zanoni-第88节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



save　her　by　thy　destruction：　　this　my　listeners　overheard。　　His

servant　is　the　messenger　between　the　prisoner　and　himself。〃



〃So！　　The　servant　shall　be　seized　in　the　open　streets　of　Paris。

The　Reign　of　Terror　is　not　over　yet。　　With　the　letters　found　on

him；　if　such　their　context；　I　will　pluck　Tallien　from　his　benches

in　the　Convention。〃



Robespierre　rose；　and　after　walking　a　few　moments　to　and　fro　the

room　in　thought；　opened　the　door　and　summoned　one　of　the　Jacobins

without。　　To　him　he　gave　his　orders　for　the　watch　and　arrest　of

Tallien's　servant；　and　then　threw　himself　again　into　his　chair。

As　the　Jacobin　departed；　Guerin　whispered；



〃Is　not　that　the　Citizen　Aristides？〃



〃Yes；　a　faithful　fellow；　if　he　would　wash　himself；　and　not　swear

so　much。〃



〃Didst　thou　not　guillotine　his　brother？〃



〃But　Aristides　denounced　him。〃



〃Nevertheless；　are　such　men　safe　about　thy　person？〃



〃Humph！　that　is　true。〃　　And　Robespierre；　drawing　out　his　pocket…

book；　wrote　a　memorandum　in　it；　replaced　it　in　his　vest；　and

resumed；



〃What　else　of　Tallien？〃



〃Nothing　more。　　He　and　Legendre；　with　the　unknown；　walked　to　the

Jardin　Egalite；　and　there　parted。　　I　saw　Tallien　to　his　house。

But　I　have　other　news。　　Thou　badest　me　watch　for　those　who

threaten　thee　in　secret　letters。〃



〃Guerin！　hast　thou　detected　them？　　Hast　thouhast　thou〃



And　the　tyrant；　as　he　spoke；　opened　and　shut　both　his　hands；　as

if　already　grasping　the　lives　of　the　writers；　and　one　of　those

convulsive　grimaces　that　seemed　like　an　epileptic　affection；　to

which　he　was　subject；　distorted　his　features。



〃Citizen；　I　think　I　have　found　one。　　Thou　must　know　that　amongst

those　most　disaffected　is　the　painter　Nicot。〃



〃Stay；　stay！〃　said　Robespierre；　opening　a　manuscript　book；　bound

in　red　morocco　（for　Robespierre　was　neat　and　precise；　even　in　his

death…lists）；　and　turning　to　an　alphabetical　index；〃Nicot！I

have　him；atheist；　sans…culotte　（I　hate　slovens）；　friend　of

Hebert！　　Aha！　　N。B。Rene　Dumas　knows　of　his　early　career　and

crimes。　　Proceed！〃



〃This　Nicot　has　been　suspected　of　diffusing　tracts　and　pamphlets

against　thyself　and　the　Comite。　　Yesterday　evening；　when　he　was

out；　his　porter　admitted　me　into　his　apartment；　Rue　Beau　Repaire。

With　my　master…key　I　opened　his　desk　and　escritoire。　　I　found

herein　a　drawing　of　thyself　at　the　guillotine；　and　underneath　was

written；　'Bourreau　de　ton　pays；　lis　l'arret　de　ton　chatiment！'

