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the woman who accompanied herself and Glyndon pray for safety to
reach her husband's side； and strength to share the perils that
would meet her there！ Terrible contrast to her own desertion！
She shrunk into the darkness of her own heart；and then no voice
from within consoled her。
CHAPTER 6。IX。
Zukunft hast du mir gegeben；
Doch du nehmst den Augenblick。
〃Kassandra。〃
（Futurity hast thou given to me；yet takest from me the Moment。）
〃Mejnour； behold thy work！ Out； out upon our little vanities of
wisdom！out upon our ages of lore and life！ To save her from
Peril I left her presence； and the Peril has seized her in its
grasp！〃
〃Chide not thy wisdom but thy passions！ Abandon thine idle hope
of the love of woman。 See； for those who would unite the lofty
with the lowly； the inevitable curse； thy very nature
uncomprehended；thy sacrifices unguessed。 The lowly one views
but in the lofty a necromancer or a fiend。 Titan； canst thou
weep？〃
〃I know it now； I see it all！ It WAS her spirit that stood
beside our own； and escaped my airy clasp！ O strong desire of
motherhood and nature！ unveiling all our secrets； piercing space
and traversing worlds！Mejnour； what awful learning lies hid in
the ignorance of the heart that loves！〃
〃The heart；〃 answered the mystic； coldly； 〃ay； for five thousand
years I have ransacked the mysteries of creation； but I have not
yet discovered all the wonders in the heart of the simplest
boor！〃
〃Yet our solemn rites deceived us not； the prophet…shadows； dark
with terror and red with blood； still foretold that； even in the
dungeon； and before the deathsman； I；I had the power to save
them both！〃
〃But at some unconjectured and most fatal sacrifice to thyself。〃
〃To myself！ Icy sage； there is no self in love！ I go。 Nay；
alone： I want thee not。 I want now no other guide but the human
instincts of affection。 No cave so dark； no solitude so vast； as
to conceal her。 Though mine art fail me； though the stars heed
me not； though space； with its shining myriads； is again to me
but the azure void；I return but to love and youth and hope！
When have they ever failed to triumph and to save！〃
BOOK VII。
THE REIGN OF TERROR。
Orrida maesta nei fero aspetto
Terrore accresce； e piu superbo il rende；
Rosseggian gli occhi； e di veneno infetto
Come infausta cometa； il guardo splende；
Gil involve il mento； e sull 'irsuto petto
Ispida efoita la gran barbe scende；
E IN GUISA DE VORAGINE PROFONDA
SAPRE LA BOCCA A'ATRO SANGUE IMMONDA。
（Ger。 Lib。； Cant。 iv。 7。）
A horrible majesty in the fierce aspect increases it terror； and
renders it more superb。 Red glow the eyes； and the aspect
infected； like a baleful comet； with envenomed influences；
glares around。 A vast beard covers the chinand； rough and
thick； descends over the shaggy breast。And like a profound gulf
expand the jaws； foul with black gore。
CHAPTER 7。I。
Qui suis…je； moi qu'on accuse？ Un esclave de la Liberte； un
martyr vivant de la Republique。
〃Discours de Robespierre； 8 Thermidor。〃
（Who am I；_I_ whom they accuse？ A slave of Liberty；a living
martyr for the Republic。）
It roars；The River of Hell； whose first outbreak was chanted as
the gush of a channel to Elysium。 How burst into blossoming
hopes fair hearts that had nourished themselves on the diamond
dews of the rosy dawn； when Liberty came from the dark ocean； and
the arms of decrepit ThraldomAurora from the bed of Tithon！
Hopes！ ye have ripened into fruit； and the fruit is gore and
ashes！ Beautiful Roland； eloquent Vergniaud； visionary
Condorcet； high…hearted Malesherbes！wits； philosophers；
statesmen； patriots； dreamers！ behold the millennium for which ye
dared and laboured！
I invoke the ghosts！ Saturn hath devoured his children （〃La
Revolution est comme Saturne； elle devorera tous ses enfans。〃
Vergniaud。）； and lives alone；I his true name of Moloch！
It is the Reign of Terror； with Robespierre the king。 The
struggles between the boa and the lion are past： the boa has
consumed the lion； and is heavy with the gorge；Danton has
fallen； and Camille Desmoulins。 Danton had said before his
death； 〃The poltroon Robespierre；I alone could have saved him。〃
From that hour； indeed； the blood of the dead giant clouded the
craft of 〃Maximilien the Incorruptible；〃 as at last； amidst the
din of the roused Convention； it choked his voice。 （Le sang de
Danton t'etouffe！〃 （the blood of Danton chokes thee！） said
Garnier de l'Aube； when on the fatal 9th of Thermidor；
Robespierre gasped feebly forth； 〃Pour la derniere fois；
President des Assassins； je te demande la parole。〃 （For the last
time； President of Assassins； I demand to speak。）） If； after
that last sacrifice； essential； perhaps； to his safety；
Robespierre had proclaimed the close of the Reign of Terror； and
acted upon the mercy which Danton had begun to preach； he might
have lived and died a monarch。 But the prisons continued to
reek；the glaive to fall； and Robespierre perceived not that his
mobs were glutted to satiety with death； and the strongest
excitement a chief could give would be a return from devils into
men。
We are transported to a room in the house of Citizen Dupleix； the
menuisier； in the month of July； 1794； or； in the calendar of the
Revolutionists； it was the Thermidor of the Second Year of the
Republic； One and Indivisible！ Though the room was small； it was
furnished and decorated with a minute and careful effort at
elegance and refinement。 It seemed； indeed； the desire of the
owner to avoid at once what was mean and rude； and what was
luxurious and voluptuous。 It was a trim； orderly； precise grace
that shaped the classic chairs； arranged the ample draperies；
sank the frameless mirrors into the wall； placed bust and bronze
on their pedestals； and filled up the niches here and there with
well…bound books； filed regularly in their appointed ranks。 An
observer would have said； 〃This man wishes to imply to you；I am
not rich； I am not ostentatious； I am not luxurious； I am no
indolent Sybarite； with couches of down； and pictures that
provoke the sense； I am no haughty noble； with spacious halls；
and galleries that awe the echo。 But so much the greater is my
merit if I disdain these excesses of the ease or the pride； since
I love the elegant； and have a taste！ Others may be simple and
honest； from the very coarseness of their habits； if I； with so
much refinement and delicacy； am simple and honest；reflect； and
admire me！〃
On the walls of this chamber hung many portraits； most of them
represented but one face； on the formal pedestals were grouped
many busts； most of them sculptured but one head。 In that small
chamber Egotism sat supreme； and made the Arts its looking…
glasses。 Erect in a chair； before a large table spread with
letters； sat the original of bust and canvas； the owner of the