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misfortune is to be over…polished and too worldly； the over…excited
imagination revives its old nursery tales。 … M。 de Montlosier；
living in the Rue Richelieu； finds that he is watched on his way to
the National Assembly。 One woman especially； from thirty to thirty…
two years of age； who sold meat at a stall in the Passage Saint…
Guillaume； 〃regarded him with special attention。 As soon as she saw
him coming she took up a long； broad knife which she sharpened
before him； casting furious looks at him。〃 He asks his housekeeper
what this means。 Two children of that quarter have disappeared；
carried off by gipsies； and the report is current that M。 de
Montlosier； the Marquis de Mirabeau； and other deputies of the
〃right；〃 meet together 〃to hold orgies in which they eat little
children。〃
In this state of public opinion there is no crime which is not
imputed to them； no insult which is not freely bestowed on them。
〃Traitors； tyrants； conspirators； assassins；〃 such is the current
vocabulary of the clubs and newspapers in relation to them。
〃Aristocrat〃 signifies all this； and whoever dares to refute the
calumny is himself an aristocrat。 … At the Palais…Royal； it is
constantly repeated that M。 de Castries； in his last duel； made use
of a poisoned sword； and an officer of the navy who protests against
this false report is himself accused； tried on the spot； and
condemned 〃to be shut up in the guard…house or thrown into the
fountain。〃＇27＇ … The nobles must beware of defending their honor
in the usual way and of meeting an insult with a challenge！ At
Castelnau； near Cahors；＇28＇ one of those who； the preceding year；
marched against the incendiaries； M。 de Bellud； Knight of Saint…
Louis； on coming down the public square with his brother； a
guardsman； is greeted with cries of 〃The aristocrat！ to the lamp
post ！〃 His brother is in a morning coat and slippers； and not
wishing to get into trouble they do not reply。 A squad of the
National Guard； passing by； repeats the cry； but they still remain
silent。 The shout continues； and M。 de Bellud； after some time has
elapsed； begs the captain to order his men to be quiet。 He refuses；
and M。 de Bellud demands satisfaction outside the town。 At these
words the National Guards rush at M。 de Bellud with fixed bayonets。
His brother receives a saber…cut on the neck； while he； defending
himself with his sword； slightly wounds the captain and one of the
men。 The two brothers； alone against the whole body； fight on；
retreating to their house； in which they are blockaded。 Towards
seven o'clock in the evening； two or three hundred National Guards
from Cahors arrive to reinforce the besiegers。 The house is taken；
and the guardsman； escaping across the fields； sprains his ankle and
is captured。 M。 de Bellud； who has found his way into another
house； continues to defend himself there： the house is set on fire
and burnt； together with two others alongside of it。 Taking refuge
in a cellar he still keeps on firing。 Bundles of lighted straw are
thrown in at the air…holes。 Almost suffocated； he springs out；
kills his first assailant with a shot from one pistol； and himself
with another。 His head is cut off with that of his servant。 The
guardsman is made to kiss the two heads； and； on his demanding a
glass of water； they fill his mouth with the blood which drops from
the severed head of his brother。 The victorious gang then set out
for Cahors； with the two heads stuck on bayonets； and the guardsman
in a cart。 It comes to a halt before a house in which a literary
circle meets； suspected by the Jacobin club。 The wounded man is
made to descend from the cart and is hung： his body is riddled with
balls； and everything the house contains is broken up； 〃the
furniture is thrown out of the windows； and the house pulled down。〃
… Every popular execution is of this character； at once prompt and
complete； similar to those of an Oriental monarch who； on the
instant； without inquiry or trial； avenges his offended majesty；
and。 for every offense； knows no other punishment than death。 At
Tulle； M。 de Massy；＇29＇ lieutenant of the 〃Royal Navarre；〃 having
struck a man that insulted him； is seized in the house in which he
took refuge； and； in spite of the three administrative bodies； is at
once massacred。 … At Brest； two anti…revolutionary caricatures
having been drawn with charcoal on the walls of the military coffee…
house； the excited crowd lay the blame of it on the officers； one of
these； M。 Patry； takes it upon himself； and； on the point of being
torn to pieces； attempts to kill himself。 He is disarmed； but； when
the municipal authorities come to his assistance； they find him
〃already dead through an infinite number of wounds；〃 and his head is
borne about on the end of a pike。＇30＇ …
VI。
Conduct of officers。 … Their self…sacrifice。… Disposition of the
soldiery。 … Military outbreaks。… Spread and increase of
insubordination。 … Resignation of the officers。
Much better would it be to live under an Eastern king； for he is not
found everywhere； nor always furious and mad； like the populace。
Nowhere are the nobles safe； neither in public nor in private life；
neither in the country nor in the towns； neither associated together
nor separate。 Popular hostility hangs over them like a dark and
threatening cloud from one end of the territory to the other； and the
tempest bursts upon them in a continuous storm of vexations； outrages；
calumnies； robberies； and acts of violence； here； there； and almost
daily； bloody thunderbolts fall haphazard on the most inoffensive
heads； on an old man asleep； on a Knight of Saint…Louis taking a
walk； on a family at prayers in a church。 But； in this aristocracy；
crushed down in some places and attacked everywhere； the thunderbolt
finds one predestined group which attracts it and on which it constantly
falls； and that is the corps of officers。
VI。
Conduct of the officers。 … Their self…sacrifice。 … Disposition
of the soldiery。 … Military outbreaks。 … Spread and increase of
insubordination。 … Resignation of the officers。
With the exception of a few fops； frequenters of drawing…rooms； and
the court favorites who have reached a high rank through the
intrigues of the antechamber； it was in this group； especially in
the medium ranks； that true moral nobility was then found。 Nowhere
in France was there so much tried； substantial merit。 A man of
genius； who associated with them in his youth； rendered them this
homage： many among them are men possessing 〃 the most amiable
characters and minds of the highest order。〃＇31＇ Indeed； for most of
them； military service was not a career of ambition； but an
obligation of birth。 It was the rule in each noble family for the
eldest son to enter the army； and advancement was of but little
consequence。 He discharged the debt of his rank； this sufficed for
him； and； after twenty or thirty years of serv