zanoni-第108章

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go　with　my　free　will　into　the　land　of　darkness；　but　new　suns　and

systems　blaze　around　us　from　the　grave。　　I　go　where　the　souls　of

those　for　whom　I　resign　the　clay　shall　be　my　co…mates　through

eternal　youth。　　At　last　I　recognise　the　true　ordeal　and　the　real

victory。　　Mejnour；　cast　down　thy　elixir；　lay　by　thy　load　of

years！　　Wherever　the　soul　can　wander；　the　Eternal　Soul　of　all

things　protects　it　still！〃





CHAPTER　7。XV。



Il　ne　veulent　plus　perdre　un　moment　d'une　nuit　si　precieuse。

Lacretelle；　tom。　xii。



（They　would　not　lose　another　moment　of　so　precious　a　night。）



It　was　late　that　night；　and　Rene…Francois　Dumas；　President　of　the

Revolutionary　Tribunal；　had　re…entered　his　cabinet；　on　his　return

from　the　Jacobin　Club。　　With　him　were　two　men　who　might　be　said

to　represent；　the　one　the　moral；　the　other　the　physical　force　of

the　Reign　of　Terror：　　Fouquier…Tinville；　the　Public　Accuser；　and

Francois　Henriot；　the　General　of　the　Parisian　National　Guard。

This　formidable　triumvirate　were　assembled　to　debate　on　the

proceedings　of　the　next　day；　and　the　three　sister…witches　over

their　hellish　caldron　were　scarcely　animated　by　a　more　fiend…like

spirit；　or　engaged　in　more　execrable　designs；　than　these　three

heroes　of　the　Revolution　in　their　premeditated　massacre　of　the

morrow。



Dumas　was　but　little　altered　in　appearance　since；　in　the　earlier

part　of　this　narrative；　he　was　presented　to　the　reader；　except

that　his　manner　was　somewhat　more　short　and　severe；　and　his　eye

yet　more　restless。　　But　he　seemed　almost　a　superior　being　by　the

side　of　his　associates。　　Rene　Dumas；　born　of　respectable　parents；

and　well　educated；　despite　his　ferocity；　was　not　without　a

certain　refinement；　which　perhaps　rendered　him　the　more

acceptable　to　the　precise　and　formal　Robespierre。　　（Dumas　was　a

beau　in　his　way。　　His　gala…dress　was　a　BLOOD…RED　COAT；　with　the

finest　ruffles。）　　But　Henriot　had　been　a　lackey；　a　thief；　a　spy

of　the　police；　he　had　drunk　the　blood　of　Madame　de　Lamballe；　and

had　risen　to　his　present　rank　for　no　quality　but　his　ruffianism；

and　Fouquier…Tinville；　the　son　of　a　provincial　agriculturist；　and

afterwards　a　clerk　at　the　Bureau　of　the　Police；　was　little　less

base　in　his　manners；　and　yet　more；　from　a　certain　loathsome

buffoonery；　revolting　in　his　speech；bull…headed；　with　black；

sleek　hair；　with　a　narrow　and　livid　forehead；　with　small　eyes；

that　twinkled　with　a　sinister　malice；　strongly　and　coarsely

built；　he　looked　what　he　was；　the　audacious　bully　of　a　lawless

and　relentless　Bar。



Dumas　trimmed　the　candles；　and　bent　over　the　list　of　the　victims

for　the　morrow。



〃It　is　a　long　catalogue；〃　said　the　president；　〃eighty　trials　for

one　day！　　And　Robespierre's　orders　to　despatch　the　whole　fournee

are　unequivocal。〃



〃Pooh！〃　said　Fouquier；　with　a　coarse；　loud　laugh；　〃we　must　try

them　en　masse。　　I　know　how　to　deal　with　our　jury。　　'Je　pense；

citoyens；　que　vous　etes　convaincus　du　crime　des　accuses？'　（I

think；　citizens；　that　you　are　convinced　of　the　crime　of　the

accused。）　　Ha！　ha！the　longer　the　list；　the　shorter　the　work。〃



〃Oh；　yes；〃　growled　out　Henriot；　with　an　oath；as　usual；　half…

drunk；　and　lolling　on　his　chair；　with　his　spurred　heels　on　the

table；〃little　Tinville　is　the　man　for　despatch。〃



〃Citizen　Henriot；〃　said　Dumas；　gravely；　〃permit　me　to　request

thee　to　select　another　footstool；　and　for　the　rest；　let　me　warn

thee　that　to…morrow　is　a　critical　and　important　day；　one　that

will　decide　the　fate　of　France。〃



〃A　fig　for　little　France！　　Vive　le　Vertueux　Robespierre；　la

Colonne　de　la　Republique！　（Long　life　to　the　virtuous　Robespierre；

the　pillar　of　the　Republic！）　　Plague　on　this　talking；　it　is　dry

work。　　Hast　thou　no　eau　de　vie　in　that　little　cupboard？〃



Dumas　and　Fouquier　exchanged　looks　of　disgust。　　Dumas　shrugged

his　shoulders；　and　replied；



〃It　is　to　guard　thee　against　eau　de　vie；　Citizen　General　Henriot；

that　I　have　requested　thee　to　meet　me　here。　　Listen　if　thou

canst！〃



〃Oh；　talk　away！　thy　metier　is　to　talk；　mine　to　fight　and　to

drink。〃



〃To…morrow；　I　tell　thee　then；　the　populace　will　be　abroad；　all

factions　will　be　astir。　　It　is　probable　enough　that　they　will

even　seek　to　arrest　our　tumbrils　on　their　way　to　the　guillotine。

Have　thy　men　armed　and　ready；　keep　the　streets　clear；　cut　down

without　mercy　whomsoever　may　obstruct　the　ways。〃



〃I　understand；〃　said　Henriot；　striking　his　sword　so　loudly　that

Dumas　half…started　at　the　clank；〃Black　Henriot　is　no

'Indulgent。'〃



〃Look　to　it；　then；　citizen；look　to　it！　　And　hark　thee；〃　he

added；　with　a　grave　and　sombre　brow；　〃if　thou　wouldst　keep　thine

own　head　on　thy　shoulders；　beware　of　the　eau　de　vie。〃



〃My　own　head！sacre　mille　tonnerres！　　Dost　thou　threaten　the

general　of　the　Parisian　army？〃



Dumas；　like　Robespierre；　a　precise　atrabilious；　and　arrogant　man；

was　about　to　retort；　when　the　craftier　Tinville　laid　his　hand　on

his　arm；　and；　turning　to　the　general；　said；　〃My　dear　Henriot；　thy

dauntless　republicanism；　which　is　too　ready　to　give　offence；　must

learn　to　take　a　reprimand　from　the　representative　of　Republican

Law。　　Seriously；　mon　cher；　thou　must　be　sober　for　the　next　three

or　four　days；　after　the　crisis　is　over；　thou　and　I　will　drink　a

bottle　together。　　Come；　Dumas　relax　thine　austerity；　and　shake

hands　with　our　friend。　　No　quarrels　amongst　ourselves！〃



Dumas　hesitated；　and　extended　his　hand；　which　the　ruffian

clasped；　and；　maudlin　tears　succeeding　his　ferocity；　he　half…

sobbed；　half…hiccoughed　forth　his　protestations　of　civism　and　his

promises　of　sobriety。



〃Well；　we　depend　on　thee；　mon　general；〃　said　Dumas；　〃and　now；

since　we　shall　all　have　need　of　vigour　for　to…morrow；　go　home　and

sleep　soundly。〃



〃Yes；　I　forgive　thee；　Dumas；I　forgive　thee。　　I　am　not

vindictive；I！　but　still；　if　a　man　threatens　me；　if　a　man

insults　me〃　and；　with　the　quick　changes　of　intoxication；　again

his　eyes　gleamed　fire　through　their　foul　tears。　　With　some

difficulty　Fouquier　succeeded　at　last　in　soothing　the　brute；　and

leading　him　from　the　chamber。　　But　still；　as　some　wild　beast

disappointed　of　a　prey；　he　growled　and　snarled　as　his　heavy　tread

descended　the　stairs。　　A　tall　trooper；　mounted；　was　leading

Henriot's　horse　to　and　fro　the　streets；　and　as　the　general　waited

at　the　porch　till　his　attendant　turned；　a　stranger　stationed　by

the　wall　accosted　him：



〃General　Henriot；　I　have　desired　to　speak　with　thee。　　Next　to

Robespierre；　thou　art；　or　shouldst　be；　the　most　powerful　man　in

France。〃



〃Hem！yes；　I　ought　to　be。　　What　then？every　man　has　not　his

deserts！〃



〃Hist！〃　said　the　stranger；　〃thy　pay　is　scarcely　suitable　to　thy

rank　and　thy　wants。〃



〃That　is　true。〃



〃Even　in　a　revolution；　a　man　takes　care　of　his　fortunes！〃



〃Diable！　speak　out；　citizen。〃



〃I　have　a　thousand　pieces　of　gold　with　me；they　are　thine；　if

thou　wilt　grant　me　one　small　favour。〃



〃Citizen；　I　grant　it！〃　said　Henriot；　waving　his　hand

majestically。　　〃Is　it　to　denounce　some　rascal　who　has　offended

thee？〃



〃No；　it　is　simply　this：　　write　these　words　to　President　Dumas；

'Admit　the　bearer　to　thy　presence；　and；　if　thou　canst；　grant　him

the　request　he　will　make　to　thee；　it　will　be　an　inestimable

obligation　to　Francois　Henriot。'〃　　The　stranger；　as　he　spoke；

placed　pencil　and　tablets　in　the　shaking　hands　of　the　soldier。



〃And　where　is　the　gold？〃



〃Here。〃



With　some　difficulty；　Henriot　scrawled　the　words　dictated　to　him；

clutched　the　gold；　mounted　his　horse；　and　was　gone。



Meanwhile　Fouquier；　when　he　had　closed　the　door　upon　Henriot；

said　sharply；　〃How　canst　thou　be　so　mad　as　to　incense　that

brigand？　　Knowest　thou　not　that　our　laws　are　nothing　without　the

physical　force　of　the　National　Guard；　and　that　he　is　their

leader？〃



〃I　know　this；　that　Robespierre　must　have　been　mad　to　place　that

drunkard　at　their　head；　and　mark　my　words；　Fouquier；　if　the

struggle　come；　it　is　that　man'