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11 - In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy by G A Henty · In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy

0:00
Speaker 1: Three.
0:03
Speaker 2: Robspierre chatted continuously as the meal went on, and Harry
0:06
Speaker 2: asked himself in astonishment whether he was in a dream,
0:10
Speaker 2: and if this man before him, talking about his birds,
0:14
Speaker 2: his flowers, and his life before he came to Paris,
0:17
Speaker 2: could really be the dreaded ross Pierre. After the mule
0:20
Speaker 2: was over, his host says, as yet, I am ignorant
0:24
Speaker 2: of the name of my preserver. My name is Henry Sandwich.
0:28
Speaker 2: Henry replied, it is not a French name, ross Pierre said,
0:31
Speaker 2: in surprise. I'm an English parentage. Harry said quietly, but
0:36
Speaker 2: I have been resident for some years in France. I
0:39
Speaker 2: was for some time in the service of the c
0:42
Speaker 2: deviant Marquis de Saint Kyle, But since the breakup of
0:46
Speaker 2: his household, I had been shifting for myself as best
0:49
Speaker 2: I could, living chiefly on the monies I had earned
0:52
Speaker 2: in his service, and on the lookout for any employment
0:55
Speaker 2: that may offer. England is our enemy, ross Pierre said,
1:00
Speaker 2: his voice angrily, the enemy of free institutions and liberty.
1:05
Speaker 2: I know nothing about English politics, Harry replied with a smile,
1:08
Speaker 2: nor indeed about any politics. But I am a little
1:11
Speaker 2: past eighteen, and so that I could earn my living.
1:14
Speaker 2: I do not ask whether my employer is a patriot
1:17
Speaker 2: or an aristocrat. It is quite trouble enough to earn
1:19
Speaker 2: one's living without bothering one's head about politics. If you
1:23
Speaker 2: can put me in the way of doing so, I
1:25
Speaker 2: shall consider that I am well repaid for the little
1:27
Speaker 2: service I rendered you assuredly I will do so. Ross
1:31
Speaker 2: Pierre said, I'm a poor man.
1:33
Speaker 1: You know.
1:34
Speaker 2: I do not put my hand into the public purse,
1:36
Speaker 2: and I and my sister live as brugally as we
1:39
Speaker 2: did when we first came to Paris from Arah. My
1:42
Speaker 2: only gains have been the hatred of the aristocrats and
1:44
Speaker 2: the love for the people. But though I have not money,
1:48
Speaker 2: I have influence, and I will promise to use it
1:50
Speaker 2: in your behalf until I hear of something suitable. You
1:53
Speaker 2: can if you will work here with me and share
1:56
Speaker 2: what I possess. My correspondence is very heavy. I'm overwhelmed
2:00
Speaker 2: with the letters from the provinces begging me to inquire
2:03
Speaker 2: into grievances and redress wrongs. Can you read it right well?
2:08
Speaker 2: For from Harry's words, he supposed that he held some
2:10
Speaker 2: menial post in the household of the Marquis de Saint
2:13
Speaker 2: cal Yes, I can read and write fairly, Harry said,
2:18
Speaker 2: And are you acquainted with the English tongue. I know
2:21
Speaker 2: enough of it to read it, Harry said, I spoke
2:24
Speaker 2: it when I was a child. If you could read it,
2:26
Speaker 2: that will do. Ross Pierre said. There are English papers
2:30
Speaker 2: sent over, and I should like to hear from myself
2:33
Speaker 2: what this perfidious people say of us, and there are
2:36
Speaker 2: few here who can translate the language. Do you accept
2:39
Speaker 2: my proposal willingly? Harry said, very well, then come here
2:43
Speaker 2: at nine o'clock in the morning.
2:45
Speaker 1: But mind you, you.
2:46
Speaker 2: Are only filling the post of my secretary until I
2:49
Speaker 2: can find something better for you to do. The post
2:53
Speaker 2: will be better one someday, Monsieur Frosspierre. Ere long you
2:57
Speaker 2: will be the greatest man in France, and the post
3:00
Speaker 2: of secretary will be one of which.
3:01
Speaker 1: May be well envied.
3:03
Speaker 2: Ah, I see you know how to flatter, Rosspierre said,
3:06
Speaker 2: with a smile, much gratified. Nevertheless, with Harry's words, you
3:10
Speaker 2: must remember that I crave no dignities, that I care
3:13
Speaker 2: only for the welfare of France. I know, Monsieur, that
3:17
Speaker 2: you are called ross Pierre the incorruptible, Harry said, But nevertheless,
3:22
Speaker 2: you belong to Franz, and Franz will surely see that
3:25
Speaker 2: someday you have such a reward as you richly married.
3:29
Speaker 2: There was no untruth in that, Harry said to himself
3:31
Speaker 2: as he made his way downstairs. These human tigers will
3:34
Speaker 2: meet their doom when Franz comes to her senses. He
3:37
Speaker 2: is a strange contrast, this man. But I suppose that
3:41
Speaker 2: even the tiger is a domestic animal in his own family.
3:45
Speaker 2: His food almost choked me, and I had not known
3:47
Speaker 2: that the mayor's fate depends upon my calmness. I should
3:50
Speaker 2: assuredly have broken out and told this dapper little demagogue
3:54
Speaker 2: my opinion of him. But this is glorious. What news
3:58
Speaker 2: I shall have to give the girls in the morning.
4:00
Speaker 2: If I cannot ensure Marie's freedom, now I should be
4:03
Speaker 2: a bungler. Indeed, had I had the planning of the
4:08
Speaker 2: events of this evening, they could not have turned out
4:11
Speaker 2: better for us. It was the first time that Harry
4:13
Speaker 2: had called at Louis Mullin's as early as eight o'clock
4:17
Speaker 2: in the morning, and Jenny leaped up as he entered.
4:20
Speaker 2: What is it, Harry? You bring us some news, don't you.
4:23
Speaker 2: I do, indeed, Jenny capital news. Who do you think
4:27
Speaker 2: I had supper with last night? Had supper with? Harry?
4:30
Speaker 1: Jenny replied, what do you mean? How can I guess
4:32
Speaker 1: whom you had supper with?
4:34
Speaker 2: I am sure you cannot guess, Jennie, so I will
4:37
Speaker 2: not puzzle your brain. I had supper with Ross Pierre.
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Speaker 2: With Ross Pierre, the two girls repeated, in astonishment. You
4:44
Speaker 2: are not joking, Harry. Jenny went on, but no, you
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Speaker 2: cannot be doing that. Tell us how you came to
4:49
Speaker 2: have supper with Ross Pierre, My dear Jenny, I regard
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Speaker 2: it as a special province, as an answer from God
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Speaker 2: to your prayers for Marie. I had the good fortune
4:58
Speaker 2: to save his life. Ah, Harry, Jenny exclaimed, What happiness
5:04
Speaker 2: that Marie's life will be saved? I can think I
5:08
Speaker 2: can almost promise you that, Jenny, though I do not
5:11
Speaker 2: know yet exactly how it is to be done. But
5:13
Speaker 2: such a piece of good fortune would never have been
5:16
Speaker 2: sent to me had it not been intended that we
5:18
Speaker 2: should save Marie. Now sit down quietly, both of you,
5:22
Speaker 2: and you too, Louise, and let me tell you about it.
