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mean to carry it out at any cost。 Gensonné makes no secret of it； he
tells all among them who will listen to him that they are not
representatives of the nation； but plenipotentiaries of the Gironde。
Brissot is plotting in his journal； which is simply a tocsin of civil
war； we know of his going to England； and why he went； we know all
about his intimacy with that Lebrun； minister of foreign affairs； a
Liegois and creature of the Austrian house。 Brissot's best friend is
Clavière； and Clavière has plotted wherever he could breathe。 Rabaut；
treacherous like the Protestant and philosopher that he is； was not
clever enough to conceal his correspondence with that courtier and
traitor Montesquiou； six months ago they were working together to open
Savoy and France to the Piedmontese。 Servan was made general of the
Pyrenean army only to give the keys of France to the Spaniards。〃
〃Is there no doubt of this in your mind？〃 asks Garat。
〃None； whatever。〃＇133＇
Such assurance； equal to that of Marat； is terrible and worse in its
effect； for Robespierre's list of conspirators is longer than that of
Marat。 Political and social； in Marat's mind； the list comprehends
only aristocrats and the rich； theological and moral in Robespierre's
mind； it comprehends all atheists and dishonest persons； that is to
say； nearly the whole of his party。 In this narrow mind； given up to
abstractions and habitually classifying men under two opposite
headings； whoever is not with him on the good side is against him on
the bad side； and； on the bad side； the common understanding between
the factious of every flag and the rogues of every degree； is natural。
〃All aristocrats are corrupt； and every corrupt man is an aristocrat；〃
for； 〃republican government and public morality are one and the same
thing。〃＇134＇
Not only do evil…doers of both species tend through instinct and
interest to league together； but their league is already perfected。
One has only to open one's eyes to detect 〃in all its extent〃 the plot
they have hatched； 〃the frightful system of destruction of public
morality。〃＇135＇ Guadet； Vergniaud； Gensonné； Danton； Hébert； 〃all of
them artificial characters；〃 had no other end in view ： 〃they
felt＇136＇ that； to destroy liberty； it was necessary to favor by every
means whatever tended to justify egoism； wither the heart and efface
that idea of moral beauty； which affords the only rule for public
reason in its judgment of the defenders and enemies of humanity。〃 …
Their heirs remain； but let those be careful。 Immorality is a
political offense； one conspires against the State merely by making a
parade of materialism or by preaching indulgence； by acting
scandalously； or by following evil courses； by stock…jobbing； by
dining too sumptuously； by being vicious； scheming； given to
exaggeration； or 〃on the fence；〃 by exciting or perverting the people；
by deceiving the people； by finding fault with the people； by
distrusting the people；＇137＇ short； when one does not march straight
along on the prescribed path marked out by Robespierre according to
principles： whoever stumbles or turns aside is a scoundrel； a traitor。
Now； not counting the Royalists； Feuillantists； Girondists；
Hébertists； Dantonists； and others already decapitated or imprisoned
according to their merit； how many traitors still remain in the
Convention； on the Committees； amongst the representatives on mission；
in the administrative bodies not properly weeded out； amongst petty
tyrannical underlings and the entire ruling； influential class at
Paris and in the provinces？ Outside of 〃about twenty political
Trappists in the Convention；〃 outside of a small devoted group of pure
Jacobins in Paris； outside of a faithful few scattered among the
popular clubs of the departments； how many Fouchés； Vadiers； Talliens；
Bourdons； Collots； remain amongst the so…called revolutionaries？ How
many dissidents are there； disguised as orthodox； charlatans disguised
as patriots； and pashas disguised as sans…culottes？＇138＇ Add all this
vermin to that which Marat seeks to crush out； it is no longer by
hundreds of thousands； but by millions。 exclaim Baudot； Jeanbon…
Saint…André and Guffroy； that the guilty must be counted and cut off
their heads！ … And all these heads； Robespierre； according to his
maxims； must strike off。 He is well aware of this； hostile as his
intellect may be to precise ideas； he； when alone in his closet； face