（Executioner　of　thy　country；　read　the　decree　of　thy　punishment！）

I　compared　the　words　with　the　fragments　of　the　various　letters

thou　gavest　me：　　the　handwriting　tallies　with　one。　　See；　I　tore

off　the　writing。〃



Robespierre　looked；　smiled；　and；　as　if　his　vengeance　were　already

satisfied；　threw　himself　on　his　chair。　　〃It　is　well！　　I　feared　it

was　a　more　powerful　enemy。　　This　man　must　be　arrested　at　once。〃



〃And　he　waits　below。　　I　brushed　by　him　as　I　ascended　the　stairs。〃



〃Does　he　so？admit！nay；hold！　hold！　　Guerin；　withdraw　into

the　inner　chamber　till　I　summon　thee　again。　　Dear　Payan；　see　that

this　Nicot　conceals　no　weapons。〃



Payan；　who　was　as　brave　as　Robespierre　was　pusillanimous；

repressed　the　smile　of　disdain　that　quivered　on　his　lips　a

moment；　and　left　the　room。



Meanwhile　Robespierre；　with　his　head　buried　in　his　bosom；　seemed

plunged　in　deep　thought。　　〃Life　is　a　melancholy　thing；　Couthon！〃

said　he；　suddenly。



〃Begging　your　pardon；　I　think　death　worse；〃　answered　the

philanthropist；　gently。



Robespierre　made　no　rejoinder；　but　took　from　his　portefeuille

that　singular　letter；　which　was　found　afterwards　amongst　his

papers；　and　is　marked　LXI。　in　the　published　collection。

（〃Papiers　inedits；'　etc。；　volume　ii。　page　156。）



〃Without　doubt；〃　it　began；　〃you　are　uneasy　at　not　having　earlier

received　news　from　me。　　Be　not　alarmed；　you　know　that　I　ought

only　to　reply　by　our　ordinary　courier；　and　as　he　has　been

interrupted；　dans　sa　derniere　course；　that　is　the　cause　of　my

delay。　　When　you　receive　this；　employ　all　diligence　to　fly　a

theatre　where　you　are　about　to　appear　and　disappear　for　the　last

time。　　It　were　idle　to　recall　to　you　all　the　reasons　that　expose

you　to　peril。　　The　last　step　that　should　place　you　sur　le　sopha

de　la　presidence；　but　brings　you　to　the　scaffold；　and　the　mob

will　spit　on　your　face　as　it　has　spat　on　those　whom　you　have

judged。　　Since；　then；　you　have　accumulated　here　a　sufficient

treasure　for　existence；　I　await　you　with　great　impatience；　to

laugh　with　you　at　the　part　you　have　played　in　the　troubles　of　a

nation　as　credulous　as　it　is　avid　of　novelties。　　Take　your　part

according　to　our　arrangements；all　is　prepared。　　I　conclude；

our　courier　waits。　　I　expect　your　reply。〃



Musingly　and　slowly　the　Dictator　devoured　the　contents　of　this

epistle。　　〃No；〃　he　said　to　himself；〃no；　he　who　has　tasted　power

can　no　longer　enjoy　repose。　　Yet；　Danton；　Danton！　thou　wert

right；　better　to　be　a　poor　fisherman　than　to　govern　men。〃　　（〃Il

vaudrait　mieux；〃　said　Danton；　in　his　dungeon；　〃etre　un　pauvre

pecheur　que　de　gouverner　les　hommes。〃）



The　door　opened；　and　Payan　reappeared　and　whispered　Robespierre；

〃All　is　safe！　　See　the　man。〃



The　Dictator；　satisfied；　summoned　his　attendant　Jacobin　to

conduct　Nicot　to　his　presence。　　The　painter　entered　with　a

fearless　expression　in　his　deformed　features；　and　stood　erect

before　Robespierre；　who　scanned　him　with　a　sidelong　eye。



It　is　remarkable　that　most　of　the　principal　actors　of　the

Revolution　were　singularly　hideous　in　appearance；from　the

colossal　ugliness　of　Mirabeau　and　Danton；　or　the　villanous

ferocity　in　the　countenances　of　David　and　Simon；　to　the　filthy

