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！
patriotic sentiments； able to arouse savage instincts in the most
tranquil breast and generous instincts in the most brutal
personalities。＇58＇ He may be profane； using emphatic terms；＇59＇
cynical； but not monotonous and affected like Hébert； but spontaneous
and to the point； full of crude jests worthy of Rabelais； possessing a
stock of jovial sensuality and good…humor； cordial and familiar in his
ways； frank； friendly in tone。 He is； both outwardly and inwardly；
the best fitted for winning the confidence and sympathy of a Gallic；
Parisian populace。 His talents all contribute to 〃his inborn；
practical popularity；〃 and to make of him 〃a grand…seignior of sans…
cullotterie。〃＇60＇ … With such talents for acting； there is a strong
temptation to act it out the moment the theatre is ready； whatever the
theatre； even unlawful and murky； whatever the actors rogues；
scoundrels and loose women； whatever the part； ignoble； murderous； and
finally fatal to him who undertakes it。 … To hold out against such
temptation； would require a sentiment of repugnance which a refined or
thorough culture develops in both sense and mind； but which was
completely wanting in Danton。 Nothing disgusts him physically or
morally： he embraces Marat；＇61＇ fraternizes with drunkards；
congratulates the Septembriseurs； retorts in blackguard terms to the
insults of prostitutes； treats reprobates； thieves and jail…birds as
equals； … Carra； Westermann； Huguenin； Rossignol and the confirmed
scoundrels whom he sends into the departments after the 2nd of
September。
〃Eh！ What the hell！ Do you think we ought to send young misses。〃 ＇62＇…
Garbage men are needed for the collection of garbage； one cannot hold
one's nose when they come for their wages； one must pay them well；
talk to them encouragingly； and leave them plenty of elbow room。
Danton is willing to play the part of the fire； and he humors vices；
he has no scruples； and lets people scratch and take。 … He has stolen
as much to give as to keep； to maintain his role as much as to benefit
by it； squaring accounts by spending the money of the Court against
the Court； probably inwardly chuckling； the same as the peasant in a
blouse on getting ahead of his well…duped landlord； or as the Frank；
whom the ancient historian describes as leering on pocketing Roman
gold the better to make war against Rome。 … The graft on this
plebeian seedling has not taken； in our modern garden this remains as
in the ancient forest； its vigorous sap preserves its primitive
raciness and produces none of the fine fruits of our civilization； a
moral sense； honor and conscience。 Danton has no respect for himself
nor for others； the nice； delicate limitations that circumscribe human
personality； seem to him as legal conventionality and mere drawing…
room courtesy。 Like a Clovis； he tramples on this； and like a Clovis；
equal in faculties； in similar expedients； and with a worse horde at
his back； he throws himself athwart society； to stagger along； destroy
and reconstruct it to his own advantage。
At the start； he comprehended the peculiar character and normal
procedure of the Revolution； that is to say； the useful agency of
popular brutality： in 1788 he had already figured in insurrections。
He comprehended from the first the ultimate object and definite result
of the Revolution； that is to say； the dictatorship of the violent
minority。 Immediately after the 14th of July；〃 1789； he organized in
his quarter of the city＇63＇ a small independent republic； aggressive
and predominant； the center of the faction； a refuge for the riff…raff
and a rendezvous for fanatics； a pandemonium composed of every
available madcap； every rogue； visionary； shoulder…hitter； newspaper
scribbler and stump…speaker； either a secret or avowed plotter of
murder； Camille Desmoulins； Fréron； Hébert； Chaumette； Clootz；
Théroigne； Marat； while； in this more than Jacobin State； the model
in anticipation of that he is to establish later； he reigns； as he
will afterwards reign； the permanent president of the district；
commander of the battalion； orator of the club； and the concocter of
bold undertakings。 Here； usurpation is the rule there is no
recognition of legal authority； they brave the King； the ministers；
the judges； the Assembly； the municipality； the mayor； the commandant
of the National Guard。 Nature and principle raise them above the law；
the district takes Marat under its protection； posts two sentinels at
