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〃I shall expect you day and night；〃 she whispered； 〃so long as I
live！〃
〃And now； Marguerite；〃 he said； pressing her tenderly to his heart；
〃one last kiss！ Let me kiss your eyes； your beautiful dear eyes；
which have always glanced with looks of love； and which have always
given me new inspiration。 Farewell； my dear wife； and God bless you
for your love and fidelity！〃
〃Do not go； my precious one！ Come once more to the cradle of our boy
and give him a parting kiss！〃
〃No； Marguerite； that would unman me； and to…day I must be strong
and master of myself。 Farewell； I am going to the Temple！〃
And； without looking at his wife again； he hurried out into the
street； and turned his steps toward his destination。 But just as he
was turning the very next corner Lepitre met him； pale； and
displaying great excitement in his face。
〃Thank God！〃 he said； 〃thank God that I have found you。 I wanted to
hasten to you。 We must flee directlyall is discovered。 Immediate
flight alone can save us！〃
〃What is discovered？〃 asked Toulan。 〃Speak； Lepitre； what is
discovered？〃
〃For God's sake； let us not be standing here on the streets！〃
ejaculated Lepitre。 〃They have certainly sent out the constables to
arrest us。 Let us go into this house here； it contains a passage
through to the next street。 Now； listen！ We are reported。 Simon's
wife has carried our names to the Committee of Public Safety as
suspicious persons。 Tison's wife has given out that the queen and
her sister…in…law have won us both over； and that through our means
she is kept informed about every thing that happens。 The carpet…
manufacturer； Arnault； has just been publicly denouncing us both；
saying that Simon's wife has reported to him that we both have
conducted conversation with the prisoners in low tones of voice； and
have thereby been the means of conveying some kind of cheering
information to the queen。 ＇Footnote： Literally reproduced here。See
Concourt； 〃Histoire de Marie Antoinette；〃 p。 290。＇ On that； our
names were stricken from the list of official guards at the Temple；
and we are excluded from the new ward committee that is forming to…
day。〃
〃And is that all？〃 asked Toulan； calmly。 〃Is that all the bad news
that you bring？ Then the projected flight is not discovered； is it？
Nothing positive is known against us？ Nothing more is known than the
silly and unfounded denunciations of two old women？〃
〃For God's sake； do not use such idle words as these！〃 replied
Lepitre。 〃We are suspected； our names are stricken from the ward
list。 Is not that itself a charge against us？ And are not those who
come under suspicion always condemned？ Do not laugh； Toulan； and
shake your head！
Believe me； we are lost if we do not flee； if we do not leave Paris
on the spot and conceal ourselves somewhere。 I am firmly resolved on
this； and in an hour I shall have started； disguised as a sans…
culotte。 Follow my example； my friend。 Do not throw away your life
foolhardily。 Follow me！〃
〃No；〃 said Toulan； 〃I shall stay。 I have sworn to devote my life to
the service of the queen； and I shall fulfil my oath so long as
breath remains in my body。 I must not go away from here so long as
there is a possibility of assisting her。 If flight is impracticable
to…day； it may be effected at some more favorable time； and I must
hold myself in readiness for it。〃
〃But they will take you； I tell you；〃 said Lepitre； with a downcast
air。 〃You will do no good to the queen； and only bring yourself to
harm。〃
〃Oh； nonsense！ they will not catch me so soon；〃 said Toulan；
confidently。 〃Fortune always favors the bold； and I will show you
that I am brave。 Go； my friend； save yourself； and may God give you
long life and a contented heart！ Farewell； and be careful that they
do not discover you！〃
〃You are angry with me； Toulan；〃 said Lepitre。 〃You consider me
cowardly。 But I tell you； you are foolhardy； and your folly will
plunge you into destruction。〃
〃I am not angry with you； Lepitre； and you shall not be with me。
Every one must do as best he can； and as his heart and his head
dictate to him。 One is not the better for this； and another the
worse。 Farewell； my friend！ Take care for your own safety； for it is
well that some faithful ones should still remain to serve the queen；
and I know that you will serve her when she needs your help。〃
〃Then give me your hand in parting； my friend。 And if at last you
come to the conclusion to flee； come to Normandy； and in the village
of Lerne； near Dieppe； you will find me； and my father will receive
you； and you shall be treated as if you were my brother。〃
