ainst insult the
royal dignity asserted itself, and in adversity the simplicity and
{166} kindliness of Louis began rather suddenly to look like something
not so very remote from saintliness; such is the relation of
surroundings and background to the effect produced by a man's life and
character.

Before the Convention, on the 11th of December, Louis, mild and
dignified, listened in some bewilderment to a long list of so-called
charges, of which the most salient accused him of complicity with
Bouille in a plot against his subjects, and of having broken his oath
to the constitution. When asked what answer he had to make, he denied
the charges, and demanded time to prepare a defence and to obtain legal
assistance. This was granted, and an adjournment was taken. From all
of which it appears that Louis accepted the false ground which the
Convention had marked out for him, and lacked the logical sense of
Robespierre.

During the adjournment, which was for two weeks, the Girondins made one
more attempt to dodge the issue, to refer the trial of the King to the
electorate. Behind them was a great mass of opinion. The department
of Finisterre passed resolutions demanding the suspension of Marat,
Robespierre and {167} Danton; it approached the neighbouring
departments with a view to combining their armed forces and sending
them to Paris. Even with such demonstrations to strengthen their hands
the Girondins were in too false a position, were too much orators and
not men of action, to save themselves; Paris held them inexorably to
their detested task.

On the 26th, the trial was resumed, and, save for judgment, concluded.
Louis was in charge of Santerre, commanding the national guard of
Paris. His advocates, Malesherbes, Tronchet and de Seze, did their
duty with courage and ability, after which the King was removed, and
the Convention resolved itself into a disorderly and clamorous meeting
in which the public galleries added as much to the din as the members
themselves.

More debates followed, of which the turn was reached on the 3rd of
January. On that day Barere, most astute of those who sat in the
centre, keenest to detect the tremor of the straw that showed which way
public passion was about to blow, ascended the tribune and delivered
his opinion. Anxiously the house hung on the words of the oracle of
moral cowardice, and heard that oracle pronounce {168} the destruction
of the King as a measure of public safety.