to face with himself； sees clearly； as clearly as Marat。 Marat's
chimera； on first spreading out its wings； bore its frenzied rider
swiftly onward to the charnel house； that of Robespierre； fluttering
and hobbling along； reaches the goal in its turn； in its turn； it
demands something to feed on； and the rhetorician； the professor of
principles； begins to assess the voracity of the monstrous brute on
which he is mounted。 Slower than the other； this one is still more
ravenous； for； with similar claws and teeth； it has a vaster appetite。
At the end of three years Robespierre has overtaken Marat； at that
distant end of the line； at the station where Marat had established
himself from the very beginning； and the theoretician now adopts the
policy； the aim； the means； the work； and almost the vocabulary of a
maniac：＇139＇
armed dictatorship of the urban mob；
systematic perturbation of the bribed rabble；
war against the bourgeoisie；
extermination of the rich；
placing opposition writers； administrators and deputies outside the
law。
Both monsters get the same food； only； to the ration of his monster；
Robespierre adds 〃vicious men〃 as its special and favorite prey。
Henceforth； he may in vain abstain from action； take refuge in his
rhetoric； stop his chaste ears； and raise his hypocritical eyes to
heaven； he cannot avoid seeing or hearing under his immaculate feet
the streaming gore； and the bones crashing in the open jaws of the
insatiable monster which he has fashioned and on which he rides。＇140＇
These ever open and hungry jaws must be daily fed with an ampler
supply of human flesh； not only is he bound to let it eat； but to
furnish the food； often with his own hands； except that he must
afterwards wash them； declaring； and even believing； that no spot of
blood has ever soiled them。 He is generally content to caress and
flatter the brute； to excuse it； to let it go on。 Nevertheless； more
than once； tempted by the opportunity； he has launched it against his
designated victim。＇141＇ He is now himself starting off in quest of
living prey； he casts the net of his rhetoric＇142＇ around it； he
fetches it bound to the open jaws； he thrusts aside with an
uncompromising air the arms of friends； wives and mothers； the
outstretched hands of suppliants begging for lives；＇143＇ he suddenly
throttles the struggling victims＇144＇ and； for fear that they might
escape； he strangles them in time。 Near the end； this is no longer
enough； the brute must have grander quarries； and； accordingly； a pack
of hounds； beaters…up； and； willingly or not； it is Robespierre who
equips； directs and urges them on； at Orange； at Paris；＇145＇ ordering
them to empty the prison's； and be expeditious in doing their work。 …
In this profession of slaughtering； destructive instincts； long
repressed by civilization； become aroused。 His feline physiognomy； at
first 〃that of a domestic cat； restless but mild； changes into the
savage appearance of the wildcat； and close to the ferocious exterior
of the tiger。 In the Constituent Assembly he speaks with a whine； in
the Convention he froths at the mouth。〃＇146＇ The monotonous drone of
a stiff sub…professor changes into the personal accent of furious
passion； he hisses and grinds his teeth；＇147＇ Sometimes； on a change
of scene； he affects to shed tears。＇148＇ But his wildest outbursts
are less alarming than his affected sensibility。 The festering
grudges； corrosive envies and bitter scheming which have accumulated
in his breast are astonishing。 The gall bladder is full； and the
extravasated gall overflows on the dead。 He never tires of re…
executing his guillotined adversaries； the Girondists； Chaumette；
Hébert and especially Danton；＇149＇ probably because Danton was the
active agent in the Revolution of which he was simply the incapable
pedagogue； he vents his posthumous hatred on this still warm corpse in
artful insinuations and obvious misrepresentations。 Thus； inwardly
corroded by the venom it distills； his physical machine gets out of
order； like that of Marat； but with other symptoms。 When speaking in
the tribune 〃his hands crisp with a sort of nervous contraction；〃
sudden tremors agitate 〃his shoulders and neck； shaking him
convulsively to and fro。〃＇150＇ 〃His bilious complexion becomes livid；〃
his eyelids quiver under his spectacles； and how he looks！ 〃Ah；〃 said
a Montagnard； 〃you would have voted as we did on the 9th of Thermidor；
had you seen his green