5:25
Speaker 2: For I have to be with Rospierre again at nine o'clock. Oh,
5:29
Speaker 2: that is misfortune. Indeed, Jenny exclaimed when he had finished.
5:34
Speaker 2: Surely he cannot refuse any request you make. Now if
5:38
Speaker 2: he does, I must get it out of him somehow,
5:40
Speaker 2: Harry said, cheerfully, by fair means or foul, I will
5:43
Speaker 2: get the order for her release. But you think he
5:48
Speaker 2: can refuse, Harry, Jenny asked anxiously. I think he may refuse, Jenny.
5:53
Speaker 2: He is a proud of his integrity and incorruptibility, and
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Speaker 2: I think it quite possible that he may refuse to
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Speaker 2: grant Marie's relief in return for a benefit done him personally. However,
6:04
Speaker 2: do not let that discourage you in the least, As
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Speaker 2: I said, I will have the order, by fair means
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Speaker 2: or foul. At nine o'clock, Harry presented himself for readiness
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Speaker 2: for work and found that his post would be no secure.
6:18
Speaker 2: The correspondence which he had to go through was enormous
6:22
Speaker 2: requests for favors, letters of congratulation in Rospierre's speeches and
6:26
Speaker 2: motions in the Assembly, reports of scores of provincial committees,
6:30
Speaker 2: denunciations of aristocrats, letters of blame because the work of
6:35
Speaker 2: rooting out suspects would not perceive faster entreaties from friends
6:39
Speaker 2: of prisoners. All these had to be sorted, read and answered.
6:43
Speaker 2: Ross Pierre was Harry soon found methodical in the extreme.
6:48
Speaker 2: He read every letter himself, and not only gave directions
6:51
Speaker 2: how they were to be answered, but read through the
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Speaker 2: answers when written, and was most careful before he affixed
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Speaker 2: his signature to any paper. Whatever it was time for
7:00
Speaker 2: him to leave the assembly, he made a note in
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Speaker 2: pencil on each letter how it should be answered, and
7:05
Speaker 2: directed Harry, when he had finished them, to leave on
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Speaker 2: the table for him on his return. I foresee that
7:11
Speaker 2: you will be of great value to me, Monsieur Sandwich,
7:15
Speaker 2: he said, And it shall be able to recommend you
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Speaker 2: for any office that may be vacant, with a feeling
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Speaker 2: of confidence that you will do justice to my recommendation,
7:24
Speaker 2: or if you would rather, as time goes on, attach
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Speaker 2: your fortunes to me, be assured that I should rise
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Speaker 2: to power. Your fortune will be made when you have
7:32
Speaker 2: done these letters. Your time will be your own for
7:35
Speaker 2: the rest of the day. You know our meal hours,
7:37
Speaker 2: and I can only say that we are punctual to
7:39
Speaker 2: a second. When Harry had finished, he strolled out. He
7:43
Speaker 2: saw that the task of getting an order of Marie's
7:46
Speaker 2: release would be more difficult than he had anticipated. He
7:49
Speaker 2: had hoped that by placing him with a batch of
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Speaker 2: papers before ross Pierre, he would get him to sign
7:53
Speaker 2: it amongst others without reading it, but he now saw
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Speaker 2: that this would be next to im possible. One thing
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Speaker 2: of ordered him grounds for satisfaction. Among the papers was
8:03
Speaker 2: a list of prisoners to be brought up on the
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Speaker 2: following day for trial. To this Rospierre added two names
8:09
Speaker 2: and then signed it and sent it back to the prison.
8:11
Speaker 2: There was another list with the names of the prisoners
8:14
Speaker 2: to be executed on the following day, and this, Harry learned,
8:18
Speaker 2: was not sent into the prison authorities until late in
8:20
Speaker 2: the evening, so that even they were ignorant until the
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Speaker 2: last moment which of the prisoners were to be called
8:26
Speaker 2: for by the tumbriil next morning. Thus he would know
8:30
Speaker 2: when Marie was going to go through the mockery of
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Speaker 2: a trial, and would also know what her name was
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Speaker 2: put on the fatal list for the guillotine, the first
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Speaker 2: fact he might have been able to learn from his
8:42
Speaker 2: ally in the prison, but the second and most important
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Speaker 2: he could not have obtained in any other way. The
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Speaker 2: work had been frequently interrupted by callers. Members of the
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Speaker 2: Committee of Public Safety, leaders of the Jacobin Corlai Cub
8:55
Speaker 2: and others dropped in and asked Roszpierre's advice or discussed
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Speaker 2: measures to be taken, and after a day or two
9:02
Speaker 2: Harry found that it was very seldom except when taking
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Speaker 2: his meals, that ross Pierre was alone while in the house,
9:10
Speaker 2: and as his sister was in and out of the
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Speaker 2: room all day, the idea of compelling him by force
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Speaker 2: to sign the order, as they had originally intended to
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Speaker 2: do with Marat, was clearly impracticable. Each day, after his
9:25
Speaker 2: work was over, and this was generally completed about one o'clock,
9:29
Speaker 2: Harry called to see how Victor was getting on. He
9:32
Speaker 2: was gaining strength, but his brain appeared to make far
9:35
Speaker 2: less progress than his bodily health. He did not recognize
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Speaker 2: Harry in the least, and although he would answer questions
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Speaker 2: that were asked of him, his mind appeared blank to
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Speaker 2: the past, and he often lay for hours without speaking
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Speaker 2: a word. After leaving him, Harry met Louise and the
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Speaker 2: two girls at the spot agreed upon the day before
9:53
Speaker 2: a fresh meeting place being arranged each day, he found
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Speaker 2: it difficult to satisfy them, For indeed, each da he
10:00
Speaker 2: became more and more doubtful as to his ability to
10:03
Speaker 2: get the order of release from ross Pierre. Towards the
10:06
Speaker 2: man himself, his feelings were of a mixed kind. He
10:09
Speaker 2: shuddered at the calmis with which, in his letters to
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Speaker 2: the provincial committees he advocated wholesale executions of prisoners. He
10:16
Speaker 2: wondered at the violence at which, in his shrill, high
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Speaker 2: pitched voice, he declaimed in favor of the most revolutionary measures.
