CHAPTER X
Free
Robespierre chatted continuously as the meal went on, and Harryasked himself in astonishment whether he was in a dream, and ifthis man before him, talking about his birds, his flowers, and hislife before he came to Paris, could really be the dreaded Robespierre.After the meal was over his host said:
"As yet I am ignorant of the name of my preserver."
"My name is Henry Sandwith," Harry replied.
"It is not a French name," Robespierre said in surprise.
"I am of English parentage," Harry said quietly, "but have beenresident for some years in France. I was for some time in the serviceof the ci-devant Marquis de St. Caux; but since the break-up of hishousehold I have been shifting for myself as best I could, livingchiefly on the moneys I had earned in his service, and on thelook-out for any employment that may offer."
"England is our enemy," Robespierre said, raising his voice angrily;"the enemy of free institutions and liberty."
"I know nothing about English politics," Harry replied with a smile;"nor indeed about any politics. I am but little past eighteen, andso that I can earn my living I do not ask whether my employer is apatriot or an aristocrat. It is quite trouble enough to earn one'sliving without bothering one's head about politics. If you can putme in the way of doing so I shall consider that I am well repaidfor the little service I rendered you."
"Assuredly I will do so," Robespierre said. "I am a poor man, youknow. I do not put my hand into the public purse, and I and mysister live as frugally as we did when we first came to Paris fromArras. My only gains have been the hatred of the aristocrats andthe 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 somethingsuitable you can, if you will, work here with me, and share whatI possess. My correspondence is very heavy. I am overwhelmed withletters from the provinces begging me to inquire into grievancesand redress wrongs. Can you read and write well?" For from Harry'swords he supposed that he had held some menial post in the householdof the Marquis de St. Caux.
"Yes, I can read and write fairly," Harry said.
"And are you acquainted with the English tongue?"
"I know enough of it to read it," Harry said. "I spoke it when Iwas a child."
"If you can read it that will do," Robespierre said. "There areEnglish papers sent over, and I should like to hear for myselfwhat this perfidious people say of us, and there are few here whocan translate the language. Do you accept my proposal?"
"Willingly," Harry said.
"Very well, then, come here at nine o'clock in the morning. Butmind you are only filling the post of my secretary until I can findsomething better for you to do."
"The post will be a better one some day, Monsieur Robespierre.Ere long you will be the greatest man in France, and the post ofsecretary will be one which may well be envied."
"Ah, I see you know how to flatter," Robespierre said with a smile,much gratified nevertheless with Harry's words. "You must rememberthat I crave no dignities, that I care only for the welfare ofFrance."
"I know, monsieur, that you are called 'Robespierre the Incorruptible,"'Harry said; "but, nevertheless, you belong to France, and Francewill assuredly see that some day you have such a reward as yourichly merit."
"There was no untruth in that," Harry said to himself as he madehis way down stairs. "These human tigers will meet their doom whenFrance comes to her senses. He is a strange contrast, this man;but I suppose that even the tiger is a domestic animal in his ownfamily. His food almost choked me, and had I not known that Marie'sfate depends upon my calmness, I should assuredly have broken outand told this dapper little demagogue my opinion of him. But thisis glorious! What news I shall have to give the girls in the morning!If I cannot ensure Marie's freedom now I should be a bunglerindeed. Had I had the planning of the events of this evening theycould not have turned out better for us."
It was the first time that Harry had called at Louise Moulin's asearly as eight o'clock in the morning, and Jeanne leaped up as heentered.
"What is it, Harry? You bring us some news, don't you?"
"I do indeed, Jeanne; capital news. Whom do you think I had supperwith last night?"
"Had supper with, Harry!" Jeanne repeated. "What do you mean? Howcan I guess whom you had supper with?"
"I am sure you cannot guess, Jeanne, so I will not puzzle yourbrain. I had supper with Robespierre."
"With Robespierre!" the two girls repeated in astonishment. "Youare not joking, Harry?" Jeanne went on. "But no, you cannot bedoing that; tell us how you came to have supper with Robespierre."
"My dear Jeanne, I regard it as a special providence, as an answerfrom God to your prayers for Marie. I had the good fortune to savehis life."
"Oh, Harry," Jeanne exclaimed, "what happiness! Then Marie's lifewill be saved."
"I think I can almost promise you that, Jeanne, though I do not knowyet exactly how it's to be done. But such a piece of good fortunewould never have been sent to me had it not been intended that weshould save Marie. Now, sit down quietly, both of you, and you too,Louise, and let me tell you all about it, for I have to be withRobespierre again at nine o'clock."
