e is to maintain the revolutionary enthusiasm at a
high level it is helpful to have a drop too much in one's head, and
most of them take precautions in this direction. At Lyons,[32105]
"the representatives sent to ensure the people's welfare, Albitte and
Collot," call upon the Committee of Sequestrations to deliver at their
house two hundred bottles of the best wine to be found, and five hundred
bottles more of Bordeaux red wine, first quality, for table use.--In
three months, at the table of the representatives who devastate
la Vendee, nineteen hundred and seventy-four bottles of wine are
emptied,[32106] taken from the houses of the emigres belonging to the
town; for, "when one has helped to preserve a commune one has a right to
drink to the Republic." Representative Bourbotte presides at this
bar; Rossignol touches his glass, an ex-jeweler and then a September
massacreur, all his life a debauchee and brigand, and now a
major-general; alongside of Rossignol, stand his adjutants, Grammont, an
old actor, and Hazard, a former priest; along with them is Vacheron, a
good republican, who ravishes women and shoots them when they refuse to
succumb;[32107] in addition to these are some "brilliant" young ladies,
undoubtedly brought from Paris, "the prettiest of whom share their
nights between Rossignol and Bourbotte," whilst the others serve their
subordinates: the entire band, male and female, is installed in a
Hotel de Fontenay, where they begin by breaking the seals, so as t o
confiscate "for their own benefit, furniture, jewelry, dresses,
feminine trinkets and even porcelains."[32108] Meanwhile, at Chantonney,
representative Bourdon de l'Oise drinks with General Tunck, becomes
"frantic" when tipsy, and has patriotic administrators seized in their
beds at midnight, whom he had embraced the evening before.--Nearly all
of them, like the latter, get nasty after a few drinks,--Carrier at
Nantes, Petit-Jean at Thiers, Duquesnoy at Arras, Cusset at Thionville,
Monestier at Tarbes. At Thionville, Cusset drinks like a "Lapithe"
and, when drunk, gives the orders of a "vizier," which orders are
executed.[32109] At Tarbes, Monestier "after a heavy meal and much
excited," warmly harangues the court, personally examines the prisoner,
M. de Lasalle, an old officer, whom he has condemned to death, and signs
the order to have him guillotined at once. M. de Lasalle is guillotined
that very evening, at midnight, by torchlight. The following morn