el dorado-第2章

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whiled　away　the　time　by　witnessing　the　ever…recurrent　dramas　of
the　Place　de　la　Revolution　assembled　here　in　the　evenings　and
filled　stalls；　boxes；　and　tiers；　laughing　over　the　satires　of
Voltaire　or　weeping　over　the　sentimental　tragedies　of　persecuted
Romeos　and　innocent　Juliets。

Death　knocked　at　so　many　doors　these　days！　　He　was　so　constant　a
guest　in　the　houses　of　relatives　and　friends　that　those　who　had
merely　shaken　him　by　the　hand；　those　on　whom　he　had　smiled；　and
whom　he；　still　smiling；　had　passed　indulgently　by；　looked　on　him
with　that　subtle　contempt　born　of　familiarity；　shrugged　their
shoulders　at　his　passage；　and　envisaged　his　probable　visit　on　the
morrow　with　lighthearted　indifference。

Parisdespite　the　horrors　that　had　stained　her　walls　had　remained
a　city　of　pleasure；　and　the　knife　of　the　guillotine　did　scarce
descend　more　often　than　did　the　drop…scenes　on　the　stage。

On　this　bitterly　cold　evening　of　the　27th　Nivose；　in　the　second
year　of　the　Republicor；　as　we　of　the　old　style　still　persist　in
calling　it；　the　16th　of　January；　1794the　auditorium　of　the
Theatre　National　was　filled　with　a　very　brilliant　company。

The　appearance　of　a　favourite　actress　in　the　part　of　one　of
Moliere's　volatile　heroines　had　brought　pleasure…loving　Paris　to
witness　this　revival　of　〃Le　Misanthrope；〃　with　new　scenery；
dresses；　and　the　aforesaid　charming　actress　to　add　piquancy　to　the
master's　mordant　wit。

The　Moniteur；　which　so　impartially　chronicles　the　events　of
those　times；　tells　us　under　that　date　that　the　Assembly　of　the
Convention　voted　on　that　same　day　a　new　law　giving　fuller　power　to
its　spies；　enabling　them　to　effect　domiciliary　searches　at　their
discretion　without　previous　reference　to　the　Committee　of　General
Security；　authorising　them　to　proceed　against　all　enemies　of
public　happiness；　to　send　them　to　prison　at　their　own　discretion；
and　assuring　them　the　sum　of　thirty…five　livres　〃for　every　piece
of　game　thus　beaten　up　for　the　guillotine。〃　　Under　that　same　date
the　Moniteur　also　puts　it　on　record　that　the　Theatre　National
was　filled　to　its　utmost　capacity　for　the　revival　of　the　late
citoyen　Moliere's　comedy。

The　Assembly　of　the　Convention　having　voted　the　new　law　which
placed　the　lives　of　thousands　at　the　mercy　of　a　few　human
bloodhounds；　adjourned　its　sitting　and　proceeded　to　the　Rue　de
Richelieu。

Already　the　house　was　full　when　the　fathers　of　the　people　made
their　way　to　the　seats　which　had　been　reserved　for　them。　　An　awed
hush　descended　on　the　throng　as　one　by　one　the　men　whose　very
names　inspired　horror　and　dread　filed　in　through　the　narrow
gangways　of　the　stalls　or　took　their　places　in　the　tiny　boxes
around。

Citizen　Robespierre's　neatly　bewigged　head　soon　appeared　in　one　of
these；　his　bosom　friend　St。　Just　was　with　him；　and　also　his　sister
Charlotte。　　Danton；　like　a　big；　shaggy…coated　lion；　elbowed　his
way　into　the　stalls；　whilst　Sauterre；　the　handsome　butcher　and
idol　of　the　people　of　Paris；　was　loudly　acclaimed　as　his　huge
frame；　gorgeously　clad　in　the　uniform　of　the　National　Guard；　was
sighted　on　one　of　the　tiers　above。

The　public　in　the　parterre　and　in　the　galleries　whispered
excitedly；　the　awe…inspiring　names　flew　about　hither　and　thither
on　the　wings　of　the　overheated　air。　　Women　craned　their　necks　to
catch　sight　of　heads　which　mayhap　on　the　morrow　would　roll　into
the　gruesome　basket　at　the　foot　of　the　guillotine。

In　one　of　the　tiny　avant…scene　boxes　two　men　had　taken　their　seats
long　before　the　bulk　of　the　audience　had　begun　to　assemble　in　the
house。　　The　inside　of　the　box　was　in　complete　darkness；　and　the
narrow　opening　which　allowed　but　a　sorry　view　of　one　side　of　the
stage　helped　to　conceal　rather　than　display　the　occupants。

The　younger　one　of　these　two　men　appeared　to　be　something　of　a
stranger　in　Paris；　for　as　the　public　men　and　the　well…known
members　of　the　Government　began　to　arrive　he　often　turned　to　his
companion　for　information　regarding　these　notorious　personalities。

〃Tell　me；　de　Batz；〃　he　said；　calling　the　other's　attention　to　a
group　of　men　who　had　just　entered　the　house；　〃that　creature　there
in　the　green　coatwith　his　hand　up　to　his　face　nowwho　is　he？〃