"Oh, that is fortunate indeed!" Jeanne exclaimed when he hadfinished. "Surely he cannot refuse any request you may make now."
"If he does, I must get it out of him somehow," Harry said cheerfully."By fair means or foul I will get the order for her release."
"But you don't think he can refuse, Harry?" Jeanne asked anxiously.
"I think he may refuse, Jeanne. He is proud of his integrity andincorruptibility, and I think it quite possible that he may refuseto grant Marie's release in return for a benefit done him personally.However, do not let that discourage you in the least. As I said,I will have the order by fair means or foul."
At nine o'clock Harry presented himself in readiness for work, andfound that his post would be no sinecure. The correspondence whichhe had to go through was enormous. Requests for favours, lettersof congratulation on Robespierre's speeches and motions in theAssembly, reports of scores of provincial committees, denunciationsof aristocrats, letters of blame because the work of rooting outthe suspects did not proceed faster, entreaties from friends ofprisoners. All these had to be sorted, read, and answered.
Robespierre was, Harry soon found, methodical in the extreme. Heread every letter himself, and not only gave directions how theywere to be answered, but read through the answers when written,and was most careful before he affixed his signature to any paperwhatever. When it was time for him to leave for the Assembly hemade a note in pencil on each letter how it should be answered,and directed Harry when he had finished them to leave them on thetable for him on his return.
"I foresee that you will be of great value to me, Monsieur Sandwith,"he said, "and I shall be able to recommend you for any office thatmay be vacant with a feeling of confidence that you will do justiceto my recommendation; or if you would rather, as time goes on,attach your fortunes to mine, be assured that if I should rise topower your fortune will be made. When you have done these lettersyour time will be your own for the rest of the day. You know ourmeal hours, and I can only say that we are punctual to a second."
When Harry had finished he strolled out. He saw that the task ofgetting an order for Marie's release would be more difficult thanhe had anticipated. He had hoped that by placing it with a batch ofpapers before Robespierre he would get him to sign it among otherswithout reading it, but he now saw that this would be next toimpossible. One thing afforded him grounds for satisfaction. Amongthe papers was a list of the prisoners to be brought up on thefollowing day for trial. To this Robespierre added two names, andthen signed it and sent it back to the prison. There was anotherlist with the names of the prisoners to be executed on the followingday, and this, Harry learned, was not sent in to the prison authoritiesuntil late in the evening, so that even they were ignorant untilthe last moment which of the prisoners were to be called for byth
e tumbrils next morning. Thus he would know when Marie was to gothrough the mockery of a trial, and would also know when her namewas put on the fatal list for the guillotine. The first fact hemight have been able to learn from his ally in the prison, but thesecond and most important he could not have obtained in any otherway.
The work had been frequently interrupted by callers. Members of theCommittee of Public Safety, leaders of the Jacobin and CordeliersClubs, and others, dropped in and asked Robespierre's advice,or discussed measures to be taken; and after a day or two Harryfound that it was very seldom, except when taking his meals, thatRobespierre was alone while in the house; and as his sister was inand out of the room all day, the idea of compelling him by force tosign the order, as they had originally intended to do with Marat,was clearly impracticable.
Each day after his work was over, and this was generally completedby about one o'clock, Harry called to see how Victor was gettingon. He was gaining strength, but his brain appeared to make farless progress than his bodily health. He did not recognize Harry inthe least, and although he would answer questions that were askedhim, his mind appeared a blank as to the past, and he often lay forhours without speaking a word. After leaving him Harry met Louiseand the two girls at a spot agreed upon the day before, a freshmeeting-place being arranged each day. He found it difficult tosatisfy them, for indeed each day he became more and more doubtfulas to his ability to get the order of release from Robespierre.Towards the man himself his feelings were of a mixed kind. Heshuddered at the calmness with which, in his letters to the provincialcommittees, he advocated wholesale executions of prisoners. Hewondered at the violence with which, in his shrill, high-pitchedvoice, he declaimed in favour of the most revolutionary measures.He admired the simplicity of his life, his affection for his sisterand his birds, his kindness of heart in all matters in which politicswere not concerned.
