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pieces of the national bread。 〃This bread；〃 he says； 〃which the poor
would formerly have despised； I found accepted with the liveliest
gratitude； and by well educated persons；〃 the lady who contended with
the dog for the bone was a former nun； without either parents or
friends and everywhere repulsed。〃 〃I still hear with a shudder；〃 says
Meissner； 〃the weak； melancholy voice of a well…dressed woman who
stopped me in the rue du Bac； to tell me in accents indicative both of
shame and despair： 'Ah； Sir； do help me！ I am not an outcast。 I have
some talent … you may have seen some of my works in the salon。 I have
had nothing to eat for two days and I am crazy for want of food。'〃
Again； in June； 1796； the inspectors state that despair and
despondency have reached the highest point； only one cry being heard…
misery ！。。 。 。 Our reports all teem with groans and complaints。 。
。 。 Pallor and suffering are stamped on all faces。 。 。 。 Each
day presents a sadder and more melancholy aspect。〃 And
repeatedly；＇149＇ they sum up their scattered observations in a general
statement：
* 〃A mournful silence； the deepest distress on every countenance；
* the most intense hatred of the government in general developed in
all conversations；
* contempt for all existing authority；
* an insolent luxuriousness； insulting to the wretchedness of the poor
rentiers who expire with hunger in their garrets； no longer possessing
the courage to crawl to the Treasury and get the wherewithal to
prolong their misery for a few days；
* the worthy father of a family daily deciding what article of
furniture he will sell to make up for what is lacking in his wages
that he may buy a half…pound of bread；
* every sort of provision increasing in price sixty times an hour；
* the smallest business dependent on the fall of assignats；
* intriguers of all parties overthrowing each other only to get
offices；
* the intoxicated soldier boasting of the services he has rendered and
is to render； and abandoning himself shamelessly to every sort of
debauchery；
* commercial houses transformed into dens of thieves；
* rascals become traders and traders become rascals； the most sordid
cupidity and a mortal egoism…
such is the picture presented by Paris。〃＇150＇
One group is wanting in this picture； that of the governors who
preside over this wretchedness； which group remains in the background；
one might say that it was so designed and composed by some great
artist； a lover of contrasts； an inexorable logician； whose invisible
hand traces human character unvaryingly； and whose mournful irony
unfailingly depicts side by side； in strong relief； the grotesqueness
of folly and the seriousness of death。 How many perished on account
of this misery？ Probably more than a million persons。＇151＇ …
Try to take in at a glance the extraordinary spectacle presented on
twenty…six thousand square leagues of territory：
* The immense multitude of the starving in town and country；
* the long lines of women for three years waiting for bread in all the
cities；
* this or that town of twenty…three thousand souls in which one…third
of the population dies in the hospitals in three months；
* the crowds of paupers at the poor…houses；
* the file of poor wretches entering and the file of coffins going
out；
* the asylums deprived of their property； overcrowded with the sick；
unable to feed the multitude of foundlings pining away in their
cradles the very first week； their little faces in wrinkles like those
of old men；
* the malady of want aggravating all other maladies； the long
suffering of a persistent vitality amidst pain and which refuses to
succumb； the final death…rattle in a garret or in a ditch。
Contrast this with this the small； powerful； triumphant group of
Jacobins which； having understood how to place themselves in the good
places； is determined to stay there at any cost。 … About ten o'clock
in the morning；＇152＇ Cambacérès； president of the Committee of Public
Safety； is seen entering its hall in the Pavillon de l'Egalité。 He is
a large； cautious and shrewd personage who will； later on； become
arch…chancellor of the Empire and famous for his epicurean inventions
and other peculiar tastes revived from antiquity。 Scarcely seated； he
orders an ample pat…au…feu to be placed on the chimney hearth and； on
the table； 〃fine wine and fine white bread； three articles；〃 says a
