Chapter 15: In Disguise.
Leigh returned into the house with his sister.
"Cheer up, Patsey," he said; "it is very hard parting, but I haveevery hope that they will succeed in getting safely home. Francoisis a sharp fellow. They have a good stock of food, and they won'thave to go into any village and, being only two, they will have afar better chance of crossing the river than if they kept with theothers."
"How they are fighting!" Patsey said, a few minutes later.
Indeed the roar of musketry was unceasing, and was mingled with thelouder cracks of the field guns.
"Our men are holding their own," Leigh replied. "The firing is nonearer than it was half an hour ago.
"Now, you had better lie down, Patsey. I will keep a sharp lookoutand, the moment I see any signs of our men retiring, we will mount.I know there is no chance of your sleeping, but it will rest you tolie down, and we shall have a long ride before us, tomorrow."
Patsey nodded, but after he had gone out she did not lie down, butthrew herself on her knees by the couch, and prayed for the safetyof her husband. Hour after hour passed. From time to time Leighreturned and, towards morning, told Patsey that it was time thatthey should mount.
"Our men have not begun to give way yet," he said, "but they saythat Kleber's division has just arrived. There is a lull in thefighting at present, but no doubt they will relieve the divisionthat has been fighting all night, and our men cannot hope to holdout for long. I have just brought the horses round to the door.Now, I will strap the valises on while you wrap Louis up warmly."
In five minutes they started for the point agreed on. Before theyreached it, the firing broke out again with increased violence. Inan hour numbers of men began to make their way past them. One ofthem halted. He was one of Jean's tenants.
"Ah! madame," he said, as he recognized her--for it was now broaddaylight--"I fear that all is lost. You had best ride at once. TheBlues will not come just yet, for la Rochejaquelein, with four orfive hundred of his best followers, will hold the place till thelast, so as to give us time to get away."
"Did you see my husband, Leroux?"
"He was with the general, madame. They and the horsemen chargedagain and again, whenever the Blues pushed forward."
"Thank God he is safe so far!" Patsey said. "Goodbye, Leroux; wemay not meet again."
"We shall meet in heaven, madame," the man said reverently. "Theymay take away our country, they may kill our cures, they maydestroy our churches, but they cannot take away our God. May Heprotect you, madame!" and, pressing the hand she held out to him,he hurried on.
Faster and faster the fugitives passed them, but for an hour thecombat continued unabated; then the exulting shouts of the Bluesshowed that they were making way. The gallant band of Vendeans werenot, indeed, retiring; but they were being annihilated. Patsey hadsaid but little during the anxious time of waiting. From time totime she murmured:
"Will he never come? Oh, God, send him to us!"
Presently a mounted officer rode past.
"Ride on! ride on!" he shouted. "The Blues will be here in aminute!"
"We must go, Patsey," Leigh said as, without drawing rein, theofficer rode on.
"No, no; wait a few minutes, Leigh. He will surely come soon."
Presently, however, a number of peasants, their faces blackenedwith powder, ran past.
"The Blues are on our heels!" they shouted. "They will be here in aminute; they are but a hundred yards away."
"Come, Patsey," Leigh said. "Remember your promise. We must go; itis madness waiting any longer."
And as he spoke one of the peasants, running past, fell dead, shotby a musket ball from the rear. Leigh seized Patsey's bridle and,setting his own horse in motion, they rode on. They were but justin time for, before they had ridden two hundred yards Leigh,looking round, saw the Republicans issuing from the town.
"Pull yourself together, Patsey!" Leigh exclaimed. "We may havetheir cavalry after us, in a minute or two. Remember, Jean trustsyou to carry out his instructions."
Patsey drew herself up, struck the horse with her whip, andgalloped on at full speed. They soon left the road followed by therest of the fugitives, and turned down one leading east. The din ofbattle had ceased now, but a scattered fire of musketry showed thatthe enemy were engaged in their usual work of shooting all who fellinto their hands.
