_Collot d"Herbois._ The National Convention shall remain Firm at its post. 20
_Enter a_ Messenger.
_Messenger._ Robespierre has reach"d the Commune. They espouse The tyrant"s cause. St. Just is up in arms!
St. Just--the young ambitious bold St. Just Harangues the mob. The sanguinary Couthon Thirsts for your blood. [_Tocsin rings._ 25
_Tallien._ These tyrants are in arms against the law: Outlaw the rebels.
_Enter MERLIN OF DOUAY._
_Merlin._ Health to the representatives of France!
I past this moment through the armed force-- They ask"d my name--and when they heard a delegate, 30 Swore I was not the friend of France.
_Collot d"Herbois._ The tyrants threaten us as when they turn"d The cannon"s mouth on Brissot.
_Enter another_ Messenger.
_Second Messenger._ Vivier harangues the Jacobins--the Club Espouse the cause of Robespierre. 35
_Enter another_ Messenger.
_Third Messenger._ All"s lost--the tyrant triumphs. Henriot leads The soldiers to his aid.--Already I hear The rattling cannon destined to surround This sacred hall.
_Tallien._ Why, we will die like men then.
The representatives of France dare death, 40 When duty steels their bosoms. [_Loud applauses._
_Tallien (addressing the galleries)._ Citizens!
France is insulted in her delegates-- The majesty of the Republic is insulted-- Tyrants are up in arms. An armed force Threats the Convention. The Convention swears 45 To die, or save the country!
[_Violent applauses from the galleries._
_Citizen (from above)._ We too swear To die, or save the country. Follow me.
[_All the men quit the galleries._
_Enter another_ Messenger.
_Fourth Messenger._ Henriot is taken! [_Loud applauses._ Three of your brave soldiers Swore they would seize the rebel slave of tyrants, Or perish in the attempt. As he patroll"d 50 The streets of Paris, stirring up the mob, They seiz"d him. [_Applauses._
_Billaud Varennes._ Let the names of these brave men Live to the future day.
_Enter BOURDON L"OISE, sword in hand._
_Bourdon l"Oise._ I have clear"d the Commune.
[_Applauses._
Through the throng I rush"d, Brandishing my good sword to drench its blade 55 Deep in the tyrant"s heart. The timid rebels Gave way. I met the soldiery--I spake Of the dictator"s crimes--of patriots chain"d In dark deep dungeons by his lawless rage-- Of knaves secure beneath his fostering power. 60 I spake of Liberty. Their honest hearts Caught the warm flame. The general shout burst forth, "Live the Convention--Down with Robespierre!" [_Applauses._
(_Shouts from without--Down with the Tyrant!_)
_Tallien._ I hear, I hear the soul-inspiring sounds, France shall be saved! her generous sons attached 65 To principles, not persons, spurn the idol They worshipp"d once. Yes, Robespierre shall fall As Capet fell! Oh! never let us deem That France shall crouch beneath a tyrant"s throne, That the almighty people who have broke 70 On their oppressors" heads the oppressive chain, Will court again their fetters! easier were it To hurl the cloud-capt mountain from its base, Than force the bonds of slavery upon men Determined to be free! [_Applauses._ 75
_Enter LEGENDRE--a pistol in one hand, keys in the other._
_Legendre (flinging down the keys)._ So--let the mutinous Jacobins meet now In the open air. [_Loud applauses._ A factious turbulent party Lording it o"er the state since Danton died, And with him the Cordeliers.--A hireling band Of loud-tongued orators controull"d the Club, 80 And bade them bow the knee to Robespierre.
Vivier has "scaped me. Curse his coward heart-- This fate-fraught tube of Justice in my hand, I rush"d into the hall. He mark"d mine eye That beam"d its patriot anger, and flash"d full 85 With death-denouncing meaning. "Mid the throng He mingled. I pursued--but stay"d my hand, Lest haply I might shed the innocent blood. [_Applauses._
_Freron._ They took from me my ticket of admission-- Expell"d me from their sittings.--Now, forsooth, 90 Humbled and trembling re-insert my name.
But Freron enters not the Club again "Till it be purged of guilt:--"till, purified Of tyrants and of traitors, honest men May breathe the air in safety. [_Shouts from without._ 95
_Barrere._ What means this uproar! if the tyrant band Should gain the people once again to rise-- We are as dead!
_Tallien._ And wherefore fear we death?
Did Brutus fear it? or the Grecian friends Who buried in Hipparchus" breast the sword, 100 And died triumphant? Caesar should fear death, Brutus must scorn the bugbear.
(_Shouts from without--Live the Convention!--Down with the Tyrants!_)
_Tallien._ Hark! again The sounds of honest Freedom!
_Enter_ Deputies _from the_ Sections.
_Citizen._ Citizens! representatives of France!
Hold on your steady course. The men of Paris 105 Espouse your cause. The men of Paris swear They will defend the delegates of Freedom.
