Books: The Reign Of Terror
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G. A. Henty >> The Reign Of Terror
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"But I have no authority," Robespierre said. "I am neither a minister
nor a ruler."
"You are not a minister, citizen, but you are assuredly a ruler. It
is to you men look more than to any other. Danton is too headstrong
and violent. You alone combine fearlessness in the cause of France
with that wisdom and moderation which are, above all things,
necessary in guiding the state through its dangers."
Robespierre's vanity was so inordinate that he accepted the compliment
as his due, though he waved his hand with an air of deprecation.
"Therefore, citizen," Harry went on, "a letter from you would be
more powerful than an order from another."
"But these persons who travel with you, citizen - how am I to be
sure they are not enemies of France?"
"France is not to be shaken," Harry said, smiling, "by the efforts
of an old woman of seventy and a young boy and girl; but I can
assure you that they are no enemies of France, but simple inoffensive
people who have been frightened by the commotion in Paris, and long
to return to the country life to which they are accustomed. Come,
citizen, you refused the first boon which I asked you, and, methinks,
cannot hesitate at granting one who has deserved well of you this
slight favour."
"You are right," Robespierre said. "I cannot refuse you, even if
the persons who accompany you belong to the class of suspects, of
which, mind, I know nothing, though I may have my suspicions. I
have not forgotten, you know, that you asked for the life of the
daughter of the ci-devant Marquis de St. Caux; and for aught I know
these children may be of the same breed. But I will not ask you.
Did I know it, not even the obligation I am under to you would you
induce me to do what you ask; for although as children they can
do no harm, they might do so were they allowed to grow up hating
France. All children of suspects are, as you know, ordered to be
placed in the state schools, in order that they may there learn
to love the people of France and to grow up worthy citizens. Now,
how shall I word it?" he said, taking up a pen; and Harry dictated:
"I hereby recommend Citizen Henri Sandwith, age 19, who has been
acting as my confidential secretary, to all public authorities,
together with Citoyenne Moulin and her two grandchildren, with whom
he is travelling."
To this Robespierre signed his name and handed the paper to Harry.
"How long will you be before you return?" he asked.
"I cannot say exactly," Harry replied; "as after I have seen them
to their destination I may stop with them for a few weeks."
Robespierre nodded and held out his hand.
"I shall be glad to have you with me again, for I have conceived
a strong friendship for you, and think none the worse of you for
your showing your gratitude to the family in whom you are interested."
Harry then went into the kitchen, where Robespierre's sister was
preparing the next meal, and said good-bye to her.
She had taken a fancy to her brother's young secretary, and expressed
a hope that his absence would be but a short one, telling him that
Robespierre had said only the day before how much work he had saved
him, and that he was determined to push his fortunes to the utmost.
Having thus paved the way for an appeal to Robespierre should he
find himself in difficulties on the road, Harry proceeded to Jacques'
house and waited there until it was time to go up to meet Louise
and the girls.
Victor did not wake until the afternoon. The doctor had called
as usual, but had not roused him. He had been told what had taken
place, and had held out hope to Marie that Victor's improvement
would he permanent, and that he would now make steady progress
towards recovery.
At the appointed hour Harry was at his post to meet the party. They
came along within a few minutes of the time named, but instead of
stopping to greet him they walked straight on, Jeanne saying as
she passed him:
"I think we are followed."
Harry at once drew back and allowed them to go fifty yards on before
he moved after them. As there were many people about, it was some
little time before he could verify Jeanne's suspicions; then he
noticed that a man, walking a short distance ahead of him, followed
each turning that the others took.
Harry waited until they were in a quiet street, and then quickened
his pace until he was close behind the man. Then he drew one of
his pistols, and, springing forward, struck him a heavy blow on
the head with its butt. He fell forward on his face without a cry;
and Harry, satisfied that he had stunned him, ran on and overtook
the others, and, turning down the first street they came to, was
assured that they were safe from pursuit.
"We had noticed a man lounging against the house opposite all the
afternoon," Jeanne said, "and came to the conclusion that he must
be watching us; so we looked out for him when we came out, and
noticed that as soon as we went on he began to walk that way too.
So I told Louise to walk straight on without stopping when we came
up to you. I was sure you would manage somehow to get rid of him."