his door to protect him from prosecutions； and uses arms against the
armed force sent with a warrant to arrest him。＇64＇ yet more； in the
name of the city of Paris； 〃chief sentinel of the nation；〃 they assume
to govern France： Danton betakes himself to the National Assembly and
declares that the citizens of Paris are the natural representatives of
the eighty…three departments； and summons it； on their injunction； to
cancel an act it has passed。＇65＇ … The entire Jacobin conception is
therein expressed： Danton； with his keen insight； took it all in and
proclaimed it in appropriate terms； to apply it at the present time on
a grand scale；＇66＇ he has merely to pass from the small theatre to the
large one； from the Cordeliers club to the Commune； to the Ministry；
and the Committee of Public Safety； and； in all these theatres； he
plays the same part with the same end in view and the same results。 A
despotism formed by conquest and maintained by terror； the despotism
of the Jacobin Parisian rabble； is the end to which he directly
marches。 He employs no other means and； adapting the means to the end
and the end to the means； manages the important days and instigates
the decisive measures of the Revolution： the 10th of August；＇67＇ the
2nd of September； the 31st of May； the 2nd of June；＇68＇ the decree
providing for an army of paid sans…culottes 〃to keep down aristocrats
with their pikes；〃 the decree in each commune where grain is dear；
taxing the rich to put bread within reach of the poor；＇69＇ the decree
giving laborers forty sous for attending the meetings of the Section
Assemblies；＇70＇ the institution of the revolutionary Tribunal；＇71＇ the
proposal to erect the Committee of Public Safety into a provisional
government； the proclamation of Terror； the concentration of Jacobin
zeal on useful works； the employment of the eight thousand delegates
of the primary assemblies； who had been sent home as recruiting agents
for the universal armament；＇72＇ the inflammatory expressions of young
men on the frontier； the wise resolutions for limiting the levy en
masse to men between eighteen and twenty…five； which put an end to the
scandalous songs and dances by the populace in the very hall of the
Convention。＇73＇
In order to set the machine up； he cleared the ground； fused the
metal； hammered out the principal pieces； filed off the blisters；
designed the action； adjusted the minor wheels； set it agoing and
indicated what it had to do； and； at the same time； he forged the
armor which guarded it against strangers and outside violence。 The
machine being his； why； after constructing it； did he not serve as its
engineer？
Because； if competent to construct it； he was not qualified to manage
it。 In a crisis； he may give a helping hand； win the support of an
assembly or a mob； direct； high…handedly and for a few weeks； an
executive committee。 But regular； persistent labor is repugnant to
him； he is not made for bookkeeping；＇74＇ for paper and administrative
work。 Never； like Robespierre and Billaud can he attend to both
official and police duties at the same time； carefully reading minute
daily reports； annotating mortuary lists； extemporizing ornate
abstractions； coolly enunciating falsehoods and acting out the
patient； satisfied inquisitor； and especially； he can never become the
systematic executioner。 … On the one hand； his eyes are not obscured
by the gray veil of theory： he does not regard men through the
〃Contrat…Social〃 as a sum of arithmetical units；＇75＇ but as they
really are； living； suffering； shedding their blood； especially those
he knows； each with his peculiar physiognomy and demeanor。 Compassion
is excited by all this when one has any feeling； and he had。 Danton
had a heart； he bad the quick sensibilities of a man of flesh and
blood stirred by the primitive instincts； the good ones along with the
bad ones； instincts which culture had neither impaired nor deadened；
which allowed him to plan and permit the September massacre； but which
did not allow him to practice daily and blindly； systematic and
wholesale murder。 Already in September； 〃cloaking his pity under his
bellowing；〃＇76＇ he had shielded or saved many eminent men from the
butchers。 When the axe is about to fall on the Girondists； he is 〃ill
with grief〃 and despair。 〃I am unable to save them；〃 he exclaimed； 〃
and big tears streamed down his cheeks。〃 … On the other hand； his eyes
are not covered by the banda