Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 21, 2025
Now you, sir," he pursued, turning to the younger man, "you have the air of a sans-culotte, yet from your speech you seem an honest enough gentleman." The fellow laughed with unction. "The air of a sans-culotte?" he cried. "My faith, yes. So much so, that this morning I imposed myself as a courier from Paris upon no less an astute sleuth-hound of the Convention than the Citizen-deputy La Boulaye."
"The Minister of Justice, Citizen-Deputy Merlin, will answer for the truth of that." "It is the truth," said Juliette quietly. Her voice rang out clear, almost triumphant, in the midst of the breathless pause, caused by the previous swift questions and loud answers. Deroulede now was silent. This one simple fact he did not know.
And even then it was only within doors that he made the discovery, when he found himself suddenly confronted by the sous-lieutenant, who was idling in the passage. The officer saluted him respectfully, and no less respectfully, though firmly, informed him that, by order of the Citizen-deputy Billaud Varennes, he must ask him to confine himself to his own apartments until further orders.
"Voyez-moi donc ca," he said, with a coarse jest, and expectorating contemptuously upon the floor, "the aristocrat seems not to understand that we are here in the name of the Republic. There is a very good proverb, Citizen-Deputy," he added, once more addressing Deroulede, "which you seem to have forgotten, and that is that the pitcher which goes too often to the well breaks at last.
Already, as no reply had come to the third word of command, it had been thrown open from outside, and Deroulede found himself face to face with the five men. "Citizen Merlin!" he said quietly, as he recognised the foremost among them. "Himself, Citizen-Deputy," rejoined the latter, with a sneer, "at your service."
And Citizen-Deputy Foucquier-Tinville, the Public Prosecutor, had surpassed himself. He seemed indefatigable. Each of these five and thirty prisoners had been arraigned for treason against the Republic, for conspiracy with her enemies, and all had to have irrefutable proofs of their guilt brought before the Committee of Public Safety.
"I can bribe the lout who has charge of Heriot's rooms to introduce us into his master's sanctum this evening when the National Assembly is sitting and the citizen-deputy safely out of the way."
At a distance La Boulaye followed, so lost in thought that he did not observe Captain Juste until the fellow's voice broke upon his ear. "You have been long enough, Citizen-deputy," was the soldier's greeting. "I take it there is to be no duel." "I make you my compliments upon the acuteness of your perception," answered La Boulaye tartly. "You are right. There is to be no encounter."
"You are charged here, Mr. Tracy," said Vanderveer, "with having aided and abetted an unknown man in killing Jefferson Beard. Are you guilty or not guilty?" "I am not guilty," replied Tracy without a trace of emotion. The cross-questioning of the defendant in this momentous case was conducted by citizen-deputy Cooley.
Deroulede himself could scarcely refrain from looking at her; he was puzzled, and vaguely marvelled at the perfection, with which she carried through her role to the end. Merlin found himself baffled. He knew quite well that Citizen-Deputy Deroulede was not a man to be lightly dealt with.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking