按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
more or less？ Let them go； and listen to me； my countrymen！〃
And presently； when some measure of order was restored； he began
his tale。 In simple language now； yet with a vehemence and
directness that drove home every point； he tore their hearts with
the story of yesterday's happenings at Gavrillac。 He drew tears
from them with the pathos of his picture of the bereaved widow
Mabey and her three starving； destitute children … 〃orphaned to
avenge the death of a pheasant〃 … and the bereaved mother of that
M。 de Vilmorin； a student of Rennes； known here to many of them；
who had met his death in a noble endeavour to champion the cause of
an esurient member of their afflicted order。
〃The Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr said of him that he had too dangerous
a gift of eloquence。 It was to silence his brave voice that he
killed him。 But he has failed of his object。 For I； poor Philippe
de Vilmorin's friend； have assumed the mantle of his apostleship；
and I speak to you with his voice to…day。〃
It was a statement that helped Le Chapelier at last to understand；
at least in part； this bewildering change in Andre…Louis； which
rendered him faithless to the side that employed him。
〃I am not here；〃 continued Andre…Louis； 〃merely to demand at your
hands vengeance upon Philippe de Vilmorin's murderers。 I am here
to tell you the things he would to…day have told you had he lived。〃
So far at least he was frank。 But he did not add that they were
things he did not himself believe； things that he accounted the
cant by which an ambitious bourgeoisie … speaking through the mouths
of the lawyers； who were its articulate part … sought to overthrow
to its own advantage the present state of things。 He left his
audience in the natural belief that the views he expressed were the
views he held。
And now in a terrible voice； with an eloquence that amazed himself；
he denounced the inertia of the royal justice where the great are
the offenders。 It was with bitter sarcasm that he spoke of their
King's Lieutenant； M。 de Lesdiguieres。
〃Do you wonder；〃 he asked them； 〃that M。 de Lesdiguieres should
administer the law so that it shall ever be favourable to our great
nobles？ Would it be just； would it be reasonable that he should
otherwise administer it？〃 He paused dramatically to let his sarcasm
sink in。 It had the effect of reawakening Le Chapelier's doubts；
and checking his dawning conviction in Andre…Louis' sincerity。
Whither was he going now？
He was not left long in doubt。 Proceeding； Andre…Louis spoke as he
conceived that Philippe de Vilmorin would have spoken。 He had so
often argued with him； so often attended the discussions of the
Literary Chamber； that he had all the rant of the reformers … that
was yet true in substance … at his fingers' ends。
〃Consider； after all； the composition of this France of ours。 A
million of its inhabitants are members of the privileged classes。
They compose France。 They are France。 For surely you cannot
suppose the remainder to be anything that matters。 It cannot be
pretended that twenty…four million souls are of any account； that
they can be representative of this great nation； or that they can
exist for any purpose but that of servitude to the million elect。〃
Bitter laughter shook them now； as he desired it should。 〃Seeing
their privileges in danger of invasion by these twenty…four
millions … mostly canailles； possibly created by God； it is true；
but clearly so created to be the slaves of Privilege … does it
surprise you that the dispensing of royal justice should be placed
in the stout hands of these Lesdiguieres； men without brains to
think or hearts to be touched？ Consider what it is that must be
defended against the assault of us others … canaille。 Consider a
few of these feudal rights that are in danger of being swept away
should the Privileged yield even to the commands of their sovereign；
and admit the Third Estate to an equal vote with themselves。
〃What would become of the right of terrage on the land； of parciere
on the fruit…trees； of carpot on the vines？ What of the corvees
by which they command forced labour； of the ban de vendage； which
gives them the first vintage； the banvin which enables them to
control to their own advantage the sale of wine？ What of their
right of grinding the last liard of taxation out of the people to
maintain their own opulent estate； the cens； the lods…et…ventes；
which absorb a fifth of the value of the land； the blairee； which
must be paid before herds can feed on communal lands； the pulverage
