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his arm； and； turning to the general； said； 〃My dear Henriot； thy
dauntless republicanism； which is too ready to give offence； must
learn to take a reprimand from the representative of Republican
Law。 Seriously； mon cher； thou must be sober for the next three
or four days； after the crisis is over； thou and I will drink a
bottle together。 Come； Dumas relax thine austerity； and shake
hands with our friend。 No quarrels amongst ourselves！〃
Dumas hesitated； and extended his hand； which the ruffian
clasped； and； maudlin tears succeeding his ferocity； he half…
sobbed； half…hiccoughed forth his protestations of civism and his
promises of sobriety。
〃Well； we depend on thee； mon general；〃 said Dumas； 〃and now；
since we shall all have need of vigour for to…morrow； go home and
sleep soundly。〃
〃Yes； I forgive thee； Dumas；I forgive thee。 I am not
vindictive；I！ but still； if a man threatens me； if a man
insults me〃 and； with the quick changes of intoxication； again
his eyes gleamed fire through their foul tears。 With some
difficulty Fouquier succeeded at last in soothing the brute； and
leading him from the chamber。 But still； as some wild beast
disappointed of a prey； he growled and snarled as his heavy tread
descended the stairs。 A tall trooper； mounted； was leading
Henriot's horse to and fro the streets； and as the general waited
at the porch till his attendant turned； a stranger stationed by
the wall accosted him：
〃General Henriot； I have desired to speak with thee。 Next to
Robespierre； thou art； or shouldst be； the most powerful man in
France。〃
〃Hem！yes； I ought to be。 What then？every man has not his
deserts！〃
〃Hist！〃 said the stranger； 〃thy pay is scarcely suitable to thy
rank and thy wants。〃
〃That is true。〃
〃Even in a revolution； a man takes care of his fortunes！〃
〃Diable！ speak out； citizen。〃
〃I have a thousand pieces of gold with me；they are thine； if
thou wilt grant me one small favour。〃
〃Citizen； I grant it！〃 said Henriot； waving his hand
majestically。 〃Is it to denounce some rascal who has offended
thee？〃
〃No； it is simply this： write these words to President Dumas；
'Admit the bearer to thy presence； and； if thou canst； grant him
the request he will make to thee； it will be an inestimable
obligation to Francois Henriot。'〃 The stranger； as he spoke；
placed pencil and tablets in the shaking hands of the soldier。
〃And where is the gold？〃
〃Here。〃
With some difficulty； Henriot scrawled the words dictated to him；
clutched the gold； mounted his horse； and was gone。
Meanwhile Fouquier； when he had closed the door upon Henriot；
said sharply； 〃How canst thou be so mad as to incense that
brigand？ Knowest thou not that our laws are nothing without the
physical force of the National Guard； and that he is their
leader？〃
〃I know this； that Robespierre must have been mad to place that
drunkard at their head； and mark my words； Fouquier； if the
struggle come； it is that man's incapacity and cowardice that
will destroy us。 Yes； thou mayst live thyself to accuse thy
beloved Robespierre； and to perish in his fall。〃
〃For all that； we must keep well with Henriot till we can find
the occasion to seize and behead him。 To be safe； we must fawn
on those who are still in power； and fawn the more； the more we
would depose them。 Do not think this Henriot； when he wakes to…
morrow； will forget thy threats。 He is the most revengeful of
human beings。 Thou must send and soothe him in the morning！〃
〃Right；〃 said Dumas； convinced。 〃I was too hasty； and now I
think we have nothing further to do； since we have arranged to
make short work with our fournee of to…morrow。 I see in the list
a knave I have long marked out； though his crime once procured me
a legacy；Nicot； the Hebertist。〃
〃And young Andre Chenier； the poet？ Ah； I forgot； we be headed
HIM to…day！ Revolutionary virtue is at its acme。 His own
brother abandoned him。〃 （His brother is said； indeed； to have
contributed to the condemnation of this virtuous and illustrious
person。 He was heard to cry aloud； 〃Si mon frere est coupable；
qu'il perisse〃 （If my brother be culpable； let him die）。 This
brother； Marie…Joseph； also a poet； and the author of 〃Charles
IX。；〃 so celebrated in the earlier days of the Revolution；
enjoyed； of course； according to the wonted justice of the world；
a triumphant career； and was proclaimed in the Champ de Mars 〃le
premier de poetes Francais；〃 a title due to his murdered
brother。）
〃There is a foreigner；an Italian woman in the list； but I can
find no charge made out against her。〃
〃All the same we must execute her for the sake of the round
number； eighty sounds better than seventy…nine！〃
Here a huissier brought a paper on which was written the request
of Henriot。
〃Ah！ this is fortunate；〃 said Tinville； to whom Dumas chucked the
scroll；〃grant the prayer by all means； so at least that it does
not lessen our bead…roll。 But I will do Henriot the justice to
say that he never asks to let off； but to put on。 Good…night！ I
am worn outmy escort waits below。 Only on such an occasion
would I venture forth in the streets at night。〃 （During the
latter part of the Reign of Terror； Fouquier rarely stirred out
at night； and never without an escort。 In the Reign of Terror
those most terrified were its kings。） And Fouquier； with a long
yawn； quitted the room。
〃Admit the bearer！〃 said Dumas； who； withered and dried； as
lawyers in practice mostly are； seemed to require as little sleep
as his parchments。
The stranger entered。
〃Rene…Francois Dumas；〃 said he； seating himself opposite to the
president； and markedly adopting the plural； as if in contempt of
the revolutionary jargon； 〃amidst the excitement and occupations
of your later life； I know not if you can remember that we have
met before？〃
The judge scanned the features of his visitor； and a pale blush
settled on his sallow cheeks； 〃Yes； citizen； I remember！〃
〃And you recall the words I then uttered！ You spoke tenderly and
philanthropically of your horror of capital executions； you
exulted in the approaching Revolution as the termination of all
sanguinary punishments； you quoted reverently the saying of
Maximilien Robespierre； the rising statesman； 'The executioner is
the invention of the tyrant：' and I replied； that while you
spoke； a foreboding seized me that we should meet again when your
ideas of death and the philosophy of revolutions might be
changed！ Was I right； Citizen Rene…Francois Dumas； President of
the Revolutionary Tribunal？〃
〃Pooh！〃 said Dumas； with some confusion on his brazen brow； 〃I
spoke then as men speak who have not acted。 Revolutions are not
made with rose…water！ But truce to the gossip of the long…ago。
I remember； also； that thou didst then save the life of my
relation； and it will please thee to learn that his intended