登陆注册
26491300000243

第243章

But poor Sub-lieutenant Duhamel, innocent Change-broker, what a lot for him! He turned on his pursuer, or pursuers, with a pistol; he fired and missed; drew a second pistol, and again fired and missed; then ran: unhappily in vain. In the Rue Saint-Florentin, they clutched him; thrust him through, in red rage: that was the end of the New Era, and of all Eras, to poor Duhamel.

Pacific readers can fancy what sort of grace-before-meat this was to frugal Patriotism. Also how the Battalion of the Filles-Saint-Thomas 'drew out in arms,' luckily without further result; how there was accusation at the Bar of the Assembly, and counter-accusation and defence; Marseillese challenging the sentence of free jury court,--which never got to a decision. We ask rather, What the upshot of all these distracted wildly accumulating things may, by probability, be? Some upshot; and the time draws nigh! Busy are Central Committees, of Federes at the Jacobins Church, of Sections at the Townhall; Reunion of Carra, Camille and Company at the Golden Sun. Busy: like submarine deities, or call them mud-gods, working there in the deep murk of waters: till the thing be ready.

And how your National Assembly, like a ship waterlogged, helmless, lies tumbling; the Galleries, of shrill Women, of Federes with sabres, bellowing down on it, not unfrightful;--and waits where the waves of chance may please to strand it; suspicious, nay on the Left side, conscious, what submarine Explosion is meanwhile a-charging! Petition for King's Forfeiture rises often there: Petition from Paris Section, from Provincial Patriot Towns; From Alencon, Briancon, and 'the Traders at the Fair of Beaucaire.' Or what of these? On the 3rd of August, Mayor Petion and the Municipality come petitioning for Forfeiture: they openly, in their tricolor Municipal scarfs. Forfeiture is what all Patriots now want and expect. All Brissotins want Forfeiture; with the little Prince Royal for King, and us for Protector over him. Emphatic Federes asks the legislature: "Can you save us, or not?" Forty-seven Seconds have agreed to Forfeiture; only that of the Filles-Saint-Thomas pretending to disagree.

Nay Section Mauconseil declares Forfeiture to be, properly speaking, come;

Mauconseil for one 'does from this day,' the last of July, 'cease allegiance to Louis,' and take minute of the same before all men. A thing blamed aloud; but which will be praised aloud; and the name Mauconseil, of Ill-counsel, be thenceforth changed to Bonconseil, of Good-counsel.

President Danton, in the Cordeliers Section, does another thing: invites all Passive Citizens to take place among the Active in Section-business, one peril threatening all. Thus he, though an official person; cloudy Atlas of the whole. Likewise he manages to have that blackbrowed Battalion of Marseillese shifted to new Barracks, in his own region of the remote South-East. Sleek Chaumette, cruel Billaud, Deputy Chabot the Disfrocked, Huguenin with the tocsin in his heart, will welcome them there. Wherefore, again and again: "O Legislators, can you save us or not?" Poor Legislators; with their Legislature waterlogged, volcanic Explosion charging under it! Forfeiture shall be debated on the ninth day of August; that miserable business of Lafayette may be expected to terminate on the eighth.

Or will the humane Reader glance into the Levee-day of Sunday the fifth?

The last Levee! Not for a long time, 'never,' says Bertrand-Moleville, had a Levee been so brilliant, at least so crowded. A sad presaging interest sat on every face; Bertrand's own eyes were filled with tears. For, indeed, outside of that Tricolor Riband on the Feuillants Terrace, Legislature is debating, Sections are defiling, all Paris is astir this very Sunday, demanding Decheance. (Hist. Parl. xvi. 337-9.) Here, however, within the riband, a grand proposal is on foot, for the hundredth time, of carrying his Majesty to Rouen and the Castle of Gaillon. Swiss at Courbevoye are in readiness; much is ready; Majesty himself seems almost ready. Nevertheless, for the hundredth time, Majesty, when near the point of action, draws back; writes, after one has waited, palpitating, an endless summer day, that 'he has reason to believe the Insurrection is not so ripe as you suppose.' Whereat Bertrand-Moleville breaks forth 'into extremity at one of spleen and despair, d'humeur et de desespoir.'

