In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy

r

he was in a dream, and if this man before him, talking about his birds, his flowers, and his life be

rant of the name

nry Sandwith,"

h name," Robespier

e service of the ci-devant Marquis de St. Caux; but since the break-up of his household I have been shifting for myself as b

id, raising his voice angrily; "the en

an earn my living I do not ask whether my employer is a patriot or an aristocrat. It is quite trouble enough to earn one's living without bothering

rats and the love of the people. But though I have not money, I have influence, and I promise to use it on your behalf. Until I hear of something suitable you can, if you will, work here with me, and share what I possess. My correspondence is very heav

d and write fai

uainted with the

ad it," Harry said. "I spo

t over, and I should like to hear for myself what this perfidious people say of us

ly," Har

ning. But mind you are only filling the post of my sec

rre. Ere long you will be the greatest man in France, and

much gratified nevertheless with Harry's words. "You must remember t

' Harry said; "but, nevertheless, you belong to France, and France will

a domestic animal in his own family. His food almost choked me, and had I not known that Marie's fate depends upon my calmness, I should assuredly have broken out and told this dapper little demagogue my opinion of him. But this is g

Louise Moulin's as early as eight o'clock in

? You bring us som

l news. Whom do you think I

epeated. "What do you mean? How ca

ne, so I will not puzzle your bra

are not joking, Harry?" Jeanne went on. "But no, you cannot be

ence, as an answer from God to your prayers for

ed, "what happiness! Then M

good fortune would never have been sent to me had it not been intended that we should save Marie. Now, sit down quietly, b

laimed when he had finished. "Surely he ca

w," Harry said cheerfully. "By fair means or

e can refuse, Harry?"

possible that he may refuse to grant Marie's release in return for a benefit done him personally. Howeve

uests for favours, letters of congratulation on Robespierre's speeches and motions in the Assembly, reports of scores of provincial committees, denunciations of aristocrats

through the answers when written, and was most careful before he affixed his signature to any paper whatever. When it was time for him to leave for the Assembly

nce that you will do justice to my recommendation; or if you would rather, as time goes on, attach your fortunes to mine, be assured that if I should rise to power your fortune

e papers was a list of the prisoners to be brought up on the following day for trial. To this Robespierre added two names, and then signed it and sent it back to the prison. There was another list with the names of the prisoners to be executed on the following day, and this, Harry learned, was not sent in to the prison authorities until late in the evening, so that even they were ignorant until

e's advice, or discussed measures to be taken; and after a day or two Harry found that it was very seldom, except when taking his meals, that Robespierre was alone while in the house;

s without speaking a word. After leaving him Harry met Louise and the two girls at a spot agreed upon the day before, a fresh meeting-place being arranged each day. He found it difficult to satisfy them, for indeed each day he became more and more doubtful as to his ability to get the order of release from Robespierre. Towards the man himself his feelings were of a mixed kind. He shuddered at the ca

rgundy, and one of the most extreme of the frequenters of the Jacobin Club. He did not recognize Harry, whom he had never noticed particularly on the occasion of his visits to the chateau, and w

isguise or as being suspected of hostility to the Commune. When Robespierre left him to go to the Club or the Assembly Harry would write short notes of warning in a disguised hand to the persons named, and would, when he went out, leave these at their doors. Thus he had the satisfaction of saving a considerable number o

ep up the courage and spirits of the girls, calling in for a few minutes each day to see Victor, who, after passing through a long and terrible fever, now lay weak and

tle child, but I by no means despair of his gradually recovering; and if he could hear the voice of the la

tion or the appearance of her name in the fatal list might afford some opportunity for action. It was evident to him that Lebat was not pushing matters forward, but that he prefe

he had made during the preceding three years. The following is the account written by the princess royal in her journal of the manner in which the family passed their days: "My father rose at seven and said prayers till eight; then dressing himself he was with my brother till nine, when he came to breakfast with my mother. After breakfast my father gave us lessons till eleven o'clock; and

lessons till supper at nine. After supper my mother soon went to bed. We then went up stairs, and the king went to bed at eleven. My mother worked much

