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Abbaye。 He scarcely deigned to speak to her。 As she retired in
despair； she trod by accident on the paw of his favourite
spaniel。 Sergent； turning round； enraged and furious； exclaimed；
〃MADAM； HAVE YOU NO HUMANITY？〃）
〃Yes； for all that lives；〃 repeated Robespierre； tenderly。 〃Good
Couthon；poor Couthon！ Ah； the malice of men！how we are
misrepresented！ To be calumniated as the executioners of our
colleagues！ Ah； it is THAT which pierces the heart！ To be an
object of terror to the enemies of our country；THAT is noble；
but to be an object of terror to the good； the patriotic； to
those one loves and reveres；THAT is the most terrible of human
tortures at least； to a susceptible and honest heart！〃 （Not to
fatigue the reader with annotations； I may here observe that
nearly every sentiment ascribed in the text to Robespierre is to
be found expressed in his various discourses。）
〃How I love to hear him！〃 ejaculated Couthon。
〃Hem！〃 said Payan； with some impatience。 〃But now to business！〃
〃Ah； to business！〃 said Robespierre； with a sinister glance from
his bloodshot eyes。
〃The time has come；〃 said Payan； 〃when the safety of the Republic
demands a complete concentration of its power。 These brawlers of
the Comite du Salut Public can only destroy； they cannot
construct。 They hated you； Maximilien； from the moment you
attempted to replace anarcy by institutions。 How they mock at
the festival which proclaimed the acknowledgment of a Supreme
Being： they would have no ruler； even in heaven！ Your clear and
vigorous intellect saw that； having wrecked an old world； it
became necessary to shape a new one。 The first step towards
construction must be to destroy the destroyers。 While we
deliberate； your enemies act。 Better this very night to attack
the handful of gensdarmes that guard them； than to confront the
battalions they may raise to…morrow。〃
〃No；〃 said Robespierre； who recoiled before the determined spirit
of Payan； 〃I have a better and safer plan。 This is the 6th of
Thermidor； on the 10thon the 10th； the Convention go in a body
to the Fete Decadaire。 A mob shall form； the canonniers； the
troops of Henriot； the young pupils de l'Ecole de Mars； shall mix
in the crowd。 Easy； then； to strike the conspirators whom we
shall designate to our agents。 On the same day； too； Fouquier
and Dumas shall not rest； and a sufficient number of 'the
suspect' to maintain salutary awe； and keep up the revolutionary
excitement； shall perish by the glaive of the law。 The 10th
shall be the great day of action。 Payan； of these last culprits；
have you prepared a list？〃
〃It is here；〃 returned Payan； laconically； presenting a paper。
Robespierre glanced over it rapidly。 〃Collot d'Herbois！good！
Barrere！ay； it was Barrere who said； 'Let us strike： the dead
alone never return。' （〃Frappons！ il n'y a que les morts qui ne
revient pas。〃Barrere。） Vadier； the savage jester！goodgood！
Vadier of the Mountain。 He has called me 'Mahomet！' Scelerat！
blasphemer！〃
〃Mahomet is coming to the Mountain；〃 said Couthon； with his
silvery accent； as he caressed his spaniel。
〃But how is this？ I do not see the name of Tallien？ Tallien；I
hate that man； that is；〃 said Robespierre； correcting himself
with the hypocrisy or self…deceit which those who formed the
council of this phrase…monger exhibited habitually； even among
themselves；〃that is； Virtue and our Country hate him！ There is
no man in the whole Convention who inspires me with the same
horror as Tallien。 Couthon； I see a thousand Dantons where
Tallien sits！〃
〃Tallien has the only head that belongs to this deformed body；〃
said Payan； whose ferocity and crime； like those of St。 Just；
were not unaccompanied by talents of no common order。 〃Were it
not better to draw away the head； to win； to buy him； for the
time； and dispose of him better when left alone？ He may hate
YOU； but he loves MONEY！〃
〃No；〃 said Robespierre； writing down the name of Jean Lambert
Tallien； with a slow hand that shaped each letter with stern
distinctness； 〃that one head IS MY NECESSITY！〃
〃I have a SMALL list here；〃 said Couthon； sweetly；〃a VERY small
list。 You are dealing with the Mountain； it is necessary to make
a few examples in the Plain。 These moderates are as straws which
follow the wind。 They turned against us yesterday in the
Convention。 A little terror will correct the weathercocks。 Poor
creatures！ I owe them no ill…will； I could weep for them。 But
before all； la chere patrie！〃
The terrible glance of Robespierre devoured the list which the
man of sensibility submitted to him。 〃Ah； these are well chosen；
men not of mark enough to be regretted； which is the best policy
with the relics of that party； some foreigners too；yes； THEY
have no parents in Paris。 These wives and parents are beginning
to plead against us。 Their complaints demoralise the
guillotine！〃
〃Couthon is right；〃 said Payan； 〃MY list contains those whom it
will be safer to despatch en masse in the crowd assembled at the
Fete。 HIS list selects those whom we may prudently consign to
the law。 Shall it not be signed at once？〃
〃It IS signed；〃 said Robespierre； formally replacing his pen upon
the inkstand。 〃Now to more important matters。 These deaths will
create no excitement； but Collot d'Herbois； Bourdon De l'Oise；
Tallien；〃 the last name Robespierre gasped as he pronounced；
〃THEY are the heads of parties。 This is life or death to us as
well as them。〃
〃Their heads are the footstools to your curule chair；〃 said
Payan； in a half whisper。 〃There is no danger if we are bold。
Judges； juries； all have been your selection。 You seize with one
hand the army； with the other； the law。 Your voice yet commands
the people〃
〃The poor and virtuous people；〃 murmured Robespierre。
〃And even；〃 continued Payan； 〃if our design at the Fete fail us；
we must not shrink from the resources still at our command。
Reflect！ Henriot； the general of the Parisian army； furnishes
you with troops to arrest； the Jacobin Club with a public to
approve； inexorable Dumas with judges who never acquit。 We must
be bold！〃
〃And we ARE bold；〃 exclaimed Robespierre； with sudden passion；
and striking his hand on the table as he rose； with his crest
erect； as a serpent in the act to strike。 〃In seeing the
multitude of vices that the revolutionary torrent mingles with
civic virtues； I tremble to be sullied in the eyes of posterity
by the impure neighbourhood of these perverse men who thrust
themselves among the sincere defenders of humanity。 What！they
think to divide the country like a booty！ I thank them for their
hatred to all that is virtuous and worthy！ These men；〃and he
grasped the list of Payan in his hand；〃these！not WEhave
drawn the line of demarcation between themselves and the lovers
of France！〃
〃True； we must reign alone！〃 muttered Payan； 〃in other words； the
st