and poor； protégé of his bishop； a bursar through favor at the college
Louis…le…Grand； later a clerk with Brissot under the revolutionary
system of law…practice； and at length settled down in his gloomy rue
des Rapporteurs as a pettifogger。 Living with a bad…tempered sister；
he has adopts Rousseau； whom he had once seen and whom he ardently
studies； for his master in philosophy； politics and style。 Fancying；
probably； like other young men of his age and condition； that he could
play a similar part and thus emerge from his blind alley； he published
law pleadings for effect； contended for Academy prizes； and read
papers before his Arras colleagues。 His success was moderate： one of
his harangues obtained a notice in the Artois Almanac； the Academy of
Metz awarded him only a second prize； that of Amiens gave him no
prize； while the critic of the 〃Mercure〃 spoke of his style as
smacking of the provinces。 … In the National Assembly； eclipsed by
men of great and spontaneous ability； he remains a long time in the
shade； and； more than once； through obstination or lack of tact； makes
himself ridiculous。 With his sharp； thin； attorney's visage； 〃dull；
monotonous； coarse voice and wearisome delivery；〃 … 〃 an artesian
accent 〃 and constrained air；＇102＇ his constantly putting himself
forward； his elaboration of commonplaces； his evident determination to
impose on cultivated people； still a body of intelligent listeners；
and the intolerable boredom he caused them … all this is not
calculated to render the Assembly indulgent to errors of sense and
taste。＇103＇ One day； referring to certain acts of the 〃Conseil：〃 〃It
is necessary that a noble and simple formula should announce national
rights and carry respect for law into the hearts of the people。
Consequently； in the decrees as promulgated； after the words Louis； by
the grace of God；〃 etc。； these words should follow：
〃People； behold the law imposed on you！ Let this law be considered
sacred and inviolable for all！〃 Upon this； a Gascon deputy arises and
remarks in his southern accent； 〃Gentlemen； this style is unsuitable …
there is no need for sermons。＇104＇ （cantique）。〃
General laughter； Robespierre keeps silent and bleeds internally： two
or three such mishaps nettle such a man from head to foot。 It is not
that his stupid remarks seem silly to him； no pedant taken in the act
and hissed would avow that he deserved such treatment； on the
contrary； he is content to have spoken as becomes a philosophic and
moral legislator； and so much the worse for the narrow minds and
corrupt hearts unable to comprehend him。… Thrown back upon himself；
his wounded vanity seeks inward nourishment and takes what it can find
in the sterile uniformity of his bourgeois moderation。 Robespierre；
unlike Danton； has no cravings。 He is sober； he is not tormented by
his senses； if he gives way to them； it is only no further than he can
help； and with a bad grace。 In the rue Saintonge in Paris； 〃for seven
months；〃 says his secretary；＇105＇ 〃I knew of but one woman that he
kept company with； and he did not treat her very well。 。 。 very
often he would not let her enter his room〃： when busy； he must not be
disturbed。 He is naturally steady； hard…working； studious and fond of
seclusion； at college a model pupil； at home in his province an
attentive advocate； a punctual deputy in the Assembly； everywhere free
of temptation and incapable of going astray。 … 〃Irreproachable〃 is
the word which from early youth an inward voice constantly repeats to
him in low tones to console him for obscurity and patience。 Thus has
he ever been； is now； and ever will be； he says this to himself； tells
others so； and on this foundation； all of a piece； he builds up his
character。 He is not； like Desmoulins； to be seduced by dinners； like
Barnave； by flattery； like Mirabeau and Danton； by money； like the
Girondists； by the insinuating charm of ancient politeness and select
society； like the Dantonists； by the bait of joviality and unbounded
license … he is the incorruptible。 He is not to be deterred or
diverted； like the Feuillants； Girondists； and Dantonists； like
statesmen or specialists； by considerations of a lower order； by
regard for interests or respect for acquired positions； by the danger
of undertaking too much at once； by the necessity of not disorganizing
the service and of giving play to human passions； motives of utility
and opportunity： he is the uncompromising champion of the right。＇106＇
〃Alone； or nearly alone； I do not allow myself to be corrupted； alone
or nearly alone； I do not compromise justice； which two merits I
possess in the highest degree。 A few others may live correctly； but
they oppose or betray principles； a few others profess to have
principles； but they do not live correctly。 No one else leads so pure
a life or is so loyal to principles； no one else joins to so fervent a
worship of truth so strict a practice of virtue： I am the unique。〃 …
