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committee on subsistence； all those appointed to make purchases and
to take care of the storehouses； conceal themselves or fly。 On the
eve of the two murders； the notaries of Paris； being menaced with a
riot； had to advance 45；000 francs which were promised to the
workmen of the Faubourg Saint…Antoine； while the public treasury；
almost empty； is drained of 30；000 livres per day to diminish the
cost of bread。 Persons and possessions； great and small； private
individuals and public functionaries； the Government itself； all is
in the hands of the mob。 〃From this moment；〃 says a deputy；＇56＇
〃liberty did not exist even in the National Assembly 。 。 。 France
stood dumb before thirty factious persons。 The Assembly became in
their hands a passive instrument； which they forced to serve them in
the execution of their projects。〃 They themselves do not lead；
although they seem to lead。 The great brute； which has taken the
bit in its mouth； holds on to it； and it's plunging becomes more
violent。 Not only do both spurs which maddened it； I mean the
desire for innovation and the daily scarcity of food； continue to
prick it on。 But also the political hornets which； increasing by
thousands； buzz around its ears。 And the license in which it revels
for the first time； joined to the applause lavished upon it； urges
it forward more violently each day。 The insurrection is glorified。
Not one of the assassins is sought out。 It is against the
conspiracy of Ministers that the Assembly institutes an inquiry。
Rewards are bestowed upon the conquerors of the Bastille； it is
declared that they have saved France。 All honors are awarded to the
people…to their good sense； their magnanimity； and their justice。
Adoration is paid to this new sovereign： he is publicly and
officially told； in the Assembly and by the press； that he possesses
every virtue； all rights and all powers。 If he spills blood it is
inadvertently； on provocation； and always with an infallible
instinct。 Moreover； says a deputy； 〃this blood； was it so pure？〃
The greater number of people prefers the theories of their books to
the experience of their eyes； they persist in the idyll； which they
have fashioned for themselves。 At the worst their dream； driven out
from the present； takes refuge in the future。 To…morrow； when the
Constitution is complete； the people； made happy； will again become
wise： let us endure the storm； which leads us on to so noble a
harbor。
Meanwhile； beyond the King； inert and disarmed； beyond the Assembly；
disobeyed or submissive； appears the real monarch； the people … that
is to say； a crowd of a hundred； a thousand； a hundred thousand
individuals gathered together at random； on an impulse； on an alarm；
suddenly and irresistibly made legislators； judges； and
executioners。 A formidable power； undefined and destructive； on
which no one has any hold； and which； with its mother； howling and
misshapen Liberty； sits at the threshold of the Revolution like
Milton's two specters at the gates of Hell。
。 。 Before the gates there sat
On either side a formidable shape；
The one seem'd woman to the waist； and fair；
but ended foul in many a scaly fold
Voluminous and vast； a serpent arm'd
With mortal sting： about her middle round
A cry of hell hounds never ceasing bark'd
With wide Cerberean mouths full loud； and rung
A hideous peal： yet； when they list； would creep；
If aught disturb'd their noise； into her womb；
And kennel there； yet there still bark'd and howl'd
Within unseen 。 。 。
。。。。。。。。the other shape；
If shape it might be call'd； that shape had none
Distinguishable in member； joint； or limb；
Or substance might be call'd that shadow seem'd
For each seem'd either： black it stood as night；
Fierce as ten furies； terrible as hell；
And shook a dreadful dart； what seem'd his head
The likeness of a kingly crown had on。
* * * * * *
The monster moving onward came as fast；
With horrid strides； hell trembled as he strode。
________________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 H。 1453。 Letter of M。 Miron； lieutenant
de police； April 26th； of M。 Joly de Fleury； procureur…général； May
29th； of MM。 Marchais and Berthier； April 18th and 27th； March 23rd；
April 5th； May 5th。 … Arthur Young； June 10th and 29th。 〃Archives
Nationales；〃 H。 1453 Letter of the sub…delegate of Montlhéry； April
14th。
＇2＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 H。 1453。 Letter of the sub…delegate
Gobert； March 17th； of the officers of police； June 15th ： 〃 On
the 12th； 13th； 14th and 15th of March the inhabitants of Conflans
generally rebelled against the game law in relation to the rabbit。〃
＇3＇ Montjoie； 2nd part； ch。 XXI。 p。14 （the first week in June）。
Montjoie is a party man； but he gives dates and details； and his
testimony； when it is confirmed elsewhere； deserves； to be admitted。
＇4＇ Montjoie； 1st part； 92…101。 … 〃Archives Nationales；〃 H。
1453。 Letter of the officer of police of Saint…Denis： 〃A good many
workmen arrive daily from Lorraine as well as from Champagne；〃 which
increases the prices。
＇5＇ De Bezenval； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。353。 Cf。 〃The Ancient Regime；〃
p。509。 … Marmontel； II； 252 and following pages。 … De Ferrières；
I。 407。
＇6＇ Arthur Young； September 1st； 1788
＇7＇ Barrère； 〃Mémoires；〃 I。 234。
＇8＇ See； in the National Library； the long catalogue of those which
have survived。
＇9＇ Malouet； I。 255。 Bailly； I。 43 （May 9th and 19th）。
D'Hezecques； 〃Souvenirs d'un page de Louis XV。〃 293。 De
Bezenval； I。 368。
＇10＇ Marmontel； II； 249。 Montjoie； 1st part； p。 92。 De
Bezenval； I。 387： 〃These spies added that persons were seen
exciting the tumult and were distributing money。〃
＇11＇ 〃Archives Nationales；〃 Y。11441。 Interrogatory of the Abbé Roy；
May 5th。 Y。11033； Interrogatory （April 28th and May 4th） of
twenty…three wounded persons brought to the H？tel…Dieu These two
documents are of prime importance in presenting the true aspect of
the insurrection； to these must he added the narrative of M。 de
Bezenval； who was commandant at this time with M。 de Chatelet。
Almost all other narratives are amplified or falsified through party
bias。
＇12＇ De Ferrières； vol。 III。 note A。 （justificatory explanation
by Réveillon）。
＇13＇ Bailly I。 25 （April 26th）。
＇14＇ Hippeau； IV。 377 （Letters of M。 Perrot； April 29th）。
＇15＇ Letter to the King by an inhabitant of the Faubourg Saint…
Antoine …〃Do not doubt； sire； that our recent misfortunes are due to
the dearness of bread〃
＇16＇ Dampmartin； 〃Evénements qui se sont passés sous mes yeux；〃 etc。
I。 25： 〃We turned back and were held up by small bands of
scoundrels； who insolently proposed to us to shout 'Vive Necker！
Vive le Tiers…Etat ！'〃 His two companions were knights of St。
Louis； and their badges seemed an