France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Fiction
"No, thanks, Hébert," he said coolly. "He’s got them now, and I ’ve no
fancy for a snug position between the upper and the nether millstone.
After all, what does it matter? There are a hundred other girls" and he
spat on the dirty floor.
Undoubtedly Dangeau had them, for in that pause no one spoke, and his
voice rang out again at its full strength:
"Come forward then. Do any accuse me?"
There was a prolonged hush. The jury growled amongst themselves, but no
one coveted the part of spokesman.
Once Hébert started forward, cleared his throat, then reflected for a
moment on Danton and his ways—reflected, too, that this transaction
would hardly bear the light of day, cursed the universe at large, and
fell back into his chair choking with rage.
It appeared that no one accused Dangeau. Far in the crowd a pretty
gipsy of a girl laughed loudly.
"Handsome Dangeau for me!" she cried. "Vive Dangeau!"
In a minute the whole hall took it up, and the roof rang with the
shouting. The girl who had laughed had been lifted to her lover’s
shoulders, and stood there, flushed and exuberant, leading the cheers
with her wild, shrill voice.
When the noise fell a little, she waved her arms, crying, with a peal of
laughter:
"Let’s have a wedding, a wedding, mes amis! If she ’s the Daughter of
the Revolution, let the Revolution give away the bride, and we ’ll all
say Amen!"
The crowd’s changed mood tossed the new suggestion into instant
popularity. The girl’s cry was taken up on all sides, there was
bustling to and fro, laughter, gossip, whispering, shouting, and general
jubilation. A fête, a spectacle—something new—oh, but quite new. A
trial that ended in the bridal of the victim, to be sure one did not see
that every day. That was romantic. That made one’s heart beat. Well,
well, she was in luck to get a handsome lover instead of having her head
sliced off.
"Vive Dangeau! Vive Dangeau and the Daughter of the Revolution!"
Up on to the platform swarmed the crowd, laughing, gesticulating,
pressing upon the jury, and even jostling Fouquier Tinville himself.
Hébert bent to his ear in a last effort, but got only a curse and a
shrug for his pains.
"I tell you, he ’s got them, and no human power can thwart them now."
"You should have shut his mouth! Why in the devil’s name did you let
him speak?"
"You wanted him to compromise himself, and it seemed the easiest way.
He has the devil’s own luck. Hark to the fools with their ’Vive
Dangeau!’ A while ago it was ’Death to the aristocrat!’ and now it ’s
’Dangeau and the Daughter of the Revolution!’"
"Speak to them,—do something," insisted Hébert.
"Try it yourself, and get torn to pieces," retorted the other. "The
girl ’s not my fancy. Burn your own fingers if you want to."
Dangeau was at the table now.
"We await the decision of the Tribunal," he said, with a hint of sarcasm
in the quiet tones.
Fouquier Tinville’s eyes rested insolently upon him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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