Harry laughed.
"I fancy he will spend to-morrow in bed instead of lounging about.
Perhaps it will teach him to mind his own business in future and to
leave other people alone. I am very glad that he did follow you;
for I felt that I owed him one, and was sorry to leave Paris without
paying my debt. Now I think we are pretty well square."
The meeting between the sisters was indeed a happy one. They fell
on each other's necks, and for some time scarce a word was spoken;
then they stood a little apart and had a long look at each other.
"You are changed, Marie dear," Jeanne said; "you look pale, but
you look, too, softer and prettier than you used to."
"All my airs and graces have been rubbed off," Marie said with a
slight smile. "I have learned so much, Jeanne, and have been where
noble blood has been the reverse of a recommendation. You are changed
too - the six months have altered you. Your gouvernante would not
call you a wild girl now. You are quite a woman.
"We have suffered too, Marie," Jeanne said as tears came to her eyes
at the thought of the changes and losses of the last few months.
"We have thought of you night and day; but Louise has been very good
to us, and as for Harry, we owe everything to him. He has always
been so hopeful and strong, and has cheered us up with promises
that he would bring you to us some day."
Marie smiled.
"You are right, Jeanne. I used to laugh a little, you know, at your
belief in your hero, and little thought that the time would come
when I should trust him as implicitly as you do. You have a right
to be proud of him, Jeanne. What thought and devotion and courage
he has shown for us! And do you know, he saved Victor too. Jacques
has told me all about it - how Victor saw his father brought out
to be murdered; and how, half-mad, he was springing out to stand
beside him, when Harry as quick as thought knocked him down before
he could betray himself; and then Jacques, who was standing by saw
it, helped him carry him here. Oh, my dear, how much we owe him!
"And now, Virginie," she said, turning to the youngest, "I must
have a good look at you, little one - but no, I mustn't call you
little one any longer, for you are already almost as tall as I am.
My child, how you have been growing, and you look so well! Louise
must have been feeding you up. Ah, Louise, how much we all owe to
you too! And I hear you are going to leave your comfortable home
and take care of the girls on their journey. It was such a comfort
to me when Harry told me!"
"I could not let them go alone, mademoiselle," the old woman said
simply; "it was only my duty. Besides, what should I do in Paris
with all my children in England?"
"Now, my dears, take your things off," Marie said. "I will just
run in and see how Victor is getting on. Harry went straight in to
him, and I want to know whether Victor recognized him."
CHAPTER XII Nantes
Harry was very pleased to see a look of recognition on Victor's
face as he came up to the side of his couch.
"Well, Victor," he said cheerfully, "I am glad to see you looking
more yourself again."
Victor nodded assent, and his hand feebly returned the pressure of
Harry's.
"I can't understand it," he said after a pause. "I seem to be in
a dream; but it is true Marie is here, isn't it?"
"Oh yes! She is chatting now with her sisters, Jeanne and Virginie,
you know."
"And why am I here?" Victor asked, looking round the room. "Marie
tells me not to ask questions."
"No. There will be plenty of time for that afterwards, Victor. It
is all simple enough. You were out with me, and there was an accident,
and you got hurt. So I and a workman who was passing carried you
into his house, and he and his wife have been taking care of you.
You have been very ill, but you are getting on better now. Marie
has come to nurse you, and she won't leave you until you are quite
well. Now, I think that's enough for you, and the doctor would be
very angry if he knew I had told you so much; because he said you
were not to bother yourself about things at all, but just to sleep
as much as you can, and eat as much as you can, and listen to Marie
talking and reading to you, and not trouble your brain in any way,
because it's your brain that has gone wrong, and any thinking will
be very bad for it."
This explanation seemed satisfactory to Victor, who soon after
dozed off to sleep, and Harry joined the party in Marie's sitting-room.
"Oh, if I could but keep them here with me, Harry, what a comfort
it would be!"