10:25
Speaker 2: He admired the simplicity of his life, his attraction for
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Speaker 2: his sister and his birds, the kindness of heart in
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Speaker 2: all matters in which politics were not concerned. Among Rosspierre's
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Speaker 2: visitors during the next three weeks was Lebat, who was
10:40
Speaker 2: Harry found an important personage, being the representative of the
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Speaker 2: Committee of Public Safety of the Province of Burgundy and
10:46
Speaker 2: one of the most extreme in the frequenters of the
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Speaker 2: Jacobin Club. He did not recognize Harry, whom he had
10:52
Speaker 2: never noticed, particularly on the occasion of his visits to
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Speaker 2: the chateau, and who, in the somewhat threadbare black suit,
11:00
Speaker 2: which he had assumed instead of the workmen's blouse, wore
11:02
Speaker 2: steadily at the table apart, taking apparently no notice of
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Speaker 2: what was going in the apartment. But Harry's time was
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Speaker 2: not altogether thrown away. It was his duty the first
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Speaker 2: thing of the morning to open and sort the letters
11:17
Speaker 2: and lay them in piles upon the table used by
11:19
Speaker 2: ross Pierre himself, and he managed every day to slip
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Speaker 2: quietly into his pockets several of the letters of denunciation
11:26
Speaker 2: against persons as aristocrats in disguise, or as being suspected
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Speaker 2: of hostility to the commune. When ross Pierre left him
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Speaker 2: to go to the club or the assembly, Harry would
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Speaker 2: write short notices of warning in a disguised hand to
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Speaker 2: the prisoner's name, and would, when he went out, left
11:43
Speaker 2: these at their doors. Thus he had the satisfaction of
11:46
Speaker 2: saving a considerable number of persons from the clutches of
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Speaker 2: the revolutionists. He would then, two or three days later
11:52
Speaker 2: slip the letters of denunciation, very few of which were dated,
11:56
Speaker 2: among the rest of the correspondents, satisfied that when search
11:59
Speaker 2: was made of the person's name, would already have shifted
12:01
Speaker 2: their quarters and assumed some other disguise. February had come
12:08
Speaker 2: and Harry was still working and waiting, busy for several
12:10
Speaker 2: hours each day, writing and examining reports, with Rosspierre, striving
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Speaker 2: of an evening to keep up the courage and spirits
12:18
Speaker 2: of the girls, calling in for a few minutes each
12:20
Speaker 2: day to see Victor, who, after passing through a long
12:23
Speaker 2: and terrible fever, now lay weak and apparently unconscious, alike
12:27
Speaker 2: the past and present, his mind completely gone. But the
12:31
Speaker 2: doctor told Harry that in this respect he did not
12:34
Speaker 2: think the case was hopeless. His strength seems to have
12:37
Speaker 2: absolutely deserted him, he said, and his mind is a
12:41
Speaker 2: blank like that of a child. But I by no
12:44
Speaker 2: means despair of his gradually recovering. And if he could
12:47
Speaker 2: hear the voice of the lady you tell me he
12:49
Speaker 2: is engaged to, it might strike a chord now lying dormant,
12:52
Speaker 2: and set the brain at work again. But as to Marie,
12:56
Speaker 2: Harry could do nothing, do what he would. He could
12:59
Speaker 2: hit upon no plan whatever for getting her out of prison,
13:02
Speaker 2: and he can only wait until some change in the
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Speaker 2: situation or the appearance of her name and the fatal
13:07
Speaker 2: list might afford some opportunity for action. It was evident
13:11
Speaker 2: to him that Labat was not pushing matters forward, but
13:15
Speaker 2: that he might prefer to wait and leave the horror
13:18
Speaker 2: of months in prison to work upon Marie's mind and
13:21
Speaker 2: so break her down that she would be willing enough
13:23
Speaker 2: to purchase her life by a marriage with him. There
13:26
Speaker 2: had been some little lull in the work for blood,
13:29
Speaker 2: for in December all the eyes had been turned into
13:32
Speaker 2: the spectacle of the trial of the King. From the
13:34
Speaker 2: tenth of August he had remained a close prisoner in
13:37
Speaker 2: the temple, watched and insulted by his ruffian guards, and
13:41
Speaker 2: passing the time in the midst of his family with
13:43
Speaker 2: a serenity of mind, a calmness and tranquility which went
13:47
Speaker 2: far to redeem the blunders he had made during the
13:50
Speaker 2: preceding three years. The following is the account written by
13:53
Speaker 2: the Princess Royal or her journal of the matter in
13:55
Speaker 2: which the family passed their days. My father rose at
13:59
Speaker 2: seven and said prayers till eight, then dressing himself. He
14:03
Speaker 2: was with my brother till nine when he came to
14:05
Speaker 2: breakfast with my mother. After breakfast, my father gave us
14:09
Speaker 2: lessons till eleven o'clock, and then my brother played till midday,
14:13
Speaker 2: when we went to walk together whatever the weather was,
14:17
Speaker 2: because at that hour they relieved guard and wished to
14:19
Speaker 2: see us to be sure of our presence. Our walk
14:22
Speaker 2: was continued till two o'clock when we died our dinner.
14:27
Speaker 2: After dinner, my father and mother played at backgammon. I
14:31
Speaker 2: rather pretended to play in order to have an opportunity
14:34
Speaker 2: of talking together for a short time. At four o'clock,
14:37
Speaker 2: my mother went up the stairs with us, because the
14:40
Speaker 2: king then usually took a nap. At six o'clock, my
14:43
Speaker 2: brother went down and my father gave us lessons till
14:46
Speaker 2: supper at nine. After supper, my mother soon went to bed.
14:50
Speaker 2: We then went upstairs, and the King went to bed
14:52
Speaker 2: at eleven. My mother worked much at tapestry and made
14:56
Speaker 2: me study and frequently read alone. My aunt says prayers
14:59
Speaker 2: and read the service. She also read many religious books,
15:03
Speaker 2: usually allowed but harmless, as was the life of the
15:06
Speaker 2: royal family, Danton and the Jacobins were determined upon having
15:10
Speaker 2: their lives. The mockery of the trial commenced on the
15:13
Speaker 2: tenth of December. Marscha v Chroncher and Deisi defended him
15:19
Speaker 2: fearlessly and eloquently, but it was useless. The king was
15:22
Speaker 2: condemned beforehand. Rospierre and Marat led the assault. The Gurdonists
15:27
Speaker 2: themselves menaced and alarms stood neutral. But on the fifteenth
15:31
Speaker 2: of January, the question was put to the Assembly. Is
15:34
Speaker 2: Louis Cape, formerly King of the French, guilty of conspiracy
15:38
Speaker 2: and attempt against the general safety of the state was
15:43
Speaker 2: scarcely a single exception. The Assembly returned an affirmative answer,
15:47
Speaker 2: and on the seventeenth the final vote was taken. Three
15:51
Speaker 2: hundred and sixty one voted for death, two for imprisonment,
15:54
Speaker 2: two hundred and eighty six per detention, banishment or conditional death,
15:59
Speaker 2: forty six for death, but after a delay, twenty six
16:03
Speaker 2: for death, but with a wish that the Assembly should
16:07
Speaker 2: revise the sentence. Sentence of death was pronounced after sitting,
16:12
Speaker 2: which lasted for thirty seven hours. There was another struggle
16:15
Speaker 2: between the advocates of delay and those of instant execution,
16:20
Speaker 2: but the latter one, and after parting with noble resignation
16:23
Speaker 2: from his wife and family, the king on the twenty
16:25
Speaker 2: first was executed, his burying in sight of the admiration
16:30
Speaker 2: even of the bitterest foes. France looked on, amazed and
16:33
Speaker 2: appalled at the act. For Louis had undoubtedly striven his
16:36
Speaker 2: best to lessen abuses and to go with the people
16:39
Speaker 2: in the path of reform. It was his objection to
16:42
Speaker 2: shed blood, his readiness to give way, his affection for
16:47
Speaker 2: the people, which had allowed the revolution to march on
16:50
Speaker 2: its bloody way without a check. It was the victims,
16:53
Speaker 2: the nobles, the priests, the delicate women and cultured men,
16:57
Speaker 2: who had reason to complain, for it was the King's
17:00
Speaker 2: hatred to resistance which left them at the mercy of
17:03
Speaker 2: their foes. Louis had been the best friend of the
17:07
Speaker 2: revolution that slew him. The trial and the execution of
17:11
Speaker 2: the King had at least the good effect of diverting
17:13
Speaker 2: the minds of Jenny and Virginny from their own anxieties.
