Le lendemain, 8 Thermidor, Robespierre se decida a prononcer son fameux discours.
Thiers, “Hist. de la Revolution.”
(The next day, 8th Thermidor, Robespierre resolved to deliver his celebrated1 discourse2.)
The morning rose,— the 8th of Thermidor (July 26). Robespierre has gone to the Convention. He has gone with his laboured speech; he has gone with his phrases of philanthropy and virtue3; he has gone to single out his prey4. All his agents are prepared for his reception; the fierce St. Just has arrived from the armies to second his courage and inflame5 his wrath6. His ominous7 apparition8 prepares the audience for the crisis. “Citizens!” screeched9 the shrill10 voice of Robespierre “others have placed before you flattering pictures; I come to announce to you useful truths.
....
“And they attribute to me,— to me alone!— whatever of harsh or evil is committed: it is Robespierre who wishes it; it is Robespierre who ordains11 it. Is there a new tax?— it is Robespierre who ruins you. They call me tyrant12!— and why? Because I have acquired some influence; but how?— in speaking truth; and who pretends that truth is to be without force in the mouths of the Representatives of the French people? Doubtless, truth has its power, its rage, its despotism, its accents, touching13, terrible, which resound14 in the pure heart as in the guilty conscience; and which Falsehood can no more imitate than Salmoneus could forge the thunderbolts of Heaven. What am I whom they accuse? A slave of liberty,— a living martyr16 of the Republic; the victim as the enemy of crime! All ruffianism affronts17 me, and actions legitimate18 in others are crimes in me. It is enough to know me to be calumniated19. It is in my very zeal20 that they discover my guilt15. Take from me my conscience, and I should be the most miserable21 of men!”
He paused; and Couthon wiped his eyes, and St. Just murmured applause as with stern looks he gazed on the rebellious22 Mountain; and there was a dead, mournful, and chilling silence through the audience. The touching sentiment woke no echo.
The orator23 cast his eyes around. Ho! he will soon arouse that apathy24. He proceeds, he praises, he pities himself no more. He denounces,— he accuses. Overflooded with his venom25, he vomits26 it forth27 on all. At home, abroad, finances, war,— on all! Shriller and sharper rose his voice,—
“A conspiracy28 exists against the public liberty. It owes its strength to a criminal coalition29 in the very bosom30 of the Convention; it has accomplices31 in the bosom of the Committee of Public Safety...What is the remedy to this evil? To punish the traitors32; to purify this committee; to crush all factions33 by the weight of the National Authority; to raise upon their ruins the power of Liberty and Justice. Such are the principles of that Reform. Must I be ambitious to profess35 them?— then the principles are proscribed36, and Tyranny reigns37 amongst us! For what can you object to a man who is in the right, and has at least this knowledge,— he knows how to die for his native land! I am made to combat crime, and not to govern it. The time, alas39! is not yet arrived when men of worth can serve with impunity40 their country. So long as the knaves41 rule, the defenders42 of liberty will be only the proscribed.”
For two hours, through that cold and gloomy audience, shrilled43 the Death-speech. In silence it began, in silence closed. The enemies of the orator were afraid to express resentment44; they knew not yet the exact balance of power. His partisans45 were afraid to approve; they knew not whom of their own friends and relations the accusations46 were designed to single forth. “Take care!” whispered each to each; “it is thou whom he threatens.” But silent though the audience, it was, at the first, wellnigh subdued47. There was still about this terrible man the spell of an overmastering will. Always — though not what is called a great orator — resolute48, and sovereign in the use of words; words seemed as things when uttered by one who with a nod moved the troops of Henriot, and influenced the judgment49 of Rene Dumas, grim President of the Tribunal. Lecointre of Versailles rose, and there was an anxious movement of attention; for Lecointre was one of the fiercest foes50 of the tyrant. What was the dismay of the Tallien faction34; what the complacent51 smile of Couthon,— when Lecointre demanded only that the oration52 should be printed! All seemed paralyzed. At length Bourdon de l’Oise, whose name was doubly marked in the black list of the Dictator, stalked to the tribune, and moved the bold counter-resolution, that the speech should be referred to the two committees whom that very speech accused. Still no applause from the conspirators53; they sat torpid54 as frozen men. The shrinking Barrere, ever on the prudent55 side, looked round before he rose. He rises, and sides with Lecointre! Then Couthon seized the occasion, and from his seat (a privilege permitted only to the paralytic56 philanthropist) (M. Thiers in his History, volume iv. page 79, makes a curious blunder: he says, “Couthon s’elance a la tribune.” (Couthon darted57 towards the tribune.) Poor Couthon! whose half body was dead, and who was always wheeled in his chair into the Convention, and spoke58 sitting.), and with his melodious59 voice sought to convert the crisis into a triumph.
