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… Here；＇96＇ eight thousand men are paid forty sous a day 〃to do
nothing〃； 〃the workmen come along at eight； nine and ten o'clock in
the morning。 If they remain after roll…call 。 。 。 they merely trundle
about a few wheelbarrow loads of dirt。 Others play cards all day； and
most of them leave at three or four o'clock； after dinner。 On asking
the inspectors about this they reply that they are not strong enough
to enforce discipline； and are not disposed to have their throats
slit。〃 Whereupon； on the Convention decreeing piece…work； the
pretended workers fall back on their equality； remind it that they had
risen on the 10th of August； and wish to massacre the commissioners。
It is not until the 2nd of November that they are finally dismissed
with an allowance of three sous per league mileage for those of the
departments。 Enough； however； remain in Paris to increase
immeasurably the troop of drones which； accustomed to consuming the
store of honey； think they have a right to be paid by the public for
buzzing around the State。
As a rear…guard； they have 〃the rabble of the suburbs of Paris； which
flocks in at every tap of the drum because it hopes to make
something。〃＇97＇ As advance…guard they have 〃brigands；〃 while the front
ranks contain 〃all the robbers in Paris； which the faction has
enrolled in its party to use when required；〃 the second ranks are made
up of 〃a number of former domestics； the bullies of gambling…houses
and of houses of ill…fame； all the vilest class。〃＇98＇ Naturally；
lost women form a part of the crowd 〃Citoyennes；〃 Henriot says；
addressing the prostitutes of the Palais…Royal； whom he has assembled
in its garden； 〃citoyennes； are you good republicans？〃 〃Yes； general；
yes！〃 〃Have you； by chance； any refractory priest； any Austrian； any
Prussian； concealed in your apartments？〃 〃Fie； fie！ We have nobody
but sans…culottes！ 〃＇99＇ Along with these are the thieves and
prostitutes out of the Chatelet and Conciergerie； set at liberty and
then enlisted by the September slaughterers； under the command of an
old hag named Rose Lacombe；＇100＇ forming the usual audience of the
Convention； on important days； seven or eight hundred of these may be
counted； sometimes two thousand； stationed at the entrance and in the
galleries； from nine o'clock in the morning。＇101＇ Male and female；
〃this anti…social vermin 〃102thus crawls around at the sessions of the
Assembly； the Commune； the Jacobin club； the revolutionary tribunal；
the sections and one may imagine the physiognomies it offers to view。
〃It would seem；〃 says a deputy；＇103＇ 〃as if every sink in Paris and
other great cities had been scoured to find whatever was foul； the
most hideous； and the most infected。 。 。 。 Ugly； cadaverous features；
black or bronzed； surmounted with tufts of greasy hair； and with eyes
sunken half…way into the head。 。 。 。 They belched forth with their
nauseous breath the grossest insults amidst sharp cries like those of
carnivorous animals。〃 Among them there can be distinguished 〃the
September murderers； whom〃 says an observer＇104＇ in a position to know
them； 〃I can compare to nothing but lazy tigers licking their paws；
growling and trying to find a few more drops of blood just spilled；
awaiting a fresh supply。〃 Far from hiding away they strut about and
show themselves。 One of them； Petit…Mamain； son of an innkeeper at
Bordeaux and a former soldier； 〃with a pale； wrinkled face； sharp eyes
and bold air； wearing a scimitar at his side and pistols at his belt；〃
promenades the Palais…Royal＇105＇ 〃accompanied or followed at a
distance by others of the same species；〃 and 〃taking part in every
conversation。〃 〃It was me；〃 he says； 〃who ripped open La Lamballe and
tore her heart out。 。 。 。 All I have to regret is that the massacre
was such a short one。 But we shall have it over again。 Only wait a
fortnight！〃 and； thereupon； he calls out his own name in defiance。
Another； who has no need of stating his well…known name； Maillard；
president of the Abbaye massacres； has his head…quarters at the café
Chrétien；＇106＇ Rue Favart； from which； guzzling drams of brandy； 〃he
dispatches his mustached men； sixty…eight cutthroats； the terror of
the surrounding region；〃 we see them in coffee…houses and in the
foyers of the theaters 〃drawing their huge sabers；〃 and telling
inoffensive people： 〃I am Mr。 so and so； if you look at me with
contempt I'll cut you down！ A few months more and； under the
