zanoni-第78部分

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in　the　pomp　and　purple　of　their　victims！　　Nobler　paupers　than

Jean　Nicot　would　despair；　and　Poverty　would　rise　in　its　ghastly

multitudes　to　cut　the　throat　of　Wealth；　and　then　gash　itself　limb

by　limb；　if　Patience；　the　Angel　of　the　Poor；　sat　not　by　its　side；

pointing　with　solemn　finger　to　the　life　to　come！　　And　now；　as

Nicot　neared　the　house　of　the　Dictator；　he　began　to　meditate　a

reversal　of　his　plans　of　the　previous　day：　　not　that　he　faltered

in　his　resolution　to　denounce　Glyndon；　and　Viola　would

necessarily　share　his　fate；　as　a　companion　and　accomplice；no；

THERE　he　was　resolved！　for　he　hated　both　（to　say　nothing　of　his

old　but　never…to…be…forgotten　grudge　against　Zanoni）。　　Viola　had

scorned　him；　Glyndon　had　served；　and　the　thought　of　gratitude　was

as　intolerable　to　him　as　the　memory　of　insult。　　But　why；　now；

should　he　fly　from　France？he　could　possess　himself　of　Glyndon's

gold；　he　doubted　not　that　he　could　so　master　Fillide　by　her　wrath

and　jealousy　that　he　could　command　her　acquiescence　in　all　he

proposed。　　The　papers　he　had　purloinedDesmoulins'