After riding for an hour at full speed they drew rein at a woodand, entering it, dismounted and put on their disguises. They hadno fear now of pursuit. The enemy's cavalry must have made a verylong march to reach the town, and their horses must be worn out bytheir previous exertions; while their own had had forty-eighthours' rest, during which time they had been well fed and caredfor. Moreover, any pursuit that was made would be in the directiontaken by the bulk of the fugitives.
Mounting again, they rode on. It was but a narrow country road thatthey were traversing and, during the day, they only passed throughtwo or three small hamlets.
"Are the brigands coming this way?" they were asked.
"No," Leigh replied. "They are fighting at Le Mans. If they arebeaten they won't come this way, but will make south. We thought itbest to leave the town. When fighting is going on in the streets itis time for quiet people to be off."
They rode forty miles before night, and then entered a wood; havingagreed that, until they got farther away from the scene of action,and struck the road running south, it would be better not to enterany place where they would be questioned. Choosing an open spaceamong the trees, Leigh took off the bridles to let the horses pluckwhat grass they could, after giving to each a hunch of bread fromtheir store. Then he returned, with the blankets that had beenrolled up and fastened behind the saddles.
"Now, Patsey, you must eat something and drink some wine. You mustkeep up your strength, for the sake of Louis and Jean."
Patsey had spoken very few words during the day. She shook herhead.
"I will try for Louis's sake," she said; "as to Jean--" and shestopped.
"As to Jean," he said, "we have every reason to hope for the best.Many things may have happened to prevent his joining us. The Bluesmay have pushed in between his party and us, and he may have foundthat he could not rejoin us. His horse may have been shot and heobliged to fly on foot. He has gone through all these battles fromthe first, and has never been wounded. Why should we suppose thathe has not done the same now? I feel sure that if he had lost hishorse he would not have tried to join us, for he would have thoughtthat he would have hampered our escape.
"Jean is full of resources, and has everything in his favour. He isnot like the others, who have but one aim, to get back to La Vendeeand die there, and whose way is barred by the Loire. He has allFrance open to him and, if he gains a port, has but to get somesailor clothes to pass unnoticed. He is well provided with money,and has everything in his favour. When he once gets away from LeMans, the road would be open, for we may be sure that the enemywill all gather in the rear of the remains of our army."
"I see all that," Patsey said; "and if I were but sure that he gotsafely away, I should feel comparatively easy. However, Leigh, Iwill try and look at the best side of things. If Jean is killed hehas died gloriously, doing his duty till the last. If he is not, hewill some day be restored to me."
"That is right, dear," he said. "You have always been so hopefuland cheery, through all this business, that I am sure you will keepup your courage now. We have every reason to hope and, for my part,I confidently expect to see Jean, safe and sound, when we arrivehome. Now let us set to; we both want something badly."
Patsey did her best and, being indeed faint from hunger, havingeaten nothing since the evening before, she felt all the better andstronger when she had finished her meal; and was able to chattercheerfully to little Louis, who had ridden before Leigh all day,and who was now just beginning to talk. Then they spread a blanketon the ground and, lying down together for warmth, coveredthemselves with the rest of their wraps; and Leigh was glad tofind, by her ste
ady breathing, that the fatigue of the lasttwenty-four hours had sufficed to send his sister to sleep, inspite of her grief at her separation from her husband.
The next day they crossed the road leading to Tours, betweenChateaudun and Chartres. Once over this there was no longer anyoccasion for haste. There was no fear of their connection with thestruggle in the west being suspected, and they had now only to facethe troubles consequent on travelling unprovided with properpapers.
Late that evening they entered the town of Artenay, on the mainroad from Paris to Orleans, coming down upon it from the northside. Here they entered a quiet inn. The landlord was a jovial,pleasant-faced man of some sixty years of age; and his wife a kind,motherly-looking woman. As usual, the travellers signed the namesthey had agreed upon in the book kept for the purpose, Patseyretaining her own name, and he signing as Lucien Porson.
