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But　that；　as　he　straightforwardly　revealed　it；　was　no　part　of　his
intent。

〃Ah；　wait！〃　he　bade　them。　　〃Is　this　miserable　instrument　of　a
corrupt　system　worth　the　attention　of　your　noble　indignation？〃

He　hoped　his　words　would　be　reported　to　M。　de　Lesdiguieres。　　He
thought　it　would　be　good　for　the　soul　of　M。　de　Lesdiguieres　to　hear
the　undiluted　truth　about　himself　for　once。

〃It　is　the　system　itself　you　must　attack　and　overthrow；　not　a　mere
instrument　…　a　miserable　painted　lath　such　as　this。　　And　precipitancy
will　spoil　everything。　　Above　all；　my　children；　no　violence！〃

My　children！　　Could　his　godfather　have　heard　him！

〃You　have　seen　often　already　the　result　of　premature　violence
elsewhere　in　Brittany；　and　you　have　heard　of　it　elsewhere　in　France。
Violence　on　your　part　will　call　for　violence　on　theirs。　　They　will
welcome　the　chance　to　assert　their　mastery　by　a　firmer　grip　than
heretofore。　　The　military　will　be　sent　for。　　You　will　be　faced　by
the　bayonets　of　mercenaries。　　Do　not　provoke　that；　I　implore　you。
Do　not　put　it　into　their　power；　do　not　afford　them　the　pretext　they
would　welcome　to　crush　you　down　into　the　mud　of　your　own　blood。〃

Out　of　the　silence　into　which　they　had　fallen　anew　broke　now　the
cry　of

〃What　else；　then？　　What　else？〃

〃I　will　tell　you；〃　he　answered　them。　　〃The　wealth　and　strength　of
Brittany　lies　in　Nantes　…　a　bourgeois　city；　one　of　the　most
prosperous　in　this　realm；　rendered　so　by　the　energy　of　the
bourgeoisie　and　the　toil　of　the　people。　　It　was　in　Nantes　that
this　movement　had　its　beginning；　and　as　a　result　of　it　the　King
issued　his　order　dissolving　the　States　as　now　constituted　…　an
order　which　those　who　base　their　power　on　Privilege　and　Abuse　do
not　hesitate　to　thwart。　　Let　Nantes　be　informed　of　the　precise
situation；　and　let　nothing　be　done　here　until　Nantes　shall　have
given　us　the　lead。　　She　has　the　power　…　which　we　in　Rennes　have
not　…　to　make　her　will　prevail；　as　we　have　seen　already。　　Let　her
exert　that　power　once　more；　and　until　she　does　so　do　you　keep　the
peace　in　Rennes。　　Thus　shall　you　triumph。　　Thus　shall　the　outrages
that　are　being　perpetrated　under　your　eyes　be　fully　and　finally
avenged。〃

As　abruptly　as　he　had　leapt　upon　the　plinth　did　he　now　leap　down
from　it。　　He　had　finished。　　He　had　said　all　…　perhaps　more　than
all　…　that　could　have　been　said　by　the　dead　friend　with　whose　voice
he　spoke。　　But　it　was　not　their　will　that　he　should　thus　extinguish
himself。　　The　thunder　of　their　acclamations　rose　deafeningly　upon
the　air。　　He　had　played　upon　their　emotions　…　each　in　turn　…　as　a
skilful　harpist　plays　upon　the　strings　of　his　instrument。　　And　they
were　vibrant　with　the　passions　he　had　aroused；　and　the　high　note　of
hope　on　which　he　had　brought　his　symphony　to　a　close。

A　dozen　students　caught　him　as　he　leapt　down；　and　swung　him　to　their
shoulders；　where　again　he　came　within　view　of　all　the　acclaiming
crowd。

The　delicate　Le　Chapelier　pressed　alongside　of　him　with　flushed　face
and　shining　eyes。