"I know that it would, Marie; but it is too dangerous. You know they
were denounced at Louise Moulin's. Already there is risk enough in
you and Victor being here. The search for Royalists does not relax,
indeed it seems to become more and more keen every day. Victor's
extreme illness is your best safeguard. The neighbours have heard
that Jacques has had a fellow-workman dangerously ill for some long
time, and Victor can no longer be looked upon as a stranger to be
suspected, while your coming here to help nurse him will seem so
natural a step that it will excite no comment. But any fresh addition
of numbers would be sure to give rise to talk, and you would have
a commissary of the Commune here in no time to make inquiries, and
to ask for your papers of domicile."
"Yes, I know that it would be too dangerous to risk," Marie agreed;
"but I tremble at the thought of their journey."
"I have every hope that we shall get through safely," Harry said.
"I have some good news I have not yet told you. I have received a
paper from Robespierre stating that I have been his secretary, and
recommending us all to the authorities, so that we can dispense
with the ordinary papers which they would otherwise ask for."
"That is good news, indeed, Harry," Marie said. "That relieves me
of half my anxiety. Once on the sea-coast it will be comparatively
easy to get a passage to England. My dear Harry, you surprise me
more every day, and I am ashamed to think that when our dear father
and mother first told me that they had accepted your noble offer
to look after us, I was inclined in my heart to think that such
protection would be of little use. You see I confess, Harry; and
you know that is half-way to forgiveness."
"There is nothing either to confess or forgive," Harry said with
a smile. "It was perfectly natural for you to think that a lad
of eighteen was a slender reed to lean on in the time of trouble
and danger, and that it was only by a lucky accident - for saving
Robespierre's life was but an accident - that I have been enabled
to be of use to you; and that I have now a pass which will enable
me to take your sisters with comparative safety as far as Nantes.
Had it not been for that I could have done little indeed to aid
you."
"You must not say so, Harry. You are too modest. Besides, was it
not your quickness that saved Victor? No, we owe you everything, and
disclaimers are only thrown away. As for me, I feel quite jealous
of Jeanne's superior perspicacity, for she trusted you absolutely
from the first."
"It has nothing to do with perspicacity," Jeanne said. "Harry saved
my life from that dreadful dog, and after that I knew if there was
danger he would be able to get us out of it. That is, if it were
possible for anyone to do so."
"I hope I shall be able to justify your trust, Jeanne, and arrive
safely with you at my father's house. I can promise you the warmest
of welcomes from my mother and sisters. I fear they must long since
have given me up for dead. I shall be like a shipwrecked mariner
who has been cast upon an island and given up as lost. But my father
always used to say, that if I was a first-rate hand at getting
into scrapes, I was equally good at getting out of them again; and
I don't think they will have quite despaired of seeing me again,
especially as they know, by the last letters I sent them, that
you all said I could speak French well enough to pass anywhere as
a native."
"How surprised they will be at your arriving with two girls and
Louise!" Virginie said.
"They will be pleased more than surprised," Harry replied. "I have
written so much about you in my letters that the girls and my mother
will be delighted to see you."
"Besides," Jeanne added, "the boys will have told them you are
waiting behind with us, so they will not be so surprised as they
would otherwise have been. But it will be funny, arriving among
people who don't speak a word of our language."
"You will soon be at home with them," said Harry reassuringly.
"Jenny and Kate are just about your ages, and I expect they will
have grown so I shall hardly know them. It is nearly three years
now since I left them, and I have to look at you to assure myself
that Jenny will have grown almost into a young woman. Now I shall
go out for a bit, and leave you to chat together.
"You need not fidget about Victor, Marie. Elise is with him, and
will come and let you know if he wakes; but I hope that he has gone
off fairly to sleep for the night. He knew me, and I think I have
put his mind at rest a little as to how he came here. I have told
him it was an accident in the street, and that we brought him in
here, and he has been too ill since to be moved. I don't think he
will ask any more questions. If I were you I would, while nursing,
resume the dress you came here in. It will be less puzzling to him
than the one you are wearing now."
The little party started the next morning at day-light, and at the
very first village they came to, found how strict was the watch upon
persons leaving Paris, and had reason to congratulate themselves
upon the possession of Robespierre's safe-conduct. No sooner had
they sat down in the village cabaret to breakfast than an official
with a red scarf presented himself, and asked them who they were
and where they were going. The production of the document at once
satisfied him; and, indeed, he immediately addressed the young man
in somewhat shabby garments, who had the honour of being secretary
to the great man, in tones of the greatest respect.