Among Robespierre's visitors during the next three weeks was Lebat,who was, Harry found, an important personage, being the representativeon the Committee of Public Safety of the province of Burgundy, andone of the most extreme of the frequenters of the Jacobin Club. Hedid not recognize Harry, whom he had never noticed particularly onthe occasion of his visits to the chateau, and who, in the somewhatthreadbare black suit which he had assumed instead of the workman'sblouse, wrote steadily at a table apart, taking apparently no noticeof what was going on in the apartment.
But Harry's time was not altogether thrown away. It was his dutythe first thing of a morning to open and sort the letters and laythem in piles upon the table used by Robespierre himself, and hemanaged every day to slip quietly into his pockets several of theletters of denunciation against persons as aristocrats in disguiseor as being suspected of hostility to the Commune. When Robespierreleft him to go to the Club or the Assembly Harry would write shortnotes of warning in a disguised hand to the persons named, andwould, when he went out, leave these at their doors. Thus he hadthe satisfaction of saving a considerable number of persons fromthe clutches of the revolutionists. He would then, two or threedays later, slip the letters of denunciation, very few of whichwere dated, among the rest of the correspondence, satisfied thatwhen search was made the persons named would already have shiftedtheir quarters and assumed some other disguise.
February had come and Harry was still working and waiting, busyfor several hours each day writing and examining reports withRobespierre, striving of an evening to keep up the courage andspirits of the girls, calling in for a few minutes each day to seeVictor, who, after passing through a long and terrible fever, nowlay weak and apparently unconscious alike of the past and present,his mind completely gone; but the doctor told Harry that in thisrespect he did not think the case was hopeless.
"His strength seems to have absolutely deserted him," he said,"and his mind is a blank like that of a little child, but I by nomeans despair of his gradually recovering; and if he could hear thevoice of the lady you tell me he is engaged to, it might strike achord now lying dormant and set the brain at work again."
But as to Marie, Harry could do nothing. Do what he would, hecould hit upon no plan whatever for getting her out of prison; andhe could only wait until some change in the situation or the appearanceof her name in the fatal list might afford some opportunity foraction. It was evident to him that Lebat was not pushing mattersforward, but that he preferred to wait and leave the horror ofmonths in prison to work upon Marie's mind, and so break her downthat she would be willing enough to purchase her life by a marriagewith him.
There had been some little lull in the work of blood, for inDecember all eyes had been turned to the spectacle of the trial ofthe king. From the 10th of August he had remained a close prisonerin the Temple, watched and insulted by his ruffian guards, andpassing the time in the midst of his family with a serenity of mind,a calmness, and tranquility which went far to redeem the blundershe had made during the preceding three years. The following is theaccount written by the princess royal in her journal of the mannerin which the family passed their days: "My father rose at sevenand said prayers till eight; then dressing himself he was with mybrother till nine, when he came to breakfast with my mother. Afterbreakfast my father gave us lessons till eleven o'clock; and thenmy brother played till midday, when we went to walk together,whatever the weather was, because at that hour they relieved guardand wished to see us to be sure of our presence. Our walk wascontinued till two o'clock, when we dined. After dinner my fatherand mother played at backgammon, or rather pretended to play, inorder to have an opportunity of talking together for a short time.
"At four o'clock my mother went up stairs with us, because the kingthen usually took a nap. At six o'clock my brother went down, andmy father gave us lessons till supper at nine. After supper mymother soon went to bed. We then went up stairs, and the king wentto bed at eleven. My mother worked much at tapestry and made mestudy, and frequently read alone. My aunt said prayers and readthe service; she also read many religious books, usually aloud."
But harmless as was the life of the royal family, Danton and theJacobins were determined upon having their lives. The mockery ofthe trial commenced on the 10th of December. Malesherbes, Tronchet,and Deseze defended him fearlessly and eloquently, but it wasuseless--the king was condemned beforehand. Robespierre and Maratled the assault. The Girondists, themselves menaced and alarmed,stood neutral; but on the 15th of January the question was put tothe Assembly, "Is Louis Capet, formerly King of the French, guiltyof conspiracy and attempt against the general safety of the state?"
With scarcely a single exception, the Assembly returned an affirmativeanswer, and on the 17th the final vote was taken. Three hundredand sixty-one voted for death, two for imprisonment, two hundredand eighty-six for detention, banishment, or conditional death,forty-six for death but after a delay, twenty-six for death butwith a wish that the Assembly should revise the sentence.
Sentence of death was pronounced. After a sitting which lasted forthirty-seven hours there was another struggle between the advocatesof delay and those of instant execution, but the latter won; andafter parting with noble resignation from his wife and family, theking, on the 21st, was executed. His bearing excited the admirationeven of his bitterest foes.