What can be more agreeable than this mute soliloquy？ From the very
first day it can be heard toned down in Robespierre's address to the
Third…Estate of Arras；＇107＇ the last day it is spoken aloud in his
great speech in the Convention；＇108＇ during the interval； it crops out
and shines through all his compositions； harangues； or reports； in
exordiums； parentheses and perorations； permeating every sentence like
the drone of a bag…pipe。＇109＇ … Through the delight he takes in this
he can listen to nothing else； and it is just here that the outward
echoes supervene and sustain with their accompaniment the inward
cantata which he sings to his own glory。 Towards the end of the
Constituent Assembly； through the withdrawal or the elimination of
every man at all able or competent； he becomes one of the conspicuous
tenors on the political stage； while in the Jacobin Club he is
decidedly the tenor most in vogue。 … 〃Unique competitor of the Roman
Fabricius；〃 writes the branch club at Marseilles to him； 〃immortal
defender of popular rights；〃 says the Jacobin crew of Bourges。＇110＇
One of two portraits of him in the exhibition of 1791 bears the
inscription： 〃The Incorruptible。〃 At the Moliere Theatre a drama of
the day represents him as launching the thunderbolts of his logic and
virtue at Rohan and Condé。 On his way； at Bapaume； the patriots of
the place； the National Guard on the road and the authorities； come in
a body to honor the great man。 The town of Arras is illuminated on
his arrival。 On the adjournment of the Constituent Assembly the
people in the street greet him with shouts； crown him with oak
wreaths； take the horses from his cab and drag him in triumph to the
rue St。 Honoré； where he lodges with the carpenter Duplay。 … Here；
in one of those families in which the semi…bourgeois class borders on
the people； whose minds are unsophisticated； and on whom glittering
generalities and oratorical tirades take full hold； he finds his
worshippers； they drink in his words； they have the same opinion of
him that he has of himself； to every person in the house； husband；
wife and daughter； he is the great patriot； the infallible sage； he
bestows benedictions night and morning； he inhales clouds of incense；
he is a god at home。 The faithful； to obtain access to him form a
line in the court。＇111＇ One by one they are admitted into the
reception room； where they gather around portraits of him drawn with
pencil； in stump； in sepia and in water color； and before miniature
busts in red or gray plaster。 Then； on the signal being given by him；
they penetrate through a glass door into the sanctuary where he
presides； into the private closet in which the best bust of him； with
verses and mottoes； replaces him during his absence。 … His
worshippers adore him on their knees； and the women more than the men。
On the day he delivers his apology before the Convention 〃the passages
are lined with women＇112＇ 。 。 。 。 seven or eight hundred of them
in the galleries； and but two hundred men at most；〃 and how
frantically they cheer him！ He is a priest surrounded by
devotees。〃＇113＇ In the Jacobin club； when he delivers his 〃amphigory；〃
there are sobs of emotion； 〃outcries and stamping of feet almost
making the house tumble。〃＇114＇ An onlooker who shows no emotion is
greeted with murmurs and obliged to slip out； like a heretic that has
strayed into a church on the elevation of the Host。 … The faster the
revolutionary thunderbolts fall on other heads； so does Robespierre
mount higher and higher in glory and deification。 Letters are
addressed to him as 〃the founder of the Republic； the incorruptible
genius who foresees all and saves all； who can neither be deceived nor
seduced；〃＇115＇ who has 〃the energy of a Spartan and the eloquence of
an Athenian；〃＇116＇ 〃who shields the Republic with the aegis of his
eloquence；〃＇117＇ who 〃illuminates the universe with his writings；
fills the world with his renown and regenerates the human species here
below；〃＇118＇ whose〃 name is now； and will be； held in veneration for
all ages； present and to come；〃＇119＇ who is 〃the Messiah promised by
the Eternal for universal reform。〃＇120＇ An extraordinary popularity；〃
says Billaud…Varennes；＇121＇ a popularity which； founded under the
Constituent Assembly； 〃only increased during the Legislative
Assembly；〃 and； later on； so much more； that； 〃in the National
Convention he soon found himself the only one able to fix attention on
his person。 。 。 。 and control public opinion。 。 。 。 With this
ascendancy over public opinion； with this irresistible preponderance；
when he reached the Committee of Public Safety； he was already the
most important being in France。〃 After three years； a chorus of a
thousand voices；＇122＇ which he formed and directs； repeats again and
again in unison his litany； his personal creed； a hymn of three
stanzas composed by him in his own honor； and which he daily recites
to himse