While Louis was on his way to the Convention, that sovereign a.s.sembly, already two hours in session, was calmly and with dignity transacting public affairs. The trial of the ex-Executive was, no doubt, of prime importance, but to have changed its order of business, or to interrupt it without cause before the appearance of the accused, would have given the Convention almost the appearance of intimidation before the act which it was about to consummate in the teeth of the allied Kings of Europe. The countenances of the various factions presented singular contrasts. The galleries were filled with patriots, who, in common with the Mountain and the Jacobins, saw no safety for the Republic and the Revolution save in the condemnation of Louis XVI to the penalty of death.
The dark and rainy sky of that December day sent its lightning flashes across the windows of the vast hall. The members of the Right and the Swamp seemed weighed down by painful preoccupation; the Mountainists alone were unmoved. One of the latter was speaking to certain articles of a decree introducing some exceptions into the law on Emigrants, when a low rumor running through the chamber heralded Louis"s approach. The Mountainist called for order and continued his discussion. The question was put to a vote and carried. Only then did the president, rising in his place, say to the a.s.sembly:
"I wish to inform the a.s.sembly that Louis Capet is at the door. Citizen Representatives, you are about to exercise the right of justice; the Republic expects of you firm and deliberate action; Europe"s eyes are turned upon you; history will record your actions; posterity will judge you. The dignity of your session should correspond to the majesty of the French people; the latter is about, through your instrumentality, to give a lesson to Kings and a fruitful example for the emanc.i.p.ation of nations. Citizens in the galleries, forget not that justice presides only over calm deliberations."
Then, addressing the ushers:
"Bring in the accused."
Generals Santerre and Witenkoff advanced to the bar, leading the deposed King between them by the arms; they were followed by Mayor Chambon, and by John Lebrenn and his colleague. Several chairs were arranged near the bar. Louis XVI removed his overcoat, placed it across the back of his seat, took off his hat, and sat down, with his hat on his knees. His large, bulging eyes wandered here and there over the benches of the members with childish curiosity. Then his face took on its usual expression of apathy; his eyelids drooped, his loose lip fell down over his fat and retreating triple chin; he settled himself as best he could in his chair and seemed lost to his surroundings.
The bustle caused in the chamber and galleries by Louis XVI"s entry, died out little by little, and Defermont, president of the Convention, took up the examination of the accused on the facts charged against him.
I have just attended the examination of Louis Capet. His answers, hypocritical, evasive, or spun out of the whole cloth; his denials in flat contradiction to verified facts; his obliviousness to all decency, to all dignity, if not as a King, at least as a man, aroused in all present, as they did in me, only pity for this prince who had neither the courage to confess nor the n.o.bility to repent his crimes, but who resorted for his defense to the weapons of the vilest criminal, denial and falsification.
CHAPTER XVI.
LEBRENN AND NEROWEG.
Night had fallen. Half an hour after his return from the Temple, John Lebrenn was awaiting in silence the result of his sister"s consideration of the letter written him by advocate Desmarais the previous evening, and also one from Charlotte received during the day.
Seated at her work table, which was lighted by a small lamp, Victoria hung thoughtfully over the two letters.
"Sister," at last said John, "are you more keen-sighted than I in solving the reason for the condition set by Desmarais upon my marriage?"
"Nay, I also am at a loss for an explanation," replied Victoria; "but I suspect some cowardice in the mystery. You often see Billaud-Varenne, he never told you, so far as I know, that he was in close connection with Charlotte"s father. And yet I read in Desmarais"s letter that he begs you to keep from Billaud-Varenne the secret of your love for his daughter. Doubtless you could easily clear up the matter by seeing Billaud-Varenne and asking him about his relations with Desmarais."
"Would that not be failing in the discretion which Charlotte"s father imposes upon me an a condition for my marriage?"
"Not at all. He asks you to keep from his colleague the secret of your love for his daughter. Nothing more. On that subject, my dear brother, you can still be as reserved in your talk with Billaud-Varenne as you have been in the past."
"That is so. I shall go and see him this very evening; I am certain to find him at home. At any rate, does not the condition, placed by Charlotte"s father upon our marriage, seem to you, as it does to her and me, acceptable on the score of honor?"
"Surely, brother. And moreover, have you not always guarded with delicacy this secret which Desmarais now asks you to keep? How will it embarra.s.s you to engage yourself upon your honor to continue holding it a secret? In no wise. As to the motive for the condition, what matters it? Go at once to Monsieur Desmarais"s; Charlotte, poor child, is counting the hours, the minutes till you come."
"Ah, Victoria," cried John, his breast heaving and his eyes filled with tears, "I can hardly believe my good fortune! To marry Charlotte! To live with her and my beloved sister!"
"Me! To live with you and your wife? It is impossible! Think of the past."
"Victoria, I might once have hesitated to reveal to Charlotte the mystery of your life; it is no longer so, dearest sister. The conduct of my betrothed has proved to me the firmness of her character; I am as sure of her as of myself. She shall know all that has contributed to your sad life, and her dearest wish will be like mine, I am certain--to have you pa.s.s the rest of your days with us."