The landlady, seeing that Patsey was completely worn out, at oncetook her off to her room.
"Ah! I thought that monsieur was too young to be madame's husband,"the landlord said.
Leigh laughed.
"I am her brother," he said. "Her husband is a sailor, and she isto join him at Toulon."
"I see the resemblance," the landlord said. "It is a long journeyindeed for her, and with a child under two years old, and in suchweather.
"But you forget that such a place as Toulon no longer exists. Ithas been decreed that the town that received the English andresisted the Republic is to be altogether destroyed, except ofcourse the arsenal, and is henceforth to be known as 'the townwithout a name.'"
The tone, rather than the words, convinced Leigh that his host wasnot an admirer of the present state of things. Leigh shrugged hisshoulders slightly, and said, with a smile:
"Perhaps France will change her own name. Surely a Republic cannotput up with the name that has been associated, for centuries, withkings."
The landlord brought his hand down, with a heavy smack, on Leigh'sshoulder.
"Ah," he said, "I see that you are too young, as I am too old, tocare for the present changes. With anyone in the town I should notventure to say anything; but I am sure, by your face, that you canbe trusted."
"And I can say the same to you, landlord."
"Are your papers, by the by, in good order?"
"Frankly, we have no papers."
The landlord gave a low whistle, expressive of surprise andconsternation.
"And how do you expect to travel, monsieur? How you have got so faras this, I cannot make out; for at any tavern where you put up youmight, of course, have been asked for them."
"We have not put up at any towns, as yet; but have slept at littleplaces, where no questions were asked."
"But you can't get on like that, monsieur. Even in the smallvillages, they are on the watch for suspected persons. You musthave papers of some sort."
"That is all very well," Leigh said; "the question is, where to getthem?"
"What story do you mean to tell?"
"If we had been stopped anywhere on our way here, we should havesaid that we belonged to Le Mans; that, like most of the otherinhabitants, we fled before the Vendeans entered, and in such hastethat I forgot all about papers; and indeed could not have got them,had I thought of it, as all the authorities had fled before wedid."
"That story, added to your appearance and that of madame asrespectable citizens, might succeed sometimes, with those who arenot anxious to show their zeal; but as most of these functionariesare so, you would probably, if it was a village, be sent on under aguard to the next town, and if it were a town would be thrown intoprison. And you know, to get in a prison in our days is--"
"Equivalent to a sentence of death," Leigh put in as he hesitated.
"You must get papers somehow--something that would pass at any ratein the villages, where as often as not there is not a man who canread. I will see what I can do. A cousin of mine is clerk to themayor. He is a good fellow, though he has to pretend to be aviolent supporter of the Convention.
"I don't know how you are situated, monsieur, but times are hard,and all salaries terribly in arrears; and when they are paid it isin assignats, and I need hardly say that when you pay in assignatsyou don't buy cheap."
"We have money," Leigh said, "and I would pay any reasonable sum,in gold, for proper papers."
"Sapristi! You might almost tempt the maire himself, by offeringhim gold. Only he would suspect that you must have more hiddenaway, and that by arresting you, he could make himself master ofthe whole, instead of only a part; but since you offer gold, I haveno doubt that my cousin would not mind running some little risk.How much shall I say, monsieur?"
"I would, if necessary, give forty louis."
"That is more than his yearly salary," the innkeeper said; "half ofthat would be ample. I will go to him at once. It is important thatyou should get papers of some kind, for at any moment anyone mightcome in and demand to see them."
"Here are ten louis. I have more sewn up in my saddle, and can givehim the other ten later on, when I get an opportunity to go to thestable unnoticed."
"That will do very well, monsieur. I will be off at once."
It was an hour before he returned, and Leigh and Patsey had justfinished supper. As there were two or three other persons in theroom he said nothing, but signified by a little nod that he hadsucceeded. A quarter of an hour later the other customers, havingfinished their meal, went out.