17:19
Speaker 2: Jenny was passionate, and Virginny tearful in their sorrow and indignation.
17:24
Speaker 2: Over and over again, Jenny implored Harry to try to
17:26
Speaker 2: save the king. There were still many royalists, and indeed
17:29
Speaker 2: the bulk that people were shocked and alienated by the
17:32
Speaker 2: violence of the convention, and Jenny urged that Harry might,
17:36
Speaker 2: from his connection with Rospierre, obtain some pass or document
17:40
Speaker 2: which would enable the King to escape, but Harry refused
17:44
Speaker 2: to make any attempt whatsoever.
17:45
Speaker 1: On his behalf.
17:47
Speaker 2: In the first place, Jenny, it would be absolutely impossible
17:50
Speaker 2: for the King watched as eeas to escape, and no
17:53
Speaker 2: pass or permit that Rospierre could give would be of
17:56
Speaker 2: the smallest utility. You must remember that although all apparently
17:59
Speaker 2: you against the king, there was a never ending struggle
18:03
Speaker 2: going on at the convention between the various parties and
18:06
Speaker 2: the various leaders. Ross Pierre is but one of them,
18:09
Speaker 2: although perhaps the most prominent. But could I wring a
18:13
Speaker 2: pass from him, even if only to save the king,
18:17
Speaker 2: That pass would not be respected in the next place, Jenny,
18:21
Speaker 2: I have nothing.
18:21
Speaker 1: To do with these struggles in France.
18:23
Speaker 2: I am staying here to do what little I can
18:26
Speaker 2: to watch over Hugh and Virginny for the sake of
18:29
Speaker 2: your dear parents, and because I love you both. And
18:32
Speaker 2: I have also, if possible, to rescue Marie from the
18:35
Speaker 2: hands of those murders. The responsibility is heavy enough. And
18:39
Speaker 2: could I, by merely using ross Pierre's name, rescue the
18:43
Speaker 2: King and Queen and their children and passed them across
18:45
Speaker 2: the frontier, I would not do it if the act
18:47
Speaker 2: and the slightest degree interfered with my freedom of action
18:51
Speaker 2: towards you and Marie. But Virginia and I would die
18:55
Speaker 2: for the King, Jenny said, passionately, happily Jennie. Harry replied coolly,
19:01
Speaker 2: You're dying would be in no respect benefit him. And
19:04
Speaker 2: as your life is, in my eyes of a thousand
19:06
Speaker 2: times more consequence than that of the King, and if
19:09
Speaker 2: your chances of safety to some extent depend upon mine,
19:12
Speaker 2: I do not mean to risk one of those chances
19:15
Speaker 2: for the sake of his majesty. Besides, to tell you
19:18
Speaker 2: the truth, I have a good deal of liking for
19:21
Speaker 2: my own life, and I have a marked objection.
19:23
Speaker 1: To losing my head.
19:24
Speaker 2: You see, I have people at home who are fond
19:26
Speaker 2: of me, and who want to see me again with
19:29
Speaker 2: that head on my shoulders. I know, Harry, I know,
19:34
Speaker 2: Jenny said, with her eyes full of tears. Do not
19:37
Speaker 2: think that I am ungrateful because I talk so I
19:40
Speaker 2: am always thinking of how wrong it is that you
19:42
Speaker 2: should be staying here, risking your life for us, instead
19:45
Speaker 2: of going home to those you love. And I think
19:48
Speaker 2: sometimes Virginny and I ought to give ourselves up and
19:52
Speaker 2: then you could go home, and Jenny burst into tears.
19:55
Speaker 2: My dear Jenny, Harry said soothingly, do.
19:58
Speaker 1: Not worry about me.
20:00
Speaker 2: It would have been just as dangerous at the time
20:01
Speaker 2: your father was taken prisoner for me to have tried
20:03
Speaker 2: to escape from the country as it was to stay here.
20:06
Speaker 2: In fact, I should say that it was a good
20:08
Speaker 2: deal more dangerous, and at present, as Ross Pierre's secretary,
20:13
Speaker 2: I am no danger at all. It is a little disagreeable, certainly,
20:16
Speaker 2: serving a man whom one regards in some respects as
20:19
Speaker 2: being a little short of a wild beast, but at
20:22
Speaker 2: the same time, in his own house, I am bound
20:25
Speaker 2: to say he's a very decent kind of man, and
20:28
Speaker 2: not bad at all. As to what I have done
20:31
Speaker 2: for you, so far as I see, I have done
20:34
Speaker 2: nothing beyond bringing you here in the first place and
20:37
Speaker 2: coming to have a pleasant chat with you every evening,
20:39
Speaker 2: nor with the best will in the world, I have
20:42
Speaker 2: been able to be of the slightest assistance to Marie
20:46
Speaker 2: as we stay at home, and my attentions are good.
20:48
Speaker 2: But so far those intentions have borne us no useful fruit.
20:51
Speaker 2: Whatever come. Jenny, dry your eyes, for it's not often
20:55
Speaker 2: that I have to see you cry. We have thrown
20:58
Speaker 2: in our lot together. I shall swim or sink in company.
21:02
Speaker 2: You keep up my spirits and I keep up yours.
21:04
Speaker 2: Don't let there be any talk about gratitude. There will
21:07
Speaker 2: be time enough for that. If I ever get you
21:10
Speaker 2: safely to England, then perhaps I may send in my
21:14
Speaker 2: bill and ask for payment. Harry spoke lightly, and Jenny,
21:18
Speaker 2: with a great effort, recovered her composure. And after that,
21:22
Speaker 2: although the trial and danger of the king were nightly
21:24
Speaker 2: discussed and lamented, she never said a word as to
21:27
Speaker 2: the possibility of the catastrophe being averted. One day towards
21:32
Speaker 2: the end of February, Harry felt a thrill run through him,
21:35
Speaker 2: as on glancing over the list of persons to be
21:38
Speaker 2: tried on the following day, he saw the name of Marie,
21:41
Speaker 2: daughter of the Si de Vian, Marquis de Saint ka.
21:46
Speaker 2: Although his knowledge of ross Pierre's character gave him little
21:48
Speaker 2: ground for hope, he determined upon making a direct appeal.
21:54
Speaker 2: I see citizen, he said, for such was the mode
21:57
Speaker 2: of addressed universal at that time, that the list of
22:00
Speaker 2: persons to be tried, as the name of Marie de
22:02
Speaker 2: Saint Cow say Marie cal Ross Pierre said, reprovingly, you
22:08
Speaker 2: know day and saints are both forbidden prefixes. Yes, what
22:13
Speaker 2: would you say about her? I told you, Citizen, upon
22:17
Speaker 2: the first night when I came here, that I had
22:19
Speaker 2: been in the service of the father of this female citizen.
