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ever…ready insurrection for the agitators who desire to raise one。
IV。 The Palais…Royal。
But the agitators are already in permanent session。 The Palais…
Royal is an open…air club where； all day and even far into the
night； one excites the other and urges on the crowd to blows。 In
this enclosure； protected by the privileges of the House of Orleans；
the police dare not enter。 Speech is free； and the public who avail
themselves of this freedom seem purposely chosen to abuse it。
The public and the place are adapted to each other。＇18＇ The Palais…
Royal； the center of prostitution； of play； of idleness； and of
pamphlets； attracts the whole of that uprooted population which
floats about in a great city； and which； without occupation or home；
lives only for curiosity or for pleasure the frequenters of the
coffee…houses； the runners for gambling halls； adventurers； and
social outcasts； the runaway children or forlorn hopefuls of
literature； arts； and the bar； attorneys' clerks； students of the
institutions of higher learning； the curious； loungers； strangers；
and the occupants of furnished lodgings； these amounting； it is
said； to forty thousand in Paris。 They fill the garden and the
galleries； 〃one would hardly find here one of what were called the
〃Six Bodies；〃＇19＇ a bourgeois settled down and occupied with his own
affairs； a man whom business and family cares render serious and
influential。 There is no place here for industrious and orderly
bees； it is the rendezvous of political and literary drones。 They
flock into it from every quarter of Paris； and the tumultuous；
buzzing swarm covers the ground like an overturned hive。 〃Ten
thousand people；〃 writes Arthur Young；＇20＇ 〃have been all this day
in the Palais…Royal；〃 the press is so great that an apple thrown
from a balcony on the moving floor of heads would not reach the
ground。 The condition of these heads may be imagined； they are
emptier of ballast than any in France； the most inflated with
speculative ideas； the most excitable and the most excited。 In this
pell…mell of improvised politicians no one knows who is speaking；
nobody is responsible for what he says。 Each is there as in the
theater； unknown among the unknown； requiring sensational
impressions and strong emotions； a prey to the contagion of the
passions around him； borne along in the whirl of sounding phrases；
of ready…made news； growing rumors； and other exaggerations by which
fanatics keep outdoing each other。 There are shouting； tears；
applause； stamping and clapping； as at the performance of a tragedy；
one or another individual becomes so inflamed and hoarse that he
dies on the spot with fever and exhaustion。 In vain has Arthur
Young been accustomed to the tumult of political liberty； he is
dumb…founded at what he sees。＇21＇ According to him； the excitement
is 〃incredible。 。 。 。 We think sometimes that Debrett's or
Stockdale's shops at London are crowded； but they are mere deserts
compared to Desenne's and some others here； in which one can
scarcely squeeze from the door to the counter 。 。 。 。Every hour
produces its pamphlet； 13 came out to…day； 16 yesterday； and 92 last
week。 95％ of these productions are in favor of liberty；〃 and by
liberty is meant the extinction of privileges； numerical
sovereignty； the application of the Contrat…Social； 〃The Republic〃；
and even more besides； a universal leveling； permanent anarchy； and
even the jacquerie。 Camille Desmoulins； one of the orators；
commonly there； announces it and urges it in precise terms：
〃Now that the animal is in the trap； let him be battered to
death。。。 Never will the victors have a richer prey。 Forty thousand
palaces； mansions； and chateaux； two…fifth of the property of
France； will be the recompense of valor。 Those who pretend to be
the conquerors will be conquered in turn。 The nation shall be
purged。〃
Here； in advance； is the program of the Reign of Terror。
Now all this is not only read； but declaimed； amplified； and turned
to practical account。 In front of the coffee…houses 〃those who have
stentorian lungs relieve each other every evening。〃＇22＇ 〃They get
up on a chair or a table； they read the strongest articles on
current affairs； 。 。。 。 the eagerness with which they are heard；
and the thunder of applause they receive for every sentiment of more
than common hardiness or violence against the present Government；
cannot easily be imagined。〃 〃Three days ago a child of four years；
well taught and intelligent； was promenaded around the garden； in
broad daylight； at least twenty times； borne on the shoulders of a
street porter； crying out； 'Verdict of the French people： Polignac
exiled one hundred leagues from Paris； Condé the same； Conti the
same； Artois the same； the Queen； I dare not write it。'〃 A hall
made of boards in the middle of the Palais…Royal is always full；
especially of young men； who carry on their deliberations in
parliamentary fashion ： in the evening the president invites the
spectators to come forward and sign motions passed during the day；
and of which the originals are placed in the Café Foy。＇23＇ They
count on their fingers the enemies of the country； 〃and first two
Royal Highnesses （Monsieur and the Count d'Artois）； three Most
Serene Highnesses （the Prince de Condé； Duc de Bourbon； and the
Prince de Conti）； one favorite （Madame de Polignac）； MM。 de
Vandreuil； de la Trémoille； du Chatelet； de Villedeuil； de Barentin；
de la Galaisière； Vidaud de la Tour； Berthier； Foulon； and also M。
Linguet。〃 Placards are posted demanding the pillory on the Pont…Neuf
for the Abbeé Maury。 One speaker proposes 〃to burn the house of M。
d'Espréménil； his wife； children and furniture； and himself： this is
passed unanimously。〃 No opposition is tolerated。 One of those
present having manifested some horror at such sanguinary motions；
〃is seized by the collar； obliged to kneel down； to make an apology；
and to kiss the ground。 The punishment inflicted on children is
given to him； he is ducked repeatedly in one of the fountain…basins；
after which they him over to the mob； who roll him in the mud。〃 On
the following day an ecclesiastic is trodden under foot； and flung
from hand to hand。 A few days after； on the 22nd of June； there are
two similar events。 The sovereign mob exercises all the functions
of sovereign authority； with those of the legislator those of the
judge； and those of the judge with those of the executioner。 Its
idols are sacred； if any one fails to show them respect he is guilty
of lése…majesté； and at once punished。 In the first week of July；
an abbé who speaks ill of Necker is flogged； a woman who insults the
bust of Necker is stripped by the fishwomen； and beaten until she is
covered with blood。 War is declared against suspicious uniforms。
〃On the appearance of a hussar；〃 writes Desmoulins； 〃they shout；
'There goes Punch！' and the stone…cutters fling stones a