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fire on human beings while themselves risking nothing；＇44＇ and； on
the other hand； they were unnerved by the sight of the immense
crowd。 Eight or nine hundred men only＇45＇ were concerned in the
attack； most of them workmen or shopkeepers belonging to the
faubourg； tailors； wheelwrights； mercers and wine…dealers； mixed
with the French Guards。 The Place de la Bastille； however； and all
the streets in the vicinity； were crowded with the curious who came
to witness the sight； 〃among them；〃 says a witness；＇46＇ 〃were a
number of fashionable women of very good appearance； who had left
their carriages at some distance。〃 To the hundred and twenty men of
the garrison looking down from their parapets it seemed as though
all Paris had come out against them。 It is they； also； who lower
the drawbridge an introduce the enemy： everybody has lost his head；
the besieged as well as the besiegers； the latter more completely
because they are intoxicated with the sense of victory。 Scarcely
have they entered when they begin the work of destruction； and the
latest arrivals shoot at random those that come earlier； 〃each one
fires without heeding where or on whom his shot tells。〃 Sudden
omnipotence and the liberty to kill are a wine too strong for human
nature； giddiness is the result； men see red； and their frenzy ends
in ferocity。
For the peculiarity of a popular insurrection is that nobody obeys
anybody； the bad passions are free as well as the generous ones；
heroes are unable to restrain assassins。 Elie； who is the first to
enter the fortress； Cholat； Hulin； the brave fellows who are in
advance； the French Guards who are cognizant of the laws of war； try
to keep their word of honor； but the crowd pressing on behind them
know not whom to strike； and they strike at random。 They spare the
Swiss soldiers who have fired at them； and who； in their blue
smocks； seem to them to be prisoners； on the other hand； by way of
compensation； they fall furiously on the invalides who opened the
gates to them； the man who prevented the governor from blowing up
the fortress has his wrist severed by the blow of a saber； is twice
pierced with a sword and is hung； and the hand which had saved one
of the districts of Paris is promenaded through the streets in
triumph。 The officers are dragged along and five of them are
killed； with three soldiers； on the spot； or on the way。 During the
long hours of firing； the murderous instinct has become aroused； and
the wish to kill； changed into a fixed idea； spreads afar among the
crowd which has hitherto remained inactive。 It is convinced by its
own clamor； a hue and cry is all that it now needs； the moment one
strikes； all want to strike。 〃Those who had no arms；〃 says an
officer； 〃threw stones at me；＇47＇ the women ground their teeth and
shook their fists at me。 Two of my men had already been
assassinated behind me。 I finally got to within some hundreds of
paces of the H？tel…de…Ville； amidst a general cry that I should be
hung； when a head； stuck on a pike； was presented to me to look at；
while at。 the same moment I was told that it was that of M。 de
Launay；〃 the governor。 … The latter； on going out； had received
the cut of a sword on his right shoulder； n reaching the Rue Saint…
Antoine 〃everybody pulled his hair out and struck him。〃 Under the
arcade of Saint…Jean he was already 〃severely wounded。〃 Around him；
some said； 〃his head ought to be struck off；〃 others； 〃let him be
hung；〃 and others； 〃he ought to be tied to a horse's tail。〃 Then； in
despair； and wishing to put an end to his torments； he cried out；
〃Kill me；〃 and； in struggling； kicked one of the men who held him in
the lower abdomen。 On the instant he is pierced with bayonets；
dragged in the gutter； and； striking his corpse； they exclaim； 〃He's
a scurvy wretch （galeux） and a monster who has betrayed us； the
nation demands his head to exhibit to the public；〃 and the man who
was kicked is asked to cut it off。 This man； an unemployed
cook； a simpleton who 〃went to the Bastille to see what was going
on；〃 thinks that as it is the general opinion； the act is patriotic；
and even believes that he 〃deserves a medal for destroying a
monster。〃 Taking a saber which is lent to him； he strikes the bare
neck； but the dull saber not doing its work； he takes a small black…
handled knife from his pocket； and； 〃as in his capacity of cook he
knows how to cut meat；〃 he finishes the operation successfully。
Then； placing the head on the end of a three…pronged pitchfork； and
accompanied by over two hundred armed men； 〃not counting the mob；〃
he marches along； and； in the Rue Saint…Honoré； he has two
inscriptions attached to the head； to indicate without mistake whose
head it is。 They grow merry over it： after filing alongside of
the Palais…Royal； the procession arrives at the Pont…Neuf； where；
before the statue of Henry IV。； they bow the head three times；
saying； 〃Salute thy master ！ 〃 This is the last joke： it is to be
found in every triumph； and inside the butcher； we find the rogue。
VII。
Murders of Foulon and Berthier。
Meanwhile； at the Palais…Royal； other buffoons； who with the levity
of gossips sport with lives as freely as with words； have drawn u。
During the night between the 13th and 14th of July； a list of
proscriptions； copies of which are hawked about。 Care is taken to
address one of them to each of the persons designated； the Comte
d'Artois； Marshal de Broglie； the Prince de Lambesc； Baron de
Bezenval； MM。 de Breteuil； Foulon； Berthier； Maury； d'Espréménil；
Lefèvre d'Amécourt； and others besides。＇48＇ A reward is promised to
whoever will bring their heads to the Café de Caveau。 Here are
names for the unchained multitude； all that now is necessary is that
some band should encounter a man who is denounced； he will go as far
as the lamppost at the street corner； but not beyond it。 …
Throughout the day of the 14th； this improvised tribunal holds a
permanent session； and follows up its decisions with its actions。
M。 de Flesselles； provost of the merchants and president of the
electors at the H？tel…de…Ville； having shown himself somewhat
lukewarm；＇49＇ the Palais…Royal declares him a traitor and sends him
off to be hung。 On the way a young man fells him with a pistol…
shot； others fall upon his body； while his head； borne upon a pike；
goes to join that of M。 de Launay。 Equally deadly accusations
and of equally speedy execution float in the air and from every
direction。 〃On the slightest pretext；〃 says an elector； 〃they
denounced to us those whom they thought opposed to the Revolution；
which already signified the same as enemies of the State。 Without
any investigation； there was only talk of the seizure of their
persons； the ruin of their homes； and the razing of their houses。
One young man exclaimed： 'Follow me at once； let us start off at
once to Bezenval's！'〃 Their brains are so frightened； and their
minds so distrustf