22:22
Speaker 2: Although I know now that he was one of those
22:25
Speaker 2: who lived upon the blood of the people, I am
22:27
Speaker 2: bound to see say that he has always treated his
22:31
Speaker 2: dependence kindly. His daughter also showed me many marks of kindness,
22:35
Speaker 2: and this I would now feign return. Citizen, I did
22:39
Speaker 2: you some service on the night when we first met,
22:41
Speaker 2: and I ask you now, as a full quittance for
22:45
Speaker 2: that aid, that you will grant me the freedom of
22:47
Speaker 2: this young woman. Whatever were the crimes of her father,
22:51
Speaker 2: she cannot have shared in them. She is young and
22:53
Speaker 2: I cannot do harm to any Therefore, I implore you
22:57
Speaker 2: to give me her life. I'm surprised that your request.
23:01
Speaker 2: Russ Pierre said, Comely, this woman belongs to a race
23:04
Speaker 2: who has for centuries of press France, and it is
23:07
Speaker 2: better that they should perish altogether. If she can convince
23:10
Speaker 2: the tribunal she is innocent of all crime. Undoubtedly she
23:13
Speaker 2: will be spared, but I cannot, only on account of
23:16
Speaker 2: the obligation I'm under to you, interfere on her behalf.
23:20
Speaker 2: Such an act would be treason to the people. And
23:22
Speaker 2: I hope you know me well enough by this time
23:25
Speaker 2: to be aware that nothing whatever would induce me to
23:28
Speaker 2: allow my private inclinations to interfere with the course of justice.
23:33
Speaker 2: Ask of me all I have, it is little enough,
23:36
Speaker 2: but it is yours.
23:38
Speaker 1: But this thing I cannot grant you.
23:40
Speaker 2: For a moment, Harry was on the point of bursting
23:42
Speaker 2: out indignantly, but he checked himself and without a word,
23:46
Speaker 2: went on with his writing, although tears of disappointment for
23:49
Speaker 2: a time almost blinded him. But he felt it would
23:51
Speaker 2: be hopeless to urge the point further, and that did
23:55
Speaker 2: he do so, he might forfeit the opportunity he now
23:58
Speaker 2: had of learning what was going on. Another month passed
24:01
Speaker 2: before the name appeared on the fatal list. In the meantime,
24:04
Speaker 2: Harry had corresponded regularly with Marie by means of the warder,
24:08
Speaker 2: and had even once seen her and exchanged a few
24:11
Speaker 2: words with her. Having been sent by Ross Pierre with
24:13
Speaker 2: a letter to the governor of the prison, Marie was
24:16
Speaker 2: greatly changed. Her color had faded away, the former somewhat
24:20
Speaker 2: haughty air and courage had disappeared, and there was an
24:23
Speaker 2: expression of patent resignation on her face. Harry had only
24:29
Speaker 2: the opportunity to whisper to her hope always all is
24:32
Speaker 2: not lost. Yet he had spent hours each day in
24:36
Speaker 2: his lodging imitating the signature of ross Pierre that he
24:39
Speaker 2: had made up his mind that should all other efforts fail,
24:43
Speaker 2: he would boldly present himself at the prison with an
24:46
Speaker 2: order from Marie's release. With ross Pierre's signature forged at
24:49
Speaker 2: the bottom, He thought he could write it now plainly
24:52
Speaker 2: enough for it to pass. His fear was that the
24:55
Speaker 2: prison authorities would not act upon it unless presented by
24:59
Speaker 2: a well known official personage, without sending to Rosspierre to
25:02
Speaker 2: have it verified. Still, but little change had taken place
25:06
Speaker 2: in the Victor de Guisson's condition. He'd remained in a
25:10
Speaker 2: state almost of lethargy, with an expression of dull hopelessness
25:14
Speaker 2: on his face. Sometimes he passed his hand wearily across
25:18
Speaker 2: his forehead, as if he were trying to recollect something
25:21
Speaker 2: he had lost. He was still too weak to stand,
25:24
Speaker 2: but Jacques and his wife would dress him and place
25:27
Speaker 2: him on a couch which Harry purchased for his use.
25:30
Speaker 2: The worthy couple ran no risk now, for the sharpest
25:34
Speaker 2: spy would fail to recognize in the bowed down, invalid,
25:37
Speaker 2: with the vacant face, the once brilliant Victor de Guisson.
25:42
Speaker 2: Harry had many talks with Jenny concerning him. What should
25:46
Speaker 2: we do, Harry, the girl said, over and over if
25:48
Speaker 2: we could get Marie away and all get safe together
25:51
Speaker 2: to England, which I began to despair now of our
25:54
Speaker 2: ever doing. But if we should do it, what should
25:57
Speaker 2: we say to marine? He thinks Victor is safe there.
26:01
Speaker 2: Only the other day, as you know, she sent us
26:04
Speaker 2: out a letter to him. What would she say when
26:07
Speaker 2: she'd learned on her arrival in England that Victor has
26:10
Speaker 2: all this time being lying, broken down and suffering in Paris.
26:14
Speaker 2: To this question, Harry, for a long time could give
26:17
Speaker 2: no answer. At last, he said, I have been thinking
26:20
Speaker 2: it over Jenny, and I feel that we have no
26:23
Speaker 2: right to take Marie away without her knowing the truth
26:25
Speaker 2: about Victor. His misfortunes have come upon him because he
26:29
Speaker 2: would stop in Paris to watch over her. I feel
26:32
Speaker 2: now that she has the right if she chooses of
26:35
Speaker 2: stopping in Paris to look after him. Oh, Harry, you
26:39
Speaker 2: would never think of our going away and leaving her.
26:43
Speaker 2: I don't know, Jenny, if it would not be best,
26:46
Speaker 2: she could say in disguise of a peasant girl with
26:49
Speaker 2: Jacques and his wife, they would give out that she
26:52
Speaker 2: was Victor's sister who had come to nurse him. I
26:54
Speaker 2: have great hopes that her voice and presence would do
26:57
Speaker 2: what we have to do, namely awaken him for the
27:02
Speaker 2: sad state of his lethargy. They could stay there for
27:05
Speaker 2: months until these evil days are over. Jacques's workmen friends
27:09
Speaker 2: are accustomed now to Victory being with him, and there
27:12
Speaker 2: is no chance of any suspicion arising that he is
27:15
Speaker 2: not what he seems to be, a workman whom Jacques
27:18
Speaker 2: picked up injured and insensible on that terrible night. It
27:22
Speaker 2: would seem natural that his sister or his fiance Marie
27:26
Speaker 2: could pass for whichever she chose, should come and help
27:29
Speaker 2: take care of him. Then if I can stop in
27:31
Speaker 2: Paris with Victor, of course we can stop with Louise.
