culty Fouquier succeeded at last in soothing
the brute, and leading him from the chamber. But still, as some wild
beast disappointed of a prey, he growled and snarled as his heavy tread
descended the stairs. A tall trooper, mounted, was leading Henriot's
horse to and fro the streets; and as the general waited at the porch
till his attendant turned, a stranger stationed by the wall accosted
him:

"General Henriot, I have desired to speak with thee. Next to
Robespierre, thou art, or shouldst be, the most powerful man in France."

"Hem!--yes, I ought to be. What then?--every man has not his deserts!"

"Hist!" said the stranger; "thy pay is scarcely suitable to thy rank and
thy wants."

"That is true."

"Even in a revolution, a man takes care of his fortunes!"

"Diable! speak out, citizen."

"I have a thousand pieces of gold with me,--they are thine, if thou wilt
grant me one small favour."

"Citizen, I grant it!" said Henriot, waving his hand majestically. "Is
it to denounce some rascal who has offended thee?"

"No; it is simply this: write these words to President Dumas, 'Admit
the bearer to thy presence; and, if thou canst, grant him the request
he will make to thee, it will be an inestimable obligation to Francois
Henriot.'" The stranger, as he spoke, placed pencil and tablets in the
shaking hands of the soldier.

"And where is the gold?"

"Here."

With some difficulty, Henriot scrawled the words dictated to him,
clutched the gold, mounted his horse, and was gone.

Meanwhile Fouquier, when he had closed the door upon Henriot, said
sharply, "How canst thou be so mad as to incense that brigand? Knowest
thou not that our laws are nothing without the physical force of the
National Guard, and that he is their leader?"

"I know this, that Robespierre must have been mad to place that drunkard
at their head; and mark my words, Fouquier, if the struggle come, it
is that man's incapacity and cowardice that will destroy us. Yes, thou
mayst live thyself to accuse thy beloved Robespierre, and to perish in
his fall."

"For all that, we must keep well with Henriot till we can find the
occasion to seize and behead him. To be safe, we must fawn on those who
are still in power; and fawn the more, the more we would depose them.
Do not think this Henriot, when he wakes to-morrow, will forget thy
threats. He is the most revengeful of human beings. Thou must send and
soothe him in the morning!"

"Right," said Dumas, con