implored　him　to　listen　to　reason　as　uttered　by　the　Incorruptible；
  to　repent　him　and　to　atone　while　there　was　yet　time。　　They　loved
  him；　they　swore　in　voices　of　thunder；　each　seeking　to　be　heard
  above　his　neighbour's　din；　and　it　would　break　their　hearts　to　find
  him　guilty；　yet　find　him　guilty　they　must　unless　he　chose　the
  course　which　this　good　patriot　Maximilien　pointed　out　to　him。
  La　Boulaye　stood　pale　but　composed；　his　lips　compressed；　his　keen
  eyes　alert。　　Inwardly　he　was　moved　by　this　demonstration　of　goodwill；
  this　very　storm　of　fraternity；　but　his　purpose　remained　adamant；　and
  when　at　last　the　President's　bell　had　tinkled　his　noisy　judges　into
  silence；　his　voice　rose　clear　and　steady　as　he　thanked　them　for
  leaning　to　clemency　on　his　behalf。
  〃Helas；〃　he　ended；　〃words　cannot　tell　you　how　deeply　I　deplore　that
  it　is　a　clemency　of　which　I　may　not　avail　myself。　　What　I　have　done
  I　may　not　undo。　　And　so；　Citizens；　whilst　I　would　still　retain　your
  love　and　your　sympathy；　you　must　suffer　me　to　let　justice　take　its
  course。　　To　delay　would　be　but　to　waste　your　time　the　Nation's　time。〃
  〃But　this　is　rank　defiance；〃　roared　Tinvillle；　roused　at　last　into
  some　semblance　of　his　habitual　bloodthirstiness。　　〃He　whose　heart
  can　be　so　insensible　to　our　affections　merits　no　clemency　at　this
  bar。〃
  And　so　the　President　turned　with　a　shrug　to　his　colleagues；　and
  the　verdict　was　taken。　　The　finding　was　〃Guilty；〃　and　the　President
  was　on　the　point　of　passing　sentence；　when　again　Robespierre　sprang
  to　his　feet。　　The　Incorruptible's　complexion　looked　sicklier　than
  its　wont；　for　mortification　had　turned　him　green　outright。　　A　gust
  of　passion　swept　through　his　soul；　such　as　would　have　made　another
  man　call　for　the　death　of　this　defiant　youth　who　had　withstood　his
  entreaties。　　But　such　was　Robespierre's　wonderful　command　of　self；
  such　was　his　power　of　making　his　inclinations　subservient　to　the
  ends　he　had　in　view　that　he　had　but　risen　to　voice　a　fresh　appeal。
  He　demanded　that　the　sentence　should　be　passed　with　the　reservation
  that　the　accused　should　have　twenty…four　hours　for　reflection。
  Should　he　at　the　end　of　that　time　be　disposed　to　tell　them　where
  the　ci…devant　Vicomte　d'Ombreval　was　to　be　found；　let　them　reconsider
  his　case。　　On　the　other　hand；　should　he　still　continue　obdurate　by
  the　noon　of　to…morrow；　then　let　the　sentence　be　consummated。
  There　was　some　demur；　but　Robespierre　swept　it　fiercely　aside　with
  patriotic　arguments。　　La　Boulaye　was　a　stout　servant　of　the　Nation；
  whom　it　must　profit　France　to　let　live　that　he　might　serve　her；
  Ombreval　was　a　base　aristocrat；　whose　death　all　true　Republicans
  should　aim　at　encompassing。　　And　so　he　won　the　day　in　the　end；　and
  when　the　sentence　of　death　was　passed；　it　was　passed　with　the
  reservation　that　should　the　prisoner；　upon　reflection；　be　inclined
  to　show　himself　more　loyal　to　France　and　the　interests　of　the
  Republic　by　telling　them　how　Ornbreval　might　be　recaptured；　he
  would　find　them　still　inclined　to　mercy　and　forgiveness。　　Allowing
