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how　rapturously　has　my　soul　bounded　forth　upon　the　upward　paths！

To　him　who　forever　renews　his　youth　in　the　clear　fount　of　Nature；

how　exquisite　is　the　mere　happiness　TO　BE！　　Farewell；　ye　lamps　of

heaven；　and　ye　million　tribes；　the　Populace　of　Air。　　Not　a　mote

in　the　beam；　not　an　herb　on　the　mountain；　not　a　pebble　on　the

shore；　not　a　seed　far…blown　into　the　wilderness；　but　contributed

to　the　lore　that　sought　in　all　the　true　principle　of　life；　the

Beautiful；　the　Joyous；　the　Immortal。　　To　others；　a　land；　a　city；

a　hearth；　has　been　a　home；　MY　home　has　been　wherever　the

intellect　could　pierce；　or　the　spirit　could　breathe　the　air。〃



He　paused；　and　through　the　immeasurable　space　his　eyes　and　his

heart；　penetrating　the　dismal　dungeon；　rested　on　his　child。　　He

saw　it　slumbering　in　the　arms　of　the　pale　mother；　and　HIS　soul

spoke　to　the　sleeping　soul。　　〃Forgive　me；　if　my　desire　was　sin；　I

dreamed　to　have　reared　and　nurtured　thee　to　the　divinest

destinies　my　visions　could　foresee。　　Betimes；　as　the　mortal　part

was　strengthened　against　disease；　to　have　purified　the　spiritual

from　every　sin；　to　have　led　thee；　heaven　upon　heaven；　through　the

holy　ecstasies　which　make　up　the　existence　of　the　orders　that

dwell　on　high；　to　have　formed；　from　thy　sublime　affections；　the

pure　and　ever…living　communication　between　thy　mother　and　myself。

The　dream　was　but　a　dreamit　is　no　more！　　In　sight　myself　of　the

grave；　I　feel；　at　last；　that　through　the　portals　of　the　grave

lies　the　true　initiation　into　the　holy　and　the　wise。　　Beyond

those　portals　I　await　ye　both；　beloved　pilgrims！〃



From　his　numbers　and　his　Cabala；　in　his　cell；　amidst　the　wrecks

of　Rome；　Mejnour；　startled；　looked　up；　and　through　the　spirit；

felt　that　the　spirit　of　his　distant　friend　addressed　him。



〃Fare　thee　well　forever　upon　this　earth！　　Thy　last　companion

forsakes　thy　side。　　Thine　age　survives　the　youth　of　all；　and　the

Final　Day　shall　find　thee　still　the　contemplator　of　our　tombs。　　I

go　with　my　free　will　into　the　land　of　darkness；　but　new　suns　and

systems　blaze　around　us　from　the　grave。　　I　go　where　the　souls　of

those　for　whom　I　resign　the　clay　shall　be　my　co…mates　through

eternal　youth。　　At　last　I　recognise　the　true　ordeal　and　the　real

victory。　　Mejnour；　cast　down　thy　elixir；　lay　by　thy　load　of

years！　　Wherever　the　soul　can　wander；　the　Eternal　Soul　of　all

things　protects　it　still！〃





CHAPTER　7。XV。



Il　ne　veulent　plus　perdre　un　moment　d'une　nuit　si　precieuse。

Lacretelle；　tom。　xii。



（They　would　not　lose　another　moment　of　so　precious　a　night。）



It　was　late　that　night；　and　Rene…Francois　Dumas；　President　of　the

Revolutionary　Tribunal；　had　re…entered　his　cabinet；　on　his　return

from　the　Jacobin　Club。　　With　him　were　two　men　who　might　be　said

to　represent；　the　one　the　moral；　the　other　the　physical　force　of

the　Reign　of　Terror：　　Fouquier…Tinville；　the　Public　Accuser；　and

Francois　Henriot；　the　General　of　the　Parisian　National　Guard。

This　formidable　triumvirate　were　assembled　to　debate　on　the

proceedings　of　the　next　day；　and　the　three　sister…witches　over

their　hellish　caldron　were　scarcely　animated　by　a　more　fiend…like

spirit；　or　engaged　in　more　execrable　designs；　than　these　three

heroes　of　the　Revolution　in　their　premeditated　massacre　of　the

morrow。



Dumas　was　but　little　altered　in　appearance　since；　in　the　earlier

part　of　this　narrative；　he　was　presented　to　the　reader；　except

that　his　manner　was　somewhat　more　short　and　severe；　and　his　eye

yet　more　restless。　　But　he　seemed　almost　a　superior　being　by　the

side　of　his　associates。　　Rene　Dumas；　born　of　respectable　parents；

and　well　educated；　despite　his　ferocity；　was　not　without　a

certain　refinement；　which　perhaps　rendered　him　the　more

acceptable　to　the　precise　and　formal　Robespierre。　　（Dumas　was　a

beau　in　his　way。　　His　gala…dress　was　a　BLOOD…RED　COAT；　with　the

finest　ruffles。）　　But　Henriot　had　been　a　lackey；　a　thief；　a　spy

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

dauntles