〃My　lad；〃　he　said　to　him；　〃you　have　kindled　a　fire　to…day　that　will
sweep　the　face　of　France　in　a　blaze　of　liberty。〃　　And　then　to　the
students　he　issued　a　sharp　command。　　〃To　the　Literary　Chamber　…at
once。　　We　must　concert　measures　upon　the　instant；　a　delegate　must
be　dispatched　to　Nantes　forthwith；　to　convey　to　our　friends　there
the　message　of　the　people　of　Rennes。〃

The　crowd　fell　back；　opening　a　lane　through　which　the　students　bore
the　hero　of　the　hour。　　Waving　his　hands　to　them；　he　called　upon
them　to　disperse　to　their　homes；　and　await　there　in　patience　what
must　follow　very　soon。

〃You　have　endured　for　centuries　with　a　fortitude　that　is　a　pattern
to　the　world；〃　he　flattered　them。　　〃Endure　a　little　longer　yet。　　The
end；　my　friends；　is　well　in　sight　at　last。〃

They　carried　him　out　of　the　square　and　up　the　Rue　Royale　to　an　old
house；　one　of　the　few　old　houses　surviving　in　that　city　that　had
risen　from　its　ashes；　where　in　an　upper　chamber　lighted　by
diamond…shaped　panes　of　yellow　glass　the　Literary　Chamber　usually
held　its　meetings。　　Thither　in　his　wake　the　members　of　that　chamber
came　hurrying；　summoned　by　the　messages　that　Le　Chapelier　had　issued
during　their　progress。

Behind　closed　doors　a　flushed　and　excited　group　of　some　fifty　men；
the　majority　of　whom　were　young；　ardent；　and　afire　with　the　illusion
of　liberty；　hailed　Andre…Louis　as　the　strayed　sheep　who　had　returned
to　the　fold；　and　smothered　him　in　congratulations　and　thanks。

Then　they　settled　down　to　deliberate　upon　immediate　measures；　whilst
the　doors　below　were　kept　by　a　guard　of　honour　that　had　improvised
itself　from　the　masses。　　And　very　necessary　was　this。　　For　no　sooner
had　the　Chamber　assembled　than　the　house　was　assailed　by　the
gendarmerie　of　M。　de　Lesdiguieres；　dispatched　in　haste　to　arrest　the
firebrand　who　was　inciting　the　people　of　Rennes　to　sedition。　　The
force　consisted　of　fifty　men。　　Five　hundred　would　have　been　too　few。
The　mob　broke　their　carbines；　broke　some　of　their　heads；　and　would
indeed　have　torn　them　into　pieces　had　they　not　beaten　a　timely　and
well…advised　retreat　before　a　form　of　horseplay　to　which　they　were
not　at　all　accustomed。

And　whilst　that　was　taking　place　in　the　street　below；　in　the　room
abovestairs　the　eloquent　Le　Chapelier　was　addressing　his　colleagues
of　the　Literary　Chamber。　　Here；　with　no　bullets　to　fear；　and　no
one　to　report　his　words　to　the　authorities；　Le　Chapelier　could
permit　his　oratory　a　full；　unintimidated　flow。　　And　that　considerable
oratory　was　as　direct　and　brutal　as　the　man　himself　was　delicate　and
elegant。

