He took his eyes off these for a moment to see if the spectres gathered behind the grating of the ground floor were still there. Yes! They were still there. They were everywhere then? Everywhere! ... What were they doing? Why did they come and force the past upon him in this way? After spending the day in struggling with the living, must his nights be spent in encounters with the dead? He continued staring in mute and fascinated horror, as motionless as those ghosts gathered behind the closed grill, and seeming to await the gruesome roll-call of the condemned. At their silence he presently took heart. None of them had their eyes fixed on him. This was proof, he thought, that they existed only in his imagination. For, after all, if they were real, they would have stared at him in anger, with terrible and threatening looks ... they would have rushed upon him, one and all. Those iron barriers would have yielded to their united effort, and burst asunder! Even as he thought this the gratings swung back noiselessly. Robespierre recoiled, his flesh creeping, cold beads of perspiration starting on his forehead. The gates had opened! It was all true then! They were real! The whole array of spectres was coming down upon him! They were advancing slowly, they were entering the courtyard! No, they had not seen him! Robespierre was still retreating, step by step. "They haven't seen me!" he gasped. If he could gain the passage to the left of the archway, which was the only exit available, he was safe! He would escape them! For they were not likely to follow him into the street.... He reached the vaulted passage, stepping cautiously backwards, keeping them in sight all the while, like a criminal in dread of detection. But at the entrance of the passage Danton and Camille Desmoulins confronted him. "Danton! Camille!" He started back, shaking with fear. Every exit was barred! These two noted victims were advancing carelessly, conversing together. They had not noticed him either! The door of the Queen's cell now moved. What! was that going to open too? Marie Antoinette appeared on the threshold, descended the few steps and joined the others, who all made deep obeisance at the approach of their sovereign. The Queen! it was indeed the Queen!