“And every circumstance that might unfavorably influence the course of the trial must be attended to.”
Vadier took his silence for consent. Slowly, like primitive animals, the Inquisitor’s fingers curled up. They formed a fist. It hit the table. “Then how do you expect us to leave this aristocrat journalist at large? If Danton’s course since ‘89 has been treasonable, how do you exonerate his closest associate? Before the Revolution, his friends were the traitor Brissot and the traitor d’Eglantine. No, don’t interrupt me. He has no acquaintance with Mirabeau—yet suddenly, he moves in with him at Versailles. For months—the months when Mirabeau was plotting his treason—he was never out of his company. He is impecunious, unknown—then suddenly he appears nightly at Orleans’s supper table. He was Danton’s secretary during his treasonable tenure at the Ministry of Justice. He is a rich man, or he lives like one—and his private life does not bear discussion.”
“Yes.” Robespierre said. “And he led the people, on July 12. He raised revolt, and then the Bastille fell.”
“How can you exonerate this man?” Vadier bawled at him. “One person to whom the misguided people may have some—some sentimental attachment?” He made a sound expressive of disgust. “You think you can leave him at liberty, while his friend Danton is on trial? Because once, five years ago, he was bribed to talk to a mob?”
“No, that is not why,” Saint-Just said smoothly. “The reason is that he himself has a sentimental attachment. He appears to put his personal feelings before the welfare of the Republic.”
“Camille has made a fool of you for too long,” Billaud said.
Robespierre looked up. “You slander me, Saint-Just. I put nothing before the welfare of the Republic. I do not have it in me to do so.”
“Let me just say this.” Vadier’s yellow fingers uncurled themselves again. “No one, not even your admirable and patriotic self, may stand out against the people’s will. We are all against you. You are on your own. You must bow to the majority, or else here and now, tonight and in this room, your career is finished.”
“Citizen Vadier,” Saint-Just said, “sign the order for arrest, then pass it around the table.”
Vadier reached out for a pen. But Billaud’s hand leapt out, like a snake from a hole; he snatched the document and signed his name with a flourish.
“He wanted to be first,” his friend Collot explained.
“Was Danton so tyrannical an employer?” Robert Lindet asked. Vadier took back the paper, signed it himself, and pushed it along the table. “Ruhl?”
Ruhl, of the Police Committee, shook his head.
“He is senile,” Collot suggested. “He should be turned out of govemment.”
“Perhaps he’s just deaf.” Billaud’s forefinger stabbed at the paper. “Sign, old man.”
“Because I am old, as you say, you can’t browbeat me by threatening to end my career. I do not believe that Danton is a traitor. Therefore I will not sign.”
“Your career may end sooner than you think, then.”
“No matter,” Ruhl said.
“Then pass the paper on to me,” Lebas said savagely. “Stop wasting the Republic’s time.”
Carnot took it. He looked at it thoughtfully. “I sign for the sake of the unity of the committees. No other reason.” He did so, and laid the paper in front of Lebas. “A few weeks, gentlemen, three months at the outside, and you’ll be wishing you had Danton to rally the city for you. If you proceed against him, you pass into a new phase of history, for which I think you are ill-prepared. I tell you, gentlemen—you will be consulting necromancers.”
“Quickly,” Collot said. He snatched the paper from a member of the Police Committee, and scribbled his name. “There you are, Saint-Just—quickly, quickly.”
Robert Lindet took the warrant. Without glancing at it, he passed it on to his neighbor. Saint-Just’s eyes narrowed. “No,” Lindet said shortly.
“Why not?”
“I am not obliged to give my reasons to you.”
“Then we are bound to put the worst construction on them,” Vadier said.
“I am sorry you feel so bound. You have put me in charge of supply. I am here to feed patriots, not to murder them.”
“There is no need for unanimity,” Saint-Just said. “It would have been desirable, but let’s get on. There are only two signatures wanting, I think, besides those who have refused. Citizen Lacoste, you next—then be so good as to put the paper in front of Citizen Robespierre, and move the ink a little nearer.”
The Committees of Public Safety and General Security hereby decree that Danton, Lacroix (of the Eure-et-Loire departement), Camille Desmoulins and Philippeaux, all members of the National Convention, shall be arrested and taken to the Luxembourg, there to be kept in secret and solitary confinement. And they do command the Mayor of Paris to execute this present decree immediately on receipt thereof.
Cour du Commerce, 9 p.m.: “Just a moment,” Danton said. “Introductions.”
“Danton—”
“Introductions. My dear, this is Fabricius Paris, an old friend of mine, and the Clerk of the Court to the Tribunal.”
“Delighted to meet you,” Paris said hurriedly. “Your husband got me my job.”
“And that’s why you’re here. You see, Louise, I inspire loyalty. Now?”
Paris was agitated. “You know I go every evening to the Committee. I collect the orders for the following day.” He turned to Louise. “Orders for the Tribunal; I take them to Fouquier.” She nodded. “When I arrived the doors were locked. Such a thing had never happened before. I said to myself, it may be useful to a patriot to know what is going on in
