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DUELLING SYSTEM OF THE NOBLES.

so far as to say: "Why do we not fall upon those rascals sword in hand?'

A person, dispatched by their party, followed Charles de Lameth for two whole days in order to force him to fight. Lameth, who was very brave and skilful, obstinately refused to honour him with a duel. On the third day, as nothing could tire his patience, all the right side of the Assembly rose en masse and accused him of cowardice. The young Duke de Castries then insulted him; they went out; and Lameth was wounded. This was enough to enrage the people. A report was spread that the duke's sword had been poisoned, and that Lameth would die in consequence. The Jacobins thought this was a good opportunity to frighten the duellists. Their agents directed the crowd to the mansion of the Duke de Castries; there was no murder nor robbery committed; but the furniture was all broken to pieces and thrown into the street. All this was done quietly and methodically; a sentinel being placed by the mob at the king's portrait, the only one that was respected. Lafayette arrived, and looked on, but could do nothing: most of the National Guards were themselves angry about Lameth's wound, and thought that after all the mob had not done wrong (November 13th, 1790).

From that day, the terror inspired by the duellists, which was gradually restoring an ascendancy to the nobility, gave way to another kind of terror,-the vengeance of the people. The individual superiority that the nobles possessed by their skill in fencing disappeared in presence of the crowd. They had attempted to make every party question a question of honour; and had made an abuse of their skill; but now they were opposed by numbers. The bravest of the revolutionary party, those who have since displayed their courage on every battle-field, refused to give to bullies the advantage of an individual warfare.

CHAPTER VI.

STRUGGLE OF PRINCIPLES IN THE ASSEMBLY AND AT THE JACOBINS'.

Paris towards the end of 1790.-Social circle, the Iron Mouth.-The Club of '89.-The Jacobin Club.-Robespierre at the Jacobins'.-Robespierre's origin; he is an orphan at ten years of age; receives a presentation from the Clergy. His literary attempts.-Criminal Judge at Arras; his resignation. He pleads against the Bishop.-Robespierre at the StatesGeneral. On the 5th of October, he supports Maillard.-A conspiracy to render him ridiculous. His solitude and poverty.-He breaks off his friendship with the two Lameths.-The uncertain or retrograde tendency of the Assembly.-It had reduced the number of active citizens -The duplicity of the Lameths and Jacobins of that time.-They intrust their Newspaper to one of the Orleans Party (November).— Robespierre's probity. His politics.-In 1790, he leans for support on the only great Associations then existing in France, the Jacobins and the Priests.

TOWARDS the end of 1790, there was for a moment an apparent halt, little or nothing stirring: nothing but a great number of vehicles crowding at the barriers, and the roads thronged with emigrants. By way of compensation, a great number of foreigners came to behold the vast spectacle, and to watch Paris.

It was an uneasy restless repose. People are astonished and almost frightened at having no new events. The fervent Camille Desmoulins is in despair at having nothing to relate; between the acts, he gets married, and notifies that event to the world.

No movement in open warfare (as people then felt they were) was something very unnatural. In reality, there were two immense events.

First, the king was denouncing France to the kings of Europe.

Secondly, in opposition to the ecclesiastical-aristocratical conspiracy, that of the Jacobins was being strongly organised. The prominent feature of the period is the vast increase of

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PARIS AT THE CLOSE OF 1790.

clubs, the immense fermentation of Paris especially, to such a degree, that meetings are suddenly formed at every corner of the street. Paris, so brilliant and monotonous in times of peace, can scarcely give us any idea of the Paris of that day. Let us return for a moment to that agitated, noisy, violent, dirty, dismal, but living Paris, then overflowing with passions. Out of respect to the first theatre of the Revolution, we must pay our first visit to the Palais-Royal. I will lead you it straight, passing through that agitated crowd, those noisy groups, and shoals of women devoted to the liberties of nature. I pass through the narrow wooden galleries, thronged to suffocation, and by descending the fifteen steps of that dark passage, I place you in the middle of the Circus.

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Somebody is preaching! Who would have expected it, in such a place, or in such a worldly assemblage, amidst pretty women of an equivocal appearance? At the first glance, one would think it was a sermon among girls. But no, the assembly is of a graver character; I perceive a number of men of letters, and academicians, and M. de Condorcet, at the foot of the tribune.

But is that orator really a priest? Yes, in dress; he is a handsome man, about forty years of age; his language is fervent, though sometimes harsh and violent; his manner, totally devoid of unction, is bold, and somewhat chimerical; but whether he be a preacher, a poet, or a prophet, it little matters: he is abbé Fauchet. This Saint Paul is preaching between two Theclas, one of whom never quits him, but whether wanted or not, follows him to the club and to the altar, so great is her adoration; the other, a Dutch lady, endowed with a good heart and a noble mind, is Madame Palm Aelder, the orator of women, who preaches their emancipation. And actively are they working for it. Mademoiselle Kèralio is publishing a newspaper; and presently Madame Roland will be a minister,

or even more.

