ON that same Saturday morning the dead Swiss, the broken furniture of
the palace, and the burning woodwork of the barracks, were all gathered
together in a vast heap, and set fire to. I saw this pile at twenty or
thirty yards distance, and I was told that some of the women who were
spectators took out an arm or a leg that was broiling, to taste: this I
did _not see_, but I see no reason for _not believing it_.
On the afternoon of this day, the coffee-houses were, as usual, filled
with idle people, who amused themselves with playing at the baby-game of
_domino_.
No coaches except fiacres (hackney-coaches) were now to be seen about
the streets; the theatres continued on the following mornings to
advertise their performances, and in the afternoon fresh advertisements
were pasted over these, saying, there would be _relâche au theatre_
(respite, intermission.) A few days after, some of the theatres
advertised to perform for the benefit of the families of the slain, but
few persons attended the representation, through fear; because the
_sans-culottes_ talked of pulling down all the theatres, which, they
said, _gataient les moeurs_, (corrupted the morals) of the people.
Ever since the 10th, I knew the barriers had been guarded, to prevent
any person from leaving Paris, but I now was informed that that had been
the case, three days previous to that day, which may seem to imply that
some apprehensions were formed, that violent measures would take place
somewhere.
About this time the officers were obliged by the _sans-culottes_ to wear
worsted instead of gold or silver shoulder-knots; and no more _cloudy_
carriages were to be seen in the streets.
Portraits of the king, with the body of a hog, and of the queen, with
that of a tygress were engraven and publicly sold. A book was published,
entitled, _Crimes of Louis_ XVI. the author of which advertised that he
was then printing a book of the _Crimes of the Popes_, after which he
intended to publish the crimes of all the potentates in Europe.
As I could not get out of Paris, to make any little excursions to
nursery and other gardens, to _Vincennes_, to _Montreuil_, and as the
inhabitants of Paris were too much alarmed to retain any relish for
society, (public places out of the question,) I was desirous of getting
away as soon as possible, and applied first to the usual officers for a
pass, which was refused. That of _Lord Gower_ (the ambassador) was at
this time of no use, but it became so afterwards, as shall be mentioned.
On the Monday (13th August) I wrote a letter of about ten lines to the
President of the National Assembly, soliciting a pass. This I carried
myself, and sent it in by one of the clerks. The President immediately
read the letter, and the Assembly decreed a pass for me; but the next
day, when I applied for it to the _comité de surveillance_, (committee
of inspection) it, or they, knew nothing of the matter. I then went to
the _mairie_ (mayoralty house) but in vain.
Here an officer of the national guard who had been present during the
whole of the battle of the 10th, said to me, "La journeé a _eté un peu
forte, nous avons eu plus de quinze cens des notres de tués_," (the day
was rather warm; we have had more than fifteen hundred of our own people
killed.) This was confirmed by many more of the officers there, with
whom I had a quarter of an hour's conversation, and they all estimated
the number of the slain at above six thousand, which may probably be
accounted for in the following manner, but a demonstration is
impossible.
Some assert that there were eight hundred Swiss soldiers in the
_château_ of the _Tuileries_; others but five hundred: let us take the
medium of six hundred and fifty. They had, as every one allows, six and
thirty charges each, and they fired till their ammunition was expended.
This makes above three and twenty thousand shot, every one of which must
have taken place, on a mob as thick as hailstones after a shower: but
allowing for the Swiss themselves, who were killed during the
engagement, which diminishes the number of shot, and then allowing
likewise, that of two thousand persons who were in the palace, we here
say nothing of the remaining thirteen or fourteen hundred, most of whom
were firing as well as they could, perhaps it may not appear exaggerated
to say, that out of above twenty thousand shot, four thousand must have
taken place mortally; and this includes the fifteen hundred of the
national guard, which were _certainly_ known to be missing. Of the other
two thousand five hundred slain, the number could not so correctly be
ascertained, as they consisted of citizens without regimentals or
uniform, and of _sans-culottes_, none of whom were registered. All the
persons in the palace were killed; of these, few, if any, were taken
away immediately, whereas when any of the adverse party were killed,
there were people enough who were glad of the opportunity of escaping
from this slaughter, by carrying away the corpse. We must then reflect
on the number of waggons and carts employed all night in the same
offices, and then we shall see great reason to double the number of the
slain, as has been done in various publications.
No idea of this number could be formed by seeing the field of battle,
because several bodies were there lying in heaps, and of the others not
above two or three could be seen at a time, as the streets were after
the engagement filled with spectators, who walked among and over the
carcases.
Of the feelings of these spectators, I judge by my own: I might perhaps
have disliked seeing a single dead body, but the great number
immediately reconciled me to the sight.