_Tallien._ Hear ye this, Colleagues? hear ye this, my brethren?
And does no thrill of joy pervade your b.r.e.a.s.t.s?
My bosom bounds to rapture. I have seen 110 The sons of France shake off the tyrant yoke; I have, as much as lies in mine own arm, Hurl"d down the usurper.--Come death when it will, I have lived long enough. [_Shouts without._
_Barrere._ Hark! how the noise increases! through the gloom 115 Of the still evening--harbinger of death, Rings the tocsin! the dreadful generale Thunders through Paris--
[_Cry without--Down with the Tyrant!_
_Enter LECOINTRE._
_Lecointre._ So may eternal justice blast the foes Of France! so perish all the tyrant brood, 120 As Robespierre has perish"d! Citizens, Caesar is taken. [_Loud and repeated applauses._ I marvel not that with such fearless front He braved our vengeance, and with angry eye Scowled round the hall defiance. He relied 125 On Henriot"s aid--the Commune"s villain friendship, And Henriot"s _boughten_ succours. Ye have heard How Henriot rescued him--how with open arms The Commune welcom"d in the rebel tyrant-- How Fleuriot aided, and seditious Vivier 130 Stirr"d up the Jacobins. All had been lost-- The representatives of France had perish"d-- Freedom had sunk beneath the tyrant arm Of this foul parricide, but that her spirit Inspir"d the men of Paris. Henriot call"d 135 "To arms" in vain, whilst Bourdon"s patriot voice Breathed eloquence, and o"er the Jacobins Legendre frown"d dismay. The tyrants fled-- They reach"d the Hotel. We gather"d round--we call"d For vengeance! Long time, obstinate in despair, 140 With knives they hack"d around them. "Till foreboding The sentence of the law, the clamorous cry Of joyful thousands hailing their destruction, Each sought by suicide to escape the dread Of death. Lebas succeeded. From the window 145 Leapt the younger Robespierre, but his fractur"d limb Forbade to escape. The self-will"d dictator Plunged often the keen knife in his dark breast, Yet impotent to die. He lives all mangled By his own tremulous hand! All gash"d and gored 150 He lives to taste the bitterness of death.
Even now they meet their doom. The b.l.o.o.d.y Couthon, The fierce St. Just, even now attend their tyrant To fall beneath the axe. I saw the torches Flash on their visages a dreadful light-- 155 I saw them whilst the black blood roll"d adown Each stern face, even then with dauntless eye Scowl round contemptuous, dying as they lived, Fearless of fate! [_Loud and repeated applauses._
_Barrere mounts the Tribune._ For ever hallowed be this glorious day, 160 When Freedom, bursting her oppressive chain, Tramples on the oppressor. When the tyrant Hurl"d from his blood-cemented throne, by the arm Of the almighty people, meets the death He plann"d for thousands. Oh! my sickening heart 165 Has sunk within me, when the various woes Of my brave country crowded o"er my brain In ghastly numbers--when a.s.sembled hordes, Dragg"d from their hovels by despotic power, Rush"d o"er her frontiers, plunder"d her fair hamlets, 170 And sack"d her populous towns, and drench"d with blood The reeking fields of Flanders.--When within, Upon her vitals prey"d the rankling tooth Of treason; and oppression, giant form, Trampling on freedom, left the alternative 175 Of slavery, or of death. Even from that day, When, on the guilty Capet, I p.r.o.nounced The doom of injured France, has faction reared Her hated head amongst us. Roland preach"d Of mercy--the uxorious dotard Roland, 180 The woman-govern"d Roland durst aspire To govern France; and Petion talk"d of virtue, And Vergniaud"s eloquence, like the honeyed tongue Of some soft Syren wooed us to destruction.
We triumphed over these. On the same scaffold 185 Where the last Louis pour"d his guilty blood, Fell Brissot"s head, the womb of darksome treasons, And Orleans, villain kinsman of the Capet, And Hebert"s atheist crew, whose maddening hand Hurl"d down the altars of the living G.o.d, 190 With all the infidel"s intolerance.
The last worst traitor triumphed--triumph"d long, Secur"d by matchless villainy--by turns Defending and deserting each accomplice As interest prompted. In the goodly soil 195 Of Freedom, the foul tree of treason struck Its deep-fix"d roots, and dropt the dews of death On all who slumber"d in its specious shade.
He wove the web of treachery. He caught The listening crowd by his wild eloquence, 200 His cool ferocity that persuaded murder, Even whilst it spake of mercy!--never, never Shall this regenerated country wear The despot yoke. Though myriads round a.s.sail, And with worse fury urge this new crusade 205 Than savages have known; though the leagued despots Depopulate all Europe, so to pour The acc.u.mulated ma.s.s upon our coasts, Sublime amid the storm shall France arise, And like the rock amid surrounding waves 210 Repel the rushing ocean.--She shall wield The thunder-bolt of vengeance--she shall blast The despot"s pride, and liberate the world!
FINIS