France looked on amazed and appalled at the act, for Louis hadundoubtedly striven his best to lessen abuses and to go with thepeople in the path of reform. It was his objection to shed blood,his readiness to give way, his affection for the people, which hadallowed the Revolution to march on its bloody way without a check.It was the victims--the nobles, the priests, the delicate women andcultured men--who had reason to complain; for it was the king'shatred to resistance which left them at the mercy of their foes.Louis had been the best friend of the Revolution that slew him.
The trial and execution of the king had at least the good effect ofdiverting the minds of Jeanne and Virginie from their own anxieties.Jeanne was passionate and Virginie tearful in their sorrow andindignation. Over and over again Jeanne implored Harry to try tosave the king. Th
ere were still many Royalists, and indeed the bulkof the people were shocked and alienated by the violence of theConvention; and Jeanne urged that Harry might, from his connectionwith Robespierre, obtain some pass or document which would enablethe king to escape. But Harry refused to make any attempt whateveron his behalf.
"In the first place, Jeanne, it would be absolutely impossible forthe king, watched as he is, to escape; and no pass or permit thatRobespierre could give would be of the smallest utility. You mustremember, that although all apparently unite against the king, thereis a never-ending struggle going on in the Convention between thevarious parties and the various leaders. Robespierre is but oneof them, although, perhaps, the most prominent; but could I wringa pass from him even if only to see the king, that pass would notbe respected.
"In the next place, Jeanne, I have nothing to do with these strugglesin France. I am staying here to do what little I can to watch overyou and Virginie, for the sake of your dear parents and because Ilove you both; and I have also, if possible, to rescue Marie fromthe hands of these murderers. The responsibility is heavy enough;and could I, by merely using Robespierre's name, rescue the kingand queen and their children and pass them across the frontier, Iwould not do it if the act in the slightest degree interfered withmy freedom of action towards you and Marie."
"But Virginie and I would die for the king!" Jeanne said passionately.
"Happily, Jeanne," Harry replied coolly, "your dying would in norespect benefit him; and as your life is in my eyes of a thousandtimes more consequence than that of the king, and as your chancesof safety to some extent depend upon mine, I do not mean to riskone of those chances for the sake of his majesty. Besides, to tellyou the truth, I have a good deal of liking for my own life, andhave a marked objection to losing my head. You see I have peopleat home who are fond of me, and who want to see me back again withthat head on my shoulders."
"I know, Harry; I know," Jeanne said with her eyes full of tears."Do not think that I am ungrateful because I talk so. I am alwaysthinking how wrong it is that you should be staying here riskingyour life for us instead of going home to those who love you. Ithink sometimes Virginie and I ought to give ourselves up, and thenyou could go home." And Jeanne burst into tears.
"My dear Jeanne," Harry said soothingly, "do not worry yourselfabout me. It would have been just as dangerous at the time yourfather was taken prisoner for me to have tried to escape fromthe country as it was to stay here--in fact I should say that itwas a good deal more dangerous; and at present, as Robespierre'ssecretary, I am in no danger at all. It is a little disagreeablecertainly serving a man whom one regards in some respects as beinga sort of wild beast; but at the same time, in his own house, Iam bound to say, he is a very decent kind of man and not at all abad fellow to get on with.
"As to what I have done for you, so far as I see I have done nothingbeyond bringing you here in the first place, and coming to have apleasant chat with you every evening. Nor, with the best will inthe world, have I been able to be of the slightest assistance toMarie. As we say at home, my intentions are good; but so far theintentions have borne no useful fruit whatever. Come, Jeanne, dryyour eyes, for it is not often that I have seen you cry. We havethrown in our lot together, and we shall swim or sink in company.
"You keep up my spirits and I keep up yours. Don't let there be anytalk about gratitude. There will be time enough for that if I everget you safely to England. Then, perhaps, I may send in my billand ask for payment."
Harry spoke lightly, and Jeanne with a great effort recovered hercomposure; and after that, although the trial and danger of theking were nightly discussed and lamented, she never said a word asto any possibility of the catastrophe being averted.
One day towards the end of February Harry felt a thrill run throughhim as, on glancing over the list of persons to be tried on thefollowing day, he saw the name of Marie, daughter of the ci-devantMarquis de St. Caux. Although his knowledge of Robespierre's charactergave him little ground for hope, he determined upon making a directappeal.
