Ah, yes! They were right. Robespierre remembered the piece now. He had composed it at Arras, and read it in public before the Society of the Rosati, of which he was a member. He went on with the verse from memory, while Cornélie followed in the book-- "_Si flatteur que soit ton miroir, Sois charmante avec modestie, Fais semblant de n'en rien savoir._" What! had Buonarotti really set that to music? Robespierre was very curious to hear it. "With pleasure!" said the Corsican. Madame Lebas, seated at the piano, struck the first chord of the accompaniment, and Buonarotti commenced the song. Every one had gathered round the singer. The first verse was greeted with loud applause. Ah, how pretty it was! How well the music chimed in with the words! What simplicity! What grace! Robespierre, delighted, joined in the chorus of praise, congratulating Buonarotti. Suddenly every one stopped. An ominous cry came through the open window-- "Buy to-day's list of the condemned." It was the voice of newsvendors calling out the result of the day's sitting at the Revolutionary Tribunal. The Incorruptible showed signs of uneasiness. Buonarotti had already begun the second verse-- "_Sur le pouvair de tes appas Demeure toujours alarmée..._" But a new cry was heard-- "Winning numbers! ... Lottery of Sainte-Guillotine! Buy! Buy!" "Shut that window!" Robespierre called out impatiently. The boy Maurice ran to do so. "Why!" he exclaimed, "here is Héron, and three people with him." At Héron's name Robespierre turned round sharply, and as every one seemed surprised at the untimely visit, he explained-- "Oh, it's all right! I expected him. He is bringing the young villain of yesterday's _fête_." "Ah yes," said the women, "the _chouan_ of the Place de la Concorde!" and they looked curiously towards the door, at which the new-comers were now knocking. "Come in!" cried Duplay. Héron entered and bowed to every one in the room. "Is the culprit with you?" asked Robespierre nervously. The police-agent replied in the affirmative, and was ordered to introduce the prisoner. Héron turned and signed to two men, who appeared escorting Olivier, pale and dejected, his hands tied behind his back. The young man, no longer resisting, seemed already to offer himself as a victim. "He is a nice-looking fellow," observed Madame Lebas, in a low voice. Héron pushed Olivier forward, who, perfectly indifferent to his impending cross-examination, stood sullenly aside. Robespierre, always mistrustful, made a rapid survey of the young man from head to foot, keeping, however, at a safe distance from the fettered prisoner. "What have you learnt about him?" he asked Héron.