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of France！〃
〃True； we must reign alone！〃 muttered Payan； 〃in other words； the
state needs unity of will；〃 working； with his strong practical
mind； the corollary from the logic of his word…compelling
colleague。
〃I will go to the Convention；〃 continued Robespierre。 〃I have
absented myself too long；lest I might seem to overawe the
Republic that I have created。 Away with such scruples！ I will
prepare the people！ I will blast the traitors with a look！〃
He spoke with the terrible firmness of the orator that had never
failed；of the moral will that marched like a warrior on the
cannon。 At that instant he was interrupted； a letter was brought
to him： he opened it；his face fell； he shook from limb to
limb； it was one of the anonymous warnings by which the hate and
revenge of those yet left alive to threaten tortured the death…
giver。
〃Thou art smeared；〃 ran the lines； 〃with the best blood of
France。 Read thy sentence！ I await the hour when the people
shall knell thee to the doomsman。 If my hope deceive me； if
deferred too long；hearken； read！ This hand； which thine eyes
shall search in vain to discover； shall pierce thy heart。 I see
thee every day；I am with thee every day。 At each hour my arm
rises against thy breast。 Wretch！ live yet awhile； though but
for few and miserable dayslive to think of me； sleep to dream
of me！ Thy terror and thy thought of me are the heralds of thy
doom。 Adieu！ this day itself I go forth to riot on thy fears！〃
（See 〃Papiers inedits trouves chez Robespierre；〃 etc。； volume ii。
page 155。 （No。 lx。））
〃Your lists are not full enough！〃 said the tyrant； with a hollow
voice； as the paper dropped from his trembling hand。 〃Give them
to me！give them to me！ Think again； think again！ Barrere is
rightright！ 'Frappons！ il n'y a que les morts qui ne revient
pas！'〃
CHAPTER 7。II。
La haine； dans ces lieux； n'a qu'un glaive assassin。
Elle marche dans l'ombre。
La Harpe； 〃Jeanne de Naples；〃 Act iv。 sc。 1。
（Hate； in these regions； has but the sword of the assassin。 She
moves in the shade。）
While such the designs and fears of Maximilien Robespierre；
common danger； common hatred； whatever was yet left of mercy or
of virtue in the agents of the Revolution； served to unite
strange opposites in hostility to the universal death…dealer。
There was； indeed； an actual conspiracy at work against him among
men little less bespattered than himself with innocent blood。
But that conspiracy would have been idle of itself； despite the
abilities of Tallien and Barras （the only men whom it comprised；
worthy； by foresight and energy； the names of 〃leaders〃）。 The
sure and destroying elements that gathered round the tyrant were
Time and Nature； the one； which he no longer suited； the other；
which he had outraged and stirred up in the human breast。 The
most atrocious party of the Revolution； the followers of Hebert；
gone to his last account； the butcher…atheists； who； in
desecrating heaven and earth； still arrogated inviolable sanctity
to themselves； were equally enraged at the execution of their
filthy chief； and the proclamation of a Supreme Being。 The
populace； brutal as it had been； started as from a dream of
blood； when their huge idol； Danton； no longer filled the stage
of terror； rendering crime popular by that combination of
careless frankness and eloquent energy which endears their heroes
to the herd。 The glaive of the guillotine had turned against
THEMSELVES。 They had yelled and shouted； and sung and danced；
when the venerable age； or the gallant youth； of aristocracy or
letters； passed by their streets in the dismal tumbrils； but they
shut up their shops； and murmured to each other； when their own
order was invaded； and tailors and cobblers； and journeymen and
labourers； were huddled off to the embraces of the 〃Holy Mother
Guillotine；〃 with as little ceremony as if they had been the
Montmorencies or the La Tremouilles； the Malesherbes or the
Lavoisiers。 〃At this time；〃 said Couthon； justly； 〃Les ombres de
Danton； d'Hebert； de Chaumette； se promenent parmi nous！〃 （The
shades of Danton； Hebert； and Chaumette walk amongst us。）
Among those who had shared the doctrines； and who now dreaded the
fate of the atheist Hebert； was the painter； Jean Nicot。
Mortified and enraged to find that； by the death of his patron；
his career was closed； and that； in the zenith of the Revolution
for which he had laboured； he was lurking in caves and cellars；
more poor； more obscure； more despicable than he had been at the
commencement；not daring to exercise even his art； and fearful
every hour that his name would swell the lists of the condemned；
he was naturally one of the bitterest enemies of Robespierre
and his government。 He held secret meetings with Collot
d'Herbois； who was animated by the same spirit； and with the
creeping and furtive craft that characterised his abilities； he
contrived； undetected； to disseminate tracts and invectives
against the Dictator； and to prepare； amidst 〃the poor and
virtuous people；〃 the train for the grand explosion。 But still
so firm to the eyes； even of profounder politicians than Jean
Nicot； appeared the sullen power of the incorruptible Maximilien；
so timorous was the movement against him；that Nicot； in common
with many others； placed his hopes rather in the dagger of the
assassin than the revolt of the multitude。 But Nicot； though not
actually a coward； shrunk himself from braving the fate of the
martyr； he had sense enough to see that； though all parties might
rejoice in the assassination； all parties would probably concur
in beheading the assassin。 He had not the virtue to become a
Brutus。 His object was to inspire a proxy…Brutus； and in the
centre of that inflammable population this was no improbable
hope。
Amongst those loudest and sternest against the reign of blood；
amongst those most disenchanted of the Revolution； amongst those
most appalled by its excesses；was； as might be expected； the
Englishman； Clarence Glyndon。 The wit and accomplishments； the
uncertain virtues that had lighted with fitful gleams the mind of
Camille Desmoulins； had fascinated Glyndon more than the
qualities of any other agent in the Revolution。 And when （for
Camille Desmoulins had a heart； which seemed dead or dormant in
most of his contemporaries） that vivid child of genius and of
error； shocked at the massacre of the Girondins； and repentant of
his own efforts against them； began to rouse the serpent malice
of Robespierre by new doctrines of mercy and toleration； Glyndon
espoused his views with his whole strength and soul。 Camille
Desmoulins perished； and Glyndon； hopeless at once of his own
life and the cause of humanity； from that time sought only the
occasion of flight from the devouring Golgotha。 He had two lives
to heed besides his own； for them he trembled； and for them he
schemed and plotted the means of escape。 Though