squalor　of　Marat；　the　sinister　and　bilious　meanness　of　the

Dictator's　features。　　But　Robespierre；　who　was　said　to　resemble　a

cat；　had　also　a　cat's　cleanness；　and　his　prim　and　dainty　dress；

his　shaven　smoothness；　the　womanly　whiteness　of　his　lean　hands；

made　yet　more　remarkable　the　disorderly　ruffianism　that

characterised　the　attire　and　mien　of　the　painter…sans…culotte。



〃And　so；　citizen；〃　said　Robespierre；　mildly；　〃thou　wouldst　speak

with　me？　　I　know　thy　merits　and　civism　have　been　overlooked　too

long。　　Thou　wouldst　ask　some　suitable　provision　in　the　state？

Scruple　notsay　on！〃



〃Virtuous　Robespierre；　toi　qui　eclaires　l'univers　（Thou　who

enlightenest　the　world。）；　I　come　not　to　ask　a　favour；　but　to

render　service　to　the　state。　　I　have　discovered　a　correspondence

that　lays　open　a　conspiracy　of　which　many　of　the　actors　are　yet

unsuspected。〃　　And　he　placed　the　papers　on　the　table。

Robespierre　seized；　and　ran　his　eye　over　them　rapidly　and

eagerly。



〃Good！good！〃　he　muttered　to　himself：　　〃this　is　all　I　wanted。

Barrere；　Legendre！　　I　have　them！　　Camille　Desmoulins　was　but

their　dupe。　　I　loved　him　once；　I　never　loved　them！　　Citizen

Nicot；　I　thank　thee。　　I　observe　these　letters　are　addressed　to　an

Englishman。　　What　Frenchman　but　must　distrust　these　English

wolves　in　sheep's　clothing！　　France　wants　no　longer　citizens　of

the　world；　that　farce　ended　with　Anarcharsis　Clootz。　　I　beg

pardon；　Citizen　Nicot；　but　Clootz　and　Hebert　were　THY　friends。〃



〃Nay；〃　said　Nicot；　apologetically；　〃we　are　all　liable　to　be

deceived。　　I　ceased　to　honour　them　whom　thou　didst　declare

against；　for　I　disown　my　own　senses　rather　than　thy　justice。〃



〃Yes；　I　pretend　to　justice；　that　IS　the　virtue　I　affect；〃　said

Robespierre；　meekly；　and　with　his　feline　propensities　he　enjoyed；

even　in　that　critical　hour　of　vast　schemes；　of　imminent　danger；

of　meditated　revenge；　the　pleasure　of　playing　with　a　solitary

victim。　　（The　most　detestable　anecdote　of　this　peculiar　hypocrisy

in　Robespierre　is　that　in　which　he　is　recorded　to　have　tenderly

pressed　the　hand　of　his　old　school…friend；　Camille　Desmoulins；

the　day　that　he　signed　the　warrant　for　his　arrest。）　　〃And　my

justice　shall　no　longer　be　blind　to　thy　services；　good　Nicot。

Thou　knowest　this　Glyndon？〃



〃Yes；　well；intimately。　　He　WAS　my　friend；　but　I　would　give　up

my　brother　if　he　were　one　of　the　'indulgents。'　　I　am　not　ashamed

to　say　that　I　have　received　favours　from　this　man。〃



〃Aha！and　thou　dost　honestly　hold　the　doctrine　that　where　a　man

threatens　my　life　all　personal　favours　are　to　be　forgotten？〃



〃All！〃



〃Good　citizen！kind　Nicot！oblige　me　by　writing　the　address　of

this　Glyndon。〃



Nicot　stooped　to　the　table；　and　suddenly　when　the　pen　was　in　his

hand；　a　thought　flashed　across　him；　and　he　paused；　embarrassed

and　confused。



〃Write　on；　KIND　Nicot！〃



The　painter　slowly　obeyed。



〃Who　are　the　other　familiars　of　Glyndon？〃



〃It　was　on　that　point　I　was　about　to　speak　to　thee；

Representant；〃　said　Nicot。　　〃He　visits　daily　a　woman；　a

foreigner；　who　knows　all　his　secrets；　she　affects　to　be　poor；　and

to　support　her　child　by　industry。　　But　she　is　the　wife　of　an

Italian　of　immense　wealth；　and　there　is　no　doubt　that　she　has

moneys　which　are　spent　in　corrup