27:35
Speaker 2: I'm afraid not, Harry said. Every day the search for
27:38
Speaker 2: suspects becomes stricter. Every day people are being seized and
27:41
Speaker 2: called upon to produce the papers proving their identity, and
27:44
Speaker 2: I fear, Jenny, there was no hope of a permanent
27:48
Speaker 2: safety for you, save in flight. It was just a
27:51
Speaker 2: month from the mock trial at which Marie had been
27:54
Speaker 2: found guilty and sentenced to death that Harry received a
27:57
Speaker 2: double shock. Among the letters of denunciation was for the
28:01
Speaker 2: following citizen, I know that you watch over the state.
28:05
Speaker 2: I would have you know that for more than seven
28:07
Speaker 2: months two girls have been dwelling with one, Louis Mouline
28:11
Speaker 2: of fifteen Rue Michele. There were three of them, but
28:14
Speaker 2: the eldest had disappeared. This in itself is mysterious. The
28:19
Speaker 2: old woman herself was a servant in the family of
28:22
Speaker 2: the Sie de Villant, Marquis de Saint Carle. She gives
28:26
Speaker 2: out that the girls are relatives of hers, but it
28:28
Speaker 2: is believed in the neighborhood that they are aristocrats in disguise.
28:32
Speaker 2: They received many visits from a young man of whom
28:34
Speaker 2: no one knows anything. Harry felt the color leave his cheeks,
28:41
Speaker 2: and his hand shook as he hastily abstracted the note,
28:44
Speaker 2: and he could scarcely master the meaning of the next
28:46
Speaker 2: few letters he opened. This was a sudden blow for
28:49
Speaker 2: which he was unprepared. He could not even think what
28:51
Speaker 2: was best to be done. However, saying to himself that
28:55
Speaker 2: he had at any rate a few days before him,
28:58
Speaker 2: he resolutely put the matter of as to be thought
29:01
Speaker 2: over when he was alone, and proceeded with his work.
29:04
Speaker 2: After a time, he came to the list of those
29:06
Speaker 2: marked out for execution on the following day and saw
29:10
Speaker 2: with a fresh pang in the name of Marie day
29:13
Speaker 2: Saint cow. So the crisis had arrived that night or never,
29:18
Speaker 2: Marie must be rescued, and his plan of forging ross
29:22
Speaker 2: Pierre's signature must be put into effect. That day. He
29:25
Speaker 2: opened the next few papers mechanically, but studied himself upon
29:28
Speaker 2: Ross Pierre asking him a question. For a time he
29:31
Speaker 2: worked on, but his brain was swimming, and he was
29:34
Speaker 2: on the point of saying that he felt strangely unwell
29:36
Speaker 2: and must be asked to excuse for the work for
29:38
Speaker 2: the day, when he heard a ring at the bell,
29:41
Speaker 2: and a moment later le Bat entered the room. I
29:44
Speaker 2: just come from the tribunal citizen, he said, and I
29:46
Speaker 2: have seen the list for tomorrow. I have come to you,
29:49
Speaker 2: as I know you are just and abhor the shedding
29:52
Speaker 2: of innocent blood. There is a number among them, a
29:57
Speaker 2: young girl who was wholly innocent. I know her well,
30:01
Speaker 2: for she comes from my province, and her father's chateau
30:03
Speaker 2: was within a few miles of de Jon. Although her
30:06
Speaker 2: father was a furious aristocrat, her heart.
30:08
Speaker 1: Was always with the people.
30:10
Speaker 2: She was good to the poor, and was beloved by
30:13
Speaker 2: all the tenants of the estate. It is not just
30:15
Speaker 2: that she should die for the sins of her parents. Moreover, henceforth,
30:19
Speaker 2: if pardon she will no longer be an aristocrat, I
30:23
Speaker 2: respond for her, for she has promised to marry me,
30:26
Speaker 2: the delegate of Burgundy to the Commune. The young woman
30:29
Speaker 2: is the daughter of the man called Marquis de Saint Cale,
30:33
Speaker 2: who met his deserved fate on the second of September.
30:37
Speaker 2: You are willing to respond for her, Citizen, ross Pierre said,
30:41
Speaker 2: I am. The fact that she will be my wife
30:44
Speaker 2: is surely a guarantee. It is ross Pierre said, what
30:49
Speaker 2: you tell me convinces me that I can, without damage
30:52
Speaker 2: to the cause of the people, grant your request. I
30:55
Speaker 2: am the more glad to sde to do so, since
30:58
Speaker 2: my secretary has also for her life. But though he
31:01
Speaker 2: rendered me the greatest service, I owe to him a
31:04
Speaker 2: debt of gratitude. I was obliged to refuse, for to
31:07
Speaker 2: grant his request would have been to allow a private
31:09
Speaker 2: feeling to interfere with the justice of the people.
31:12
Speaker 1: But now it is different.
31:14
Speaker 2: You tell me that except by birth, she is no aristocrat,
31:17
Speaker 2: that she has long been a friend of the people,
31:18
Speaker 2: and that she is going to be your wife. On
31:21
Speaker 2: these grounds, I can with good conscience grant her release.
31:24
Speaker 2: Lebat had looked with astonishment at Harry as Rospierre spoke.
31:28
Speaker 2: Thank you, citizen. He said to Rospierre, it is an
31:31
Speaker 2: act of justice which I relied upon from your well
31:34
Speaker 2: known character. I promise to you that your clemency will
31:37
Speaker 2: not be misplaced, and that she will become a worthy citizen.
31:41
Speaker 2: May I ask, he said, how is it that your secretary,
31:44
Speaker 2: whose face seems familiar to me, is interested in this
31:47
Speaker 2: young woman? Also, it is simple enough, Frosspier replied, he
31:51
Speaker 2: was in the service of her father. Oh I remember now,
31:54
Speaker 2: Labat said he is English. I wonder, citizen, that you
31:57
Speaker 2: should give your confidence to one of that treacherous nation.
32:01
Speaker 2: He saved my life, ross Pierre replied coldly, A somewhat
32:04
Speaker 2: good ground, you will admit for placing confidence in him. Assuredly,
32:09
Speaker 2: Lebat said hastily, seeing that ross Pierre was offended. And now, Citizen,
32:13
Speaker 2: there's another matter of importance I wish to confer with you,
32:16
Speaker 2: Harry Rose. Citizen, I will ask you to excuse me
32:21
Speaker 2: from further work today. My head aches badly and I
32:23
Speaker 2: can scarce see what I am writing. I thought you
32:26
Speaker 2: were making some confusion of my paper, as ross Pierre said, kindly,
32:29
Speaker 2: by all means, put aside your work. On leaving the room,
32:33
Speaker 2: Harry ran up to the attic above which he had
32:35
Speaker 2: occupied since he had entered ross Pierre's service, rapidly put
32:38
Speaker 2: on the blue blouse and pantaloons which he had formerly worn,
32:42
Speaker 2: pulled his cap well down over his eyes, and hurried
32:45
Speaker 2: down the stairs. He stationed himself some distance along the
32:48
Speaker 2: street and waited for Lebat to come out. Rapidly. Thinking
32:52
Speaker 2: the matter over, he concluded that the man would not
32:54
Speaker 2: present himself with the order of release until after dark,
32:58
Speaker 2: in order that Marie struggled or tried to make her
33:00
Speaker 2: escape that would be unnoticed in the street. Lebat had calculated,
33:04
Speaker 2: of course, now, on the presentation of the order of
33:07
Speaker 2: the prison officials, would at once lead Marie to the gates,
33:11
Speaker 2: whether she wished it or not, and would, at his
33:13
Speaker 2: order force her into a vehicle which she would be
33:16
Speaker 2: completely in his power, and he could confine her in
33:19
Speaker 2: his own house or elsewhere until she consented to be
33:22
Speaker 2: his wife. A quarter of an hour later, Lebat came
33:26
Speaker 2: out to the house and walked down the street. Harry
33:28
Speaker 2: spoke to one of the drivers. When he had gone
33:31
Speaker 2: on again, Harry went up to the man. Comrade, He said,
33:34
Speaker 2: do you wish to do good action earn a couple
33:36
Speaker 2: of gold pieces at the same time? That will suit
33:39
Speaker 2: me admirably. The coachman replied, let one of your comrades
33:42
Speaker 2: look after your horse then, and let us have a
33:44
Speaker 2: glass of wine together in that cabaret. As soon as
33:48
Speaker 2: they were seated at a small table with a measure
33:50
Speaker 2: of wine before them, Harry said, that deputy with the
33:54
Speaker 2: red sash who spoke to you just now, has engaged
33:57
Speaker 2: you for a.