to indemnify them for the dust raised on their roads by the herds
that go to market； the sextelage on everything offered for sale in
the public markets； the etalonnage； and all the rest？ What of their
rights over men and animals for field labour； of ferries over rivers；
and of bridges over streams； of sinking wells； of warren； of dovecot；
and of fire； which last yields them a tax on every peasant hearth？
What of their exclusive rights of fishing and of hunting； the
violation of which is ranked as almost a capital offence？
〃And what of other rights； unspeakable； abominable； over the lives
and bodies of their people； rights which； if rarely exercised； have
never been rescinded。 To this day if a noble returning from the
hunt were to slay two of his serfs to bathe and refresh his feet in
their blood； he could still claim in his sufficient defence that it
was his absolute feudal right to do so。
〃Rough…shod； these million Privileged ride over the souls and bodies
of twenty…four million contemptible canaille existing but for their
own pleasure。 Woe betide him who so much as raises his voice in
protest in the name of humanity against an excess of these already
excessive abuses。 I have told you of one remorselessly slain in
cold blood for doing no more than that。 Your own eyes have witnessed
the assassination of another here upon this plinth； of yet another
over there by the cathedral works； and the attempt upon my own life。
〃Between them and the justice due to them in such cases stand these
Lesdiguieres； these King's Lieutenants； not instruments of justice；
but walls erected for the shelter of Privilege and Abuse whenever it
exceeds its grotesquely excessive rights。
〃Do you wonder that they will not yield an inch； that they will
resist the election of a Third Estate with the voting power to
sweep all these privileges away； to compel the Privileged to submit
themselves to a just equality in the eyes of the law with the
meanest of the canaille they trample underfoot； to provide that the
moneys necessary to save this state from the bankruptcy into which
they have all but plunged it shall be raised by taxation to be borne
by themselves in the same proportion as by others？
〃Sooner than yield to so much they prefer to resist even the royal
command。〃
A phrase occurred to him used yesterday by Vilmorin； a phrase to
which he had refused to attach importance when uttered then。 He
used it now。 〃In doing this they are striking at the very
foundations of the throne。 These fools do not perceive that if
that throne falls over； it is they who stand nearest to it who will
be crushed。〃
A terrific roar acclaimed that statement。 Tense and quivering with
the excitement that was flowing through him； and from him out into
that great audience； he stood a moment smiling ironically。 Then he
waved them into silence；； and saw by their ready obedience how
completely he possessed them。 For in the voice with which he spoke
each now recognized the voice of himself； giving at last expression
to the thoughts that for months and years had been inarticulately
stirring in each simple mind。
Presently he resumed； speaking more quietly； that ironic smile about
the corner of his mouth growing more marked：
〃In taking my leave of M。 de Lesdiguieres I gave him warning out of
a page of natural history。 I told him that when the wolves； roaming
singly through the jungle； were weary of being hunted by the tiger；
they banded themselves into packs； and went a…hunting the tiger in
their turn。 M。 de Lesdiguieres contemptuously answered that he did
not understand me。 But your wits are better than his。 You
understand me； I think？ Don't you？〃
Again a great roar； mingled now with some approving laughter； was
his answer。 He had wrought them up to a pitch of dangerous passion；
and they were ripe for any violence to which he urged them。 If he
had failed with the windmill； at least he was now master of the wind。
〃To the Palais！〃 they shouted； waving their hands； brandishing canes；
and … here and there … even a sword。 〃To the Palais！ Down with M。
de Lesdiguieres！ Death to the King's Lieutenant！〃
He was master of the wind； indeed。 His dangerous gift of oratory
… a gift nowhere more powerful than in France； since nowhere else
are men's emotions so quick to respond to the appeal of eloquence
… had given him this mastery。 At his bidding now the gale would
sweep away the windmill against which he had flung himself in vain。
But that； as he straightforwardly revealed it； was no part of his
intent。
〃Ah； wait！〃 he bade them。 〃Is this miserable instrument of