“My thoughts being fixed wholly upon duty, convinced that whoever shall now or hereafter attempt to establish monarchy in this land is worthy death—I vote _death_!” This man, this monster to his own blood, had in early youth been so abject a coward, that, during a naval engagement between the French and English, he had gone down into the cock-pit, whence no one could induce him to remove until the action was over. The cowardice of his youth was well supplemented by his voting the King’s death. Even Robespierre condemned him. Returning to Duplay’s house in the evening, he said, “The miserable man! He was expected to listen to the pleadings of his own heart, and vote exile; but he would not, or dared not. The nation despises him henceforth!” The monstrous act did not save him from the Reign of Terror. He died on the scaffold—the most guilty wretch who there ended life. Followed the man Orleans, a deputy, lying on a hand-bed. He was dying, and he voted _death_! A herald arrived from the King of Spain, interceding for the King’s life. Danton rose to speak, without the Speaker’s permission. “Thou art not yet King, Danton!” cried a voice. “I am astounded at Spain’s insolence!” cried Danton. “I desire that war against Spain be immediately declared!” The intercession damaged, rather than benefited, the royal cause. The scrutiny of the votes now commenced. Three hundred and thirty-four voted for exile or imprisonment. Three hundred and eighty-seven voted for death. Thus _death_ was in a majority of fifty-three; but, by subtracting from this number the forty-six voices which had also voted a suspension of the execution of death, the majority in favor of _immediate death_ was _seven_! The Girondists, who did not wish for the King’s death, had voted his execution, and thereby favored their enemies, the Jacobins, whose thirst for death was unquenchable. On the morning of the 19th January, Louis, who had been by this time restored to his family, saw Malsherbes approaching him. The old man fell on his knees. “I see,” said the King; “Death!” CHAPTER LII. NEAR THE BLOCK. The King, learning that he was to die at once, became a man almost heroic. With calm curiosity, and as though making inquiries concerning the affairs of another man, and not of his own, he learnt the particulars of the voting; and he made special inquiries concerning the votes of various members of the Convention. “Pétion and Manuel,” he said,—“I am sure they did not vote my death?” No answer returned. “And my cousin, the Duc d’Orleans,—how voted he?” Malsherbes bowed his head. The King now exhibited the first signs of pain—of agony. “That vote affects me more than all the rest.” This was as the words of Cæsar, falling, “And _you_, too, Brutus?” Here a posse of authorities arrived, to announce his sentence to the King, with all the pomp and display of circumstance.