"I see, citizen," he said--for such was the mode of address universalat that time--"that among the list of persons to be tried is thename of Marie de St. Caux."
"Say Marie Caux," Robespierre said reprovingly. "You know de and St.are both forbidden prefixes. Yes; what would you say about her?"
"I told you, citizen, upon the first night when I came here, thatI had been in the service of the father of this female citizen.Although I know now that he was one of those who lived upon theblood of the people, I am bound to say that he always treated hisdependants kindly. His daughter also showed me many marks of kindness,and this I would now fain return. Citizen, I did you some serviceon the night when we first met; and I ask you now, as a fullquittance for that aid, that you will grant me the freedom of thisyoung woman. Whatever were the crimes of her father, she cannot haveshared in them. She is young, and cannot do harm to any; thereforeI implore you to give me her life."
"I am surprised at your request," Robespierre said calmly. "Thiswoman belongs to a race who have for centuries oppressed France,and it is better that they should perish altogether. If she canconvince the tribunal that she is innocent of all crime, undoubtedlyshe will be spared; but I cannot, only on account of the obligationI am under to you, interfere on her behalf; such an act would betreason to the people, and I hope you know me well enough by thistime to be aware that nothing whatever would induce me to allow myprivate inclinations to interfere with the course of justice. Askof me all I have, it is little enough, but it is yours; but thisthing I cannot grant you."
For a moment Harry was on the point of bursting out indignantly,but he checked himself and without a word went on with his writing,although tears of disappointment for a time almost blinded him; buthe felt it would be hopeless to urge the point further, and thatdid he do so he might forfeit the opportunity he now had of learningwhat was going on.
Another month passed before the name appeared on the fatal list. Inthe meantime Harry had corresponded regularly with Marie by meansof the warder, and had even once seen her and exchanged a fewwords with her, having been sent by Robespierre with a letter tothe governor of the prison.
Marie was greatly changed: her colour had faded away, the formersomewhat haughty air and carriage had disappeared, and there wasan expression of patient resignation on her face. Harry had onlythe opportunity to whisper to her "Hope always, all is not lostyet." He had spent hours each day in his lodging imitating thesignature of Robespierre, and he had made up his mind that, shouldall other efforts fail, he would boldly present himself at the prisonwith an order for Marie's release, with Robespierre's signatureforged at the bottom.
He thought he could write it now plainly enough for it to pass; hisfear was that the prison authorities would not act upon it, unlesspresented by a well-known official personage, without sending toRobespierre to have it verified.
Still but little change had taken place in Victor de Gisons' condition.He remained in a state almost of lethargy, with an expression ofdull hopelessness on his face; sometimes he passed his hand wearilyacross his forehead as if he were trying to recollect something hehad lost; he was still too weak to stand, but Jacques and his wifewould dress him and place him on a couch which Harry purchased forhis use. The worthy couple ran no risk now, for the sharpest spywould fail to recognize in the bowed-down invalid with vacant face,the once brilliant Victor de Gisons.
Harry had many talks with Jeanne concerning him. "What should wedo, Harry," the girl said over and over again, "if we could getMarie away and all get safe together to England, which I begin todespair now of our ever doing, but if we should do it what shouldwe say to Marie? She thinks Victor is safe there. Only the otherday, as you know, she sent us out a letter to him. What would shesay when she learned on her arrival in England that Victor has allthis time been lying broken down and in suffering in Paris?"
To this question Harry, for a long time, could give no answer. Atlast he said, "I have been thinking it over
, Jeanne, and I feelthat we have no right to take Marie away without her knowing thetruth about Victor. His misfortunes have come upon him because hewould stop in Paris to watch over her. I feel now that she has theright, if she chooses, of stopping in Paris to look after him."
"Oh, Harry, you would never think of our going away and leavingher!"
"I don't know, Jeanne, if it would not be best. She could stayin the disguise of a peasant girl with Jacques and his wife; theywould give out that she was Victor's sister who had come to nursehim. I have great hopes that her voice and presence would do whatwe 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 withhim, and there is no chance of any suspicion arising that he isnot what he seems to be, a workman whom Jacques picked up injuredand insensible on that terrible night. It would seem natural thathis sister or his fiance--Marie could pass for whichever shechose--should come and help take care of him."
"Then if she can stop in Paris with Victor, of course we can stopwith Louise?"