I am but little surprised that this prophet, thus surrounded by women, should speak so eloquently of love; for love occurs every moment in his ardent language. Luckily, I understand: it is love for mankind. What does he mean? He seems to be expounding some unknown mystery, which he is confiding to three thousand persons. He speaks in the name of Nature,

SOCIAL CIRCLE, THE IRON MOUTH.

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and, nevertheless, believes himself a Christian; and, under a whimsical masonic form, he unites Bacon with Jesus. At one time, he outsteps the Revolution; at another, he is retrograde : one day, he preaches Lafayette; and on the morrow goes further than the democrats, and founds human society on the duty of "giving a sufficient livelihood to each of its members." Several persons imagine they perceive the agrarian law at the bottom of his obscure doctrine.

His journal, that of the " Social circle, for the confederation of the friends of truth," is called the Iron Mouth, (Bouche de fer,) a threatening and frightful title. This ever-open mouth (in the Rue Richelieu) receives, both day and night, all the anonymous information and accusations that are thrown into it. They enter; but be not alarmed: for the most part, they remain there: this Iron Mouth does not bite.*

Let us withdraw. In the crisis in which we now are, it is necessary to watch and provide. Here there are many theories, too many ladies, and too many fanciful dreams. This atmosphere is not wholesome for us. Love and peace are certainly two excellent things; but war has now begun. Is it possible to conciliate men and opposite principles before they are reconciled?... Moreover, to increase my distrust, I perceive above the Circus the suspected Club of '89, in those brilliant apartments, blazing with light, on the first floor of the Palais-Royal,-the club of Lafayette, Bailly, Mirabeau, Sièyes, and others who would halt before they possess any securities. From time to time, those idols of the people appear on the balcony, and bow to the crowd in a royal manner. The mainspring of this opulent club is a good restaurateur.

I prefer to follow, by the yellow glare of the lamps glimmering through the fog in the Rue Saint-Honorè, the dark dense multitude all wending in the same direction to that small door of the convent of the Jacobins. It is there that the agents of the insurrection come every morning to receive orders from the Lameths, or from Laclos the money of the Duke of Orleans. At this hour the club is open. Let us enter cautiously, for the place is badly lighted. And yet

* This newspaper, amid its nonsensical false mysticism and free-masonry, contains many eloquent and singular ideas. It would, perhaps, deserve to be reprinted, as an historical curiosity.

L L

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THE JACOBIN CLUB.

the meeting is numerous, and truly serious and imposing. Here public opinion resounds from all parts of France; and here, from every Department, news pours in, true or false, and accusations, whether just or not. Hence also are dispatched the replies. This is the great East, the centre of the societies; and this the great freemasonry, and not yonder with that innocent Fauchet, who has nothing of it except the idle form. Yes, this dark church is but the more solemn. Behold, if you can see, the vast number of deputies; they have been as many as four hundred; those that you now behold, about two hundred in number, are still the principal leaders; here are Dupont and Lameth; and yonder the erect, presumptuous, the provoking countenance of the young and brilliant lawyer Barnave. To make amends for absent deputies, the society has admitted nearly a thousand members, all active and distinguished persons.

Here, we behold nobody of the lower class. Workmen come, but at different hours, and in another room, below, where a fraternal society has been formed, in which the constitution is expounded to them. A society of women of the lower class likewise begins to assemble in the room below.*

The Jacobins are a meeting of distinguished and educated men. Here, French literature has a majority: Laharpe, Chénier, Chamfort, Andrieux, Sedaine, and so many others; and artists are also numerous,-David, Vernet, Larive, and (the representative of the Revolution in the theatre) the young Roman Talma. At the door, to examine the cards, are two censors, Laïs, the singer, and a handsome youth, the promising pupil of Madame de Genlis,—the son of the Duke of Orleans.

That dark man at the bureau, who is smiling grimly, is the very agent of the prince, the too notorious author of the Liaisons Dangereuses, Laclos; and, as a remarkable contrast, M. de Robespierre is speaking in the tribune.

This is an honest man, who adheres to principles: a man of talent and austere morality. His weak and rather shrill voice, his sad and meagre visage, and his everlasting olive-green coat (his only coat, thread-bare and scrupulously clean), altogether

* Marat contrasts the energy of these women with the prattling of the Jacobin aristocracy, in his Number of December 30th, 1790.

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