On
the side of the triumvirs nobody knows twinges of conscience, neither
Barras, a condottiere open to the highest bidder, and who understands
the value of blows, nor Reubell, a sort of bull, who, becoming
excited, sees red, nor Merlin de Douai, the terrible legist, lay
inquisitor and executioner in private.[67] As usual with the Jacobins,
these men have unsheathed the sword and brandished it. In contempt of
the constitution, they provoked discussions in the army and let the
Legislative Corps see that, if it did not yield, it would be put out
at the point of the bayonet. They let loose against it, " as in the
good old times,"[68] their executive riff-raff, and line the avenues
and tribunes with "their bandits of both sexes." They collect together
their gangs of roughs, five or six thousand terrorists from Paris and
the departments, and two thousand officers awaiting orders or on half-
pay. In default of Hoche, whose unconstitutional approach was
reported and then prevented, they have Augereau, arrived expressly
from Italy, and who states publicly, "I am sent for to kill the
royalists." It is impossible to find a more narrow-minded and greater
military bully; Reubell, himself, on seeing him, could not help but
exclaim: What a sturdy brigand!" - On the 18th of Fructidor this
official swordsman, with eight or ten thousand troops, surrounds and
invades the Tuileries.
Pages:
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974
975
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983
984
985
986
987