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I remember； also； that thou didst then save the life of my
relation； and it will please thee to learn that his intended
murderer will be guillotined to…morrow。〃
〃That concerns yourself；your justice or your revenge。 Permit
me the egotism to remind you that you then promised that if ever
a day should come when you could serve me； your lifeyes； the
phrase was； 'your heart's blood'was at my bidding。 Think not；
austere judge； that I come to ask a boon that can affect
yourself；I come but to ask a day's respite for another！〃
〃Citizen； it is impossible！ I have the order of Robespierre that
not one less than the total on my list must undergo their trial
for to…morrow。 As for the verdict； that rests with the jury！〃
〃I do not ask you to diminish the catalogue。 Listen still！ In
your death…roll there is the name of an Italian woman whose
youth； whose beauty； and whose freedom not only from every crime；
but every tangible charge； will excite only compassion； and not
terror。 Even YOU would tremble to pronounce her sentence。 It
will be dangerous on a day when the populace will be excited；
when your tumbrils may be arrested； to expose youth and innocence
and beauty to the pity and courage of a revolted crowd。〃
Dumas looked up and shrunk from the eye of the stranger。
〃I do not deny； citizen； that there is reason in what thou
urgest。 But my orders are positive。〃
〃Positive only as to the number of the victims。 I offer you a
substitute for this one。 I offer you the head of a man who knows
all of the very conspiracy which now threatens Robespierre and
yourself； and compared with one clew to which； you would think
even eighty ordinary lives a cheap purchase。〃
〃That alters the case；〃 said Dumas； eagerly； 〃if thou canst do
this； on my own responsibility I will postpone the trial of the
Italian。 Now name the proxy！〃
〃You behold him！〃
〃Thou！〃 exclaimed Dumas； while a fear he could not conceal
betrayed itself through his surprise。 〃Thou！and thou comest to
me alone at night； to offer thyself to justice。 Ha！this is a
snare。 Tremble； fool！thou art in my power； and I can have
BOTH！〃
〃You can；〃 said the stranger； with a calm smile of disdain； 〃but
my life is valueless without my revelations。 Sit still； I
command you；hear me！〃 and the light in those dauntless eyes
spell…bound and awed the judge。 〃You will remove me to the
Conciergerie；you will fix my trial； under the name of Zanoni；
amidst your fournee of to…morrow。 If I do not satisfy you by my
speech； you hold the woman I die to save as your hostage。 It is
but the reprieve for her of a single day that I demand。 The day
following the morrow I shall be dust； and you may wreak your
vengeance on the life that remains。 Tush！ judge and condemner of
thousands； do you hesitate；do you imagine that the man who
voluntarily offers himself to death will be daunted into uttering
one syllable at your Bar against his will？ Have you not had
experience enough of the inflexibility of pride and courage？
President； I place before you the ink and implements！ Write to
the jailer a reprieve of one day for the woman whose life can
avail you nothing； and I will bear the order to my own prison：
I； who can now tell this much as an earnest of what I can
communicate；while I speak； your own name； judge； is in a list
of death。 I can tell you by whose hand it is written down； I can
tell you in what quarter to look for danger； I can tell you from
what cloud； in this lurid atmosphere； hangs the storm that shall
burst on Robespierre and his reign！〃
Dumas grew pale； and his eyes vainly sought to escape the
magnetic gaze that overpowered and mastered him。 Mechanically；
and as if under an agency not his own； he wrote while the
stranger dictated。
〃Well；〃 he said then； forcing a smile to his lips； 〃I promised I
would serve you； see； I am faithful to my word。 I suppose that
you are one of those fools of feeling；those professors of anti…
revolutionary virtue； of whom I have seen not a few before my
Bar。 Faugh！ it sickens me to see those who make a merit of
incivism； and perish to save some bad patriot； because it is a
son； or a father； or a wife； or a daughter； who is saved。〃
〃I AM one of those fools of feeling；〃 said the stranger； rising。
〃You have divined aright。〃
〃And wilt thou not； in return for my mercy； utter to…night the
revelations thou wouldst proclaim to…morrow？ Come； and perhaps
thou toonay； the woman alsomay receive； not reprieve； but
pardon。〃
〃Before your tribunal； and there alone！ Nor will I deceive you；
president。 My information may avail you not； and even while I
show the cloud； the bolt may fall。〃
〃Tush！ prophet； look to thyself！ Go； madman； go。 I know too
well the contumacious obstinacy of the class to which I suspect
thou belongest； to waste further words。 Diable！ but ye grow so
accustomed to look on death； that ye forget the respect ye owe to
it。 Since thou offerest me thy head； I accept it。 To…morrow
thou mayst repent； it will be too late。〃
〃Ay； too late； president！〃 echoed the calm visitor。
〃But； remember； it is not pardon； it is but a day's reprieve； I
have promised to this woman。 According as thou dost satisfy me
to…morrow； she lives or dies。 I am frank； citizen； thy ghost
shall not haunt me for want of faith。〃
〃It is but a day that I have asked； the rest I leave to justice
and to Heaven。 Your huissiers wait below。〃
CHAPTER 7。XVI。
Und den Mordstahl seh' ich blinken；
Und das Morderauge gluhn！
〃Kassandra。〃
（And I see the steel of Murder glitter；
And the eye of Murder glow。）
Viola was in the prison that opened not but for those already
condemned before adjudged。 Since her exile from Zanoni； her very
intellect had seemed paralysed。 All that beautiful exuberance of
fancy which； if not the fruit of genius； seemed its blossoms； all
that gush of exquisite thought which Zanoni had justly told her
flowed with mysteries and subtleties ever new to him； the wise
one；all were gone； annihilated； the blossom withered； the fount
dried up。 From something almost above womanhood； she seemed
listlessly to sink into something below childhood。 With the
inspirer the inspirations had ceased； and； in deserting love；
genius also was left behind。
She scarcely comprehended why she had been thus torn from her
home and the mechanism of her dull tasks。 She scarcely knew what
meant those kindly groups； that； struck with her exceeding
loveliness； had gathered round her in the prison； with mournful
looks； but with words of comfort。 She； who had hitherto been
taught to abhor those whom Law condemns for crime； was amazed to
hear that beings thus compassionate and tender； with cloudless
and lofty brows； with gallant and gentle mien； were criminals for
whom Law had no punishment short of death。 But they； the
savages； gaunt and menacing； who had dragged her from her home；