery and disorder。〃  …  For

more than thirty years; M。 de Chaponay; the father of six children

of whom three are in the service; expended his vast income on his

estate of Beaulieu; giving occupation to a number of persons; men;

women; and children。  After the hailstorm of 1761; which nearly

destroyed the village of Moranée; he rebuilt thirty…three houses;

furnished others with timber for the  framework; supplied the

commune with wheat; and; for several years; obtained for the

inhabitants a diminution of their taxation。  In 1790; he celebrated

the Federation Festival on a magnificent scale; giving two banquets;

one of a hundred and thirty seats; for the municipal bodies and

officers of the National Guards in the vicinity; and the other of a

thousand seats for the privates。  If any of the gentry had reason to

believe himself popular and safe it was certainly this man。  …  On

the 24th of June; 1791; the municipal authorities of Moranée;

Lucenay; and Chazelai; with their mayors and National Guards; in all

nearly two thousand men; arrive at the chateau with drums beating

and flags flying。  M。 de Chaponay goes out to meet them; and begs to

know to what he owes 〃the pleasure〃 of their visit。  They reply that

they do not come to offend him; but to carry out the orders of the

district; which oblige them to take possession of the chateau and to

place in it a guard of sixty men: on the following day the

〃district〃 and the National Guard of Villefranche are to come and

inspect it。  … 
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!