1 6 Julia Crewitt Stoddard 



that it was impossible for the mayor and Lafayette to save him 

 from the mob. He was taken from the Hotel de Ville and bar- 

 barously executed ; his body was dragged through the streets 

 and his head carried about on a pike. 1 Berthier, intendant of 

 Paris and son-in-law of Foulon, shared with him the odious rep- 

 utation of wishing to profit by famishing the people. He, too, 

 fell a victim to the infuriated mob, and was even more savagely 

 executed than Foulon had been on the same day. 2 



By these summary acts of vengeance several men, grain mer- 

 chants and others, who, by reason of their knowledge of the 

 business were of service to Bailly and his associates, were fright- 

 ened out of the country. In this way the difficulties of the situ- 

 ation were increased. 3 



Agitation over the scarcity of bread in Paris continued to in- 

 crease. On the 21st of August it was found necessary to place 

 sentinels to guard the bakeries and see that just distribution was 

 made. 4 This state of things continued through the whole month 

 of September. The people stood in line for hours waiting their 

 turn to be served. 5 The Deux Amis thus describe the situation : 

 "From four in the morning crowds of men, women and children 

 besieged the bakers' shops. A loaf of bread purchased, or con- 

 quered with the money in hand, was, as it were, a victory. The 

 unfortunate day laborer, sometimes obliged to struggle until four 

 in the afternoon to obtain food for his family, lost the day's 

 wages and, without being able to satisfy his hunger, found him- 

 self the next day without money and without strength." 6 



The quality of the bread when once acquired was also a source 

 of bitter resentment. It is described as of a "blackish color, 

 earthy taste, and disgusting odor." 7 Many people ate rice. The 

 effect of all this was a sort of panic. Some struggled to get 

 more than they needed for their daily consumption in order to 



1 Frocks-verbal des Hecleurs de Paris, II, 300-16. 



9 Ibid, II, 316-25. 



3 Bailly, AUmoires, II, 136, 158. 



* Revolutions de Paris, No. VI, 28, 29. 



5 Revue historique, LXVIII, 258. 



6 Deux amis de la liberte, Histoire de la rivolution de France, III, 147^ 



7 Ibid., Ill, 148. 



282 