correspondence　with　Glyndonwhile　it　insured　the　fate　of　the

latter；　might　be　eminently　serviceable　to　Robespierre；　might

induce　the　tyrant　to　forget　his　own　old　liaisons　with　Hebert；　and

enlist　him　among　the　allies　and　tools　of　the　King　of　Terror。

Hopes　of　advancement；　of　wealth；　of　a　career；　again　rose　before

him。　　This　correspondence；　dated　shortly　before　Camille

Desmoulins'　death；　was　written　with　that　careless　and　daring

imprudence　which　characterised　the　spoiled　child　of　Danton。　　It

spoke　openly　of　designs　against　Robespierre；　it　named

confederates　whom　the　tyrant　desired　only　a　popular　pretext　to

crush。　　It　was　a　new　instrument　of　death　in　the　hands　of　the

Death…compeller。　　What　greater　gift　could　he　bestow　on　Maximilien

the　Incorruptible？



Nursing　these　thoughts；　he　arrived　at　last　before　the　door　of

Citizen　Dupleix。　　Around　the　threshold　were　grouped；　in　admired

confusion；　some　eight　or　ten　sturdy　Jacobins；　the　voluntary　body…

guard　of　Robespierre；tall　fellows；　well　armed；　and　insolent

with　the　power　that　reflects　power；　mingled　with　women；　young　and

fair；　and　gayly　dressed；　who　had　come；　upon　the　rumour　that

Maximilien　had　had　an　attack　of　bile；　to　inquire　tenderly　of　his

health；　for　Robespierre；　strange　though　it　seem；　was　the　idol　of

the　sex！



Through　this　cortege　stationed　without　the　door；　and　reaching　up

the　stairs　to　the　landing…place；for　Robespierre's　apartments

were　not　spacious　enough　to　afford　sufficient　antechamber　for

levees　so　numerous　and　miscellaneous；Nicot　forced　his　way；　and

far　from　friendly　or　flattering　were　the　expressions　that　regaled

his　ears。



〃Aha；　le　joli　Polichinelle！〃　said　a　comely　matron；　whose　robe　his

obtrusive　and　angular　elbows　cruelly　discomposed。　　〃But　how　could

one　expect　gallantry　from　such　a　scarecrow！〃



〃Citizen；　I　beg　to　advise　thee　（The　courteous　use　of　the　plural

was　proscribed　at　Paris。　　The　Societies　Populaires　had　decided

that　whoever　used　it　should　be　prosecuted　as　suspect　et

adulateur！　　At　the　door　of　the　public　administrations　and　popular

societies　was　written　up；　〃Ici　on　s'honore　du　Citoyen；　et　on　se

tutoye〃！！！　（〃Here　they　respect　the　title　of　Citizen；　and　they

'thee'　and　'thou'　one　another。〃）　　Take　away　Murder　from　the

French　Revolution　and　it　becomes　the　greatest　farce　ever　played

before　the　angels！）　that　thou　art　treading　on　my　feet。　　I　beg　thy

pardon；　but　now　I　look　at　thine；　I　see　the　hall　is　not　wide

enough　for　them。〃



〃Ho！　Citizen　Nicot；〃　cried　a　Jacobin；　shouldering　his　formidable

bludgeon；　〃and　what　brings　thee　hither？thinkest　thou　that

Hebert's　crimes　are　forgotten　already？　　Off；　sport　of　Nature！　and

thank　the　Etre　Supreme　that　he　made　thee　insignificant　enough　to

be　forgiven。〃



〃A　pretty　face　to　look　out　of　the　National　Window〃　（The

Guillotine。）；　said　the　woman　whose　robe　the　painter　had　ruffled。



〃Citizens；〃　said　Nicot；　white　with　passion；　but　constraining

himself　so　that　his　words　seemed　to　come　from　grinded　teeth；　〃I

have　the　honour　to　inform　you　that　I　seek　the　Representant　upon

business　of　the　utmost　importance　to　the　public　and　himself；

and；〃　he　added　slowly　and　malignantly；　glaring　round；　〃I　call　all

good　citizens　to　be　my　witnesses　when　I　shall　complain　to

Robespierre　of　the　reception　bestowed　on　me　by　some　amongst　you。〃



There　was　in　the　man's　look　and　his　tone　of　voice　so　much　of　deep

and　concentrated　malignity；　that　the　idlers　drew　back；　and　as　the

remembrance　of　the　sudden　ups　and　downs　of　revolutionary　life

occurred　to　them；　several　voices　were　lifted　to　assure　the

squalid　and　ragged　painter　that　nothing　was　farther　from　their

thoughts　than　to　offer　affront　to　a　citizen　whose　very　appearance

proved　him　to　be　an　exemplary　sans…culotte。　　Nicot　received　these

apologies　in　sullen　silence；　and；　folding　his　arms；　leaned

against　the　wall；　waiting　in　grim　patience　for　his　admission。



The　loiterers　talked　to　each　other　in　separate　knots　of　two　and

three；　and　through　the　general　hum　rang　the　clear；　loud；　careless

whistle　of　the　tall　Jacobin　who　stood　guard　by　the　stairs。　　Next

to　Nicot；　an　old　woman　and　a　young　virgin　were　muttering　in

earnest　whispers；　and　the　atheist　painter　chuckled　inly　to

overhear　their　discourse。



〃I　assure　thee；　my　dear；〃　said　the　crone；　with　a　mysterious　shake

of　head；　〃that　the　divine　Catherine　Theot；　whom　the　impious　now

persecute；　is　really　inspired。　　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the