"Here are your papers," he said, as he handed a document to Leigh.
It was a printed form, blanks being left for the names,description, and the object of journey.
"Arthenay Mairie,
"To all concerned--
"It is hereby testified that citizen Lucien Porson, and his sistercitoyenne Martin, both of good repute and well disposed to theRepublic, natives of this town of Arthenay, are travelling,accompanied by a child of the latter, to Marseilles, whither theygo on family affairs, and to join citoyenne Martin's husband, amaster mariner of that town."
The destination had been altered when they heard of the state ofthings at Toulon. The document was purposed to be signed by themaire, under his official seal.
"There is only one difficulty," the landlord said, as Leigh andPatsey warmly thanked him; "and that is that, although it will passyou when you have once left this town, it would be dangerous to useit here; and you may at any moment be asked for it. But my cousin,who is a charming fellow, pointed out the difficulty to me, andsaid:
"'The best thing will be for me to take a couple of men, and paythe official visit to him, myself.'
"I expect that he will be here in a few minutes."
"Then, as the stableman has gone out at last--at least I see nolights there--I will go and get the rest of the money."
"Yes, I met him a hundred yards off, on my way back. There is noone about. I will take a lantern and go out with you."
In ten minutes they returned, Leigh having the ten louis requiredin his pocket. A quarter of an hour later the door opened, and aman wearing the scarf which showed him to be an officer of themunicipality entered, followed by two men with the cockade of theRepublic in their hats.
"This is citizen Porson and citoyenne Martin, his sister," thelandlord, who accompanied the party, said.
The functionary walked up to the table and said gruffly, "Yourpapers, citizen."
Leigh handed him the document. He glanced through it.
"That is right," he said. "Citizen Porson and citoyenne Martin, ofthe arrondissement of Paris, travelling to Marseilles, duly signedby the maire of the arrondissement and duly sealed. That is all inorder. We are obliged to be particular, citizen; there are many illdisposed to the Republic travelling through the country."
"Will you sit down, citizen, and take a glass of wine with me?Landlord, draw two stoups of wine for these two good citizens."
The two men followed the landlord out to the public room.
"I should think, Jeannette," Leigh said to his sister, "you hadbetter to retire to bed. You have had a long
day's ride, and must,I am sure, be tired out."
As soon as she had left the room, Leigh dropped the ten louis intothe adjoint's hand.
"I thank you with all my heart," he said. "You have done a goodaction, and I can assure you that it can do no harm to theRepublic, against whom I have no intention of conspiring. There isno fear, I suppose, that the maire's signature may be questioned?"
"There is no fear whatever of that, because the signature isprecisely similar to that which occurs on all official documents.The maire is without doubt an excellent Republican, and a devotedservant of the Convention, but he is altogether ignorant ofletters, and the consequence is that I sign all official documentsfor him. So you see there was no trouble whatever in filling in,signing, and sealing this letter. The only matter that concerned mewas that, if by any chance you should be arrested as a suspect,possibly a demand might be made as to how you obtained this pass.However, even that did not trouble me greatly; for as I myself openand read the maire's letters, I should have no difficulty inkeeping him altogether in the dark as to the purport of any letterthat might come, and should myself pen an answer, with explanationswhich would no doubt be found satisfactory."
"And now can you tell me, sir, which in your opinion would be thebest port for me to make to, to leave the country? It matterslittle whether we go by land or sea."
"It would be more easy for you to make your way to a port thanacross the frontier," the adjoint said, "but when you reach a port,your difficulties would but begin. In the first place, our tradewith foreign countries is almost at a standstill, and every vesselthat goes out is rigidly searched for concealed emigres.
"On the other hand, once across the frontier your troubles would beat an end; but every road is closely watched, every village is onthe lookout, for the orders are precise that all persons leavingFrance shall be arrested and detained until in a position to provetheir identity, and to place the truth of the reason given forjourneying beyond all doubt. I do not say that it might not bepossible to bribe peasants to take you by unfrequented paths overthe Jura; but the journey would be arduous in the extreme, andprobably impossible to be performed on horseback.