〃Thanks； my friend； thanks！ One last shake of the hand。 There！ Now
you are away； and I remain here。〃
Toulan went out into the street； walked along with a cheerful face；
and repaired at once to the hall where the Committee of Safety were
sitting。
〃Citizens and brothers；〃 he said； in aloud； bold voice； 〃I have just
been informed that I have been brought under suspicion and
denounced。 Friends have warned me to betake to flight。 But I am no
coward； I have no bad conscience； and therefore do not fly； but come
here and ask you is this true？ Is it possible that you regard me as
no patriot； and as a traitor？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered President Hobart； with a harsh； hard voice； 〃you are
under suspicion； and we mistrust you。 This shameful seducer； this
she…wolf Marie Antoinette has cast her foxy eyes upon you； and would
doubtless succeed if you are often with her。 We have therefore once
for all taken your name from the list of the official guards in the
Temple； and you will no longer be exposed to the wiles of the
Austrian woman。 But besides this； as the second denunciation has
been made against you to…day； and as it is asserted that you are in
relations with aristocrats and suspected persons； we have considered
it expedient； in view of the common safety； to issue a warrant for
your apprehension。 An officer has just gone with two soldiers to
your house； to arrest you and bring you hither。 You have simply
anticipated the course of law by surrendering yourself。 Officer；
soldiers； here！〃
The persons summoned appeared； and put Toulan under arrest；
preparatory to taking him to prison。
〃It is well；〃 said Toulan； with a noble calmness。 〃I know that the
time will come when you will regret having so abused a true patriot；
and I hope； for the peace of your consciences； that there will be a
time then to undo the evil which you are doing to me to…day； and
that my head will then be on my shoulders； that my lips may be able
to testify to you what my heart now dictates； that I forgive you！
You are in error about me； yet I know that you are acting not out of
enmity to me； but for the weal of the country； and out of love for
the great； united republic。 As the true and tenderly loving son of
this noble； exalted mother； I forgive you for giving ear to my
unrighteous accusers； and； even if you shed my innocent blood； my
dying wish will be a blessing on the republic。〃
〃Those are noble and excellent words；〃 said Hobart； coldly。 〃But if
deeds speak in antagonism to words； we cannot let the latter beguile
us out of our sense； but we must give heed to justice。〃
〃That is the one only thing that I ask；〃 cried Toulan； brightly。
〃Let justice be done； my brothers； and I shall very soon he free；
and shall come out from an investigation like a spotless lamb。 I
make no resistance。 Come； my friends； take me to prison！ I only ask
for permission to be escorted first to my house； to procure a few
articles of clothing to use during my imprisonment。 But I urge
pressingly that my articles may be sealed up in my presence。 For
when the man of the house is not at home； it fares badly with the
safety of his property； and I shall be able to feel at ease only
when the seal of the republic is upon my possessions。 I beg you
therefore to allow my paper and valuables to be sealed in my
presence。 You will thus be sure that my wife and my friends have not
removed any thing which might be used against me； and my innocence
will shine out the more clearly。 I beg you therefore to comply with
my wish。〃
The members of the committee consulted with one another in low
tones； and the chairman then announced to Toulan that his wish would
be complied with； and that an escort of soldiers might accompany him
to his house； to allow him to procure linen and clothing； and to
seal his effects and papers in their presence。
Toulan thanked them with cheerful looks； and went out into the
street between the two guards。 As they were on the way to his house；
he talked easily with them； laughed and joked； but in his own
thoughts he said to himself； 〃You are lost！ hopelessly lost； if you
do not escape now。 You are the prey of the guillotine； if the gates
of the prison once close upon you； therefore escape； escape or die。〃
While he was thus laughing and talking with the soldiers； and
meanwhile thinking such solemn thoughts； his sharp black eyes were
glancing in all directions； looking for a friend who might assist
him out of his trouble。 And fortune sent him such a friend！Ricard；
Ionian's most trusted counsellor； the abettor of his plans。 Toulan
called him with an anim