durable. He knew not of any consolations of religion. Philosophy
could only nerve him to stoicism. Privately he left, by night, the
kind friends who had hospitably concealed him for six months, and
wandered to such a distance from his asylum as to secure his
protectors from any danger on his account. Through the long hours of
the winter's night he continued his dreary walk, till the first gray
of the morning appeared in the east. Drawing a long stiletto from the
inside of his walking-stick, he placed the head of it against the
trunk of a tree, and threw himself upon the sharp weapon. The point
pierced his heart, and he fell lifeless upon the frozen ground. Some
peasants passing by discovered his body. A piece of paper was pinned
to the breast of his coat, upon which there were written these words:
"Whoever thou art that findest these remains, respect them as those of
a virtuous man. After hearing of my wife's death, I would not stay
another day in a world so stained with crime."

The daughter of Madame Roland succeeded in escaping the fury of the
tyrants of the Revolution. She lived surrounded by kind protectors,
and in subsequent years was married to M. Champeneaux, the son of one
of her mother's intimate friends.

Such was the wonderful career of Madame Roland. It is a history full
of instruction, and ever reminds us that truth is stranger than
fiction.

THE END.

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:

1. Minor changes have been made to correct typesetters' errors, and to
ensure consistent spelling and punctuation in this etext; otherwise,
every effort has been made to remain true to the original book.

2. The sidenotes used in this text were originally published as
banners in the page headers, and have been collected at the beginning
of each chapter for the reader's convenience.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Madame Roland, Makers of History, by
John S. C. Abbott

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MADAME ROLAND, MAKERS OF HISTORY ***

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