"But for my part, if I were in your position and desired to leavethe country, I should go north instead of south. I should go in thefirst place to Paris, stay there in quiet lodgings for a littletime until you became known, and you might then get your papersvisaed to enable you to continue your journey to Calais or Dunkirk.Money will go just as far among the incorruptibles of Paris as itwill here. You might obtain a passage down the Seine, to Rouen orHavre."
"That would certainly suit us best. I regret, now, that I had thepaper made out for Marseilles."
"That can easily be remedied, monsieur. If you will walk back withme to the mairie, I will write a fresh paper out, and destroy theone I have given you. But what shall I say is your object injourneying to Paris? You are too young to be going to purchasegoods and, indeed, would hardly be taking a woman and child withyou for such a purpose.
"Now, monsieur, frankly tell me who you are. I have some relationsin Paris, quiet bourgeois, who keep a small shop near the markets.If I were to give you a letter to them, saying that you havebusiness in Paris, and have asked me to recommend someone who wouldprovide you with quiet lodgings, no doubt they would willingly takeyou in. But I would not involve them in danger. You might berecognised as being members of some family who are proscribed, andin that case not only would my friends get into trouble but, asthey would, of course, say that you were recommended to them by me,I might find myself in a very unpleasant position."
"There is no fear of anything of that sort. I and my sister areboth English. She married the son of a merchant at Nantes, and Icame over with her to learn the business. There have, as you know,been troubles in that part of France. We endeavoured to escape, butshe was separated from her husband--who has, I greatly fear, beenkilled--and we, of course, are both anxious to rejoin our family inEngland."
"How long have you been in France, monsieur? You speak the languagewell."
"We have been over here nearly three years."
"Well, I do not think that there is any risk; unless, of course,you are caught in the act of trying to make your escape. But Ithink that it would be as well that my friends should be preparedfor your coming. I know a man who is leaving for Paris tomorrow. Iwill give him my letter, and ask him to deliver it personally, assoon as he gets there; then you can follow, twenty-four hourslater. Now that it is known that I have examined your papers, andfound them correct, there will be no further inquiry about you and,at any rate, you could stay here for a day or two without anyquestions being asked."
"That would be an admirable plan, monsieur; and I cannot tell youhow much I am obliged to you."
"Say no more about that, monsieur; you have paid me well for itand, moreover, I am not a bad fellow, though at present I amobliged to appear to be a strong supporter of the people in Paris.Now, if you will put on your hat and come along with me, I willleave you a short distance from the hotel de ville, to which I haveaccess at all hours. I shall of course simply put, in the passport,that you are travelling to Paris on private matters, and that youwill stay with your friend, citizen Tourrier, in the rue desHalles."
A quarter of an hour later Leigh returned to the auberge, furnishedwith the required paper. The adjoint had said, on handing it tohim:
"I shall not come round tomorrow. We met as strangers yesterday,and it is as well I should not appear to be intimate with you. Butshould you find yourself in any difficulty, send for me at once,and I will soon set matters right."
"Is it all satisfactorily arranged, monsieur?" the hotel keeperasked, when Leigh returned.
"Perfectly. Your friend has done even more than he promised."
And he told him of the change that had been made in the plans.
"That is certainly better. I have been wondering, myself, how youwould ever be able to get away from Marseilles. Now it seemscomparatively easy. I have no doubt that my cousin's friends inParis will be able to get you another pass, or to put you in theway of travelling to one of the ports; though no doubt it will bealmost as difficult to get away, from there, as from Marseilles."
"I think that could be managed, landlord. I am a pretty goodsailor, and there ought to be no great difficulty in getting holdof a boat and making out to sea and, when once away, I could steerfor England, or get on board some vessel bound there."
He tapped at his sister's door. She was still up.
"You are very late, Leigh."