"I am afraid not," Harry said. "Every day the search for suspectsbecomes stricter; every day people are being seized and called uponto produce the papers proving their identity; and I fear, Jeanne,there is no hope of permanent safety for you save in flight."
It was just a month from the mock trial, at which Marie had beenfound guilty and sentenced to death, that Harry received a doubleshock. Among the letters of denunciation was the following: "Citizen,I know that you watch over the state. I would have you know thatfor more than seven months two girls have been dwelling with oneLouise Moulin of 15 Rue Michel; there were three of them, but theeldest has disappeared. This, in itself, is mysterious; the oldwoman herself was a servant in the family of the ci-devant Marquisde St. Caux. She gives out that the girls are relatives of hers,but it is believed in the neighbourhood that they are aristocratsin disguise. They receive many visits from a young man of whom noone knows anything."
Harry felt the colour leave his cheeks, and his hand shook ashe hastily abstracted the note, and he could scarcely master themeaning of the next few letters he opened.
This was a sudden blow for which he was unprepared. He could noteven think what was best to be done. However, saying to himselfthat he had at any rate a few days before him, he resolutely put thematter aside, to be thought over when he was alone, and proceededwith his work. After a time he came to the list of those markedout for execution on the following day, and saw with a fresh pangthe name of Marie de St. Caux.
So the crisis had arrived. That night or never Marie must be rescued,and his plan of forging Robespierre's signature must be put intoeffect that day. He opened the next few papers mechanically, butsteadied himself upon Robespierre asking him a question. For a timehe worked on; but his brain was swimming, and he was on the pointof saying that he felt strangely unwell, and must ask to be excusedhis work for that day, when he heard a ring at the bell, and amoment later Lebat entered the room.
"I have just come from the tribunal, citizen," he said, "and haveseen the list for to-morrow. I have come to you, as I know you arejust, and abhor the shedding of innocent blood. There is among thenumber a young girl, who is wholly innocent. I know her well, forshe comes from my province, and her father's chateau was within afew miles of Dijon. Although her father was a furious aristocrat,her heart was always with the people. She was good to the poor, andwas beloved by all the tenants on the estate. It is not just thatshe should die for the sins of her parents. Moreover, henceforth,if pardoned, she will be no longer an aristocrat. I respond forher; for she has promised to marry me, the delegate of Burgundyto the Commune. The young woman is the daughter of the man calledthe Marquis de St. Caux, who met his deserved fate on the 2d ofSeptember."
"You are willing to respond for her, citizen?" Robespierre said.
"I am. The fact that she will be my wife is surely a guarantee?"
"It is," Robespierre said. "What you tell me convinces me that Ican without damage to the cause of the people grant your request.I am the more glad to do so since my secretary has also prayedfor her life. But though he rendered me the greatest service, andI owe to him a debt of gratitude, I was obliged to refuse; forto grant his request would have been to allow private feeling tointerfere with the justice of the people; but now it is different.You tell me that, except by birth, she is no aristocrat; that shehas long been a friend of the people, and that she is going to beyour wife; on these grounds I can with a good conscience grant herrelease."
Lebat had looked with astonishment at Harry as Robespierre spoke.
"Thank you, citizen," he said to Robespierre. "It is an act of justicewhich I relied upon from your well-known character. I promise youthat your clemency will not be misplaced, and that she will become aworthy citizen. May I ask," he said, "how it is that your secretary,whose face seems familiar to me, is interested in this young womanalso?"
"It is simple enough," Robespierre replied. "He was in the serviceof her father."
"Oh, I remember now," Lebat said. "He is English. I wonder, citizen,that you should give your confidence to one of that treacherousnation."
"He saved my life," Robespierre replied coldly; "a somewhat goodground, you will admit, for placing confidence in him."
"Assuredly," Lebat said hastily, seeing that Robespierre was offended."And now, citizen, there is another matter of importance on whichI wish to confer with you."
Harry rose.
"Citizen, I will ask you to excuse me from further work to-day.My head aches badly, and I can scarce see what I am writing."
"I thought you were making some confusion of my papers," Robespierresaid kindly. "By all means put aside your work."