Virginie at present was shy and awkward in her attire as a boy, and
indeed had there been time the night before to procure a disguise
for her as a girl it would have been done, although Harry's opinion
that it would attract less attention for her to travel as a boy
was unchanged; but he would have given way had it been possible to
make the change. As any delay, however, would certainly be dangerous,
the original plan was adhered to.
Marie had cut her sister's hair short, and no one would have
suspected from her appearance that Virginie was not what she seemed,
a good-looking boy of some thirteen years old. With their bundles
in their hands they trudged along the road, and stopped for the
night at a village about twelve miles out of Paris. After having
again satisfied the authorities by the production of the pass,
Harry made inquiries, and the next morning went two miles away to
a farm-house, where there was, he heard, a cart and horse to be
disposed of.
After much haggling over terms - since to give the sum that was
first asked would have excited surprise, and perhaps suspicion -
Harry became the possessor of the horse and cart, drove triumphantly
back to the village, and having stowed Louise and the two girls on
some straw in the bottom of the cart, proceeded on the journey.
They met with no adventure whatever on the journey to Nantes, which
was performed in ten days. The weather was bitterly cold. Although
it was now well on in March the snow lay deep on the ground; but
the girls were well wrapped up, and the cart was filled with straw,
which helped to keep them warm. Harry walked for the most part by
the side of the horse's head, for they could only proceed at foot-pace;
but he sometimes climbed up and took the reins, the better to chat
with the girls and keep up their spirits. There was no occasion for
this in the case of Jeanne, but Virginie often gave way and cried
bitterly, and the old nurse suffered greatly from the cold in spite
of her warm wraps.
On arriving at Nantes Harry proceeded first to the Maine, and on
producing Robespierre's document received a permit to lodge in the
town. He then looked for apartments in the neighbourhood of the
river, and when he had obtained them disposed of the horse and cart.
The statement that he was Robespierre's secretary at once secured
for him much attention from the authorities, and he was invited to
become a member of the Revolutionary Committee during his stay in
the town, in order that he might see for himself with what zeal
the instructions received from Paris for the extermination of the
Royalists were being carried out.
This offer he accepted, as it would enable him to obtain information
of all that was going on. Had it not been for this he would gladly
have declined the honour, for his feelings were daily harrowed by
arrests and massacres which he was powerless to prevent, for he
did not venture to raise his voice on the side of mercy, for had he
done so, it would have been certain to excite suspicion. He found
that, horrible as were the atrocities committed in Paris, they
were even surpassed by those which were enacted in the provinces,
and that in Nantes in particular a terrible persecution was raging
under the direction of Carrier, who had been sent down from Paris
as commissioner from the Commune there.
Harry's next object was to make the acquaintance of some of the
fishermen, and to find out what vessels were engaged in smuggling
goods across to England; for it was in one of these alone that he
could hope to cross the Channel. This, however, he found much more
difficult than he had expected.
The terror was universal. The news of the execution of the king
had heightened the dismay. Massacres were going on all over France.
The lowest ruffians in all the great towns were now their masters,
and under pretended accusations were wreaking their hate upon the
respectable inhabitants. Private enmities were wiped out in blood.
None were too high or too low to be denounced as Royalists, and
denunciation was followed as a matter of course by a mock trial
and execution. Every man distrusted his neighbour, and fear caused
those who most loathed and hated the existing regime to be loudest
in their advocacy of it. There were spies everywhere - men who
received blood-money for every victim they denounced.
Thus, then, Harry's efforts to make acquaintances among the
sailors met with very slight success. He was a stranger, and that
was sufficient to cause distrust, and ere long it became whispered
that he had come from Paris with special authority to hasten on the
work of extirpation of the enemies of the state. Soon, therefore,
Harry perceived that as he moved along the quay little groups of
sailors and fishermen talking together broke up at his approach, the
men sauntering off to the wine-shops, and any he accosted replied
civilly indeed, but with embarrassment and restraint; and although
any questions of a general character were answered, a profound
ignorance was manifested upon the subject upon which he wished to
gain information. The sailors all seemed to know that occasionally
cargoes of spirits were run from the river to England, but none
could name any vessel engaged in the trade. Harry soon perceived
that he was regarded with absolute hostility, and one day one of
the sailors said to him quietly:
"Citizen, I am a good sans-culotte, and I warn you, you had best
not come down the river after dark, for there is a strong feeling
against you; and unless you would like your body to be fished out
of the river with half a dozen knife-holes in it, you will take my
advice."