"Yes, but you will be able to sleep as long as you like tomorrow,as we are not going to start till next day, and are then goingnorth instead of south. Our paper has been changed for Paris,instead of Marseilles; and we are going to the house of a cousin ofthe man who gave me the pass, so we shall be safe so far; and oughtto have no difficulty, whatever, in journeying from there either toHavre or one of the northern ports. I will tell you all about it,tomorrow."
They passed the next day quietly, and both felt better for theshort rest. In addition to the pass, the adjoint had given Leigh anote to his cousin. It was unsealed, and read:
"My dear Cousin,
"The bearer of this is Monsieur Porson, and his sister, MadameMartin, of whom I wrote to you. You will find them amiable people,who will give you but little trouble. I have assured them that theywill find themselves very comfortable with you, and that you willdo all in your power for them, for the sake of your affectionatecousin.
"Simon Valles,
"Adjoint to the maire of Arthenay."
They journeyed by easy stages, stopping at Etampes, Arpajon, andLongjumeau, and rode on the fourth day into Paris. They had nodifficulty in finding the shop of Monsieur Tourrier. It was agrocer's and, as soon as they alighted from their horses, its ownercame out and greeted them heartily.
"Madame and monsieur are both most welcome," he said. "I havereceived a letter from my cousin Simon. I am glad, indeed, toreceive his friends. Fortunately our rooms upstairs
are unlet.Strangers are rare in Paris, at present."
He called a boy from the shop, and told him to show Leigh the wayto some stables near. He then entered the house, accompanied byPatsey with her child. Here she was received by Madame Tourrier, aplump-faced businesslike woman, and was not long in finding outthat she was the real head of the establishment.
"I have got the rooms ready for you," she said. "We were surprised,indeed, to get a letter from Simon Valles; for he is a poorcorrespondent, though he generally comes to stay with us for threedays, once a year. He is a good fellow, but it is a pity that hedid not go into trade. He would have done better for himself thanby becoming adjoint to the maire of Arthenay. It has a high sound,but in these days, when men are paid their salaries in assignats,it is but a poor living. However, I suppose that it is an easylife, for I don't think hard work would suit Simon. The last timehe was up we tried to persuade him that he would do better here,but he laughed and said that people's heads were safer in Arthenaythan they were in Paris. But that is folly; the Convention does nottrouble itself with small shopkeepers. It knows well enough that wehave work enough to do to earn our living, without troublingourselves about politics; yet if the truth were known, a good manyof us are better to do than some of those they call aristocrats.This is a busy quarter, you see, and we are close to the markets,and the country people who come in know that we sell goodgroceries, and on cheaper terms than they can get them in theirvillages. We should do better, still, if my husband would butbestir himself; but men are poor creatures, and I don't know whatwould become of them, if they had not us women to look after theiraffairs."
They now reached the rooms, which were small but comfortable, andthe price which Madame Tourrier named seemed to Patsey to be verymoderate.
"You see, your room is furnished as a sitting room also, madame,and you and your brother can talk over your affairs here. As toyour meals, I could provide your cafe au lait in the morning, but Ican't undertake to cook for you. But there are many good places,where you can obtain your meals at a cheap rate, in theneighbourhood. How long do you expect to remain in Paris?"
"That I cannot say, at present. My husband is a sailor, but I havenot heard from him for a long time. At Arthenay there is but smallopportunity of learning what happens outside, and it may be that Ishall have to travel to Havre to obtain news of him; although I amtroubled greatly by the fear that his ship has been lost, orcaptured by the English. We have never been in Paris before, and mybrother naturally wishes to stay a short time, to see the sights."
Madame Tourrier shook her head.