On leaving the room Harry ran up to the attic above, which he hadoccupied since he had entered Robespierre's service, rapidly put onthe blue blouse and pantaloons which he had formerly worn, pulledhis cap well down over his eyes, and hurried down stairs. Hestationed himself some distance along the street and waited forLebat to come out. Rapidly thinking the matter over, he concludedthat the man would not present himself with the order of release untilafter dark, in order that if Marie struggled or tried to make herescape it would be unnoticed in the street. Lebat had calculated,of course, that on the presentation of the order the prison officialswould at once lead Marie to the gates whether she wished it or not,and would, at his order, force her into a vehicle, when she wouldbe completely in his power, and he could confine her in his ownhouse or elsewhere until she consented to be his wife.
A quarter of an hour later Lebat came out of the house and walkeddown the street. Harry followed him. After walking for some distanceLebat came to a stand of hackney-coaches and spoke to one of thedrivers. When he had gone on again Harry went up to the man.
"Comrade," he said, "do you wish to do a good action and earn acouple of gold pieces at the same time?"
"That will suit me admirably," the coachman replied.
"Let one of your comrades look after your horse, then, and let ushave a glass of wine together in that cabaret."
As soon as they were seated at a small table with a measure of winebefore them Harry said:
"That deputy with the red sash who spoke to you just now has engagedyou for a job this evening?"
"He has," the coachman said. "I am to be at the left corner of thePlace de Carrousel at eight this evening."
"He is a bad lot," Harry said; "he is going to carry off a poorgirl to whom he has been promising marriage; but of course we knowbetter than that. She is a friend of mine, and so were her parents,and I want to save her. Now what I want to do is to take your placeon the box this evening. I will drive him to the place where heis to meet her, and when he gets her to the door of his lodging Ishall jump off and give my citizen such a thrashing as will put astop to his gallivanting for some time. I will give you ten crownsfor the use of your coach for an hour."
"Agreed!" the coachman said. "Between ourselves, some of
thesefellows who pretend to be friends of the people are just as greatscoundrels, ay, and worse, than the aristocrats were. We driversknow a good many things that people in general don't; but you mustmind, citizen, he carries a sword, you know, and the beating mayturn out the other way."
"Oh, I can get a comrade or two to help," Harry said laughing."There are others besides myself who will not see our pretty Isabelwronged."
"And where shall I get my coach again?"
"At the end of the Rue St. Augustin. I expect I shall be there bynine o'clock with it; but I am sure not to be many minutes later.Here is a louis now. I will give you the other when I change placeswith you. Be at the Place de Carrousel at half-past seven. I shallbe on the look-out for you.
"I won't fail," the coachman said; "you may rely upon that."
Harry now hurried away to his friend Jacques, and rapidly gave anaccount of what had taken place.
"In the first place, Jacques, I want your wife to see her friendand to get her to take a note instantly to the warder, for himto give to Mademoiselle de St. Caux. It is to tell her to makeno resistance when Lebat presents the order for her release, butto go with him quietly; because if she appeals to the warders anddeclares that she would rather die than go with him, it is justpossible that they might refuse to let him take her away, sayingthat 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 ofthe Committee of Public Safety he is all-powerful; still it wouldbe as well to avoid any risk whatever of our scheme failing. Iwill drive to the Rue Montagnard, which, as you know, is close toLa Force. It is a quiet street, and it is not likely there will beanybody about at half-past eight. Will you be there and give me ahand to secure the fellow?"
"Certainly I will," Jacques said heartily. "What do you propose todo with him?"
"I propose to tie his hands and feet and gag him, and then driveto the Rue Bluert, which is close by, and where there are someunfinished houses. We can toss him in there, and he will be safetill morning.
"It will be the safest plan to run him through at once and havedone with him," Jacques said. "He will be a dangerous enemy if heis left alive; and as he would kill you without mercy if he had achance, I don't see why you need be overnice with him."
"The man is a scoundrel, and one of a band of men whom I regard asmurderers," Harry said; "but I could not kill him in cold blood."
"You are wrong," Jacques said earnestly, "and you are riskingeverything by letting him live. Such a fellow should be killed likea rat when you get him in a trap."
"It may be so," Harry agreed; "but I could not bring myself to doit."
Jacques was silent, but not convinced. It seemed to him an act ofthe extremest folly to leave so dangerous an enemy alive.
"He would hunt us all down," he said to himself, "Elise and I,this poor lad and the girl, to say nothing of the Englishman andthe girl's sisters. Well, we shall see. I am risking my head inthis business, and I mean to have my say."
Having made all his arrangements, Harry returned to his attic andlay down there until evening, having before he went in purchased asword. At seven o'clock he placed his pistols in his bosom, girdedon his sword, which would attract no attention, for half therabble of Paris carried weapons, and then set out for the Place deCarrousel. At half-past seven his friend the coachman drew up.
