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when your husband was writing his chapters on the Reign of Terror； he
ended by falling ill？〃
〃Ah； yes！〃 she replied。 〃That was the week he executed Danton。 We
were living in the country near Nantes。 The ground was covered with
snow。 I can see him now； hurrying to and fro under the bare trees；
gesticulating and crying as he walked； ‘How can I judge them； those great
men？ How can I judge them？' It was in this way that he threw his
‘thousand souls' into the past and lived in sympathy with all men； an
apostle of universal love。 After one of these fecund hours he would drop
into his chair and murmur； ‘I am crushed by this work。 I have been writing
with my blood！'〃
Alas； his aged eyes were destined to read sadder pages than he had
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THE WAYS OF MEN
ever written； to see years as tragic as the 〃Terror。〃 He lived to hear the
recital of （having refused to witness） his country's humiliation； and fell
one April morning； in his retirement near Pisa； unconscious under the
double shock of invasion and civil war。 Though he recovered later； his
horizon remained dark。 The patriot suffered to see party spirit and warring
factions rending the nation he had so often called the pilot of humanity's
bark； which seemed now to be going straight on the rocks。 〃FINIS
GALLIAE；〃 murmured the historian； who to the end lived and died with
his native land。
Thousands yearly mount the broad steps of the Pantheon to lay their
wreaths upon his tomb； and thousands more in every Gallic schoolroom
are daily learning； in the pages of his history； to love FRANCE LA
DULCE。
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