elect；　of　whom　Dom　Gerle　and　the　virtuous　Robespierre　are

destined　to　be　the　two　grand　prophets；　will　enjoy　eternal　life

here；　and　exterminate　all　their　enemies。　　There　is　no　doubt　of

it；not　the　least！〃



〃How　delightful！〃　said　the　girl；　〃ce　cher　Robespierre！he　does

not　look　very　long…lived　either！〃



〃The　greater　the　miracle；〃　said　the　old　woman。　　〃I　am　just

eighty…one；　and　I　don't　feel　a　day　older　since　Catherine　Theot

promised　me　I　should　be　one　of　the　elect！〃



Here　the　women　were　jostled　aside　by　some　newcomers；　who　talked

loud　and　eagerly。



〃Yes；〃　cried　a　brawny　man；　whose　garb　denoted　him　to　be　a

butcher；　with　bare　arms；　and　a　cap　of　liberty　on　his　head；　〃I　am

come　to　warn　Robespierre。　　They　lay　a　snare　for　him；　they　offer

him　the　Palais　National。　　'On　ne　peut　etre　ami　du　peuple　et

habiter　un　palais。'〃　（〃No　one　can　be　a　friend　of　the　people；　and

dwell　in　a　palace。〃〃Papiers　inedits　trouves　chez　Robespierre；〃

etc。；　volume　ii。　page　132。）



〃No；　indeed；〃　answered　a　cordonnier；　〃I　like　him　best　in　his

little　lodging　with　the　menuisier：　　it　looks　like　one　of　US。〃



Another　rush　of　the　crowd；　and　a　new　group　were　thrown　forward　in

the　vicinity　of　Nicot。　　And　these　men　gabbled　and　chattered

faster　and　louder　than　the　rest。



〃But　my　plan　is〃



〃Au　diable　with　YOUR　plan！　　I　tell　you　MY　scheme　is〃



〃Nonsense！〃　cried　a　third。　　〃When　Robespierre　understands　MY　new

method　of　making　gunpowder；　the　enemies　of　France　shall〃



〃Bah！　who　fears　foreign　enemies？〃　interrupted　a　fourth；　〃the

enemies　to　be　feared　are　at　home。　　MY　new　guillotine　takes　off

fifty　heads　at　a　time！〃



〃But　MY　new　Constitution！〃　exclaimed　a　fifth。



〃MY　new　Religion；　citizen！〃　murmured；　complacently；　a　sixth。



〃Sacre　mille　tonnerres；　silence！〃　roared　forth　one　of　the　Jacobin

guard。



And　the　crowd　suddenly　parted　as　a　fierce…looking　man；　buttoned

up　to　the　chin；　his　sword　rattling　by　his　side；　his　spurs

clinking　at　his　heel；　descended　the　stairs；his　cheeks　swollen

and　purple　with　intemperance；　his　eyes　dead　and　savage　as　a

vulture's。　　There　was　a　still　pause；　as　all；　with　pale　cheeks；

made　way　for　the　relentless　Henriot。　　（Or　H_a_nriot。　　It　is

singular　how　undetermined　are　not　only　the　characters　of　the

French　Revolution；　but　even　the　spelling　of　their　names。　　With

the　historians　it　is　Vergniau_d_；with　the　journalists　of　the

time　it　is　Vorgniau_x_。　　With　one　authority　it　is　Robespierre；

with　another　Robe_r_spierre。）　　Scarce　had　this　gruff　and　iron

minion　of　the　tyrant　stalked　through　the　throng；　than　a　new

movement　of　respect　and　agitation　and　fear　swayed　the　increasing

crowd；　as　there　glided　in；　with　the　noiselessness　of　a　shadow；　a

smiling；　sober　citizen；　plainly　but　neatly　clad；　with　a　downcast

humble　eye。　　A　milder；　meeker　face　no　pastoral　poet　could　assign

to　Corydon　or　Thyrsis；why　did　the　crowd　shrink　and　hold　their

breath？　　As　the　ferret　in　a　burrow　crept　that　slight　form　amongst

the　larger　and　rougher　creatures　that　huddled　and　pressed　back　on

each　other　as　he　passed。　　A　wink　of　his　stealthy　eye；　and　the

huge　Jacobins　left　the　passage　clear；　without　sound　or　question。

On　he　went　to　the　apartment　of　the　tyrant；　and　thither　will　we

follow　him。





CHAPTER　7。VII。



Constitutum　est；　ut　quisquis　eum　HOMINEM　dixisset　fuisse；

capitalem　penderet　poenam。

St。　Augustine；　〃Of　the　God　Serapis；〃　l。　18；　〃de　Civ。　Dei；〃　c。　5。）



（It　was　decreed；　that　whoso　should　say　that　he　had　been　a　MAN；

should　suffer　the　punishment　of　a　capital　offence。）



Robespierre　was　reclining　languidly　in　his　fauteuil；　his

cadaverous　countenance　more　jaded　and　fatigued　than　usual。　　He　to

whom　Catherine　Theot　assured　immortal　life；　looked；　indeed；　like

a　man　at　death's　door。　　On　the　table　before　him　was　a　dish　heaped

with　oranges；　with　the　juice　of　which　it　is　said　that　he　could

alone　assuage　the　acrid　bile　that　overflowed　his　system；　and　an

old　woman；　richly　dressed　（she　had　been　a　Marquise　in　the　old

regime）　was　employed　in　peeling　the　Hesperian　fruits　for　the　sick

Dragon；　with　delicate　fingers　covered　with　jewels。　　I　have　before

said　that　Robespierre　was　the　idol　of　the　women。　　Strange

certainly！but　then　they　were　French　women！　　The　old　Marquise；

who；　like　Catherine　Theot；　called　him　〃son；〃　really　seemed　to

love　him　piously　and　disinterestedly　as　a　mother；　and　as　she

peeled　the　oranges；　and　heaped　on　him　the　most　caressing　and