zanoni-第118部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



for　the　10th　of　Thermidor。　　While　the　deaths　of　the　unoffending

strike　awe　to　the　city；　his　satellites　are　to　massacre　his　foes。

There　is　but　one　hope　left；that　the　Power　which　now　dooms　the

doomer；　may　render　me　an　instrument　to　expedite　his　fall。　　But

two　days　left；two　days！　　In　all　my　wealth　of　time　I　see　but　two

days；　all　beyond；darkness；　solitude。　　I　may　save　her　yet。　　The

tyrant　shall　fall　the　day　before　that　which　he　has　set　apart　for

slaughter！　　For　the　first　time　I　mix　among　the　broils　and

stratagems　of　men；　and　my　mind　leaps　up　from　my　despair；　armed

and　eager　for　the　contest。〃



。。。



A　crowd　had　gathered　round　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　a　young　man　was

just　arrested　by　the　order　of　Robespierre。　　He　was　known　to　be　in

the　service　of　Tallien；　that　hostile　leader　in　the　Convention；

whom　the　tyrant　had　hitherto　trembled　to　attack。　　This　incident

had　therefore　produced　a　greater　excitement　than　a　circumstance

so　customary　as　an　arrest　in　the　Reign　of　Terror　might　be

supposed　to　create。　　Amongst　the　crowd　were　many　friends　of

Tallien；　many　foes　to　the　tyrant；　many　weary　of　beholding　the

tiger　dragging　victim　after　victim　to　its　den。　　Hoarse；

foreboding　murmurs　were　heard；　fierce　eyes　glared　upon　the

officers　as　they　seized　their　prisoner；　and　though　they　did　not

yet　dare　openly　to　resist；　those　in　the　rear　pressed　on　those

behind；　and　encumbered　the　path　of　the　captive　and　his　captors。

The　young　man　struggled　hard　for　escape；　and；　by　a　violent

effort；　at　last　wrenched　himself　from　the　grasp。　　The　crowd　made

way；　and　closed　round　to　protect　him；　as　he　dived　and　darted

through　their　ranks；　but　suddenly　the　trampling　of　horses　was

heard　at　hand；the　savage　Henriot　and　his　troop　were　bearing

down　upon　the　mob。　　The　crowd　gave　way　in　alarm；　and　the　prisoner

was　again　seized　by　one　of　the　partisans　of　the　Dictator。　　At

that　moment　a　voice　whispered　the　prisoner；　〃Thou　hast　a　letter

which；　if　found　on　thee；　ruins　thy　last　hope。　　Give　it　to　me！　　I

will　bear　it　to　Tallien。〃　　The　prisoner　turned　in　amaze；　read

something　that　encouraged　him　in　the　eyes　of　the　stranger　who

thus　accosted　him。　　The　troop　were　now　on　the　spot；　the　Jacobin

who　had　seized　the　prisoner　released　hold　of　him　for　a　moment　to

escape　the　hoofs　of　the　horses：　　in　that　moment　the　opportunity

was　found；the　stranger　had　disappeared。



。。。



At　the　house　of　Tallien　the　principal　foes　of　the　tyrant　were

assembled。　　Common　danger　made　common　fellowship。　　All　factions

laid　aside　their　feuds　for　the　hour　to　unite　against　the

formidable　man　who　was　marching　over　all　factions　to　his　gory

throne。　　There　was　bold　Lecointre；　the　declared　enemy；　there；

creeping　Barrere；　who　would　reconcile　all　extremes；　the　hero　of

the　cowards；　Barras；　calm　and　collected；　Collet　d'Herbois；

breathing　wrath　and　vengeance；　and　seeing　not　that　the　crimes　of

Robespierre　alone　sheltered　his　own。



The　council　was　agitated　and　irresolute。　　The　awe　which　the

uniform　success　and　the　prodigious　energy　of　Robespierre　excited

still　held　the　greater　part　under　its　control。　　Tallien；　whom　the

tyrant　most　feared；　and　who　alone　could　give　head　and　substance

and　direction　to　so　many　contradictory　passions；　was　too　sullied

by　the　memory　of　his　own　cruelties　not　to　feel　embarrassed　by　his

position　as　the　champion　of　mercy。　　〃It　is　true；〃　he　said；　after

an　animating　harangue　from　Lecointre；　〃that　the　Usurper　menaces

