FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239  
240   241   242   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   >>   >|  
gnation. Some three times in the thickening dusk, a glimpse of them is seen, at this or the other Portal: saluted always with execrations, with the whew of lead. Let but a Bodyguard shew face, he is hunted by Rascality;--for instance, poor 'M. de Moucheton of the Scotch Company,' owner of the slain war-horse; and has to be smuggled off by Versailles Captains. Or rusty firelocks belch after him, shivering asunder his--hat. In the end, by superior Order, the Bodyguards, all but the few on immediate duty, disappear; or as it were abscond; and march, under cloud of night, to Rambouillet. (Weber, ubi supra.) We remark also that the Versaillese have now got ammunition: all afternoon, the official Person could find none; till, in these so critical moments, a patriotic Sublieutenant set a pistol to his ear, and would thank him to find some,--which he thereupon succeeded in doing. Likewise that Flandre, disarmed by Pallas Athene, says openly, it will not fight with citizens; and for token of peace, has exchanged cartridges with the Versaillese. Sansculottism is now among mere friends; and can 'circulate freely;' indignant at Bodyguards;--complaining also considerably of hunger. Chapter 1.7.VIII. The Equal Diet. But why lingers Mounier; returns not with his Deputation? It is six, it is seven o'clock; and still no Mounier, no Acceptance pure and simple. And, behold, the dripping Menads, not now in deputation but in mass, have penetrated into the Assembly: to the shamefullest interruption of public speaking and order of the day. Neither Maillard nor Vice-President can restrain them, except within wide limits; not even, except for minutes, can the lion-voice of Mirabeau, though they applaud it: but ever and anon they break in upon the regeneration of France with cries of: "Bread; not so much discoursing! Du pain; pas tant de longs discours!"--So insensible were these poor creatures to bursts of Parliamentary eloquence! One learns also that the royal Carriages are getting yoked, as if for Metz. Carriages, royal or not, have verily showed themselves at the back Gates. They even produced, or quoted, a written order from our Versailles Municipality,--which is a Monarchic not a Democratic one. However, Versailles Patroles drove them in again; as the vigilant Lecointre had strictly charged them to do. A busy man, truly, is Major Lecointre, in these hours. For Colonel d'Estaing loiters invisible in the Oeil-de-Boeuf;
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229   230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239  
240   241   242   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Versailles
 

Bodyguards

 

Carriages

 

Versaillese

 

Mounier

 

Lecointre

 

restrain

 

President

 

regeneration

 
applaud

invisible

 

minutes

 

Mirabeau

 

limits

 

Acceptance

 

simple

 

behold

 
Deputation
 
returns
 
dripping

Menads

 

public

 

speaking

 

France

 

Maillard

 

Neither

 

interruption

 

shamefullest

 
deputation
 

penetrated


Assembly
 
quoted
 

written

 
produced
 
showed
 
Municipality
 

Monarchic

 

vigilant

 
strictly
 
Democratic

However
 

Patroles

 

verily

 
discours
 
discoursing
 

Estaing

 

loiters

 

Colonel

 

charged

 

insensible