Harry began to feel almost crushed under his responsibilities. His
attendance at the Revolutionary Committee tried him greatly. He
made no progress whatever in his efforts to obtain a passage; and
to add to his trouble the old nurse, who had been much exhausted
by the change from her usual habits, and the inclemency of the
weather on her journey, instead of gaining strength appeared to be
rapidly losing it, and was forced to take to her bed. The terrible
events in Paris, and the long strain of anxiety as to the safety
of the girls and the fate of Marie, had completely exhausted her
strength, and the last six months had aged her as many years. Harry
tried hard to keep up his appearance of hopefulness, and to cheer
the girls; but Jeanne's quick eye speedily perceived the change in
him.
"You are wearing yourself out, Harry," she said one evening as they
were sitting by the fire, while Virginie was tending Louise in the
next room. "I can see it in your face. It is of no use your trying
to deceive me. You tell us every day that you hope soon to get
hold of the captain of a boat sailing for England; but I know that
in reality you are making no progress. All those months when we
were hoping to get Marie out of prison - though it seemed next to
impossible - you told us not to despair, and I knew you did not
despair yourself; but now it is different. I am sure that you do
in your heart almost give up hope. Why don't you trust me, Harry?
I may not be able to do much, but I might try to cheer you. You
have been comforting us all this time. Surely it is time I took my
turn. I am not a child now."
"I feel like one just at present," Harry said unsteadily with
quivering lips. "I feel sometimes as if - as we used to say at school
- I could cry for twopence. I know, Jeanne, I can trust you, and
it isn't because I doubted your courage that I have not told you
exactly how things are going on, but because it is entirely upon
you now that Louise and Virginie have to depend, and I do not wish
to put any more weight on your shoulders; but it will be a relief
to me to tell you exactly how we stand."
Harry then told her how completely he had failed with the sailors,
and how an actual feeling of hostility against him had arisen.
"I think I could have stood that, Jeanne; but it is that terrible
committee that tries me. It is so awful hearing these fiends marking
out their victims and exulting over their murder, that at times I
feel tempted to throw myself upon some of them and strangle them."
"It must be dreadful, Harry," Jeanne said soothingly. "Will it not
be possible for you to give out that you are ill, and so absent
yourself for a time from their meetings? I am sure you look ill -
ill enough for anything. As to the sailors, do not let that worry
you. Even if you could hear of a ship at present it would be of no
use. I couldn't leave Louise; she seems to me to be getting worse
and worse, and the doctor you called in three days ago thinks
so too. I can see it by his face. I think he is a good man. The
woman whose sick child I sat up with last night tells me the poor
all love him. I am sure he guesses that we are not what we seem.
He said this morning to me:
"' I cannot do much for your grandmother. It is a general break-up.
I have many cases like it of old people and women upon whom the
anxiety of the times has told. Do not worry yourself with watching,
child. She will sleep quietly, and will not need attendance. If
you don't mind I shall have you on my hands. Anxiety affects the
young as well as the old.'
"At anyrate, you see, we cannot think of leaving here at present.
Louise has risked everything for us. It is quite impossible for
us to leave her now, so do not let that worry you. We are all in
God's hands, Harry, and we must wait patiently what He may send
us."
"We will wait patiently," Harry said. "I feel better now, Jeanne,
and you shall not see me give way again. What has been worrying me
most is the thought that it would have been wiser to have carried
out some other plan - to have put you and Virginie, for instance,
in some farmhouse not far from Paris, and for you to have waited
there till the storm blew over."
"You must never think that, Harry," Jeanne said earnestly. "You
know we all talked it over dozens of times, Louise and all of us,
and we agreed that this was our best chance, and Marie when she
came out quite thought so too. So, whatever comes, you must not
blame yourself in the slightest. Wherever we were we were in danger,
and might have been denounced."
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