Pondering still on the cross-examination he would so soon be able to enforce, Robespierre descended into the dining-room, where the family had assembled for supper. The table had not been laid out-of-doors, partly on account of the uncertain weather, but more especially to divert Robespierre's attention, by a change of surroundings, from the remembrance of the last two days, and to turn into a fresh channel the secret thoughts of their good friend, which they felt still dwelt on the failure of his inauguration. Robespierre found the family so bright and affable that his reappearance was not embarrassing. He had but to explain vaguely the cause of his indisposition, which was quite gone. Oh, yes! every one could see that! Why, he looked so well, so full of life! What a good thing it was, after all, to have had a day's rest! But this conspiracy of smiles, which had put him at his ease so quickly, soon began to irritate him. The whole family racked their brains to find scraps of news and items of interest outside the one all-absorbing subject of his thoughts. When the dessert came on, however, Robespierre himself turned the conversation to the carefully avoided theme, and asked their candid opinion of the previous day's _fête_. As they resorted to evasions, giving a host of details to escape the main question, he asked them plainly what they thought of his personal success. "It was gigantic!" said Madame Duplay. "Ah, that's a woman's answer--a mother's!" he replied sadly. And longing for sympathy, he opened his heart to them; he had been disappointed in his dearest hopes; everything must begin over again. Lebas interrupted him. "You exaggerate, I think." Robespierre replied calmly-- "I am so far from exaggerating that I have passed the whole day in preparing my revenge." Here they were interrupted by a knock at the door, and young Duplay rose to open it. "Ah! it is Buonarotti!" they all exclaimed. "What a pleasant surprise!" But it was not a surprise at all. The demoiselles Duplay had invited Buonarotti to supper, a valuable and ever-welcome guest, in so far that he played the harpsichord to perfection, and used to accompany Lebas, who was always ready to show his talent on the violin. Buonarotti was an original character, a Corsican by birth, claiming descent from Michaël-Angelo. He was an ardent revolutionist, and an enthusiastic admirer of Robespierre. He had begged to be excused from accepting the invitation to dinner, but promised to come in afterwards to cheer up his friend.