"There are but few sights to see," she said. "The churches are allclosed, or at least are turned into meeting places and clubs. It isnot as it was before the troubles began; there are few amusements,and no reviews or pageants. I do not say that it is not better so.I have no opinion on such subjects. I have never once been to thehall of representatives. I have no time for such follies and,except on Sunday afternoons, I never stir out of doors. Still, nodoubt, it will all be new to him, and as you have horses you canride over to Versailles, and other places round. There is not muchof that now; people think of nothing but the Convention, talk ofnothing but of the speeches there, and of Robespierre and SaintJust and Danton. It seems to me that they are always quarrelling,and that nothing much comes of it.
"Now if you will excuse me, madame, I will go down to the shopagain. My husband cannot be trusted there a minute and, if my backis turned, he will be selling the best sugar for the price of theworst, then we shall lose money; or the worst sugar for the priceof the best, and then we shall lose customers."
So saying, she hurried away. In a few minutes Leigh came up.
"I was told where to find you," he said. "Madame is in the thick ofbusiness, and there were half a dozen customers waiting to beserved. Monsieur was standing a few yards away from the front ofthe shop. It was he who gave me instructions for finding your room.
"'It is best,' he said, 'that madame should be asked no questionswhile she is busy. I always go out myself, when customers come in.She is one of the best of wives, and manages affairs excellently,but her temper is short. She likes to do things her own way and, asit pleases her, I never interfere with her.'"
"I think he is wise not to do so," Patsey laughed. "I can seealready that she is mistress of the establishment. But from what Ihave seen at Nantes, I think that it is generally the women wholook after the shops and mind the businesses. However, though shespeaks sharply, I should say that she is a kind-hearted woman.However, we may be very thankful that we have obtained a shelterwhere we can live, safely and quietly, until we have fixed on ourplans for the future."
But although Monsieur Tourrier was, in all matters connected withthe business, but as a child in the hands of his wife, he was farbetter acquainted with what was passing around them; and when Leighmentioned to him that he intended to ride out to Versailles, he atonce warned him against doing so.
"My dear monsieur," he said, "I know nothing of the state of thingsat Arthenay, and for aught I know people may go out riding forpleasure there; but it would be little short of madness to attemptsuch a thing here. At present things have got to such a state thatfor any man to seem richer than another is, in itself, a crime.Here all must be on an equality. Were you to ride out, every manyou pass would look askance at you. At the first village throughwhich you rode you would be arrested, and to be arrested at presentis to be condemned. There are no questions asked, the prisoners arebrought in in bunches, and are condemned wholesale. I say nothingagainst the condemnation of the aristocrats; but when perhaps twoor three aristocrats are brought up with half a dozen journalists,and a dozen others who may have been arrested merely out of spite,and are all condemned in five minutes, it is clear that the onlyway to live is to avoid being arrested, and the only way to avoidbeing arrested is to avoid attracting attention.
"If you were really going on a matter of business, it would bedifferent, but to ride to Versailles merely to see the place wouldbe regarded as ample proof that you were an aristocrat; and no onewould regard your papers as anything but a proof that these hadbeen obtained by fraud, and that you were either an aristocrat, ora spy of Pitt's, or a Girondist, and certainly an enemy of theConvention. Therefore, monsieur, if you wish to go anywhere, walk,or go out in a market cart, for to ride might be fatal."
"I will take your advice," Leigh said. "I did not think that thingswere so bad as that."
"They could not be worse, monsieur; it would be impossible. But wewho are quiet men think that it cannot go on much longer; even thesans-culottes are getting tired of bloodshed. There is no longer agreat crowd to see the executions, and the tumbrils pass alongwithout insults and imprecations being hurled against theprisoners.
"The men of the Convention, having killed all the Girondists, arenow quarrelling among themselves. Robespierre is still allpowerful, but the party opposed to him are gaining in strength, andthere is a feeling that, ere long, there will be a terriblestruggle between them and, if Robespierre is beaten, there are manyof us who think that the reign of terror will come to an end. Wewho are too insignificant to be watched talk these things overtogether, when we gather at our cafe, and there is no one butourselves present; and even then we talk only in whispers, but weall live in hopes of a change, and any change must surely be forthe better."