, and Deseze defended him fearlessly and eloquently, but it was useless-the king was condemned beforehand. Robespierre and Marat led the assault. The Girondists, themselves menaced and alarmed, st

undred and sixty-one voted for death, two for imprisonment, two hundred and eighty-six for detention, banishment, or conditional

the advocates of delay and those of instant execution, but the latter won; and after parting with noble resignation fro

is readiness to give way, his affection for the people, which had allowed the Revolution to march on its bloody way without a check. It was the victims-the nobles, the priests, the delicate women

ignation. Over and over again Jeanne implored Harry to try to save the king. There were still many Royalists, and indeed the bulk of the people were shocked and alienated by the violence of the Conventio

utility. You must remember, that although all apparently unite against the king, there is a never-ending struggle going on in the Convention between the various parties and the vari

because I love you both; and I have also, if possible, to rescue Marie from the hands of these murderers. The responsibility is heavy enough; and could I, by merely using Robespierre's name,

ld die for the king!" J

your chances of safety to some extent depend upon mine, I do not mean to risk one of those chances for the sake of his majesty. Besides, to tell you the truth, I have a good deal of li

always thinking how wrong it is that you should be staying here risking your life for us instead of going home to those who l

as it was to stay here-in fact I should say that it was a good deal more dangerous; and at present, as Robespierre's secretary, I am in no danger at all. It is a little disagreeable certainly serving a

r, with the best will in the world, have I been able to be of the slightest assistance to Marie. As we say at home, my intentions are good; but so far the intentions have born

about gratitude. There will be time enough for that if I ever get you saf

ter that, although the trial and danger of the king were nightly discussed and lame

be tried on the following day, he saw the name of Marie, daughter of the ci-devant Marquis de St. Caux. Although h

dress universal at that time-"that among the list of

ly. "You know de and St. are both forbidden

that he always treated his dependants kindly. His daughter also showed me many marks of kindness, and this I would now fain return. Citizen, I did you some service on the night when we first met; and I ask you now, as a full quitta

innocent of all crime, undoubtedly she will be spared; but I cannot, only on account of the obligation I am under to you, interfere on her behalf; such an act would be treason to the people, and I hope you know me well enough by

th his writing, although tears of disappointment for a time almost blinded him; but he felt it would be hopeless to u

sponded regularly with Marie by means of the warder, and had even once seen her and exchanged a

arry had only the opportunity to whisper to her "Hope always, all is not lost yet." He had spent hours each day in his lodging imitating the signature of Robespierre, and he had mad

that the prison authorities would not act upon it, unless presented by a well

hand wearily across his forehead as if he were trying to recollect something he had lost; he was still too weak to stand, but Jacques and his wife would dress him and place him on a couch wh

and, which I begin to despair now of our ever doing, but if we should do it what should we say to Marie? She thinks Victor is safe there. Only the other day, as you know, sh

that we have no right to take Marie away without her knowing the truth about Victor. His misfortunes have come upon him because he

ever think of our going

do what we have to do, namely, awaken him from his sad state of lethargy. They could stay there for months until these evil days are over. Jacques' workmen friends are accustomed now to Victor being with him, and there is no chance of any suspicion ar

aris with Victor, of cours

ry day people are being seized and called upon to produce the papers proving their iden

ave you know that for more than seven months two girls have been dwelling with one Louise Moulin of 15 Rue Michel; there were three of them, but the eldest has disappeared. This, in itself, is mysterious; the old woman herself was a servant in the

ok as he hastily abstracted the note, and he could scarc

at any rate a few days before him, he resolutely put the matter aside, to be thought over when he was alone, and proceeded with his work. Aft