He demanded, not only that the harangue60 should be printed, but sent to all the communes and all the armies. It was necessary to soothe61 a wronged and ulcerated heart. Deputies, the most faithful, had been accused of shedding blood. “Ah! if HE had contributed to the death of one innocent man, he should immolate62 himself with grief.” Beautiful tenderness!— and while he spoke, he fondled the spaniel in his bosom. Bravo, Couthon! Robespierre triumphs! The reign38 of Terror shall endure! The old submission63 settles dovelike back in the assembly! They vote the printing of the Death-speech, and its transmission to all the municipalities. From the benches of the Mountain, Tallien, alarmed, dismayed, impatient, and indignant, cast his gaze where sat the strangers admitted to hear the debates; and suddenly he met the eyes of the Unknown who had brought to him the letter from Teresa de Fontenai the preceding day. The eyes fascinated him as he gazed. In aftertimes he often said that their regard, fixed64, earnest, half-reproachful, and yet cheering and triumphant65, filled him with new life and courage. They spoke to his heart as the trumpet66 speaks to the war-horse. He moved from his seat; he whispered with his allies: the spirit he had drawn67 in was contagious68; the men whom Robespierre especially had denounced, and who saw the sword over their heads, woke from their torpid trance. Vadier, Cambon, Billaud–Varennes, Panis, Amar, rose at once,— all at once demanded speech. Vadier is first heard, the rest succeed. It burst forth, the Mountain, with its fires and consuming lava69; flood upon flood they rush, a legion of Ciceros upon the startled Catiline! Robespierre falters70, hesitates,— would qualify, retract71. They gather new courage from his new fears; they interrupt him; they drown his voice; they demand the reversal of the motion. Amar moves again that the speech be referred to the Committees, to the Committees,— to his enemies! Confusion and noise and clamour! Robespierre wraps himself in silent and superb disdain72. Pale, defeated, but not yet destroyed, he stands,— a storm in the midst of storm!
The motion is carried. All men foresee in that defeat the Dictator’s downfall. A solitary73 cry rose from the galleries; it was caught up; it circled through the hall, the audience: “A bas le tyrant! Vive la republique!” (Down with the tyrant! Hurrah74 for the republic!)
1 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 discourse | |
n.论文,演说;谈话;话语;vi.讲述,著述 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 virtue | |
n.德行,美德;贞操;优点;功效,效力 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 prey | |
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 inflame | |
v.使燃烧;使极度激动;使发炎 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 wrath | |
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 ominous | |
adj.不祥的,不吉的,预兆的,预示的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 apparition | |
n.幽灵,神奇的现象 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 screeched | |
v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 );发出粗而刺耳的声音;高叫 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 shrill | |
adj.尖声的;刺耳的;v尖叫 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 ordains | |
v.任命(某人)为牧师( ordain的第三人称单数 );授予(某人)圣职;(上帝、法律等)命令;判定 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 tyrant | |
n.暴君,专制的君主,残暴的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 touching | |
adj.动人的,使人感伤的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 resound | |
v.回响 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 guilt | |
n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 martyr | |
n.烈士,殉难者;vt.杀害,折磨,牺牲 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 affronts | |
n.(当众)侮辱,(故意)冒犯( affront的名词复数 )v.勇敢地面对( affront的第三人称单数 );相遇 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 legitimate | |
adj.合法的,合理的,合乎逻辑的;v.使合法 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 calumniated | |
v.诽谤,中伤( calumniate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 zeal | |
n.热心,热情,热忱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 rebellious | |
adj.造反的,反抗的,难控制的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 orator | |
n.演说者,演讲者,雄辩家 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 apathy | |
n.漠不关心,无动于衷;冷淡 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 venom | |
n.毒液,恶毒,痛恨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 vomits | |
呕吐物( vomit的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 conspiracy | |
n.阴谋,密谋,共谋 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 coalition | |
n.结合体,同盟,结合,联合 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 bosom | |
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 accomplices | |
从犯,帮凶,同谋( accomplice的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 traitors | |
卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 ); 叛徒; 背叛者; 背信弃义的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 factions | |
组织中的小派别,派系( faction的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 faction | |
n.宗派,小集团;派别;派系斗争 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 profess | |
v.声称,冒称,以...为业,正式接受入教,表明信仰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 proscribed | |
v.正式宣布(某事物)有危险或被禁止( proscribe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 reigns | |
n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 );君主统治时期;任期;当政期 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 alas | |
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 impunity | |
n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 knaves | |
n.恶棍,无赖( knave的名词复数 );(纸牌中的)杰克 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 defenders | |
n.防御者( defender的名词复数 );守卫者;保护者;辩护者 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 shrilled | |
(声音)尖锐的,刺耳的,高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 resentment | |
n.怨愤,忿恨 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 partisans | |
游击队员( partisan的名词复数 ); 党人; 党羽; 帮伙 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 accusations | |
n.指责( accusation的名词复数 );指控;控告;(被告发、控告的)罪名 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 resolute | |
adj.坚决的,果敢的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 foes | |
敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 complacent | |
adj.自满的;自鸣得意的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 oration | |
n.演说,致辞,叙述法 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 conspirators | |
n.共谋者,阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 torpid | |
adj.麻痹的,麻木的,迟钝的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 prudent | |
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56 paralytic | |
adj. 瘫痪的 n. 瘫痪病人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57 darted | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59 melodious | |
adj.旋律美妙的,调子优美的,音乐性的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60 harangue | |
n.慷慨冗长的训话,言辞激烈的讲话 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61 soothe | |
v.安慰;使平静;使减轻;缓和;奉承 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62 immolate | |
v.牺牲 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63 submission | |
n.服从,投降;温顺,谦虚;提出 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65 triumphant | |
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66 trumpet | |
n.喇叭,喇叭声;v.吹喇叭,吹嘘 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
68 contagious | |
adj.传染性的,有感染力的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
69 lava | |
n.熔岩,火山岩 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
70 falters | |
(嗓音)颤抖( falter的第三人称单数 ); 支吾其词; 蹒跚; 摇晃 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
71 retract | |
vt.缩回,撤回收回,取消 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
72 disdain | |
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
73 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
74 hurrah | |
int.好哇,万岁,乌拉 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |