zanoni-第98章
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promised me I should be one of the elect！〃
Here the women were jostled aside by some newcomers； who talked
loud and eagerly。
〃Yes；〃 cried a brawny man； whose garb denoted him to be a
butcher； with bare arms； and a cap of liberty on his head； 〃I am
come to warn Robespierre。 They lay a snare for him； they offer
him the Palais National。 'On ne peut etre ami du peuple et
habiter un palais。'〃 （〃No one can be a friend of the people； and
dwell in a palace。〃〃Papiers inedits trouves chez Robespierre；〃
etc。； volume ii。 page 132。）
〃No； indeed；〃 answered a cordonnier； 〃I like him best in his
little lodging with the menuisier： it looks like one of US。〃
Another rush of the crowd； and a new group were thrown forward in
the vicinity of Nicot。 And these men gabbled and chattered
faster and louder than the rest。
〃But my plan is〃
〃Au diable with YOUR plan！ I tell you MY scheme is〃
〃Nonsense！〃 cried a third。 〃When Robespierre understands MY new
method of making gunpowder； the enemies of France shall〃
〃Bah！ who fears foreign enemies？〃 interrupted a fourth； 〃the
enemies to be feared are at home。 MY new guillotine takes off
fifty heads at a time！〃
〃But MY new Constitution！〃 exclaimed a fifth。
〃MY new Religion； citizen！〃 murmured； complacently； a sixth。
〃Sacre mille tonnerres； silence！〃 roared forth one of the Jacobin
guard。
And the crowd suddenly parted as a fierce…looking man； buttoned
up to the chin； his sword rattling by his side； his spurs
clinking at his heel； descended the stairs；his cheeks swollen
and purple with intemperance； his eyes dead and savage as a
vulture's。 There was a still pause； as all； with pale cheeks；
made way for the relentless Henriot。 （Or H_a_nriot。 It is
singular how undetermined are not only the characters of the
French Revolution； but even the spelling of their names。 With
the historians it is Vergniau_d_；with the journalists of the
time it is Vorgniau_x_。 With one authority it is Robespierre；
with another Robe_r_spierre。） Scarce had this gruff and iron
minion of the tyrant stalked through the throng； than a new
movement of respect and agitation and fear swayed the increasing
crowd； as there glided in； with the noiselessness of a shadow； a
smiling； sober citizen； plainly but neatly clad； with a downcast
humble eye。 A milder； meeker face no pastoral poet could assign
to Corydon or Thyrsis；why did the crowd shrink and hold their
breath？ As the ferret in a burrow crept that slight form amongst
the larger and rougher creatures that huddled and pressed back on
each other as he passed。 A wink of his stealthy eye； and the
huge Jacobins left the passage clear； without sound or question。
On he went to the apartment of the tyrant； and thither will we
follow him。
CHAPTER 7。VII。
Constitutum est； ut quisquis eum HOMINEM dixisset fuisse；
capitalem penderet poenam。
St。 Augustine； 〃Of the God Serapis；〃 l。 18； 〃de Civ。 Dei；〃 c。 5。）
（It was decreed； that whoso should say that he had been a MAN；
should suffer the punishment of a capital offence。）
Robespierre was reclining languidly in his fauteuil； his
cadaverous countenance more jaded and fatigued than usual。 He to
whom Catherine Theot assured immortal life； looked； indeed； like
a man at death's door。 On the table before him was a dish heaped
with oranges； with the juice of which it is said that he could
alone assuage the acrid bile that overflowed his system； and an
old woman； richly dressed （she had been a Marquise in the old
regime） was employed in peeling the Hesperian fruits for the sick
Dragon； with delicate fingers covered with jewels。 I have before
said that Robespierre was the idol of the women。 Strange
certainly！but then they were French women！ The old Marquise；
who； like Catherine Theot； called him 〃son；〃 really seemed to
love him piously and disinterestedly as a mother； and as she
peeled the oranges； and heaped on him the most caressing and
soothing expressions； the livid ghost of a smile fluttered about
his meagre lips。 At a distance； Payan and Couthon； seated at
another table； were writing rapidly； and occasionally pausing
from their work to consult with each other in brief whispers。
Suddenly one of the Jacobins opened the door； and； approaching
Robespierre； whispered to him the name of Guerin。 （See for the
espionage on which Guerin was employed； 〃Les Papiers inedits；〃
etc。； volume i。 page 366； No。 xxviii。） At that word the sick man
started up； as if new life were in the sound。
〃My kind friend；〃 he said to the Marquise； 〃forgive me； I must
dispense with thy tender cares。 France demands me。 I am never
ill when I can serve my country！〃
The old Marquise lifted up her eyes to heaven and murmured； 〃Quel
ange！〃
Robespierre waved his hand impatiently； and the old woman； with a
sigh； patted his pale cheek； kissed his forehead； and
submissively withdrew。 The next moment； the smiling； sober man
we have before described； stood； bending low； before the tyrant。
And well might Robespierre welcome one of the subtlest agents of
his power；one on whom he relied more than the clubs of his
Jacobins； the tongues of his orators； the bayonets of his armies；
Guerin； the most renowned of his ecouteurs；the searching；
prying； universal； omnipresent spy； who glided like a sunbeam
through chink and crevice； and brought to him intelligence not
only of the deeds； but the hearts of men！
〃Well； citizen； well！and what of Tallien？〃
〃This morning； early； two minutes after eight； he went out。〃
〃So early？hem！〃
〃He passed Rue des Quatre Fils； Rue de Temple； Rue de la Reunion；
au Marais； Rue Martin； nothing observable； except that〃
〃That what？〃
〃He amused himself at a stall in bargaining for some books。〃
〃Bargaining for books！ Aha； the charlatan！he would cloak the
intriguant under the savant！ Well！〃
〃At last； in the Rue des Fosses Montmartre； an individual in a
blue surtout （unknown） accosted him。 They walked together about
the street some minutes； and were joined by Legendre。〃
〃Legendre！ approach； Payan！ Legendre； thou hearest！〃
〃I went into a fruit…stall； and hired two little girls to go and
play at ball within hearing。 They heard Legendre say； 'I believe
his power is wearing itself out。' And Tallien answered； 'And
HIMSELF too。 I would not give three months' purchase for his
life。' I do not know； citizen； if they meant THEE？〃
〃Nor I； citizen；〃 answered Robespierre； with a fell smile；
succeeded by an expression of gloomy thought。 〃Ha！〃 he muttered；
〃I am young yet；in the prime of life。 I commit no excess。 No；
my constitution is sound； sound。 Anything farther of Tallien？〃
〃Yes。 The woman whom he lovesTeresa de Fontenaiwho lies in
prison； still continues to correspond with him； to urge him to
save her by thy destruction： this my listeners overheard。 His
servant is the messenger between the prisoner and himself。〃
〃So！ The servant shall be seized in the open streets of Paris。
The Reign of Terror is not over yet。 With the letters found on
him； if such their context； I will pluck Tallien from his benches
in the Convention。〃
Robespierre rose； and after walking a few moments to and fro the
room in thought； opened the door and summoned one of the Jacobins
without。 To him he gave his orders for the watch and arrest of
Tallien's servant； and then threw himself again into his chair。
As the Jacobin departed； Guerin whispered；
〃Is not that the Citizen Aristides？〃
〃Yes； a faithful fellow； if he would wash himself； and not swear
so much。〃
〃Didst thou not guillotine his brother？〃
〃But Aristides denounced him。〃
〃Nevertheless； are such men safe about thy person？〃
〃Humph！ that is true。〃 And Robespierre； drawing out his pocket…
book； wrote a memorandum in it； replaced it in his vest； and
resumed；
〃What else of Tallien？〃
