Several of them declare that the
scales have dropped from their eyes, that they approve of the acts of
May 31 and June 2, and thus ensure their safety by manifesting their
zeal. The administration of Calvados notifies the Breton f?d?r?s that
"having accepted the Constitution it can no longer tolerate their
presence in Caen;" it sends them home, and secretly makes peace with
the "Mountain;" and only informs the deputies, who are its guests, of
this proceeding, three days afterwards, by postings on their door the
decree that declares them outlaws.
Disguised as soldiers, the latter depart along with the Breton
f?d?r?s; on the way, they are able to ascertain the veritable
sentiments of this people whom they believe imbued with their rights
and capable of taking a political initiative.[67] The pretended
citizens and republicans they have to do with are, in sum, the former
subjects of Louis XVI. and the future subjects of Napoleon I., that
is to say, administrators and people, disciplined by habit and
instinctively subordinate, requiring a government just as sheep
require a shepherd and a watch-dog, accepting or submitting to
shepherd and dog, provided these look and act the part, even if the
shepherd be a butcher and the dog a wolf.
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