France -- History -- Louis XVI, 1774-1793; France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799
But, looking away now from these precincts of the Tuileries,
where Constitutional Royalty, let Lafayette water it as he will,
languishes too like a cut branch; and august Senators are perhaps
at bottom only perfecting their “theory of defective verbs,”—how
does the young Reality, young Sansculottism thrive? The attentive
observer can answer: It thrives bravely; putting forth new buds;
expanding the old buds into leaves, into boughs. Is not French
Existence, as before, most prurient, all _loosened_, most
nutrient for it? Sansculottism has the property of growing by
what other things die of: by agitation, contention,
disarrangement; nay in a word, by what is the symbol and fruit of
all these: Hunger.
In such a France as this, Hunger, as we have remarked, can hardly
fail. The Provinces, the Southern Cities feel it in their turn;
and what it brings: Exasperation, preternatural Suspicion. In
Paris some halcyon days of abundance followed the Menadic
Insurrection, with its Versailles grain-carts, and recovered
Restorer of Liberty; but they could not continue. The month is
still October when famishing Saint-Antoine, in a moment of
passion, seizes a poor Baker, innocent “François the Baker;”[269]
and hangs him, in Constantinople wise;—but even this, singular as
it my seem, does not cheapen bread! Too clear it is, no Royal
bounty, no Municipal dexterity can adequately feed a
Bastille-destroying Paris. Wherefore, on view of the hanged
Baker, Constitutionalism in sorrow and anger demands “_Loi
Martiale_,” a kind of Riot Act;—and indeed gets it, most readily,
almost before the sun goes down.
This is that famed _Martial law_, with its Red Flag, its
“_Drapeau Rouge:_” in virtue of which Mayor Bailly, or any Mayor,
has but henceforth to hang out that new _Oriflamme_ of his; then
to read or mumble something about the King’s peace; and, after
certain pauses, serve any undispersing Assemblage with
musket-shot, or whatever shot will disperse it. A decisive Law;
and most just on one proviso: that all Patrollotism be of God,
and all mob-assembling be of the Devil;—otherwise not so just.
Mayor Bailly be unwilling to use it! Hang not out that new
Oriflamme, _flame_ not _of gold_ but of the want of gold! The
thrice-blessed Revolution is _done_, thou thinkest? If so it will
be well with thee.
But now let no mortal say henceforth that an august National
Assembly wants riot: all it ever wanted was riot enough to
balance Court-plotting; all it now wants, of Heaven or of Earth,
is to get its theory of defective verbs perfected.
Chapter 2.1.III.
The Muster.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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