He　praised　the　vigour　and　the　greatness　of　the　speech　they　had　heard
from　their　colleague　Moreau。　　Above　all　he　praised　its　wisdom。
Moreau's　words　had　come　as　a　surprise　to　them。　　Hitherto　they　had
never　known　him　as　other　than　a　bitter　critic　of　their　projects　of
reform　and　regeneration；　and　quite　lately　they　had　heard；　not　without
misgivings；　of　his　appointment　as　delegate　for　a　nobleman　in　the
States　of　Brittany。　　But　they　held　the　explanation　of　his　conversion。
The　murder　of　their　dear　colleague　Vilmorin　had　produced　this　change。
In　that　brutal　deed　Moreau　had　beheld　at　last　in　true　proportions
the　workings　of　that　evil　spirit　which　they　were　vowed　to　exorcise
from　France。　　And　to…day　he　had　proven　himself　the　stoutest　apostle
among　them　of　the　new　faith。　　He　had　pointed　out　to　them　the　only
sane　and　useful　course。　　The　illustration　he　had　borrowed　from
natural　history　was　most　apt。　　Above　all；　let　them　pack　like　the
wolves；　and　to　ensure　this　uniformity　of　action　in　the　people　of
all　Brittany；　let　a　delegate　at　once　be　sent　to　Nantes；　which　had
already　proved　itself　the　real　seat　of　Brittany's　power。　　It　but
remained　to　appoint　that　delegate；　and　Le　Chapelier　invited　them
to　elect　him。

Andre…Louis；　on　a　bench　near　the　window；　a　prey　now　to　some　measure
of　reaction；　listened　in　bewilderment　to　that　flood　of　eloquence。

As　the　applause　died　down；　he　heard　a　voice　exclaiming：

〃I　propose　to　you　that　we　appoint　our　leader　here；　Le　Chapelier；　to
be　that　delegate。〃

Le　Chapelier　reared　his　elegantly　dressed　head；　which　had　been　bowed
in　thought；　and　it　was　seen　that　his　countenance　was　pale。　　Nervously
he　fingered　a　gold　spy…glass。

〃My　friends；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃I　am　deeply　sensible　of　the　honour
that　you　do　me。　　But　in　accepting　it　I　should　be　usurping　an　honour
that　rightly　belongs　elsewhere。　　Who　could　represent　us　better；　who
more　deserving　to　be　our　representative；　to　speak　to　our　friends　of
Nantes　with　the　voice　of　Rennes；　than　the　champion　who　once　already
to…day　has　so　incomparably　given　utterance　to　the　voice　of　this
great　city？　　Confer　this　honour　of　being　your　spokesman　where　it
belongs　…　upon　Andre…Louis　Moreau。〃

Rising　in　response　to　the　storm　of　applause　that　greeted　the
proposal；　Andre…Louis　bowed　and　forthwith　yielded。　　〃Be　it　so；〃　he
said；　simply。　　〃It　is　perhaps　fitting　that　I　should　carry　out　what
I　have　begun；　though　I　too　am　of　the　opinion　that　Le　Chapelier　would
have　been　a　worthier　representative。　　I　will　set　out　to…night。〃

〃You　will　set　out　at　once；　my　lad；〃　Le　Chapelier　informed　him；　and
now　revealed　what　an　uncharitable　mind　might　account　the　true　source
of　his　generosity。　　〃It　is　not　safe　after　what　has　happened　for　you
to　linger　an　hour　in　Rennes。　　And　you　must　go　secretly。　　Let　none
of　you　allow　it　to　be　known　that　he　has　gone。　　I　would　not　have　you
come　to　harm　over　this；　Andre…Louis。　　But　you　must　see　the　risks
you　run；　and　if　you　are　to　be　spared　to　help　in　this　work　of
salvation　of　our　afflicted　motherland；　you　must　use　caution；　move
secretly；　veil　your　identity　even。　　Or　else　M。　de　Lesdiguieres　will
have　you　laid　by　the　heels；　and　it　will　be　good…night　for　you。〃



CHAPTER　VIII

OMNES　OMNIBUS


Andre…Louis　rode　forth　from　Rennes　committed　to　a　deeper　adventure
than　he　had　dreamed　of　when　he　left　the　sleepy　village　of　Gavrillac。
Lying　the　night　at　a　roadside　inn；　and　setting　out　again　early　in
the　morning；　he　reached　Nantes　soon　after　noon　of　the　following　day。

Through　that　long　and　lonely　ride　through　the　dull　plains　of
Brittany；　now　at　their　dreariest　in　their　winter　garb；　he　h