“But he spoke as if you were threatened, and Danton.”
“Danton might be implicated. Fabre is saying, you understand, that investigation into Danton’s affairs might not be a good thing.”
“Surely,” she struggled for some tactful way of putting it, “wouldn’t Danton evade—I mean, he’s adept at shifting the blame?”
“Fabre is his friend, you see. When we were at the ministry I tried to warn him that Fabre was exceeding what were more or less agreed limits. He said, ‘Fabre is my friend and we’ve been through a lot together. We know a lot about each other too.’”
“So Georges will protect him?”
“I don’t know. I don’t want either of them to tell me anything about it. If they do I will feel bound to tell Robespierre, who will feel bound to tell the Committee.”
“Perhaps you should. Tell Robespierre. If there’s any danger you could be dragged into it, it might be better if you were the one to uncover it.”
“But that would be helping the Committee. And I don’t feel like helping the Committee.”
“If the Committee is our only chance of firm government, isn’t it irresponsible not to help it?”
“I loathe firm government.”
“When will the big trials begin?”
“Soon. Danton won’t be able to hold things up now, he’s too ill. And Robespierre won’t, not on his own.”
“I suppose we still welcome the trials?”
“How not? Royalists, Brissotins …”
Law of Suspects. Suspects are those: who have in any way aided tyranny (royal tyranny, Brissotin tyranny …); who cannot show that they have performed their civic duties; who do not starve, and yet have no visible means of support; who have been refused certificates of citizenship by their Sections; who have been removed from public office by the Convention or its representatives; who belong to an aristocratic family, and have not given proof of constant and extraordinary revolutionary fervor; or who have emigrated.
It will be alleged later (by Citizen Desmoulins) that 200,000 people are detained under this law. The Watch Committee in each Section is to draw up lists of suspects, take away their papers and detain them in a secure place. These places will be called “National Buildings”—convents, vacated chateaux, empty warehouses. Collot d’Herbois has a better idea. He suggests that suspects be herded into mined houses, which can then be blown up.
Since he became a member, Collot no longer criticizes the Committee of Public Safety. When he enters the Committee’s chambers, Citizen Robespierre leaves, if he can, by another door.
Decree of the National Convention: “The government of France is revolutionary until the peace … . Terror is the order of the day.”
Antoine Saint-Just: “You must punish anyone who is passive in the affairs of the Revolution and who does nothing for it.”
“So they’ve changed the calendar,” Danton said. “It’s too much for an invalid.”
“Yes,” Camille said. “The week now has ten days. It is tidier, and very good for the war effort. Our dates now run from the foundation of the Republic, so we are in Month I, Year II. But Fabre has been asked to think up some ridiculous poetic names for the months. He plans that the first should be Vendemiaire. Then today,” Camille frowned, “yes, today would be 19 Vendemiaire.”
“In my household, it remains October 10.”
“You had better learn it. We are supposed to put it on official letters.”
“I have no plans,” Danton said, “for writing official letters.”
He was out of bed, but he spoke and moved slowly; occasionally he let his head fall against the back of his chair, and closed his eyes for a moment.
“Tell me about the battle near Dunkirk,” he said. “When I left the world, it was being hailed as a great victory for the Republic. Now I hear that General Houchard is under arrest.”
“The Committee and the War Office put their heads together. They decided he could have inflicted more damage on the enemy. They are charging him with treason.”
“And yet it was the Committee who appointed him. There were scenes in the Convention, I suppose.”
“Yes, but Robespierre had the best of it.”
“He has become a very good committeeman.”
“He undertook it, and he does everything well.”
“I must leave him to it. They say I am fit to travel now. Will you come out to Arcis, as soon as you have a few spare days?”
“There are no spare days.”
“I know that dire turn of phrase. You have been seeing too much of Robespierre.”
“Georges, do you know about Deputy Julien?”
“No.”
“Does Louise let you have no news?”
“I don’t think that anything that Julien did would seem of the least importance to her. I don’t think she knows he exists.”
“The police have raided his apartment. They’ve impounded his papers.”