  his　eyes　to　stray　round　the　Court　at　that　moment；　La　Boulaye　started
  at　sight　of　an　unexpected　face。　　It　was　Mademoiselle　de　Bellecour；
  deathly　pale　and　with　the　strained；　piteous　look　that　haunts　the
  eyes　of　the　mad。　　He　shivered　at　the　thought　of　the　peril　to　herself
  in　coming　into　that　assembly；　then；　recovering　himself；　he　turned
  to　his　judges。
  〃Citizen…President；　Citizens　all；　I　thank　you；　but　I　should　be
  unappreciative　of　your　kindness　did　I　permit　you　to　entertain　false
  hopes。　　My　purpose　is　unalterable。〃
  〃Take　him　away；〃　the　President　commanded　impatiently；　and　as　they
  removed　him　Mademoiselle　crept　from　the　Court；　weeping　softly　in
  her　poignant　grief；　and　realising　that　not　so　much　for　the
  President's　ear　as　for　her　own　had　La　Boulaye　uttered　those　words。
  They　were　meant　to　fortify　her　and　to　give　her　courage　with　the
  assurance　that　Ombreval　would　not　be　betrayed。　　To　give　her　courage！
  Her　lip　was　twisted　into　an　oddly　bitter　smile　at　the　reflection；
  as　she　stepped　into　her　cabriolet；　and　bade　the　driver　return　to
  Choisy。　　Caron　was　doing　this　for　her。　　He　was　casting　away　his
  young；　vigorous　life；　with　all　its　wealth　of　promise；　to　the　end
  that　her　betrothed　…　the　man　whom　he　believed　she　loved　…　might　be
  spared。　　The　greatness；　the　nobility　of　the　sacrifice　overwhelmed
  her。　　She　remembered　the　thoughts　that　in　the　past　she　had
  entertained　concerning　this　young　revolutionist。　　Never　yet　had
  she　been　able　to　regard　him　as　belonging　to　the　same　order　of
  beings　as　herself…not　even　when　she　had　kissed　his　unconscious
  lips　that　evening　on　the　Ridge　road。　　An　immeasurable　gulf　had
  seemed　to　yawn　between　them　…　the　gulf　between　her　nobility　and
  his　base　origin。　　And　now；　as　her　carriage　trundled　out　of　Paris
  and　took　the　dusty　high　road；　she　shuddered；　and　her　cheeks　burned
  with　shame　at　the　memory　of　the　wrong　that　by　such　thoughts　she
  had　done　him。　　Was　she；　indeed；　the　nobler？　　By　accident　of　birth；
  perhaps；　but　by　nature　proper　he　was　assuredly　the　noblest　man　that
  ever　woman　bore。
  In　the　Place　de　la　Revolution　a　gruesome　engine　they　called　the
  guillotine　was　levelling　all　things；　and　fast　establishing　the
  reign　of　absolute　equality。　　But　with　all　the　swift　mowing　of　its
  bloody　scythe；　not　half　so　fast　did　it　level　men　as　Mademoiselle
  de　Bellecour's　thoughts　were　doing　that　afternoon。
  So　marked　was　the　disorder　in　her　countenance　when　she　reached
  Choisy　that　even　unobservant　Ombreval　whom　continuous　years　of
  self…complacency　had　rendered　singularly　obtuse　…　could　not　help
  but　notice　it；　and　…　fearing；　no　doubt；　that　this　agitation　might
  in　some　way　concern　himself　…　he　even　went　the　length　of　questioning
  her；　his　voice　sounding　the　note　of　his　alarm。
  〃It　is　nothing；〃　she　answered；　in　a　dejected　voice。　　〃At　least；
  nothing　that　need　cause　you　uneasiness。　　They　have　sentenced　La
  Boulaye　to　death；〃　she　announced；　a　spasm　crossing　her　averted　face。
  He　took　a　deep　breath　of　relief。
  〃God　knows　they've　sentenced　innocent　men　enough。　　It　is　high　time
  they　began　upon　one　another。　　It　augurs　well…extremely　well。〃
