- That same evening, "whereas, in
the conflagration, none of the inhabitants in good circumstances
offered their services in extinguishing the fire,[100] and none but
sans-culottes came thereto, from the garrison as well as from the
commune," Duquesnoy orders "that a tax of 40,000 livres be imposed on
the commune of Metz, levied on the fortunes of the rich and
distributed among the poor, payable within ten days."[101] -- "Fais-
moi f.... dedans tous ces b... l?[102]," "quatre j...f... ?
raccourcir;"[103] At Arras, as at Metz, the lout is ever the ruffian
and the butcher.
Others are either jolly fellows, or blackguards. A certain Andr?
Dumont, an old village attorney, now king of Picardie, or sultan, as
occasion offers, "figures as a white Negro," sometimes jovial, but
generally as a rude hardened cynic, treating female prisoners and
petitioners as in a kermesse.[104] - One morning a lady enters his
ante-room, and waits amidst about twenty sans-culottes, to solicit the
release of her husband. Dumont appears in a morning-gown, seats
himself and listens to the petitioner.
"Sit down, citoyenne."
He takes her on his lap, thrusts his hand in her bosom and exclaims:
"Who would suppose that the bust of a marchioness would feel so soft
to one of the people's representatives.
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