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！
intermissions： in Languedoc； in 1768； arrests were still made of 433
in six months； and； in 1785； 205 in four months＇33＇。 A little before
this time 300 were confined in the depot of Besan？on； 500 in that of
Rennes and 650 in that of Saint Denis。 It cost the king a million a
year to support them； and God knows how they were bedded and fed！
Water； straw； bread； and two ounces of salted grease； the whole at an
expense of five sous a day； and； as the price of provisions for twenty
years back had increased more than a third； the keeper who had them in
charge was obliged to make them fast or ruin himself。 … With
respect to the mode of filling the depots； the police are Turks in
their treatment of the lower class； they strike into the heap； their
broom bruising as many as they sweep out。 According to the ordinance
of 1778； writes an intendant；＇34＇
〃the police must arrest not only beggars and vagabonds whom they
encounter but； again； those denounced as such or as suspected persons。
The citizen； the most irreproachable in his conduct and the least open
to suspicion of vagabondage； is not sure of not being shut up in the
depot； as his freedom depends on a policeman who is constantly liable
to be deceived by a false denunciation or corrupted by a bribe。 I have
seen in the depot at Rennes several husbands arrested solely through
the denunciation of their wives； and as many women through that of
their husbands； several children by the first wife at the solicitation
of their step…mothers； many female domestics pregnant by the masters
they served； shut up at their instigation； and girls in the same
situation at the instance of their seducers； children denounced by
their fathers； and fathers denounced by their children； all without
the slightest evidence of vagabondage or mendicity。 。 。 。 No decision
of the provost's court exists restoring the incarcerated to their
liberty； notwithstanding the infinite number arrested unjustly。〃
Suppose that a human intendant； like this one； sets them at
liberty： there they are in the streets； without a penny； beggars
through the action of a law which proscribes mendicity and which adds
to the wretched it prosecutes the wretched it creates； still more
embittered and corrupt in body and in soul。
〃It nearly always happens；〃 says the same intendant； 〃that the
prisoners； arrested twenty…five or thirty leagues from the depot； are
not confined there until three or four months after their arrest； and
sometimes longer。 Meanwhile； they are transferred from brigade to
brigade； in the prisons found along the road； where they remain until
the number increases sufficiently to form a convoy。 Men and women are
confined in the same prison； the result of which is； the females not
pregnant on entering it are always so on their arrival at the depot。
The prisons are generally unhealthy； frequently； the majority of the
prisoners are sick on leaving it；〃
and many become rascals on coming in contact with rascals。…Moral
contagion and physical contagion； the ulcer thus increasing through
the remedy； centers of repression becoming centers of corruption。
And yet with all its rigors the law does not attain its ends。
〃Our towns；〃 says the parliament of Brittany；＇35＇ 〃are so filled
with beggars it seems as if the measures taken to suppress mendicity
only increase it。〃 … 〃The principal highways；〃 writes the
intendant； 〃are infested with dangerous vagabonds and vagrants； actual
beggars； which the police do not arrest； either through negligence or
because their interference is not provoked by special solicitations。〃
What would be done with them if they were arrested？ They are too
many； and there is no place to put them。 And； moreover； how prevent
people who live on alms from demanding alms？ The effect； undoubtedly；
is lamentable but inevitable。 Poverty； to a certain extent； is a slow
gangrene in which the morbid parts consume the healthy parts； the man
scarcely able to subsist being eaten up alive by the man who has
nothing to live on。
〃The peasant is ruined； perishing； the victim of oppression by the
multitude of the poor that lay waste the country and take refuge in
the towns。 Hence the mobs so prejudicial to public safety； that crowd
of smugglers and vagrants； that large body of men who have become
robbers and assassins； solely because they lack bread。 This gives but
a faint idea of the disorders I have seen with my own eyes＇36＇。 The
