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directed blows ordered by him。 … To this degree； and in such
proximity to physical action； omnipotence is a noxious atmosphere
which no state of health can resist。 Restored to the conditions which
poisoned man in barbarous times or countries； he is again attacked by
moral maladies from which he was thenceforth believed to be exempt； he
retrogrades even to the strange corruptions of the Orient and the
Middle Ages； forgotten leprosies； apparently extinct； with exotic
pestilences to which civilized lands seemed closed； reappear in his
soul with their issues and tumors。
VII。 Brutal Instincts。
Eruption of brutal instincts。 … Duquesnoy at Metz。 … Dumont at
Amiens。 … Drunkards。 … Cusset； Bourbotte； Moustier； Bourdon de
l'Oise； Dartigoyte。
〃It seems；〃 says a witness who was long acquainted with Maignet； 〃that
all he did for these five or six years was simply the delirious phase
of an illness； after which he recovered； and lived on as if nothing
had happened。〃＇97＇ And Maignet himself writes 〃I was not made for
these tempests。〃 That goes for everyone but especially for the coarser
natures； subordination would have restrained them while dictatorial
power make the instincts of the brute and the mob appear。
Contemplate Duquesnoy； a sort of mastiff； always barking and biting；
when gorged he is even more furious。 Delegate to the army of the
Moselle； and passing by Metz＇98＇ he summoned before him Altmayer； the
public prosecutor； although he had sat down to dinner。 The latter
waits three hours and a half in the ante…chamber； is not admitted；
returns； and； at length received； is greeted with a thundering
exclamation：
〃Who are you？〃
〃The public prosecutor；〃 he replies。
〃You look like a bishop … you were once a curé or monk … you can't be
a revolutionary 。 。 。 。 I have come to Metz with unlimited powers。
Public opinion here is not satisfactory。 I am going to drill it。 I
am going to set folks straight here。 I mean to shoot； here in Metz；
as well as in Nancy； five or six hundred every fortnight。〃
The same at the house of General Bessières； commandant of the town
encountering there M。 Cledat； an old officer； the second in command；
he measures him from head to foot：
〃You look like a muscadin。 Where did you come from？ You must be a bad
republican … you look as if you belonged to the ancient régime。〃
〃My hair is gray；〃 he responds； 〃but I am not the less a good
republican： you may ask the General and the whole town。〃
〃Be off！ Go to the devil； and be quick about it； or I will have you
arrested！〃 …
The same； in the street； where he lays hold of a man passing； on
account of his looks； the justice of the peace； Joly； certifies to the
civism of this person； and he 〃eyes〃 Joly：
〃You too； you are an aristocrat！ I see it in your eyes！ I never make
a mistake。〃
Whereupon； tearing off the Judge's badge； he sends him to prison。 …
Meanwhile； a fire； soon extinguished； breaks out in the army bakery；
officers； townspeople； laborers； peasants and even children form a
line （for passing water） and Duquesnoy appears to urge them on in his
way： using his fists and his foot； he falls on whoever he meets； on an
employee in the commissariat； on a convalescent officer； on two men in
the line； and many others。 He shouts to one of them； 〃You are a
muscadin！〃 To another：
〃I see by your eyes that you are an aristocrat！〃
To another：
〃You are a bloody beggar； an aristocrat； a rascal；〃
and he strikes him in the stomach； he seizes a fourth by his collar
and throws him down on the pavement。＇99＇ In addition to this； all are
imprisoned。 The fire being extinguished； an indiscreet fellow； who
stood by looking on； recommends 〃 the dispenser of blows 〃to wipe his
forehead。〃 〃You can't see straight … who are you？ Answer me； I am the
representative。〃 The other replies mildly： 〃Representative； nothing
could be more respectable。〃 Duquesnoy gives the unlucky courtier a
blow under the nose： 〃You are disputing … go to prison；〃 〃 which I did
at once；〃 adds the docile subject。 … That same evening； 〃whereas； in
the conflagration； none of the inhabitants in good circumstances
offered their services in extinguishing the fire；＇100＇ and none but
sans…culottes came thereto； from the garrison as well as from the
commune；〃 Duquesnoy orders 〃that a tax of 40；000 livres be imposed on
the commune of Metz； levied on the fortunes of the rich and
