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promenades in the Palais Royal。
New fashions in dress made their appearance； milliners produced
fresh 〃creations；〃 and jewellers were not idle。 A grim sense of
humour； born of the very intensity of ever…present danger； had
dubbed the cut of certain tunics 〃tete tranche；〃 or a favourite
ragout was called 〃a la guillotine。〃
On three evenings only during the past memorable four and a half
years did the theatres close their doors； and these evenings were
the ones immediately following that terrible 2nd of September the
day of the butchery outside the Abbaye prison； when Paris herself
was aghast with horror； and the cries of the massacred might have
drowned the calls of the audience whose hands upraised for
plaudits would still be dripping with blood。
On all other evenings of these same four and a half years the
theatres in the Rue de Richelieu； in the Palais Royal； the
Luxembourg； and others； had raised their curtains and taken money
at their doors。 The same audience that earlier in the day had
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