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Assembly。 Properly speaking； we should already at this date allude
to him as the ci…devant Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr； for the time was
September of 1790； two months after the passing … on the motion of
that downright Breton leveller； Le Chapelier … of the decree that
nobility should no more be hereditary than infamy； that just as
the brand of the gallows must not defile the possibly worthy
descendants of one who had been convicted of evil； neither should
the blazon advertising achievement glorify the possibly unworthy
descendants of one who had proved himself good。 And so the decree
had been passed abolishing hereditary nobility and consigning
family escutcheons to the rubbish…heap of things no longer to be
tolerated by an enlightened generation of philosophers。 M。 le
Comte de Lafayette； who had supported the motion； left the Assembly
as plain M。 Motier； the great tribune Count Mirabeau became plain
M。 Riquetti； and M。 le Marquis de La Tour d'Azyr just simple M。
Lesarques。 The thing was done in one of those exaltations produced
by the approach of the great National Festival of the Champ de
Mars； and no doubt it was thoroughly repented on the morrow by
those who had lent themselves to it。 Thus； although law by now；
it was a law that no one troubled just yet to enforce。
That； however； is by the way。 The time； as I have said； was
September； the day dull and showery； and some of the damp and gloom
of it seemed to have penetrated the long Hall of the Manege； where
on their eight rows of green benches elliptically arranged in
ascending tiers about the space known as La Piste； sat some eight
or nine hundred of the representatives of the three orders that
composed the nation。
The matter under debate by。 the constitution…builders was whether
the deliberating body to succeed the Constituent Assembly should
work in conjunction with the King； whether it should be periodic
or permanent； whether it should govern by two chambers or by one。
The Abbe Maury； son of a cobbler； and therefore in these days of
antitheses orator…in…chief of the party of the Right … the Blacks；
as those who fought Privilege's losing battles were known … was in
the tribune。 He appeared to be urging the adoption of a
two…chambers system framed on the English model。 He was； if
anything； more long…winded and prosy even than his habit； his
arguments assumed more and more the form of a sermon； the tribune
of the National Assembly became more and more like a pulpit； but
the members； conversely； less and less like a congregation。 They
grew restive under that steady flow of pompous verbiage； and it
was in vain that the four ushers in black satin breeches and
carefully powdered heads； chain of office on their breasts； gilded
sword at their sides； circulated in the Piste； clapping their
hands； and hissing
〃Silence！ En place！〃
Equally vain was the intermittent ringing of the bell by the
president at his green…covered table facing the tribune。 The Abbe
Maury had talked too long； and for some time had failed to interest
the members。 Realizing it at last； he ceased； whereupon the hum
of conversation became general。 And then。 it fell abruptly。
There was a silence of expectancy； and a turning of heads； a
craning of necks。 Even the group of secretaries at the round table
below the president's dais roused themselves from their usual
apathy to consider this young man who was mounting the tribune of
the Assembly for the first time。
〃M。 Andre…Louis Moreau； deputy suppleant； vice Emmanuel Lagron；
deceased； for Ancenis in the Department of the Loire。〃
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr shook himself out of the gloomy abstraction in
which he had sat。 The successor of the deputy he had slain must；
in any event； be an object of grim interest to him。 You conceive
how that interest was heightened when he heard him named； when；
looking across； he recognized indeed in this Andre…Louis Moreau
the young scoundrel who was continually crossing his path；
continually exerting against him a deep…moving； sinister influence
to make him regret that he should have spared his life that day at
Gavrillac two years ago。 That he should thus have stepped into
the shoes of Lagron seemed to M。 de La Tour d'Azyr too apt for
mere coincidence； a direct challenge in itself。
He looked at the young man in wonder rather than in anger； and
looking at him he was filled by a vague； almost a premonitory；
uneasiness。
At the very outset； the presence which in itself he conceived to
be a challenge was to demonstrate itself for this in no equivocal
terms。
〃I come before you；〃 Andre…Louis began； 〃as a deputy…suppleant
to fill the place of one who was murdered some three weeks ago。〃
It was a challenging opening that instantly provoked an indignant
outcry from the Blacks。 Andre…Louis paused； and looked at them；
smiling a little； a singularly self…confident young man。
〃The gentlemen of the Right； M。 le President； do not appear to like
my words。 But that is not surprising。 The gentlemen of the Right
notoriously do not like the truth。〃
This time there was uproar。 The members of the Left roared with
laughter； those of the Right thundered menacingly。 The ushers
circulated at a pace beyond their usual； agitated themselves；
clapped their hands； and called in vain for silence。
The President rang his bell。
Above the general din came the voice of La Tour d'Azyr； who had
half…risen from his seat： 〃Mountebank！ This is not the theatre！〃
〃No； monsieur； it is becoming a hunting…ground for bully…swordsmen；〃
was the answer； and the uproar grew。
The deputy…suppleant looked round and waited。 Near at hand he met
the encouraging grin of Le Chapelier； and the quiet； approving smile
of Kersain； another Breton deputy of his acquaintance。 A little
farther off he saw the great head of Mirabeau thrown back； the great
eyes regarding him from under a frown in a sort of wonder； and
yonder； among all that moving sea of faces； the sallow countenance
of the Arras' lawyer Robespierre … or de Robespierre； as the little
snob now called himself； having assumed the aristocratic particle
as the prerogative of a man of his distinction in the councils of
his country。 With his tip…tilted nose in the air； his carefully
curled head on one side； the deputy for Arras was observing
Andre…Louis attentively。 The horn…rimmed spectacles he used for
reading were thrust up on to his pale forehead； and it was through a
levelled spy…glass that he considered the speaker； his thin…lipped
mouth stretched a little in that tiger…cat smile that was afterwards
to become so famous and so feared。
Gradually the uproar wore itself out； and diminished so that at last
the President could make himself heard。 Leaning forward； he gravely
addressed the young man in the tribune：
〃Monsieur； if you wish to be heard； let me beg of you not to be
provocative in your language。〃 And then to the others： 〃Messieurs；
if we are to proceed； I beg that you will restrain your feelings
until the deputy…suppleant has concluded his discourse。〃
〃I shall endeavour to obey； M。 le President； leaving provocation to
the gentlemen of the Right。 If the few words I