ext few papers mechanically, but steadied himself upon Robespierre asking him a question. For a time he worked on; but his brain was swimming, and he was on the point

nce, and her father's chateau was within a few miles of Dijon. Although her father was a furious aristocrat, her heart was always with the people. She was good to the poor, and was beloved by all the tenants on the estate. It is not just that she should die for the sins of her parents. Mo

espond for her, citiz

she will be my wife i

rendered me the greatest service, and I owe to him a debt of gratitude, I was obliged to refuse; for to grant his request would have been to allow private feeling to interfere with the justice of the people; but now it i

astonishment at Harr

acter. I promise you that your clemency will not be misplaced, and that she will become a worthy citizen. May I ask,

spierre replied. "He was in

h. I wonder, citizen, that you should give your

coldly; "a somewhat good ground, you wil

re was offended. "And now, citizen, there is another m

ry

m further work to-day. My head aches badl

on of my papers," Robespierre said kind

reet and waited for Lebat to come out. Rapidly thinking the matter over, he concluded that the man would not present himself with the order of release until after dark, in order that if Marie struggled or tried to make her escape it would be unnoticed in the street. Lebat had calculated, of course, that

ry followed him. After walking for some distance Lebat came to a stand of hackney-coac

o do a good action and earn a coup

e admirably," the

your horse, then, and let us have a g

a small table with a measure

ho spoke to you just now has eng

o be at the left corner of the Place

parents, and I want to save her. Now what I want to do is to take your place on the box this evening. I will drive him to the place where he is to meet her, and when he gets her to the doo

ust as great scoundrels, ay, and worse, than the aristocrats were. We drivers know a good many things that people in

y said laughing. "There are others besides mys

all I get my

ure not to be many minutes later. Here is a louis now. I will give you the other when I change pla

coachman said; "you

iend Jacques, and rapidly gave a

ers and declares that she would rather die than go with him, it is just possible that they might refuse to let him take her away, saying that the order was for her release, but not for her delivery to him. I don't suppose they would do so, because as one of the members of the Committee of Public Safety he is all-

s said heartily. "What do

the Rue Bluert, which is close by, and where there are some unfinish

ques said. "He will be a dangerous enemy if he is left alive; and as he would kill

f men whom I regard as murderers," Harry sai

risking everything by letting him live. Such a fellow

greed; "but I could not

seemed to him an act of the extremest fo

nd the girl, to say nothing of the Englishman and the girl's sisters. Well, we

a sword. At seven o'clock he placed his pistols in his bosom, girded on his sword, which would attract no attention, for half the

ou will find it precious cold on the box; besides he would notice at once

the great cape, wound a muffler round the lower part of his face, and w

I am glad you have come, for it's no joke waiting abou

e," Lebat said, taking

nd yet something might happen which he had not foreseen or guarded against. He drove at a little more than a footpace, for the streets a short distance from the centre of town were only lighted here and there

e guard said looking thro

d I have an order here, signed by Citizen Robespierre, fo

e gate. "It is late for a discharge; but I don

female figure. She hesitated on the top step, and then refusing to touch

18," Lebat said

stirring, and Harry peered anxiously through the darkness for the figure of Jacques. Presentl

asked, putting his h

and going to the window

just ahead, and I want a glass before I g

l," Lebat said furiously, "o

y. "One man's as good as another in these days, and if you talk

upon some of the filth which so thickly littered the thoroughfare, and slipped. Lebat wrenched himself free and drew his sword, and before Harry co

may have some one out to see what the no

y, threw it up on the box,

as he jumped in, "th

ained the girl gave way, and leaning her head upon his shoulder she burst int

Harry asked, putting hi

"Here are the empty houses. You stop whe

owever,

" he asked i

helped, you know; for if I hadn't struck sharp it would have been all over with you. Anyhow it's better as

ed his trouser pockets and turned them inside out, then lifting the body

trousers. They will suppose he has been killed and robbed, no uncommon matter in these days, and his body will be