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the Ardennes； at Rheims and at Chalons in the Marne； at Troyes in the
Aube； at Meaux in Seine…et…Marne； and at Versailles in Seine…et…
Oise。＇66＇ Roland； I imagine； does not open this file； and for a
good reason； he knows too well how M。 de Brissac and M。 Delessart； and
the other sixty…three persons killed at Versailles； it was he who
signed Fournier's commission； the commander of the murderers。 At this
very moment he is forced to correspond with this villain； to send him
certificates of 〃zeal and patriotism；〃 and to assign him； over and
above his robberies； 30；000 francs to defray the expenses of the
operation。＇67＇ But among the dispatches there are some he cannot
overlook； if he desires to know to what his authority is reduced； in
what contempt all authority is held； how the civil or military rabble
exercises its power； with what promptitude it disposes of the most
illustrious and most useful lives； especially those who have been； or
are now； in command； the Minister perhaps saying to himself that his
turn will come next。
Let us look at the case of M。 de la Rochefoucauld。 A philanthropist
since he was young； a liberal on entering the Constituent Assembly；
elected president of the Paris department； one of the most persistent；
most generous； and most respected patriots from first to last； who
better deserved to be spared than？ Arrested at Gisors＇68＇ by order of
the Paris Commune； he left the inn； escorted by the Parisian
commissary； surrounded by the municipal council； twelve gendarmes and
one hundred National Guards； behind him walked his mother； eighty
years of age； his wife following in a carriage； there could be no fear
of an escape。 But； for a suspected person； death is more certain than
a prison； three hundred volunteers of the Orne and the Sarthe
departments； on their way through Gisors； collect and cry out： 〃We
must have his head nothing shall stop us！〃 A stone hits M。 de la
Rochefoucauld on the temple； he falters； his escort is broken up； and
they finish him with clubs and sabers； while the municipal council
〃have barely time to drive off the carriage containing the ladies。〃
Accordingly； national justice； in the hands of the volunteers； has its
sudden outbursts； its excesses； its reactions； the effect of which it
is not advisable to wait for。 For example； at Cambray；＇69＇ a division
of foot…gendarmerie had just left the town； and it occurs to them that
they had forgotten 〃to purge the prison〃。 It returns； seizes the
keeper； takes him to the H？tel…de…ville； examines the prison register；
sets at liberty those whose crimes seem to it excusable； and provides
them with passports。 On the other hand； it kills a former royal
procureur； on whom addresses are found tainted with 〃aristocratic
principles；〃 an unpopular lieutenant…colonel； and a suspected captain。
However slight or ill…founded a suspicion； so much the worse for
the officer on whom it falls！ At Charleville；＇70＇ two loads of arms
having passed through one gate instead of another； to avoid a bad
road； M。 Juchereau； inspector of the manufacture of arms and commander
of the place； is declared a traitor by the volunteers and the crowd；
torn from the hands of the municipal officers； clubbed to the ground；
stamped on； and stabbed。 His head； fixed to a pike； is paraded through
Charleville； then into Mézières； where it is thrown into the river
running between the two towns。 The body remains； and this the
municipality orders to be interred； but it is not worthy of burial；
the murderers get hold of it； and cast it into the water that it may
join the head。 In the meantime the lives of the municipal officers
hang by a single thread。 One is seized by the throat； another is
knocked out of his chair and threatened with hanging； a gun is aimed
at him and he is beaten and kicked； subsequently a plot is devised 〃to
cut off their heads and plunder their houses。〃
He who disposes of lives； indeed； also disposes of property。 Roland
has only to flick through two or three reports to see how patriotism
furnishes a cloak for brutal license and greed。 At Coucy； in the
department of Aisne；＇71＇ the peasantry of seventeen parishes；
assembled for the purpose of furnishing their military quota； rush
with a loud clamor to two houses； the property of M。 des Fossés； a
former deputy to the Constituent Assembly； and the two finest in the
town； one of them had been occupied by Henry IV。 Some of the
