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It is followed by the general roar: "Guillotine! Guillotine! With a smile Forget-Not records the death sentence given by his compliant fellow judges, in his book. Chevalier de Vaudrey is hustled back to the rear of the hall. Poor trembling Henriette is next.
Artisans pick up their nearest implements, the butcher his axe, the baker his rolling pin, the joiner his saw, the iron worker his mallet or crowbar, rushing to join the homicidal throngs. Vengeful leaders like Forget-Not urge them on, directing the milling masses to the central places of the city. At the Palais Royal gardens, later from the Cafe de Foy, Camille Desmoulins is in his glory.
Give Danton his wish!" they roared. Like a monkey the man Forget-Not leaped and cowered behind his bar, imploring Robespierre for a sign. The Dictator nodded to yield. But again was there not the very slightest motion of hand past neck, the eyes side-glancing at the Thunderer? Danton stilled the tempest as Chief Judge Forget-Not wrote the reprieve and the other affrighted Judges confirmed it.
The ex-retainer nicknamed "Forget-Not" bore a baleful grudge because of the cruelties inflicted on his own father many years before by the Countess's father the cruel punishment of pouring boiling lead into the unfortunate tenant's veins: a procedure on which the boy Chevalier had been taught to look approvingly.
He indicated the speaker by a slight motion of the head, then drew his right hand across the throat, played with the lace ruffles and smiled! Forget-Not understood. Not then but later, only a little later would come the time to snuff out this disturber!
... Outside, the tumbrils were already on their way to the guillotine. Henrietta and de Vaudrey were approaching the gates of death.... The man Forget-not, directly the paper was signed, rushed past the speaker and out of the hall into the lobbies. He was followed presently by the Court's messenger. There was here some trickery or other that Danton sensed.
The voice of the Chief is heard speaking. "Watch strictly that no aristocrats escape. Our new law also condemns to death all who harbor an aristocrat." The Inquisitor's face assumes a yet harsher expression as he addresses the guards: "Beware lest you yourselves be suspect! Remember the sharp female 'Guillotine'!" Forget-Not draws a significant hand across the throat.
... In the death chamber Henriette and Maurice were trying to kiss each other good-by. The guards had separated them. Vaudrey was going in one death cart, Henriette in another.... He had silenced the querulous Forget-Not, was waking the echoes with the same thunders that had nerved France to resist the foe.
That night the beautiful Hotel de Vaudrey home of the Vaudrey and Linieres family and fortune was given up to sack and pillage. Enraged that the objects of his vengeance had fled, the leader Forget-Not ordered a general demolition. Priceless works of art were hurled about and destroyed. The cellars of old wines were quickly emptied by drunken revelers.
"Two and Three shall come next!" he whispered savagely, knuckling down two other fingers to mark his vengeance on the Count and Countess. The shaggy-haired Forget-Not hurried down the stairs, his gaunt features baleful with unholy glee. Pointing significantly overhead, he ordered a detail of his guards: "Arrest de Vaudrey and all in that room!" The men at once proceeded to carry out the order.
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