zanoni-第79章

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of　the　police；　he　had　drunk　the　blood　of　Madame　de　Lamballe；　and

had　risen　to　his　present　rank　for　no　quality　but　his　ruffianism；

and　Fouquier…Tinville；　the　son　of　a　provincial　agriculturist；　and

afterwards　a　clerk　at　the　Bureau　of　the　Police；　was　little　less

base　in　his　manners；　and　yet　more；　from　a　certain　loathsome

buffoonery；　revolting　in　his　speech；bull…headed；　with　black；

sleek　hair；　with　a　narrow　and　livid　forehead；　with　small　eyes；

that　twinkled　with　a　sinister　malice；　strongly　and　coarsely

built；　he　looked　what　he　was；　the　audacious　bully　of　a　lawless

and　relentless　Bar。



Dumas　trimmed　the　candles；　and　bent　over　the　list　of　the　victims

for　the　morrow。



〃It　is　a　long　catalogue；〃　said　the　president；　〃eighty　trials　for

one　day！　　And　Robespierre's　orders　to　despatch　the　whole　fournee

are　unequivocal。〃



〃Pooh！〃　said　Fouquier；　with　a　coarse；　loud　laugh；　〃we　must　try

them　en　masse。　　I　know　how　to　deal　with　our　jury。　　'Je　pense；

citoyens；　que　vous　etes　convaincus　du　crime　des　accuses？'　（I

think；　citizens；　that　you　are　convinced　of　the　crime　of　the

accused。）　　Ha！　ha！the　longer　the　list；　the　shorter　the　work。〃



〃Oh；　yes；〃　growled　out　Henriot；　with　an　oath；as　usual；　half…

drunk；　and　lolling　on　his　chair；　with　his　spurred　heels　on　the

table；〃little　Tinville　is　the　man　for　despatch。〃



〃Citizen　Henriot；〃　said　Dumas；　gravely；　〃permit　me　to　request

thee　to　select　another　footstool；　and　for　the　rest；　let　me　warn

thee　that　to…morrow　is　a　critical　and　important　day；　one　that

will　decide　the　fate　of　France。〃



〃A　fig　for　little　France！　　Vive　le　Vertueux　Robespierre；　la

Colonne　de　la　Republique！　（Long　life　to　the　virtuous　Robespierre；

the　pillar　of　the　Republic！）　　Plague　on　this　talking；　it　is　dry

work。　　Hast　thou　no　eau　de　vie　in　that　little　cupboard？〃



Dumas　and　Fouquier　exchanged　looks　of　disgust。　　Dumas　shrugged

his　shoulders；　and　replied；



〃It　is　to　guard　thee　against　eau　de　vie；　Citizen　General　Henriot；

that　I　have　requested　thee　to　meet　me　here。　　Listen　if　thou

canst！〃



〃Oh；　talk　away！　thy　metier　is　to　talk；　mine　to　fight　and　to

drink。〃



〃To…morrow；　I　tell　thee　then；　the　populace　will　be　abroad；　all

factions　will　be　astir。　　It　is　probable　enough　that　they　will

even　seek　to　arrest　our　tumbrils　on　their　way　to　the　guillotine。

Have　thy　men　armed　and　ready；　keep　the　streets　clear；　cut　down

without　mercy　whomsoever　may　obstruct　the　ways。〃



〃I　understand；〃　said　Henriot；　striking　his　sword　so　loudly　that

Dumas　half…started　at　the　clank；〃Black　Henriot　is　no

'Indulgent。'〃



〃Look　to　it；　then；　citizen；look　to　it！　　And　hark　thee；〃　he

added；　with　a　grave　and　sombre　brow；　〃if　thou　wouldst　keep　thine

own　head　on　thy　shoulders；　beware　of　the　eau　de　vie。〃



〃My　own　head！sacre　mille　tonnerres！　　Dost　thou　threaten　the

general　of　the　Parisian　army？〃



Dumas；　like　Robespierre；　a　precise　atrabilious；　and　arrogant　man；

was　about　to　retort；　when　the　craftier　Tinville　laid　his　hand　on

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

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　dange