WESTERMANN. Good God, not a moment too soon! I've been walking up and down outside for the last two hours. It's harder to enter your house than a Vendée city. [ROBESPIERRE, _his hands behind his back, motionless, face stolid, lips contracted, looks_ WESTERMANN _in the eye._ WESTERMANN _stops for a moment, then continues._] I thought you didn't want to receive me. Desmoulins told me you wouldn't. I swore you would, if I had to send a cannon-shot through the front-door. [_He laughs._] Pardon my military frankness. [ROBESPIERRE _stands as before._ WESTERMANN, _ill at ease, tries to appear natural._] Lord, you're well guarded. There's a very pretty girl on guard at the door. She's mending socks. She's hard to deal with--incorruptible, like you! I'd have had to enter over her dead body--! If I were in the enemy's country, that wouldn't have been so bad-[_He gives a forced laugh._ ROBESPIERRE _maintains silence, and twists his hands impatiently._ WESTERMANN _sits down, trying to appear at his ease, while_ ROBESPIERRE _stands._ WESTERMANN _then rises._] There are some idiots who say that I'm your enemy. I don't give a damn what they say. How can I be the enemy of virtue? Nonsense! Aristides the enemy of Leonidas? The bastion of the Republic and the rampart of the _Patrie!_ Why, they're meant to help each other! Good fellows like us always put the glory of the nation above everything, don't we? We understand, don't we? [_He offers his hand._ ROBESPIERRE _does not move a muscle_.] He won't give me his hand, eh? Won't you, really? Are you my enemy, then? You're planning to ruin me? By God, if I thought that--! Am I a good-for-nothing blackguard to be kept waiting for two hours in the street, and then when you finally let me in, you don't even offer me a chair? You let me stand up, and don't even answer me? By God! [_He stamps on the floor_.] ROBESPIERRE [_glacially_]. General, you are on the wrong track. There is a great difference between Leonidas and Père Duchesne. You take your models from a dangerous quarter. WESTERMANN [_surprised_]. What quarter? ROBESPIERRE. The Revolution. WESTERMANN [_genuinely astonished_]. But, tell me, citizen, what have I done? What do you accuse me of? ROBESPIERRE. The Committee of Public Safety will tell you. WESTERMANN. I have a right to be told now. ROBESPIERRE. Ask your conscience. WESTERMANN. My conscience is clear. ROBESPIERRE. I pity the man who cannot hear the voice of remorse.