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第87章

雨果 悲惨世界 英文版2-第87章

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ary to labor; mingle gratuitous and pulsory education with the growth of childhood; and make of science the base of manliness; develop minds while keeping arms busy; be at one and the same time a powerful people and a family of happy men; render property democratic; not by abolishing it; but by making it universal; so that every citizen; without exception; may be a proprietor; an easier matter than is generally supposed; in two words; learn how to produce wealth and how to distribute it; and you will have at once moral and material greatness; and you will be worthy to call yourself France。
  This is what socialism said outside and above a few sects which have gone astray; that is what it sought in facts; that is what it sketched out in minds。
  Efforts worthy of admiration!
  Sacred attempts!
  These doctrines; these theories; these resistances; the unforeseen necessity for the statesman to take philosophers into account; confused evidences of which we catch a glimpse; a new system of politics to be created; which shall be in accord with the old world without too much disaccord with the new revolutionary ideal; a situation in which it became necessary to use Lafayette to defend Polignac; the intuition of progress transparent beneath the revolt; the chambers and streets; the petitions to be brought into equilibrium around him; his faith in the Revolution; perhaps an eventual indefinable resignation born of the vague acceptance of a superior definitive right; his desire to remain of his race; his domestic spirit; his sincere respect for the people; his own honesty; preoccupied Louis Philippe almost painfully; and there were moments when strong and courageous as he was; he was overwhelmed by the difficulties of being a king。
  He felt under his feet a formidable disaggregation; which was not; nevertheless; a reduction to dust; France being more France than ever。
  Piles of shadows covered the horizon。
  A strange shade; gradually drawing nearer; extended little by little over men; over things; over ideas; a shade which came from wraths and systems。 Everything which had been hastily stifled was moving and fermenting。 At times the conscience of the honest man resumed its breathing; so great was the disfort of that air in which sophisms were intermingled with truths。
  Spirits trembled in the social anxiety like leaves at the approach of a storm。
  The electric tension was such that at certain instants; the first er; a stranger; brought light。
  Then the twilight obscurity closed in again。 At intervals; deep and dull mutterings allowed a judgment to be formed as to the quantity of thunder contained by the cloud。
  Twenty months had barely elapsed since the Revolution of July; the year 1832 had opened with an aspect of something impending and threatening。
  The distress of the people; the laborers without bread; the last Prince de Conde engulfed in the shadows; Brussels expelling the Nassaus as Paris did the Bourbons; Belgium offering herself to a French Prince and giving herself to an English Prince; the Russian hatred of Nicolas; behind us the demons of the South; Ferdinand in Spain; Miguel in Portugal; the earth quaking in Italy; Metternich extending his hand over Bologna; France treating Austria sharply at Ancona; at the North no one knew what sinister sound of the hammer nailing up Poland in her coffin; irritated glances watching France narrowly all over Europe; England; a suspected ally; ready to give a push to that which was tottering and to hurl herself on that which should fall; the peerage sheltering itself behind Beccaria to refuse four heads to the law; the fleurs…de…lys erased from the King's carriage; the cross torn from Notre Dame; Lafayette lessened; Laffitte ruined; Benjamin Constant dead in indigence; Casimir Perier dead in the exhaustion of his power; political and social malady breaking out simultaneously in the two capitals of the kingdom; the one in the city of thought; the other in the city of toil; at Paris civil war; at Lyons servile war; in the two cities; the same glare of the furnace; a crater…like crimson on the brow of the people; the South rendered fanatic; the West troubled; the Duchesse de Berry in la Vendee; plots; conspiracies; risings; cholera; added the sombre roar of tumult of events to the sombre roar of ideas。


BOOK FIRST。A FEW PAGES OF HISTORY
CHAPTER V 
  FACTS WHENCE HISTORY SPRINGS AND WHICH HISTORY IGNORES
   Towards the end of April; everything had bee aggravated。 The fermentation entered the boiling state。
  Ever since 1830; petty partial revolts had been going on here and there; which were quickly suppressed; but ever bursting forth afresh; the sign of a vast underlying conflagration。
  Something terrible was in preparation。
  Glimpses could be caught of the features still indistinct and imperfectly lighted; of a possible revolution。 France kept an eye on Paris; Paris kept an eye on the Faubourg Saint…Antoine。
  The Faubourg Saint…Antoine; which was in a dull glow; was beginning its ebullition。
  The wine…shops of the Rue de Charonne were; although the union of the two epithets seems singular when applied to wine…shops; grave and stormy。
  The government was there purely and simply called in question。 There people publicly discussed the question of fighting or of keeping quiet。
  There were back shops where workingmen were made to swear that they would hasten into the street at the first cry of alarm; and 〃that they would fight without counting the number of the enemy。〃 This engagement once entered into; a man seated in the corner of the wine…shop 〃assumed a sonorous tone;〃 and said; 〃You understand! You have sworn!〃
  Sometimes they went up stairs; to a private room on the first floor; and there scenes that were almost masonic were enacted。
  They made the initiated take oaths to render service to himself as well as to the fathers of families。
  That was the formula。
  In the tap…rooms; 〃subversive〃 pamphlets were read。
  They treated the government with contempt; says a secret report of that time。
  Words like the following could be heard there:
  〃I don't know the names of the leaders。
  We folks shall not know the day until two hours beforehand。〃
  One workman said: 〃There are three hundred of us; let each contribute ten sous; that will make one hundred and fifty francs with which to procure powder and shot。〃
  Another said:
  〃I don't ask for six months; I don't ask for even two。 In less than a fortnight we shall be parallel with the government。 With twenty…five thousand men we can face them。〃
  Another said: 〃I don't sleep at night; because I make cartridges all night。〃 From time to time; men 〃of bourgeois appearance; and in good coats〃 came and 〃caused embarrassment;〃 and with the air of 〃mand;〃 shook hands with the most important; and then went away。
  They never stayed more than ten minutes。
  Significant remarks were exchanged in a low tone:
  〃The plot is ripe; the matter is arranged。〃
  〃It was murmured by all who were there;〃 to borrow the very expression of one of those who were present。
  The exaltation was such that one day; a workingman exclaimed; efore the whole wine…shop: 〃We have no arms!〃 One of his rades replied:
  〃The soldiers have!〃 thus parodying without being aware of the fact; Bonaparte's proclamation to the army in Italy:
  〃When they had anything of a more secret nature on hand;〃 adds one report; 〃they did not municate it to each other。〃 It is not easy to understand what they could conceal after what they said。
  These reunions were sometimes periodical。
  At certain ones of them; there were never more than eight or ten persons present; and they were always the same。
  In others; any one entered who wished; and the room was so full that they were forced to stand。 Some went thither through enthusiasm and passion; others because it was on their way to their work。
  As during the Revolution; there were patriotic women in some of these wine…shops who embraced new…ers。
  Other expressive facts came to light。
  A man would enter a shop; drink; and go his way with the remark: 〃Wine…merchant; the revolution will pay what is due to you。〃
  Revolutionary agents were appointed in a wine…shop facing the Rue de Charonne。
  The balloting was carried on in their caps。
  Workingmen met at the house of a fencing…master who gave lessons in the Rue de Cotte。
  There there was a trophy of arms formed of wooden broadswords; canes; clubs; and foils。
  One day; the buttons were removed from the foils。
  A workman said:
  〃There are twenty…five of us; but they don't count on me; because I am looked upon as a machine。〃
  Later on; that machine became Quenisset。
  The indefinite things which were brewing gradually acquired a strange and indescribable notoriety。
  A woman sweeping off her doorsteps said to another woman:
  〃For a long time; there has been a strong force busy making cartridges。〃
  In the open street; proclamation could be seen addressed to the National Guard in the departments。 One of these proclamations was signed:
  Burtot; wine…merchant。
  One day a man with his beard worn like a collar and with

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