us　all。　　But　he　is　still　so　beloved　by　his　mobs；still　so

supported　by　his　Jacobins：　　better　delay　open　hostilities　till

the　hour　is　more　ripe。　　To　attempt　and　not　succeed　is　to　give　us；

bound　hand　and　foot；　to　the　guillotine。　　Every　day　his　power　must

decline。　　Procrastination　is　our　best　ally〃　　While　yet

speaking；　and　while　yet　producing　the　effect　of　water　on　the

fire；　it　was　announced　that　a　stranger　demanded　to　see　him

instantly　on　business　that　brooked　no　delay。



〃I　am　not　at　leisure；〃　said　the　orator；　impatiently。　　The　servant

placed　a　note　on　the　table。　　Tallien　opened　it；　and　found　these

words　in　pencil；　〃From　the　prison　of　Teresa　de　Fontenai。〃　　He

turned　pale；　started　up；　and　hastened　to　the　anteroom；　where　he

beheld　a　face　entirely　strange　to　him。



〃Hope　of　France！〃　said　the　visitor　to　him；　and　the　very　sound　of

his　voice　went　straight　to　the　heart；〃your　servant　is　arrested

in　the　streets。　　I　have　saved　your　life；　and　that　of　your　wife

who　will　be。　　I　bring　to　you　this　letter　from　Teresa　de

Fontenai。〃



Tallien；　with　a　trembling　hand；　opened　the　letter；　and　read；



〃Am　I　forever　to　implore　you　in　vain？　　Again　and　again　I　say；

'Lose　not　an　hour　if　you　value　my　life　and　your　own。'　　My　trial

and　death　are　fixed　the　third　day　from　this；the　10th　Thermidor。

Strike　while　it　is　yet　time；strike　the　monster！you　have　two

days　yet。　　If　you　fail；if　you　procrastinate；see　me　for　the

last　time　as　I　pass　your　windows　to　the　guillotine！〃



〃Her　trial　will　give　proof　against　you；〃　said　the　stranger。　　〃Her

death　is　the　herald　of　your　own。　　Fear　not　the　populace；the

populace　would　have　rescued　your　servant。　　Fear　not　Robespierre；

he　gives　himself　to　your　hands。　　To…morrow　he　comes　to　the

Convention；to…morrow　you　must　cast　the　last　throw　for　his　head

or　your　own。〃



〃To…morrow　he　comes　to　the　Convention！　　And　who　are　you　that　know

so　well　what　is　concealed　from　me？〃



〃A　man　like　you；　who　would　save　the　woman　he　loves。〃



Before　Tallien　could　recover　his　surprise；　the　visitor　was　gone。



Back　went　the　Avenger　to　his　conclave　an　altered　man。　　〃I　have

heard　tidings；no　matter　what；〃　he　cried；〃that　have　changed　my

purpose。　　On　the　10th　we　are　destined　to　the　guillotine。　　I

revoke　my　counsel　for　delay。　　Robespierre　comes　to　the　Convention

to…morrow；　THERE　we　must　confront　and　crush　him。　　From　the

Mountain　shall　frown　against　him　the　grim　shade　of　Danton；from

the　Plain　shall　rise；　in　their　bloody　cerements；　the　spectres　of

Vergniaud　and　Condorcet。　　Frappons！〃



〃Frappons！〃　cried　even　Barrere；　startled　into　energy　by　the　new

daring　of　his　colleague；〃frappons！　il　n'y　a　que　les　morts　qui

ne　reviennent　pas。〃



It　was　observable　（and　the　fact　may　be　found　in　one　of　the

memoirs　of　the　time）　that；　during　that　day　and　night　（the　7th

Thermidor）；　a　stranger　to　all　the　previous　events　of　that　stormy

time　was　seen　in　various　parts　of　the　city；in　the　cafes；　the

clubs；　the　haunts　of　the　various　factions；　that；　to　the

astonishment　and　dismay　of　his　hearers；　he　talked　aloud　of　the

crimes　of　Robespierre；　and　predicted　his　coming　fall；　and；　as　he

spoke；　he　stirred　up　the　hearts　of　men；　he　loosed　the　bonds　of

their　fear；he　inflamed　them　with　unwonted　rage　and　daring。　　But

what　surprised　them　most　was；　that　no　voice　replied；　no　hand　was

lifted　against　him；　no　minion；　even　of　the　tyrant；　cried；　〃Arrest

the　traitor。〃　　In　that　impunity　men　read；　as　in　a　book；　that　the

populace　had　deserted　the　man　of　blood。



Once　only　a　fierce；　brawny　Jacobin　sprang　up　from　the　table　at