Thus however has the reader seen, in an unexpected arena, on this last day of February 1791, the Three long-contending elements of French Society, dashed forth into singular comico-tragical collision; acting and reacting openly to the eye.  Constitutionalism, at once quelling Sansculottic riot at Vincennes, and Royalist treachery from the Tuileries, is great, this day, and prevails.  As for poor Royalism, tossed to and fro in that manner, its daggers all left in a heap, what can one think of it?  Every dog, the Adage says, has its day:  has it; has had it; or will have it.  For the present, the day is Lafayette’s and the Constitution’s.  Nevertheless Hunger and Jacobinism, fast growing fanatical, still work; their-day, were they once fanatical, will come.  Hitherto, in all tempests, Lafayette, like some divine Sea-ruler, raises his serene head:  the upper Aeolus’s blasts fly back to their caves, like foolish unbidden winds:  the under sea-billows they had vexed into froth allay themselves.  But if, as we often write, the submarine Titanic Fire-powers came into play, the Ocean bed from beneath being burst?  If they hurled Poseidon Lafayette and his Constitution out of Space; and, in the Titanic melee, sea were mixed with sky?

Chapter 2.3.VI.

Mirabeau.

The spirit of France waxes ever more acrid, fever-sick:  towards the final outburst of dissolution and delirium.  Suspicion rules all minds:  contending parties cannot now commingle; stand separated sheer asunder, eying one another, in most aguish mood, of cold terror or hot rage.  Counter-Revolution, Days of Poniards, Castries Duels; Flight of Mesdames, of Monsieur and Royalty!  Journalism shrills ever louder its cry of alarm.  The sleepless Dionysius’s Ear of the Forty-eight Sections, how feverishly quick has it grown; convulsing with strange pangs the whole sick Body, as in such sleeplessness and sickness, the ear will do!

Since Royalists get Poniards made to order, and a Sieur Motier is no better than he should be, shall not Patriotism too, even of the indigent sort, have Pikes, secondhand Firelocks, in readiness for the worst?  The anvils ring, during this March month, with hammering of Pikes.  A Constitutional Municipality promulgated its Placard, that no citizen except the ‘active or cash-citizen’ was entitled to have arms; but there rose, instantly responsive, such a tempest of astonishment from Club and Section, that the Constitutional Placard, almost next morning, had to cover itself up, and die away into inanity, in a second improved edition. (Ordonnance du 17 Mars 1791 (Hist.  Parl. ix. 257).) So the hammering continues; as all that it betokens does.