zanoni-第66章

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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　Glyndon　hated

the　principles；　the　party　（None　were　more　opposed　to　the

Hebertists　than　Camille　Desmoulins　and　his　friends。　　It　is

curious　and　amusing　to　see　these　leaders　of　the　mob；　calling　the

mob　〃the　people〃　one　day；　and　the　〃canaille〃　the　next；　according

as　it　suits　them。　　〃I　know；〃　says　Camille；　〃that　they　（the

Hebertists）　have　all　the　canaille　with　them。〃（Ils　ont　toute　la

canaille　pour　eux。））；　and　the　vices　of　Nicot；　he　yet　extended　to

the　painter's　penury　the　means　of　subsistence；　and　Jean　Nicot；　in

return；　designed　to　exalt　Glyndon　to　that　very　immortality　of　a

Brutus　from　which　he　modestly　recoiled　himself。　　He　founded　his

designs　on　the　physical　courage；　on　the　wild　and　unsettled

fancies　of　the　English　artist；　and　on　the　vehement　hate　and

indignant　loathing　with　which　he　openly　regarded　the　government

of　Maximilien。



At　the　same　hour；　on　the　same　day　in　July；　in　which　Robespierre

conferred　（as　we　have　seen）　with　his　allies；　two　persons　were

seated　in　a　small　room　in　one　of　the　streets　leading　out　of　the

Rue　St。　Honore；　the　one；　a　man；　appeared　listening　impatiently；

and　with　a　sullen　brow；　to　his　companion；　a　woman　of　singular

beauty；　but　with　a　bold　and　reckless　expression；　and　her　face　as

she　spoke　was　animated　by　the　passions　of　a　half…savage　and

vehement　nature。



〃Englishman；〃　said　the　woman；　〃beware！you　know　that；　whether　in

flight　or　at　the　place　of　death；　I　would　brave　all　to　be　by　your

side；you　know　THAT！　　Speak！〃



〃Well；　Fillide；　did　I　ever　doubt　your　fidelity？〃



〃Doubt　it　you　cannot；　betray　it　you　may。　　You　tell　me　that　in

flight　you　must　have　a　companion　besides　myself；　and　that

companion　is　a　female。　　It　shall　not　be！〃



〃Shall　not！〃



〃It　shall　not！〃　repeated　Fillide；　firmly；　and　folding　her　arms

across　her　breast。　　Before　Glyndon　could　reply；　a　slight　knock　at

the　door　was　heard；　and　Nicot　opened　the　latch　and　entered。



Fillide　sank　into　her　chair；　and；　leaning　her　face　on　her　hands；

appeared　unheeding　of　the　intruder　and　the　conversation　that

ensued。



〃I　cannot　bid　thee　good…day；　Glyndon；〃　said　Nicot；　as　in　his

sans…culotte　fashion　he　strode　towards　the　artist；　his　ragged　hat

on　his　head；　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　the　beard　of　a　week's

growth　upon　his　chin；〃I　cannot　bid　thee　good…day；　for　while　the

tyrant　lives；　evil　is　every　sun　that　sheds　its　beams　on　France。〃



〃It　is　true；　what　then？　　We　have　sown　the　wind；　we　must　reap　the

whirlwind。〃



〃And　yet；〃　said　Nicot；　apparently　not　heeding　the　reply；　and　as

if　musingly　to　himself；　〃it　is　strange　to　think　that　the　butcher

is　as　mortal　as　the　butchered；　that　his　life　hangs　on　as　slight　a

thread；　that　between　the　cuticle　and　the　heart　there　is　as　short

a　passage；that；　in　short；　one　blow　can　free　France　and　redeem

mankind！〃



Glyndon　surveyed　the　speaker　with　a　careless　and　haughty　scorn；

and　made　no　answer。



〃And；〃　proceeded　Nicot；　〃I　have　sometimes　looked　round　for　the

man　born　for　this　destiny；　and　whenever　I　have　done　so；　my　steps

have　led　me　hither！〃



〃Should　they　not　rather　have　led　thee　to　the　side　of　Maximilien

Robespierre？〃　said　Glyndon；　with　a　sneer。



〃No；〃　returned　Nicot；　coldly；〃no；　for　I　am　a　'suspect：'　　I

could　not　mix　with　his　train；　I　could　not　approach　within　a

hundred　yards　of　his　person；　but　I　should　be　seized；　YOU；　as　yet；

are　safe。　　Hear　me！〃and　his　voice　became　earnest　and

expressive；〃hear　me！　　There　seems　danger　in　this　action；　there

is　none。　　I　have　been　with　Collot　d'Herbois　and　Bilaud…Varennes；

they　will　hold　him　harmless　who　strikes　the　blow；　the　populace

would　run　to　thy　support；　the　Convention　would　hail　thee　as　their

deliverer；　the〃



〃Hold；　man！　　How　darest　thou　couple　my　name　with　the　act　of　an

assassin？　　Let　the　tocsin　sound　from　yonder　tower；　to　a　war

between　Humanity　and　the　Tyrant；　and　I　will　not　be　the　last　in

the　field；　but　liberty　never　yet　acknowledged　a　defender　in　a

felon。〃



There　was　something　so　brave　and　noble　in　Glyndon's　voice；　mien；

and　manner；　as　he　thus　spoke；　that　Nicot　at　once　was　silenced；　at

once　he　saw　that　he　had　misjudged　the　man。



〃No；〃　said　Fillide；　lifting　her　face　from　her　hands；〃no！　your

friend　has　a　wiser　scheme　in　preparation；　he　would　leave　you

wolves　to　mangle　each　other。　　He　is　right；　but〃



〃Flight！〃　exclaimed　Nicot；　〃is　it　possible？　　Flight；　how？when？

by　what　means？　　All　France　begirt　with　spies　and　guards！

Flight！　would　to　Heaven　it　were　in　our　power！〃



〃Dost　thou；　too；　desire　to　escape　the　blessed　Revolution？〃



〃Desire！　　Oh！〃　cried　Nicot；　suddenly；　and；　falling　down；　he

clasped　Glyndon's　knees；〃oh；　save　me　with　thyself！　　My　life　is

a　torture；　every　moment　the　guillotine　frowns　before　me。　　I　know

that　my　hours　are　numbered；　I　know　that　the　tyrant　waits　but　his

time　to　write　my　name　in　his　inexorable　list；　I　know　that　Rene

D