〃Where？　　Which　do　you　mean？〃

〃There！　　He　looks　this　way　now；　and　he　has　a　playbill　in　his　hand。
The　man　with　the　protruding　chin　and　the　convex　forehead；　a　face
like　a　marmoset；　and　eyes　like　a　jackal。　　What？〃

The　other　leaned　over　the　edge　of　the　box；　and　his　small；　restless
eyes　wandered　over　the　now　closely…packed　auditorium。

〃Oh！〃　he　said　as　soon　as　he　recognised　the　face　which　his　friend
had　pointed　out　to　him；　〃that　is　citizen　Foucquier…Tinville。〃

〃The　Public　Prosecutor？〃

〃Himself。　　And　Heron　is　the　man　next　to　him。〃

〃Heron？〃　said　the　younger　man　interrogatively。

〃Yes。　　He　is　chief　agent　to　the　Committee　of　General　Security
now。〃

〃What　does　that　mean？〃

Both　leaned　back　in　their　chairs；　and　their　sombrely…clad　figures
were　once　more　merged　in　the　gloom　of　the　narrow　box。　　Instinctively；
since　the　name　of　the　Public　Prosecutor　had　been　mentioned　between
them；　they　had　allowed　their　voices　to　sink　to　a　whisper。

The　older　mana　stoutish；　florid…looking　individual；　with　small；
keen　eyes；　and　skin　pitted　with　small…poxshrugged　his　shoulders
at　his　friend's　question；　and　then　said　with　an　air　of
contemptuous　indifference：

〃It　means；　my　good　St。　Just；　that　these　two　men　whom　you　see　down
there；　calmly　conning　the　programme　of　this　evening's　entertainment；
and　preparing　to　enjoy　themselves　to…night　in　the　company　of　the　late
M。　de　Moliere；　are　two　hell…hounds　as　powerful　as　they　are　cunning。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　St。　Just；　and　much　against　his　will　a　slight
shudder　ran　through　his　slim　figure　as　he　spoke。　〃Foucquier…Tinville
I　know；　I　know　his　cunning；　and　I　know　his　powerbut　the　other？〃

〃The　other？〃　retorted　de　Batz　lightly。　　〃Heron？　　Let　me　tell　you；
my　friend；　that　even　the　might　and　lust　of　that　damned　Public
Prosecutor　pale　before　the　power　of　Heron！〃

〃But　how？　　I　do　not　understand。〃

〃Ah！　you　have　been　in　England　so　long；　you　lucky　dog；　and　though
no　doubt　the　main　plot　of　our　hideous　tragedy　has　reached　your
ken；　you　have　no　cognisance　of　the　actors　who　play　the　principal
parts　on　this　arena　flooded　with　blood　and　carpeted　with　hate。
They　come　and　go；　these　actors；　my　good　St。　Justthey　come　and
go。　　Marat　is　already　the　man　of　yesterday；　Robespierre　is　the　man
of　to…morrow。　　To…day　we　still　have　Danton　and　Foucquier…Tinville；
we　still　have　Pere　Duchesne；　and　your　own　good　cousin　Antoine　St。
Just；　but　Heron　and　his　like　are　with　us　always。〃

〃Spies；　of　course？〃

〃Spies；〃　assented　the　other。　　〃And　what　spies！　　Were　you　present
at　the　sitting　of　the　Assembly　to…day？〃

〃I　was。　　I　heard　the　new　decree　which　already　has　passed　into　law。
Ah！　I　tell　you；　friend；　that　we　do　not　let　the　grass　grow　under
our　feet　these　days。　　Robespierre　wakes　up　one　morning　with　a
whim；　by　the　afternoon　that　whim　has　become　law；　passed　by　a
servile　body　of　men　too　terrified　to　run　counter　to　his　will；
fearful　lest　they　be　accused　of　moderation　or　of　humanitythe
greatest　crimes　that　can　be　committed　nowadays。〃

〃But　Danton？〃

〃Ah！　Danton？　　He　would　wish　to　stem　the　tide　that　his　own　passions
have　let　loose；　to　muzzle　the　raging　beasts　whose　fangs　he　himself
has　sharpened。　　I　told　you　that　Danton　is　still　the　man　of　to…day；
to…morrow　he　will　be　accused　of　moderation。　　Danton　and　moderation！
ye　gods！　　Eh？　　Danton；　who　thought　the　guillotine　too　slow　in　its
work；　and　armed　thirty　soldiers　with　swords；　so　that　thirty　heads
might　fall　at　one　and　the　same　time。　　Danton；　friend；　will　perish
to…morrow　accused　of　treachery　against　the　Revolution；　of　moderation
towards　her　enemies；　and　curs　like　Heron　will　feast　on　the　blood　of
lions　like　Danton　and　his　crowd。〃

He　paused　a　moment；　for　he　dared　not　raise　his　voice；　and　his
whispers　were　being　drowned　by　the　noise　in　the　auditorium。　　The
curtain；　timed　to　be　raised　at　eight　o'clock；　was　still　down；
though　it　was　close　on　half…past；　and　the　public　was　growing
impatient。　　There　was　loud　stamping　of　feet；　and　a　few　shrill
whistles　of　disapproval　proceeded　from　th