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titles； offices； alliances； and manner of living distinguish them
from the multitude。 That which entitled them to respect is that
which marks them out as objects of ill…will； while the people； who；
though suffering from their privileges； did not regard them
personally with hatred； are now taught to consider them as their
enemies。 Each； on his own estate； is held accountable for the evil
designs attributed to his brethren at Versailles； and； on the false
report of a plot at the center； the peasants classify him as one of
the conspirators。＇30＇ Thus does the peasant jacquerie commence； and
the fanatics who have fanned the flame in Paris are to do the same
in the provinces。 〃You wish to know the authors of the agitation；〃
writes a sensible man to the committee of investigation； 〃you will
find them amongst the deputies of the Third…Estate；〃 and especially
among the attorneys and advocates。 〃These dispatch incendiary
letters to their constituents； which letters are received by
municipal bodies alike composed of attorneys and of advocates。。。。
they are read aloud in the public squares； while copies of them are
distributed among all the villages。 In these villages； if any one
knows how to read besides the priest and the lord of the manor； it
is the legal practitioner；〃 the born enemy of the lord of the manor；
whose place he covets； vain of his oratorical powers； embittered by
his power； and never failing to blacken everything。＇31＇ It is
highly probable that he is the one who composes and circulates the
placards calling on the people； in the King's name； to resort to
violence。 At Secondigny； in Poitou； on the 23rd of July；＇32＇ the
laborers in the forest receive a letter 〃which summons them to
attack all the country gentlemen round about； and to massacre
without mercy all those who refuse to renounce their privileges。。。。
promising them that not only will their crimes go unpunished； but
that they will even be rewarded。〃 M。 Despretz…Montpezat；
correspondent of the deputies of the nobles； is seized； and dragged
with his son to the dwelling of the procurator…fiscal； to force him
to give his signature； the inhabitants are forbidden to render him
assistance 〃on pain of death and fire。〃 〃Sign；〃 they exclaim； 〃or we
will tear out your heart； and set fire to this house ！〃 At this
moment the neighboring notary； who is doubtless an accomplice；
appears with a stamped paper； and says to him； 〃Monsieur； I have
just come from Niort； where the Third…Estate has done the same thing
to all the gentlemen of the town； one； who refused； was cut to
pieces before our eyes。〃 〃We are compelled to sign renunciations
of our privileges； and give our assent to one and the same taxation；
as if the nobles had not already done so。〃 The band gives notice
that it will proceed in the same fashion with all the chateaux in
the vicinity； and terror precedes or follows them。 〃Nobody dares
write；〃 M。 Despretz sends word； 〃 I attempt it at the risk of my
life。〃 Nobles and prelates become objects of suspicion
everywhere； village committees open their letters； and they have to
suffer their houses to be searched。＇33＇ They are forced to adopt
the new cockade： to be a gentleman； and not wear it； is to deserve
hanging。 At Mamers； in Maine； M。 de Beauvoir refuses to wear it；
and is at the point of being put into the pillory and felled。 Near
La F1èche； M。 de Brissac is arrested； and a message is sent to Paris
to know if he shall be taken there； 〃or be beheaded in the
meantime。〃 Two deputies of the nobles； MM。 de Montesson and de Vassé
who had come to ask the consent of their constituents to their
joining the Third…Estate； are recognized near Mans； their honorable
scruples and their pledges to the constituents are considered of no
importance； nor even the step that they are now taking to fulfill
them； it suffices that they voted against the Third…Estate at
Versailles； the populace pursues them and breaks up their carriages；
and pillages their trunks。 Woe to the nobles； especially if they
have taken any part in local rule； and if they are opposed to
popular panics！ M。 Cureau； deputy…mayor of Mans；＇34＇ had issued
orders during the famine； and； having retired to his chateau of
Nouay； had told the peasants that the announcement of the coming of
brigands was a false alarm； he thought that it was not necessary to
sound the alarm bell； and all that was necessary was that they
should remain quiet。 Accordingly he is set down as being in league
with the brigands； and besides this he is a monopolist； and a buyer
of standing crops。 The peasants lead him off； along with his son…
in…law； M。 de Montesson； to the neighboring village； where there
are judges。 On the way 〃they dragged their victims on the ground；
pummeled them； trampled on them； spit in their faces； and besmeared
them with filth。〃 M。 de Montesson is shot； while M。 Cureau is killed
by degrees； a carpenter cuts off the two heads with a double…edged
ax； and children bear them along to the sound of drums and violins。
Meanwhile； the judges of the place； brought by force； draw up an
official report stating the finding of thirty louis and several
bills of the Banque d'Escompte in the pockets of M。 de Cureau； on
the discovery of which a shout of triumph is set up： this evidence
proves that they were going to buy up the standing wheat ！ Such
is the course of popular justice。 Now that the Third…Estate has
become the nation； every mob thinks that it has the right to
pronounce sentences； which it carries out； on lives and on
possessions。
These explosions are isolated in the western； central and southern
provinces； the conflagration； however； is universal in the east。 On
a strip of ground from thirty to fifty leagues broad； extending from
the extreme north down to Provence。 Alsace； Franche…Comté；
Burgundy； Maconnais； Beaujolais； Auvergne； Viennois； Dauphiny； the
whole of this territory resembles a continuous mine which explodes
at the same time。 The first column of flame which shoots up is on
the frontiers of Alsace and Franche…Comté； in the vicinity of
Belfort and Vésoul； a feudal district； in which the peasant； over…
burdened with taxes； bears the heavier yoke with greater impatience。
An instinctive argument is going on in his mind without his knowing
it。 〃The good Assembly and the good King want us to be happy；
suppose we help them！ They say that the King has already relieved us
of the taxes； suppose we relieve ourselves of paying rents！ Down
with the nobles！ They are no better than the tax…collectors！ 〃 On
the 16th of July； the chateau of Sancy； belonging to the Princesses
de Beaufremont； is sacked； and on the 18th those of Lure； Bithaine；
and Molans。＇35＇ On the 29th； an accident which occurs with some
fire…works at a popular festival at the house of M。 de Mesmay； leads
the lower class to believe that the invitation extended to them was
a trap； and that there was a desire to get rid of them by
treachery。