ers at
the Temple.

Verdun fell on the 2d of September, at the very moment when Danton was
announcing its continued resistance. On the 5th the Duke of Brunswick
resumed his march on Paris, and {155} on the same day, the electors of
that city met and chose twenty deputies to the convention; their choice
was coloured by the fact that the massacres were still continuing. At
the head of the poll stood Robespierre; Danton was next; among the others
may be noted Camille Desmoulins, Marat, and, last of all, the duc
d'Orleans, who a few days later metamorphosed his Bourbon name into
Philippe _Egalite_.

Throughout France the electoral process was everywhere giving much the
same result. Less than one-tenth of the electors used their franchise;
and the extreme party won great successes. By the middle of September
the new deputies were reaching Paris. The _Legislative_ in its last
moments was feeble and undignified. Marat threatened it with massacre,
and declared that its members were as much the enemies of the country as
were the imprisoned aristocrats. Under this menace the Legislative
watched the massacres of September without raising a hand to protect its
unfortunate victims. Danton did the same. As minister of Justice the
prisoners and the tribunals were under his special charge. But although
he may have facilitated the escape of some individuals, and although he
took no direct {156} part, yet he believed that no government could be
established strong enough to save the Revolution, at such a crisis as it
had reached, save by paying this toll of blood to the suspicion, the
vengeance, the cruelty, the justice of the people. He dared to pay the
price, and later he, and he alone, dared to shoulder the responsibility.

{157}

CHAPTER XI

ENDING THE MONARCHY

On the 20th and 21st of September 1792 the Convention met, the Bourbon
monarchy fell, and the Duke of Brunswick was defeated, a coincidence of
memorable events.

Brunswick, pushing on from Verdun into the defiles of the Argonne, had
two armies operating against him, trying to stop his march; the one
under Dumouriez, the other under Kellermann. He forced a way, however,
but at the further side, about the hills of Valmy, had to face the
combined armies of his adversaries. Brunswick was now much reduced by
sickness, and was much worried over supplies and his lengthening line
of communications. In a faint-hearted way he deployed for attack.
Dumourie