poverty of the rural districts； excessive in itself； becomes yet more
so through the disturbances it engenders； we have not to seek
elsewhere for frightful sources of mendicity and for all the
vices。〃＇37＇
Of what avail are palliatives or violent proceedings against an
evil which is in the blood； and which belongs to the very constitution
of the social organism？ What police force could effect anything in a
parish in which one…quarter or one…third of its inhabitants have
nothing to eat but that which they beg from door to door？ At
Argentré；＇38＇ in Brittany； 〃a town without trade or industry； out of
2；300 inhabitants； more than one…half are anything else but well…off；
and over 500 are reduced to beggary。〃 At Dainville； in Artois； 〃out of
130 houses sixty are on the poor…list。〃＇39＇ In Normandy； according to
statements made by the curates； 〃of 900 parishioners in Saint…Malo；
three…quarters can barely live and the rest are in poverty。〃 〃Of 1；500
inhabitants in Saint…Patrice； 400 live on alms。〃 Of 500 inhabitants in
Saint…Laurent three…quarters live on alms。〃 At Marboef； says a report；
〃of 500 persons inhabiting our parish； 100 are reduced to mendicity；
and besides these； thirty or forty a day come to us from neighboring
parishes。〃＇40＇ At Bolbone in Languedoc＇41＇ daily at the convent gate
is 〃general almsgiving to 300 or 400 poor people； independent of that
for the aged and the sick； which is more numerously attended。〃 At
Lyons； in 1787； 〃30；000 workmen depend on public charity for
subsistence；〃 at Rennes； in 1788； after an inundation； 〃two…thirds of
the inhabitants are in a state of destitution；〃＇42＇ at Paris； out of
650；000 inhabitants； the census of 1791 counts 118；784 as
indigent。＇43＇ … Let frost or hail come； as in 1788； let a crop fail；
let bread cost four sous a pound； and let a workman in the charity…
workshops earn only twelve sous a day；＇44＇ can one imagine that
people will resign themselves to death by starvation？ Around Rouen；
during the winter of 1788； the forests are pillaged in open day； the
woods at Baguères are wholly cut away； the fallen trees are publicly
sold by the marauders＇45＇。 Both the famished and the marauders go
together； necessity making itself the accomplice of crime。 From
province to province we can follow up their tracks： four months later；
in the vicinity of Etampes； fifteen brigands break into four
farmhouses during the night； while the farmers； threatened by
incendiaries； are obliged to give； one three hundred francs； another
five hundred； all the money； probably； they have in their coffers＇46＇。
〃Robbers； convicts； the worthless of every species；〃 are to form the
advance guard of insurrections and lead the peasantry to the extreme
of violence＇47＇。 After the sack of the Reveillon house in Paris it is
remarked that 〃of the forty ringleaders arrested； there was scarcely
one who was not an old offender； and either flogged or branded。〃＇48＇
In every revolution the dregs of society come to the surface。 Never
had these been visible before； like badgers in the woods； or rats in
the sewers； they had remained in their burrows or in their holes。 They
issue from these in swarms； and suddenly； in Paris； what figures！＇49＇
〃Never had any like them been seen in daylight。 。 。 Where do they come
from？ Who has brought them out of their obscure hiding places？ 。 。 。
strangers from everywhere； armed with clubs； ragged； 。 。 。 some almost
naked； others oddly dressed〃 in incongruous patches and 〃frightful to
look at；〃 constitute the riotous chiefs or their subordinates； at six
francs per head； behind which the people are to march。
〃At Paris；〃 says Mercier；＇50＇ 〃the people are weak； pallid；
diminutive； stunted；〃 maltreated； 〃and； apparently； a class apart from
other classes in the country。 The rich and the great who possess
equipages； enjoy the privilege of crushing them or of mutilating them
in the streets。 。 。 There is no convenience for pedestrians； no side…
walks。 Hundred victims die annually under the carriage wheels。〃 〃I
saw；〃 says Arthur Young； 〃a poor child run over and probably killed；
and have been myself several times been covered from head to toe with
the water from the gutter。 Should young （English） noblemen drive along
London streets without sidewalks； in the same manner as their equals
in Paris； they would speedily and justly get very well thrashed and
rolled in the gutter。〃
Mercier grows uneasy in the face of the immense po