he bold counter-resolution, that the speech should
be referred to the two committees whom that very speech accused. Still
no applause from the conspirators; they sat torpid as frozen men. The
shrinking Barrere, ever on the prudent side, looked round before he
rose. He rises, and sides with Lecointre! Then Couthon seized the
occasion, and from his seat (a privilege permitted only to the paralytic
philanthropist) (M. Thiers in his History, volume iv. page 79, makes
a curious blunder: he says, "Couthon s'elance a la tribune." (Couthon
darted towards the tribune.) Poor Couthon! whose half body was dead,
and who was always wheeled in his chair into the Convention, and spoke
sitting.), and with his melodious voice sought to convert the crisis
into a triumph.

He demanded, not only that the harangue should be printed, but sent
to all the communes and all the armies. It was necessary to soothe
a wronged and ulcerated heart. Deputies, the most faithful, had been
accused of shedding blood. "Ah! if HE had contributed to the death of
one innocent man, he should immolate himself with grief." Beautiful
tenderness!--and while he spoke, he fondled the spaniel in his bosom.
Bravo, Couthon! Robespierre triumphs! The reign of Terror shall endure!
The old submission settles dovelike back in the assembly! They vote
the printing of the Death-speech, and its transmission to all the
municipalities. From the benches of the Mountain, Tallien, alarmed,
dismayed, impatient, and indignant, cast his gaze where sat the
strangers admitted to hear the debates; and suddenly he met the eyes of
the Unknown who had brought to him the letter from Teresa de Fontenai
the preceding day. The eyes fascinated him as he gazed. In aftertimes he
often said that their regard, fixed, earnest, half-reproachful, and
yet cheering and triumphant, filled him with new life and courage. They
spoke to his heart as the trumpet speaks to the war-horse. He moved from
his seat; he whispered with his allies: the spirit he had drawn in was
contagious; the men whom Robespierre especially had denounced, and who
saw the sword over their heads, woke from their torpid trance. Vadier,
Cambon, Billaud-Varennes, Panis, Amar, rose at once,--all at once
demanded speech. Vadier is first heard, the rest succeed. It burst
forth, the Mountain, with its fires and consuming lava; flood upon flood
they rush, a legion of Ciceros upon the startled Catiline! Robespierre
falters, hesitates,--would qual