In my own country, I am a labourer, and do
everything relating to the cultivation of the ground. I root up the
trees; I saw them into several lengths; I split the wood; pile it up
to dry; then load it on mules, and carry it to the house to be burned;
afterwards I mow the hay and corn; carry the corn into the barn
(shrug), and the hay also; thrash the corn, and put it away into the
granary; from whence they take it out by little and little to have it
ground and to make bread. I prune the vines.' Here the commissionaire
gives an account of the whole process of wine-making, in which he is
an adept; and then goes on to explain how he is employed as a spy on
families and others, all in the way of business. He ends with saying
that trade is dull, and blames the revolution of 1848 for ruining his
employment--for why? 'Everybody is afraid of the future. Everybody is
economical; everybody is hiding, hoarding, or saving his money,
because he knows that affairs cannot continue as they are, that sooner
or later there will be another revolution.' Such a country! The
revolution thus anticipated has taken place. By relieving the
Parisians from the fears of a social upbreak--a universal sack of
property--for that was preying on their minds--the grand _coup_ of
Louis Napoleon will doubtless set money afloat, and restore occupation
to the humbler classes--the real sufferers by revolutions.
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