"I admit that your sweetheart"s spirit is sufficiently lofty to rise above prejudice. But will it be the same with her family?"
"I answer to that, dearest sister, that there is nothing else for you to do but what I have just indicated. Have you not lived with our parents and with me since the day the Bastille was taken, when you came home to us? Have I not many a time spoken of you to Billaud-Varenne? If he is on intimate terms with Citizen Desmarais, is it not likely that he has spoken to him? In fine, for a last reason, the gravest of all, is it not known in the neighborhood that we live together? Charlotte"s father, our neighbor, must be aware of the circ.u.mstance. Shall I resign myself to a falsehood, and say that you are not my sister? What would Charlotte and her father think then? What would that young and beautiful woman who shared my lodgings then be in their eyes?"
Victoria remained silent. She found, and, in fact, there was, no answer to John"s arguments. The latter, triumphing in his brotherly love, rose, tenderly embraced his sister, and said:
"You see you are convinced of the necessity of my confidence to Charlotte. Now tell me, darling sister, which do you prefer, to live alone or with us?"
The young woman did not answer. Instead, her pale visage was bathed in tears, always so rare in her. After a moment, she pressed her brother to her heart, and murmured in a voice broken with sobs:
"Ah, do not fear that the sight of your good fortune will make my chagrin more bitter. On the contrary, perhaps I shall forget it in seeing you happy."
John tenderly embraced his sister, and set out for Billaud-Varenne"s, whom he wished to see before his interview with advocate Desmarais.
Upon being left alone, Victoria pondered long the recent conversation with her brother. Then, lending an ear mechanically to the whistling of the winter"s wind without, she bent over the little stove that warmed their humble quarters, and resumed her sewing. Suddenly the young woman uttered a cry of surprise, and jumped to her feet. One of the panes of the dormer window which looked out upon the roof fell with a crash, and as the fragments of gla.s.s jangled to the floor, a hand pa.s.sing through the opening left by the broken pane forcibly shoved the lower sash of the window up in the casing. A great gust of wind filled the room, blew out the lamp, and out of the darkness a m.u.f.fled, suppliant voice called to Victoria:
"Have pity on me. I am an Emigrant; they are searching for me. I have a hundred louis on me; they are yours if you save me!"
At the same time that the words were p.r.o.nounced, Victoria heard on the floor the foot-fall of the fugitive, who had introduced himself by the window.
At the sound of the first words Victoria believed she recognized the voice that came from out the shadows. The young woman was frozen with astonishment.
"O, Providence! O, Justice the Avenger," she exclaimed. "It is _he_!"
Then, transported with fierce joy, she ran in the darkness to the door, which she double locked, put the key in her pocket, and made sure that she had by her the double-barreled pistol she always kept ready and loaded since she became aware of the intentions of the Jesuit Morlet and Lehiron. These precautions taken, Victoria groped about on the bureau for a match, and held it to the stove-grate, while the fugitive, surprised at the silence maintained by the occupant of the garret, repeated again, believing it an irresistible argument to the mistress of so poor a dwelling:
"I am an Emigrant. You have a hundred louis to win by saving me. You have no interest in turning me over to my pursuers."
Victoria replied in a low voice, as she approached the lighted match to a candle on the bureau, "Draw the curtain before the window, lest the wind blow out my light."
The Emigrant hastened to execute the order. Victoria lighted the candle.
Its light flooded the garret; and when the Count of Plouernel--for it was that self-same gentleman--turned around once more, he stood petrified at the sight of the woman he beheld before him. In spite of the poverty of her costume, he recognized--Marchioness Aldini! Her black eyes flashed; hatred contributed to her face so fearsome an expression that Plouernel shuddered as he gasped to himself:
"I am lost! Abbot Morlet told me that the Lebrenns dwelt near my refuge.
Let me flee!"
He dashed to the door, expecting to open it and reach the stairway, but found it locked. In vain he tried to beat it down.
"Count," coldly said Victoria, in mocking accents, "know that this house is occupied by good patriots. The noise you yourself are making will give the alarm, and you will be arrested on the instant."
"Infamous creature!" shouted Plouernel, wild with rage, but ceasing to shake the door. Then, rapidly approaching Victoria he unsheathed a poniard which he carried concealed in his clothes; "You wish to deliver me to the scaffold. But I shall avenge my death before it occurs! Your life is in my hands."
"Be that as it may," replied the young woman, as she leveled her pistol at the Count"s breast. The latter recoiled in terror. Still keeping Plouernel covered, Victoria went up to one of the part.i.tions, struck it with her hand, and called out aloud:
"Neighbor Jerome, are you there?"
"Aye, citizeness," responded Jerome from the other side of the wall, "we are here, my son and I, at your service. We have just come in, and are getting supper."
"My watch is stopped. Do you know what time it is, neighbor?"
"Ten has just sounded from the ex-parish of the a.s.sumption. It is late, neighbor. We wish you a good night."