"Ah, here you are!" he said. "You had better take this big cape ofmine; you will find it precious cold on the box; besides he wouldnotice at once that you are not the coachman he hired if you aredressed in that blouse."
Harry took off his sword and placed it on the seat, wrapped himselfin the great cape, wound a muffler round the lower part of hisface, and waited. A few minutes after the clock had struck eightLebat came along.
"Here we are, citizen," Harry said in a rough voice, "I am glad youhave come, for it's no joke waiting about on such nights as this.Where am I to drive you to?"
"The prison of La Force," Lebat said, taking his seat in the coach.
Harry's heart beat fast as he drove towards the prison. He feltsure that success would attend his plans; but the moment was anexciting one. It did not seem that anything could interpose to preventsuccess, and yet something might happen which he had not foreseenor guarded against. He drove at a little more than a footpace,for the streets a short distance from the centre of town were onlylighted here and there by a dim oil lamp, and further away theywere in absolute darkness, save for the lights which gleamed throughthe casements. At last he reached the entrance to the prison. Lebatjumped out and rang at the bell.
"What is it, citizen?" the guard said looking through a grille inthe gate.
"I am Citizen Lebat of the Committee of Public Safety, and I havean order here, signed by Citizen Robespierre, for the release ofthe female prisoner known as Marie Caux."
"All right, citizen!" the man said, opening the gate. "It is latefor a discharge; but I don't suppose the prisoner will grumble atthat."
Ten minutes later the gate opened again and Lebat came out witha cloaked female figure. She hesitated on the top step, and thenrefusing to touch the hand Lebat held out to assist her, steppeddown and entered the coach.
"Rue Fosseuse No. 18," Lebat said as he followed her.
Harry drove on, and was soon in the Rue Montagnard. It was a darknarrow street; no one seemed stirring, and Harry peered anxiouslythrough the darkness for the figure of Jacques. Presently he hearda low whistle, and a figure appeared from a doorway. Harry at oncechecked the horse.
"What is it?" Lebat asked, putting his head out of the window.
Harry got off the box, and going to the window said in a drunkenvoice:
"I want my fare. There is a cabaret only just ahead, and I want aglass before I go further. My feet are pretty well frozen."
"Drive on, you drunken rascal," Lebat said furiously, "or it willbe worse for you."
"Don't you speak in that way to me, citizen," Harry said hoarsely."One man's as good as another in these days, and if you talk likethat to me I will break your head in spite of your red sash."
With an exclamation of rage Lebat sprang from the coach, and as hisfoot touched the ground Harry threw his arms round him; but as hedid so he trod upon some of the filth which so thickly litteredthe thoroughfare, and slipped. Lebat wrenched himself free and drewhis sword, and before Harry could have regained his feet he wouldhave cut him down, when he fell himself in a heap from a tremendousblow which Jacques struck him with his sword.
"Jump inside," Jacques said to Harry. "We may have some one out tosee what the noise is about. He will be no more trouble."
He seized the prostrate body, threw it up on the box, and takinghis seat drove on.
"Marie," Harry said as he jumped in, "thank God you are safe!"
"Oh, Harry, is it you? Can it be true?" And the spirit which hadso long sustained the girl gave way, and leaning her head upon hisshoulder she burst into tears. Harry soothed and pacified her tillthe vehicle again came to a stop.
"What is it, Jacques?" Harry asked, putting his head out of thewindow.
"Just what we agreed upon," the man said. "Here are the emptyhouses. You stop where you are. I will get rid of this trash."
Harry, however, got out.
"Is he dead?" he asked in a low voice.
"Well, considering his head's cut pretty nigh in two, I should thinkhe was," Jacques said. "It could not be helped, you know; for ifI hadn't struck sharp it would have been all over with you. Anyhowit's better as it is a hundred times. If you don't value your neck,I do mine. Now get in again. I sha'n't be two minutes."
He slipped off the red sash and coat and waistcoat of the deadman, emptied his trouser pockets and turned them inside out, thenlifting the body on his shoulder he carried it to one of the emptyhouses and threw it down.
"They will never know who he is," he said to himself "In thisneighbourhood the first comer will take his shirt and trousers. Theywill suppose he has been killed and robbed, no uncommon matter inthese da
ys, and his body will be thrown into the public pit, andno one be any the wiser. I will burn the coat and waistcoat as soonas I get back."