guest； 〃 not to be found elsewhere in all Paris。〃 Between twelve and
two o'clock； his colleagues enter the room in turn； take a plate of
soup and a slice of meat； swallow some wine； and then proceed； each to
his bureau； to receive his coterie； giving this one an office and
compelling another to pay up； looking all the time after his own
special interests。 At this moment； especially； towards the close of
the Convention； there are no public interests； all interests being
private and personal。 … In the mean time； the deputy in charge of
provisions； Roux de la Haute Marne； an unfrocked Benedictine； formerly
a terrorist in the provinces； subsequently the protégé and employee of
Fouché； with whom he is to be associated in the police department；
keeps the throng of women in check which daily resorts to the
Tuileries to beg for bread。 He is well adapted for this duty； being
tall； chubby； ornamental； and with vigorous lungs。 He has taken his
office in the right place； in the attic of the palace； at the top of
long； narrow and steep stairs； so that the line of women stretching up
between the two walls； piled one above the other； necessarily becomes
immovable。 With the exception of the two or three at the front； no
one has her hands free to grab the haranguer by the throat and close
the oratorical stop…cock。 He can spout his tirades accordingly with
impunity； and for an indefinite time。 On one occasion； his sonorous
jabber rattles away uninterruptedly from the top to the bottom of the
staircase； from nine o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the
afternoon。 Under such a voluble shower； his hearers become weary and
end by going home。 … About nine or ten o'clock in the evening； the
Committee of Public Safety reassembles； but not to discuss business。
Danton and La Révellière preach in vain； each is too egoistic and too
worn…out； they let the rein slacken on Cambacérès。 As to him； he
would rather keep quiet and drag the cart no longer； but there are two
things necessary which he must provide for on pain of death。 … 〃It
will not do；〃 says he in plaintive tones； 〃to keep on printing the
assignats at night which we want for the next day。 If that lasts； ma
foi； we run the risk of being strung up at a lantern。 。 。Go and find
Hourier…Eloi； as he has charge of the finances； and tell him that we
entreat him to keep us a…going for a fortnight or eighteen days
longer； when the executive Directory will come in and do what it
pleases。〃 〃 But food … shall we have enough for to…morrow？
〃Aha； I don't know … I'll send for our colleague Roux； who will post
us on that point。〃 Roux enters； the official spokesman； the fat；
jovial tamer of the popular dog。 〃Well； Roux； how do we stand about
supplying Paris with food？〃 〃The supply； citizen President； is just as
abundant as ever； two ounces per head； … at least for most of the
sections。〃 〃Go to the devil with your abundant supply！ You'll have our
heads off！ 〃 All remain silent； for this possible dénouement sets them
to thinking。 Then； one of them exclaims： 〃President； are there any
refreshments provided for us？ After working so hard for so many days
we need something to strengthen us ！〃 〃Why； yes ； there is a good
calf's…tongue； a large turbot； a large piece of pie and some other
things。〃 They cheer up； begin to eat and drink champagne； and indulge
in drolleries。 About eleven or twelve o'clock the members of other
Committees come in； signatures are affixed to their various decrees；
on trust； without reading them over。 They； in their turn； sit down at
the table and the conclave of sovereign bellies digests without giving
itself further trouble about the millions of stomachs that are empty。
_______________________________________________________________________…
Notes：
＇1＇ On the other more complicated functions； such as the maintenance
of roads； canals； harbors； public buildings； lighting； cleanliness；
hygiene； superior secondary and primary education； hospitals； and
other asylums； highway security； the suppression of robbery and
kindred crimes； the destruction of wolves； etc。； see Rocquam； 〃Etat de
la France au 18 Brumaire；〃 and the 〃Statistiques des Departements；〃
published by the prefets； from years IX。 to XIII。 … These branches
of the service were almost entirely overthrown； the reader will see
the practical results of their suppression in the documents referred
to。
＇2＇ 〃St。 John de Crêvec？ur；〃 by Robert de Crêvec？ur； p。216。 （Letter
of