distributed among the poor； payable within ten days。〃＇101＇ 〃Fais…
moi f。。。。 dedans tous ces b。。。 là＇102＇；〃 〃quatre j。。。f。。。 à
raccourcir；〃＇103＇ At Arras； as at Metz； the lout is ever the ruffian
and the butcher。
Others are either jolly fellows； or blackguards。 A certain André
Dumont； an old village attorney； now king of Picardie； or sultan； as
occasion offers； 〃figures as a white Negro；〃 sometimes jovial； but
generally as a rude hardened cynic； treating female prisoners and
petitioners as in a kermesse。＇104＇ … One morning a lady enters his
ante…room； and waits amidst about twenty sans…culottes； to solicit the
release of her husband。 Dumont appears in a morning…gown； seats
himself and listens to the petitioner。
〃Sit down； citoyenne。〃
He takes her on his lap； thrusts his hand in her bosom and exclaims：
〃Who would suppose that the bust of a marchioness would feel so soft
to one of the people's representatives。〃
The sans…culottes shout with laughter。 He sends the poor woman away
and keeps her husband locked up。 In the evening he may write to the
Convention that he investigates things himself； and closely examines
aristocrats。 … If one is to maintain the revolutionary enthusiasm at
a high level it is helpful to have a drop too much in one's head； and
most of them take precautions in this direction。 At Lyons；＇105＇ 〃the
representatives sent to ensure the people's welfare； Albitte and
Collot；〃 call upon the Committee of Sequestrations to deliver at their
house two hundred bottles of the best wine to be found； and five
hundred bottles more of Bordeaux red wine； first quality； for table
use。 … In three months； at the table of the representatives who
devastate la Vendée； nineteen hundred and seventy…four bottles of wine
are emptied；＇106＇ taken from the houses of the emigrés belonging to
the town； for； 〃when one has helped to preserve a commune one has a
right to drink to the Republic。〃 Representative Bourbotte presides at
this bar； Rossignol touches his glass； an ex…jeweler and then a
September massacreur； all his life a debauchee and brigand； and now a
major…general； alongside of Rossignol； stand his adjutants； Grammont；
an old actor； and Hazard； a former priest； along with them is
Vacheron； a good républican； who ravishes women and shoots them when
they refuse to succumb；＇107＇ in addition to these are some 〃brilliant〃
young ladies； undoubtedly brought from Paris； 〃the prettiest of whom
share their nights between Rossignol and Bourbotte；〃 whilst the others
serve their subordinates： the entire band； male and female； is installed
in a Hotel de Fontenay； where they begin by breaking the seals； so as t
o confiscate 〃for their own benefit； furniture； jewelry； dresses；
feminine trinkets and even porcelains。〃＇108＇ Meanwhile； at Chantonney；
representative Bourdon de l'Oise drinks with General Tunck； becomes 〃
frantic〃 when tipsy； and has patriotic administrators seized in their
beds at midnight； whom he had embraced the evening before。 … Nearly
all of them； like the latter； get nasty after a few drinks； … Carrier
at Nantes； Petit…Jean at Thiers； Duquesnoy at Arras； Cusset at
Thionville； Monestier at Tarbes。 At Thionville； Cusset drinks like
a 〃Lapithe〃 and； when drunk； gives the orders of a 〃vizier；〃 which
orders are executed。＇109＇ At Tarbes； Monestier 〃after a heavy meal
and much excited；〃 warmly harangues the court； personally examines
the prisoner； M。 de Lasalle； an old officer； whom he has condemned
to death； and signs the order to have him guillotined at once。 M。
de Lasalle is guillotined that very evening； at midnight； by torchlight。
The following morning Monestier says to the president of the court：
〃Well； we gave poor Lasalle a famous fright last night； didn't we ？〃
〃How a famous fright？ He is executed ！〃 Monestier is astonished … he
did not remember having issued the order。＇110＇ … With others； wine；
besides sanguinary instincts； brings out the foulest instincts。 At
N？mes； Borie； in the uniform of a representative； along with Courbis；
the mayor； Géret； the justice and a number of prostitutes； dance the
farandole around the guillotine。 At Auch； one of the worst tyrants in
the South； Dartigoyte； always heated with liquor 〃vomited every species
of obscenity 〃 in the faces of women that came to demand justice； 〃he
compels； under penalty of imprisonment； mothers to take their daughters
to the popular club；〃 to listen to his filthy preaching；