33:57
Speaker 1: Job this evening. The coachman said, I am to be
34:01
Speaker 1: left to.
34:02
Speaker 2: Corner at the Palace de Carsel at eighth this evening.
34:05
Speaker 2: He is a bad lot, Harry said. He is going
34:07
Speaker 2: to carry off a poor girl to whom he has
34:09
Speaker 2: been promising marriage. But of course we know better than that.
34:13
Speaker 2: She is a friend of mine, and so were her parents,
34:16
Speaker 2: and I want to save her. Now. What I want
34:18
Speaker 2: to do is to take your place on the box.
34:21
Speaker 1: This evening.
34:21
Speaker 2: I will drive him to the place where he is
34:23
Speaker 2: to meet her, and when he gets her to the
34:25
Speaker 2: door of his lodging, I shall jump off and give
34:27
Speaker 2: my citizens such a thrashing as to put a stop
34:30
Speaker 2: to his galvanating for some time. I will give you
34:34
Speaker 2: ten crowns for the use of your coach for an hour, agreed,
34:37
Speaker 2: The coachman said, between ourselves, some of these fellows who
34:40
Speaker 2: pretend to be friends of the people are just as
34:42
Speaker 2: great scoundrels, aye, and.
34:44
Speaker 1: Worse than the aristocrats were.
34:46
Speaker 2: We drivers know a good many things that people in
34:48
Speaker 2: general don't.
34:50
Speaker 1: But you must mind, citizen.
34:51
Speaker 2: He carries a sword, you know, and the beating may
34:54
Speaker 2: turn out the other way. Oh, I can get a
34:57
Speaker 2: comrade or two to help, Harry said, laughing. There are
34:59
Speaker 2: other besides myself who would not see our pretty Isabelle wronged.
35:04
Speaker 2: And where shall I get my coach again at the
35:06
Speaker 2: end of Rue Saint Augustine. I expect I should be
35:09
Speaker 2: there by nine o'clock with it, but I am sure
35:11
Speaker 2: not to be many minutes later.
35:13
Speaker 1: Here is the Louis.
35:14
Speaker 2: Now, I will give you the other. When I change
35:17
Speaker 2: places with you, be at the Palace de Carousel at
35:20
Speaker 2: a half past seven. I shall be on the lookout
35:22
Speaker 2: for you. I won't fail. The coachman said, you may
35:26
Speaker 2: rely upon that. Harry now hurried away to his friends Jacques,
35:30
Speaker 2: and rapidly gave an account of what had taken place
35:33
Speaker 2: in the first place. Jacques, I want your wife to
35:36
Speaker 2: see her friend and to go to her. To take
35:38
Speaker 2: a note instantly to the warder for him to give
35:41
Speaker 2: the Mademoiselle de Saint Caw. It is to tell her
35:44
Speaker 2: to make no resistance when Levat presents the order for
35:46
Speaker 2: her release, but to go with him quietly, because if
35:50
Speaker 2: she appeals to the warders and declares that she would
35:52
Speaker 2: rather die than go with him, it is just as
35:55
Speaker 2: possible that they might refuse to let him take her away,
35:58
Speaker 2: saying that the order was for her release but not
36:00
Speaker 2: for her delivery to him. I don't suppose they would
36:03
Speaker 2: do so because it's one of the members of the
36:05
Speaker 2: Committee of Public Safety, he is all powerful. Still, it
36:09
Speaker 2: would be as well to avoid any risk whatsoever of
36:12
Speaker 2: our scheme. Failing, I will drive to the Rue Montagarde,
36:17
Speaker 2: which as you know, is close to La Force. It
36:19
Speaker 2: is a quiet street and it is not likely there
36:21
Speaker 2: will be anybody about a half past eight. Will you
36:24
Speaker 2: be there and give me a hand to secure the fellow?
36:27
Speaker 2: Certainly I will, Jacques said, heartily. What do you promise
36:29
Speaker 2: to do with him? I propose to tie his hands
36:32
Speaker 2: and feet and gag him, and then drive the Rue
36:34
Speaker 2: b Laree, which is close by, and where there are
36:37
Speaker 2: some unfinished houses. We can toss him in there and
36:40
Speaker 2: he will be safe till morning. It will be the
36:43
Speaker 2: safest plan to run him through at once.
36:45
Speaker 1: And be done with him. Jacques said.
36:47
Speaker 2: He will be a dangerous enemy, and if left alive,
36:50
Speaker 2: as he would kill you without mercy if he had
36:52
Speaker 2: a chance. I don't see why you need be overnights
36:55
Speaker 2: with him. The man is a scoundrel and one of
36:58
Speaker 2: a band of men who I regard murders. Harry said,
37:01
Speaker 2: but I could not kill him in cold blood. You
37:04
Speaker 2: are wrong, Jacques said, earnestly, and you are risking everything
37:07
Speaker 2: by letting him live. Such a fellow should be killed
37:10
Speaker 2: like a rat when you get him in a trap.
37:12
Speaker 2: It may be so, Harry agreed, but I could not
37:14
Speaker 2: bring myself to do it. Jacques was silent, but not convinced.