command of one of Henriot's aids； a squad of this band will rob and
toast （chauffer） peasants in the environment of Corbeil and
Meaux。＇107＇ In the meantime； even in Paris； they toast； rob； and rape
on grand occasions。 On the 25th and 26th of February； 1793；＇108＇ they
pillage wholesale and retail groceries； 〃save those belonging to
Jacobins；〃 in the Rue des Lombards； Rue des Cinq…Diamants； Rue
Beaurepaire； Rue Montmartre； in the Ile Saint…Louis； on the Port…au…
Blé； before the H？tel…de…ville； Rue Saint…Jacques； in short； twelve
hundred of them； not alone articles of prime necessity； soap and
candles； but again； sugar； brandy； cinnamon； vanilla； indigo and tea。
〃In the Rue de la Bourdonnaie； a number of persons came out with
loaves of sugar they had not paid for and which they re…sold。〃 The
affair was arranged beforehand； the same as on the 5th of October；
1789； among the women are seen 〃several men in disguise who did not
even take the precaution of shaving；〃 and in many places； thanks to
the confusion； they heartily abandon themselves to it。 With his feet
in the fire or a pistol at his head； the master of the house is
compelled to give them 〃gold； money； assignats and jewels；〃 only too
glad if his wife and daughters are not raped before his eyes as in a
town taken by assault。
VII。 The Jacobin Chieftains。
The make up of the rulers。 The nature and scope of their intellect。
The political views of M。 Saule。
Such are the politicians who； after the last months of the year 1792；
rule over Paris； and； through Paris； over the whole of France； five
thousand brutes and blackguards with two thousand hussies； just about
the number a good police force would expel from the city； were it
important to give the capital a cleaning out；＇109＇ they too； were
convinced of their rights； all the more ardent in their revolutionary
faith； because the creed converts their vices into virtues； and
transforms their misdeeds into public services。＇110＇ They are the
actual sovereign people； this is why we should try to unravel their
innermost thoughts。 If we truly are to comprehend the past events we
must discern the spontaneous feelings moving them on the trial of the
King； the defeat of Neerwinden； at the defection of Dumouriez； on the
insurrection in La Vendée； at the accusation of Marat； the arrest of
Hébert； and each of the dangers which in turn fall on their heads。
For； this is not borrowed emotion； it does not descend from above；
they are not a trusty army of disciplined soldiers； but a suspicious
accumulation of temporary adherents。 To command them requires
obedience to them； their leaders always remaining their tool。 However
popular and firmly established a chief may seem to be； he is there
only for a short time； at all times subject to their approval as the
bullhorn for their passions and the purveyor to their appetites。＇111＇
Such was Pétion in July； 1792； and such is Marat since the days of
September。 〃One Marat more or less （which will soon be seen） would not
change the course of events。〃＇112＇ 〃But one only would remain；＇113＇
Chaumette； for instance； one would suffice to lead the horde；〃 because
it is the horde itself which leads。 〃Its attachment will always be
awarded to whoever shows a disposition to follow it the closest in its
outrages without in any respect caring for its former leaders。 。 。
Its liking for Marat and Robespierre is not so great as for those who
will exclaim； Let us kill； let us plunder！〃 Let the leader of the day
stop following the current of the day； and he will be crushed as an
obstacle or cast off as a piece of wreckage。 Judge if they are
willing to be entangled in the spider's web which the Girondins put in
their way。 Instead of the metaphysical constitution with which the
Girondins confront them； they have one in their own head ready made；
simple to the last point； adapted to their capacity and their
instincts。 The reader will call to mind one of their chiefs； whom we
have already met； M。 Saule； 〃a stout； stunted little old man； drunk
all his life； formerly an upholsterer； then a peddler of quackeries in
the shape of four…penny boxes of hangman's grease； to cure pains in
the loins；＇114＇ afterwards chief of the claque in the galleries of the
Constituent Assembly and driven out for rascality； restored under the
Legislative Assembly； and； under the protection of a groom of the
Court； favored with a spot near the Assembly door； to set up a
patriotic coffee…shop