  They　were　alone　in　Henriette's　kitchen；　the　faithful　woman　was　at
  market。　　Mademoiselle　was　warming　herself　before　the　fire。　　Ombreval
  stood　by　the　window。　　He　had　spent　the　time　of　her　absence　in　the
  care　of　his　clothes；　and　he　had　contrived　to　dress　himself　with　some
  semblance　of　his　old…time　elegance　which　enhanced　his　good　looks
  and　high…born　air。
  〃You　seem　to　utterly　forget；　Monsieur；　the　nature　of　the　charge　upon
  which　he　has　been　arraigned；〃　she　said；　in　a　tired　voice。
  〃Why；　no；〃　he　answered；　and　he　smiled　airily；　〃he　was　sufficiently
  a　fool　to　be　lured　by　the　brightest　eyes　in　France　into　a　service
  for　their　mistress。　　My　faith！　　He's　not　the　first　by　many　a　thousand
  whom　a　woman's　soft　glances　have　undone　…　〃
  〃The　degree　in　which　you　profit　by　the　service　he　is　doing　those
  bright　eyes；　appears　singularly　beneath　the　dignity　of　your　notice。〃
  〃What　a　jester　you　are　becoming；　ma　mie；〃　he　laughed　and　at　the　sound
  she　shuddered　again　and　drew　mechanically　nearer　to　the　fire　as
  though　her　shuddering　was　the　result　of　cold。
  〃It　is　yet　possible　that　he　may　not　die；〃　she　said　almost　as　if
  speaking　to　herself。　　〃They　have　offered　him　his　liberty；　and　his
  reinstatement　even　…　upon　conditions。〃
  〃How　interesting！〃　he　murmured　nonchalantly。　　〃They　have　an　odd　way
  of　dispensing　justice。〃
  〃The　conditions　imposed　are　that　he　shall　amend　the　wrong　he　has
  done；　and　deliver　up　to　the　Convention　the　person　of　one　ci…devant
  Vicomte　d'Ombreval。〃
  〃My　God！〃
  It　was　a　gasp　of　sudden　dismay　that　broke　from　the　young　nobleman。
  The　colour　swept　out　of　his　face；　and　his　eyes　dilated　with　horror。
  Watching　him　Suzanne　observed　the　sudden　change；　and　took　a　fierce
  joy　in　having　produced　it。
  〃It　interests　you　more　closely　now；　Monsieur？〃　she　asked。
  〃Suzanne；〃　he　cried；　coming　a　step　nearer；　and　speaking　eagerly；
  〃he　knows　my　whereabouts。　　He　brought　me　here　himself。　　Are　you　mad；
  girl；　that　you　can　sit　there　so　composedly　and　tell　me　this？〃
  〃What　else　would　you　have　me　do？〃　she　inquired。
  〃Do？　　Why；　leave　Choisy　at　once。　　Come；　be　stirring。　　In　God's　name；
  girl；　bethink　you　that　we　have　not　a　moment　to　lose。　　I　know　these
  Republicans；　and　how　far　they　are　to　be　trusted。　　This　fellow　would
  betray　me　to　save　his　skin　with　as　little　compunction　as　…　〃
  〃You　fool！〃　she　broke　in；　an　undercurrent　of　fierce　indignation
  vibrating　through　her　scorn。　　〃What　are　you　saying？　　He　would　betray
  you？　　He？〃　　She　tossed　her　arms　to　Heaven；　and　burst　into　a　laugh
  of　infinite　derision。　　〃Have　no　fear　of　that；　M。　le　Vicomte；　for　you
  are　dealing　with　a　nature　of　a　nobility　that　you　cannot　so　much　as
  surmise。　　If　he　were　minded　to　betray　you；　why　did　he　not　do　so
  to…day；　when　they　offered　him　his　liberty　in　exchange　for　information
  that　would　lead　to　your　recapture？〃
  〃But　although　he　may　have　refused　to…day；〃　returned　the　Vicomte
  frenziedly；　〃he　may　think　better　of　it　to…morrow…perhaps　even　tonight。
  Ciel！　　Think　of　the　risk　we　run；　already　it　may　be　too　late。　　Oh；
  why；〃　he　demanded　reproachfully；　〃why　didn't　you　listen　to　me　w