37:19
Speaker 2: It seemed to him an act of the extremest folly
37:21
Speaker 2: to leave so dangerous an enemy alive. He would hunt
37:25
Speaker 2: us down, he said to himself. Else and I the
37:29
Speaker 2: poor lad and the girl, to say nothing of the
37:31
Speaker 2: Englishman and the girl's sisters. Well we shall see. I
37:35
Speaker 2: am risking my head in his business, and I mean
37:37
Speaker 2: to have my say. Having made all his arrangements, Harry
37:41
Speaker 2: returned to the attic and laid down there until evening,
37:44
Speaker 2: Having before he went and purchased a sword. At seven o'clock,
37:47
Speaker 2: he placed his pistols in his bosom, girded his sword,
37:50
Speaker 2: which would attract no attention for half the rabble of
37:53
Speaker 2: Paris carried weapons, and then set out to the Palace
37:56
Speaker 2: de Carousel. At half past seven, his friend, the coachman,
37:59
Speaker 2: drew up. Ah, here you are, he said, you better
38:03
Speaker 2: take this big cape of mind. He will find it
38:05
Speaker 2: precious cold in the box Besides, he would notice at
38:09
Speaker 2: once if you were not the coachman he hired, if
38:11
Speaker 2: you are dressed in that blouse. Harry took off his
38:13
Speaker 2: sword and placed it on the seat, wrapped himself in
38:16
Speaker 2: the great cape, wound a muffler around the lower part
38:19
Speaker 2: of his face, and waited. A few minutes after the
38:22
Speaker 2: clock had struck eight, Lebot came along. Here we are, citizen,
38:26
Speaker 2: Harry said, in a rough voice. I am glad you
38:28
Speaker 2: have come, for it is no joke waiting about on
38:31
Speaker 2: such nights as this. Where am I to drid you
38:34
Speaker 2: to the prison of La Force, Lebat said, taking his
38:38
Speaker 2: seat in the coach, Harry's heart beat fast as he
38:41
Speaker 2: drove towards the prison. He felt sure that success would
38:44
Speaker 2: attend his plans, but the moment was an exciting one.
38:47
Speaker 2: It did not seem that anything could interpose to prevent success,
38:51
Speaker 2: and yet something might happen which he had not foreseen
38:54
Speaker 2: or guarded against. He drove it a little more than
38:57
Speaker 2: a foot paste for the streets at a short distance
38:59
Speaker 2: from this center of the town. We're only lighted here
39:02
Speaker 2: and there by a dim oil lamp, and further away
39:05
Speaker 2: they were in absolute darkness save for the lights which
39:08
Speaker 2: gleamed through the casements. At last he reached the entrance
39:12
Speaker 2: to the prison. Lebat jumped out and rang at the bell.
39:16
Speaker 2: What is a citizen, the guard said, looking through a
39:18
Speaker 2: grill in the gate. I'm Citizen Labata of the Committee
39:21
Speaker 2: of Public Safety, and I have an order here signed
39:24
Speaker 2: by Citizen Ross Pierre for the release of the female
39:27
Speaker 2: prisoner known as Marie cow all Right. Citizen, the man said,
39:32
Speaker 2: opening the gate. It is late for a discharge, but
39:34
Speaker 2: I don't suppose the prisoner will grumble with that. Ten
39:37
Speaker 2: minutes later the gate opened again and Lebat came out
39:40
Speaker 2: with a cloaked female figure. She hesitated on the top
39:44
Speaker 2: step and then, refusing to touch the hand Labat held
39:46
Speaker 2: out to his sister, stepped down and entered the coach
39:50
Speaker 2: rue Fossier number eighteen, Labat said, as he followed her.
39:53
Speaker 2: Harry drove on and he was soon at the rue
39:56
Speaker 2: Montanda guard. It was a dark, narrow street. No one
40:00
Speaker 2: seems stirring, and Harry peered anxiously through the darkness for
40:03
Speaker 2: the figure of Jacques. Presently, he heard a low whistle
40:07
Speaker 2: and a figure appeared from the doorway. Harry at once
40:10
Speaker 2: checked his horse. What is it, Lebot asked, putting his
40:13
Speaker 2: head out of the window. Harry got off the box, and,
40:15
Speaker 2: going to the window, said, in a drunken voice, Hello,
40:18
Speaker 2: my fare There.
40:20
Speaker 3: Is a cabaret just ahead, and I want to clasp
40:22
Speaker 3: before I go further. My feet are pretty well frozen.
40:25
Speaker 3: Drive on, you, drunken rascal, Labat said furiously, or it
40:28
Speaker 3: will be worse for you. Oh you speak to me
40:30
Speaker 3: that way, citizen Harry said hoarsely. One man as good
40:35
Speaker 3: as another in these days, and if you talk like
40:38
Speaker 3: that to me, I will break your head in spite
40:40
Speaker 3: of red sash. With the exclamation of rage, Lebot sprang
40:44
Speaker 3: from the coach and at his foot touched the ground.
40:47
Speaker 2: Harry threw his arms round him, but it did so
40:50
Speaker 2: he trod upon some filth which so thickly littered through
40:53
Speaker 2: the thoroughfare, and slipped. Lebot wrenched himself free and drew
40:57
Speaker 2: his sword, and before Harry could have regained his he
41:00
Speaker 2: would have cut him down when he fell himself in
41:03
Speaker 2: a heap of tremendous blow which Jacques struck him with
41:06
Speaker 2: his sword. Jump inside. Jack said to Harry, we have
41:09
Speaker 2: someone out to see what this noise is all about.
41:12
Speaker 2: He will be of no more trouble. He sees the
41:15
Speaker 2: prostrate body, threw it in the box, and taking his seat,
41:18
Speaker 2: drove on Marie. Harry said, as he jumped in, thank
41:21
Speaker 2: God you are safe. Oh Harry, is it you? Can?
41:24
Speaker 2: It be true? And the spirit which had so long
41:27
Speaker 2: sustained the girl gave way, and, leaning her head upon
41:29
Speaker 2: his shoulder, she burst into tears. Harry soothed and pacified
41:34
Speaker 2: her till the vehicle again came to a stop. What
41:37
Speaker 2: is it, Jacques, Harry asked, putting his head out the window.
41:39
Speaker 2: Just what we agreed upon? The man said, here are
41:42
Speaker 2: the empty houses. You stop where you are and I
41:44
Speaker 2: will get rid of this trash. Harry, however, got out.
41:47
Speaker 2: Is he dead? He asked in low boys.
41:50
Speaker 1: Well, considering his.
41:51
Speaker 2: Head's cut pretty nigh in two, I should think he was.
41:54
Speaker 1: Jaques said.
41:55
Speaker 2: It could not be helped, you know, for if I
41:57
Speaker 2: hadn't struck sharp, it would have been with you again.
42:02
Speaker 2: It's better as it is a hundred times. If you
42:04
Speaker 2: don't value your neck, I do mine. Now get in again,
42:08
Speaker 2: I shan't be two minutes. He slipped off the red
42:11
Speaker 2: sash and coat and waistcoat of the dead man. Emptied
42:14
Speaker 2: his trouser pockets and turned them inside out. Then, lifting
42:17
Speaker 2: the body in his shoulder, he carried it to more
42:18
Speaker 2: of the empty houses and threw it in. They will
42:22
Speaker 2: never know who he is, he said to himself, in
42:24
Speaker 2: this neighborhood. The first corner will take his shirt and trousers.
42:27
Speaker 2: They will suppose he has been killed and robbed, no
42:29
Speaker 2: uncommon matter in these days, and his body will be
42:32
Speaker 2: thrown into the public pit, and no one will be
42:34
Speaker 2: any the wiser. I will burn the coat and waistcoat
42:37
Speaker 2: as soon as I get back. End of Chapter ten.
42:43
Speaker 2: Recording by Ryan Cherrick