France -- History -- Louis XVI, 1774-1793; France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799
More than once in the Townhall Sanhedrim; often enough, from
those outspoken Bakers’-queues, has the wish uttered itself: O
that our Restorer of French Liberty were here; that he could see
with his own eyes, not with the false eyes of Queens and Cabals,
and his really good heart be enlightened! For falsehood still
environs him; intriguing Dukes de Guiche, with Bodyguards; scouts
of Bouillé; a new flight of intriguers, now that the old is
flown. What else means this advent of the _Regiment de Flandre;_
entering Versailles, as we hear, on the 23rd of September, with
two pieces of cannon? Did not the Versailles National Guard do
duty at the Château? Had they not Swiss; Hundred Swiss;
_Gardes-du-Corps_, Bodyguards so-called? Nay, it would seem, the
number of Bodyguards on duty has, by a manœuvre, been doubled:
the new relieving Battalion of them arrived at its time; but the
old relieved one does not _depart!_
Actually, there runs a whisper through the best informed
Upper-Circles, or a nod still more potentous than whispering, of
his Majesty’s flying to Metz; of a Bond (to stand by him therein)
which has been signed by Noblesse and Clergy, to the incredible
amount of thirty, or even of sixty thousand. Lafayette coldly
whispers it, and coldly asseverates it, to Count d’Estaing at the
Dinner-table; and d’Estaing, one of the bravest men, quakes to
the core lest some lackey overhear it; and tumbles thoughtful,
without sleep, all night.[230] Regiment Flandre, as we said, is
clearly arrived. His Majesty, they say, hesitates about
sanctioning the Fourth of August; makes observations, of chilling
tenor, on the very Rights of Man! Likewise, may not all persons,
the Bakers’-queues themselves discern on the streets of Paris,
the most astonishing number of Officers on furlough, Crosses of
St. Louis, and such like? Some reckon “from a thousand to twelve
hundred.” Officers of all uniforms; nay one uniform never before
seen by eye: green faced with red! The tricolor cockade is not
always visible: but what, in the name of Heaven, may these
_black_ cockades, which some wear, foreshadow?
Hunger whets everything, especially Suspicion and Indignation.
Realities themselves, in this Paris, have grown unreal:
preternatural. Phantasms once more stalk through the brain of
hungry France. O ye laggards and dastards, cry shrill voices from
the Queues, if ye had the hearts of men, ye would take your pikes
and secondhand firelocks, and look into it; not leave your wives
and daughters to be starved, murdered, and worse!—Peace, women!
The heart of man is bitter and heavy; Patriotism, driven out by
Patrollotism, knows not what to resolve on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account