municipal officers who try to interfere are nearly cut to pieces； and
the entire municipal body takes to flight。 M。 des Fossés； with his
two daughters； succeed in hiding themselves in an obscure corner in
the vicinity； and afterwards in a small tenement offered to them by a
humane gardener； and finally； after great difficulty； they reach
Soissons。 Of his two houses； 〃nothing remains but the walls。 Windows；
casings； doors； and wainscoting； all are shattered〃； twenty thousand
francs of assignats in a portfolio are destroyed or carried off； the
title…deeds of the property are not to be found； and the damage is
estimated at 200；000 francs。 The pillage lasted from seven o'clock in
the morning to seven o'clock in the evening； and； as is always the
case； ended in a fête。 The plunderers； entering the cellars； drank
〃two hogsheads of wine and two casks of brandy； thirty or forty
remained dead drunk； and were taken away with considerable
difficulty。〃 There is no prosecution； no investigation； the new mayor；
who； one month after； makes up his mind to denounce the act； begs the
Minister not to give his name； for； he says； 〃the agitators in the
council…general of the Commune threaten； with fearful consequences；
whoever is discovered to have written to you。〃＇72＇ Such is the
ever…present menace under which the gentry live； even when veterans in
the service of freedom； Roland； foremost in his files； finds
heartrending letters addressed directly to him； as a last recourse。
Early in 1789； M。 de Gouy d'Arcy＇73＇ was the first to put his pen to
paper in behalf of popular rights。 A deputy of the noblesse to the
Constituent Assembly； he is the first to rally to the Third…Estate；
when the liberal minority of the noblesse came and took their seats in
the hall of the Communes； he had already been there eight days； and；
for thirty months； he 〃invariably seated himself on the side of the
'Left。'〃 Senior major…general； and ordered by the Legislative
Assembly to suppress the outbreak of the 6；000 insurgents at Noyon；
〃he kept his rigorous orders in his pocket for ten days〃； he endured
their insults； he risked his life 〃to save those of his misguided
fellow…citizens； and he had the good fortune not to spill a drop of
blood。〃 Exhausted by so much labor and effort； almost dying； ordered
into the country by his physicians； 〃he devoted his income to the
relief of poverty〃； he planted on his own domain the first liberty
tree that was erected； he furnished the volunteers with clothes and
arms； 〃instead of a fifth； he yielded up a third of his revenue under
the forced system of taxation。〃 His children live with him on the
property； which has been in the family four hundred years； and the
peasantry call him 〃their father。〃 No one could lead a more tranquil
or； indeed； a more meritorious existence。 But； being a noble； he is
suspected； and a delegate from the Paris Commune denounces him at
Compiègne as having in his house two cannon and five hundred and fifty
muskets。 There is at once a domiciliary visit。 Eight hundred men；
infantry and cavalry； appear before the chateau d'Arcy in battle
array。 He meets them at the door and tenders them the keys。 After a
search of six hours； they find twelve fowling pieces and thirteen
rusty pistols； which he has already declared。 His disappointed
visitors grumble； break； eat and drink to the extent of 2；000 crowns
damage。＇74＇ Nevertheless； urged by their leaders they finally retire。
But M。 de Gouy has 60；000 francs in rentals which would be so much
gain to the nation if he would emigrate； this must be effected； by
expelling him； and； moreover during his expulsion； they may fill their
pockets。 For eight days this matter is discussed in the Compiègne
club； in the bars； in the barracks； and； on the ninth day； 150
volunteers issue from the town； declaring that they are going to kill
M。 de Gouy and all who belong to him。 Informed of this； he departs
with his family； leaving the doors of his house wide open。 There is a
general pillage for five hours； the mob drink the costly wines； steal
the plate； demand horses to carry their booty away； and promise to
return soon and take the owner's head。 In effect； on the following
morning at four o'clock； there is a new invasion； a new pillage； and；
this time； the last one； the servants escape under a fire of musketry；
and M。 de Gouy； at the request of the villagers； whose vineyards are
devastated； is obliged to quit that part of the country。＇75＇ There
is no nee