rhood to a banquet; blew up his Chateau
and them with gunpowder; and instantaneously vanished, no man yet knows
whither. (Hist. Parl. ii. 161.) Some half dozen years after, he came
back; and demonstrated that it was by accident.

Nor are the authorities idle: though unluckily, all Authorities,
Municipalities and such like, are in the uncertain transitionary state;
getting regenerated from old Monarchic to new Democratic; no Official
yet knows clearly what he is. Nevertheless, Mayors old or new do gather
Marechaussees, National Guards, Troops of the line; justice, of the most
summary sort, is not wanting. The Electoral Committee of Macon, though
but a Committee, goes the length of hanging, for its own behoof, as many
as twenty. The Prevot of Dauphine traverses the country 'with a movable
column,' with tipstaves, gallows-ropes; for gallows any tree will serve,
and suspend its culprit, or 'thirteen' culprits.

Unhappy country! How is the fair gold-and-green of the ripe bright Year
defaced with horrid blackness: black ashes of Chateaus, black bodies of
gibetted Men! Industry has ceased in it; not sounds of the hammer and
saw, but of the tocsin and alarm-drum. The sceptre has departed,
whither one knows not;--breaking itself in pieces: here impotent, there
tyrannous. National Guards are unskilful, and of doubtful purpose;
Soldiers are inclined to mutiny: there is danger that they two may
quarrel, danger that they may agree. Strasburg has seen riots: a
Townhall torn to shreds, its archives scattered white on the winds;
drunk soldiers embracing drunk citizens for three days, and Mayor
Dietrich and Marshal Rochambeau reduced nigh to desperation. (Arthur
Young, i. 141.--Dampmartin: Evenemens qui se sont passes sous mes yeux,
i. 105-127.)

Through the middle of all which phenomena, is seen, on his triumphant
transit, 'escorted,' through Befort for instance, 'by fifty National
Horsemen and all the military music of the place,'--M. Necker, returning
from Bale! Glorious as the meridian; though poor Necker himself partly
guesses whither it is leading. (Biographie Universelle, para Necker (by
Lally-Tollendal).) One highest culminating day, at the Paris Townhall;
with immortal vivats, with wife and daughter kneeling publicly to kiss
his hand; with Besenval's pardon granted,--but indeed revoked before
sunset: one highest day, but then lower days, and ever lower, down even
to lowest! Such magic is in a name; and in the want of a name.