(Bertrand-Moleville, Memoires, ii. 129.)

同类推荐
  • 力命

    力命

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 古今医统大全

    古今医统大全

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 乐府雅词

    乐府雅词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 姜氏秘史

    姜氏秘史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 施食通览

    施食通览

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 少林十大健身功法

    少林十大健身功法

    《少林十大健身功法》本书将古老的传统方法和实际应用紧密地结合在一起,通过长期综合性的锻炼,可使人体在精神、气息、脏腑和外在形体、筋骨、肌肉方面得到充分的调养和锻炼,并可提高武术技击的功力和搏技水平,对培养武术规范动作和攻防素质,对发展人体的力量、速度、灵敏、反应、协调、呼吸、内应力、耐力、精神等武术素质都有直接的作用。同时可改善身体各器官机能,达到益寿延年、强身健体的目的。
  • 传奇之刀域

    传奇之刀域

    刀,乃百兵之祖;剑,为百兵之王;枪,如出海游龙,,,刀,枪,剑,自古三分天下。而在刀域,刀才是正道,王者。在刀域,人人视刀为生命,以刀为尊。然而,有人的地方就有纷争,有杀戮。当刀与枪相遇,与剑相逢,与魔相厮杀,只为生存,与世争命,,,不是你死,便是我亡!
  • 我在你爱过的地方

    我在你爱过的地方

    如果我有一株幸福草,我会把它送给你,因为我希望你幸福,如果我有两株幸福草,我会把一株送给你,另一株留给自己,因为我希望你和我一样幸福,如果我有三株幸福草,我会把两株送给你,一株留给自己,因为我希望你比我幸福……
  • 重生的大神传奇

    重生的大神传奇

    这是一个被穿越者改造的世界。华夏文明,遍布全球,世人以崇华媚中为荣。近代世界史,主要为三部分,诸华开拓殖民史,诸华内战史,殖民地觉醒解放史。重生在这个世界上,李清发觉,很多名著不存在,没有《红楼梦》,没有《射雕英雄传》,没有《寻秦记》。这是一个网络文学盛行的时代,也是大神辈出的时代。
  • 红牡丹

    红牡丹

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 洪荒古神

    洪荒古神

    上古一战,惊天动地,将天打断为六截。数十万年后,一代少年玄天,手持兵器碎片在最底层的天地出生。且天生有残缺,患有头痛病症,大脑中十分怪异。终于有一天,脑海中的异常有了些眉目,那竟然是记忆碎片,记录上古的一角。天呐!那竟然是上古战场厮杀的场面,万族染血,群兽咆哮,惊天动地。我到底是谁?为何记忆有缺?
  • 霸道总裁野蛮妻

    霸道总裁野蛮妻

    有一天,家破人亡,满身是血的她却被他丢给另一个男人。他说:带着她,滚出我的视线!那么多年,尤茗鸢所有的愿望,就是回到这个男人身边,让他万劫不复。尤茗鸢曾说:若有天裴圣擎死了,墓碑上一定要刻上尤茗鸢赐死几个大字。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 九龙魂

    九龙魂

    【起点第四编辑组签约作品】公道?真理?弱肉强食,适着当存.这才是亘古不变的道理.站在颠峰,制定规则;这,才是真理.。天地万物皆有五行幻化而来,故五行之体亦是一个世界。天地神兽——龙是由五行灵气氤氲而成,故身体中拥有五种灵气亦可炼出龙魂,这里是一个修魂的世界!一切精彩,尽在《九龙魂》
  • 此身落落自微尘

    此身落落自微尘

    君曾言,予我一世长安,一世无忧。君踏剑而来时,可还曾记得?
  • 从前有一个主角

    从前有一个主角

    被拉到和主神空间一般的存在,看主角如何生存,文笔不好,请多指教