ce failed him. A Montagnard
exclaimed, "He is choking with the blood of Danton." Robespierre
replied, "What! It is Danton you would avenge?" And he said it in a
way that signified "Then why did you not defend him?" When he
understood what the Mountain meant, and that a motive long repressed
had recovered force, he appealed to the Plain, to the honest men who
had been so long silent, and so long submissive. They had voted both
ways the day before, but he knew nothing of the memorable compact that
was to arrest the guillotine. But the Plain, who were not prepared
with articulate arguments for their change of front, were content with
the unanswerable cry, "Down with the tyrant!" That was evidently
decisive; and when that declaration had been evoked by his direct
appeal the end came speedily. An unknown deputy moved that Robespierre
be arrested, nobody spoke against it; and his brother and several
friends were taken into custody with him. None made any resistance or
protest. The conflict, they knew, would be outside. The Commune of
Paris, the Jacobin Club, the revolutionary tribunal were of their
party; and how many of the armed multitude, nobody could tell. All was
not lost until that was known. At five o'clock the Convention, weary
with a heavy day's work, adjourned for dinner.

The Commune had its opportunity, and began to gain ground. Their
troops collected slowly, and Hanriot was arrested. He was released,
and brought back in triumph to the Hotel de Ville, where the arrested
deputies soon assembled. They had been sent to different prisons, but
all the gaolers but one refused to admit them. Robespierre insisted on
being imprisoned, but the turnkey at the Luxembourg was unmoved, and
turned him out. He dreaded to be forced into a position of illegality
and revolt, because it would enable his enemies to outlaw him. Once
outlawed, there was nothing left but an insurrection, of which the
issue was uncertain. There was less risk in going before the
revolutionary tribunal, where every official was his creature and
nominee, and had no hope of mercy from his adversaries, when he ceased
to protect. The gaoler who shut the prison door in his face sealed his
fate; and it is supposed, but I do not know, that he had his
instructions from Voulland, on the other side, in order that the
prisoner might be driven into contumacy, against his will. Expelled
from gaol, Robespierre still refused to be free, and went to the
police office, whe