Yet league with villains, for with RobespierreVillains alone ally. Thou art a tyrant! 240
I stile thee tyrant, Robespierre! [Loud applauses.
Robespierre. Take back the name. Ye citizens of France —
[Violent clamour. Cries of — Down with the Tyrant!
Tallien. Oppression falls. The traitor stands appall’d —
Guilt’s iron fangs engrasp his shrinking soul —
He hears assembled France denounce his crimes! 245
He sees the mask torn from his secret sins —
He trembles on the precipice of fate.
Fall’n guilty tyrant! murder’d by thy rage
How many an innocent victim’s blood has stain’d
Fair freedom’s altar! Sylla-like thy hand 250
Mark’d down the virtues, that, thy foes removed,
Perpetual Dictator thou might’st reign,
And tyrannize o’er France, and call it freedom!
Long time in timid guilt the traitor plann’d
His fearful wiles — success emboldened sin — 255
And his stretch’d arm had grasp’d the diadem
Ere now, but that the coward’s heart recoil’d,
Lest France awak’d should rouse her from her dream,
And call aloud for vengeance. He, like Caesar,
With rapid step urged on his bold career, 260
Even to the summit of ambitious power,
And deem’d the name of King alone was wanting.
Was it for this we hurl’d proud Capet down?
Is it for this we wage eternal war
Against the tyrant horde of murderers, 265
The crownéd cockatrices whose foul venom
Infects all Europe? was it then for this
We swore to guard our liberty with life,
That Robespierre should reign? the spirit of freedom
Is not yet sunk so low. The glowing flame 270
That animates each honest Frenchman’s heart
Not yet extinguish’d. I invoke thy shade,
Immortal Brutus! I too wear a dagger;
And if the representatives of France,
Through fear or favour, should delay the sword 275
Of justice, Tallien emulates thy virtues;
Tallien, like Brutus, lifts the avenging arm;
Tallien shall save his country. [Violent applauses.
Billaud Varennes. I demand
The arrest of all the traitors. Memorable
Will be this day for France.
Robespierre. Yes! Memorable 280
This day will be for France — for villains triumph.
Lebas. I will not share in this day’s damning guilt.
Condemn me too. [Great cry — Down with the Tyrants!
(The two ROBESPIERRES, COUTHON, ST. JUST, and LEBAS are led off.)
ACT III
SCENE CONTINUES.
Collot d’Herbois. Caesar is fall’n! The baneful tree of Java,
Whose death-distilling boughs dropt poisonous dew,
Is rooted from its base. This worse than Cromwell,
The austere, the self-denying Robespierre,
Even in this hall, where once with terror mute 5
We listen’d to the hypocrite’s harangues,
Has heard his doom.
Billaud Varennes. Yet must we not suppose
The tyrant will fall tamely. His sworn hireling
Henriot, the daring desperate Henriot,
Commands the force of Paris. I denounce him. 10
Freron. I denounce Fleuriot too, the mayor of Paris.
Enter DUBOIS CRANCÉ.
Dubois Crancé. Robespierre is rescued. Henriot at the head
Of the arm’d force has rescued the fierce tyrant.
Collot d’Herbois. Ring the tocsin — call all the citizens
To save their country — never yet has Paris 15
Forsook the representatives of France.
Tallien. It is the hour of danger. I propose
This sitting be made permanent. [Loud applauses.
Collot d’Herbois. The National Convention shall remain
Firm at its post. 20
Enter a Messenger.
Messenger. Robespierre has reach’d the Commune. They espouse
The tyrant’s cause. St. Just is up in arms!
St. Just — the young ambitious bold St. Just
Harangues the mob. The sanguinary Couthon
Thirsts for your blood. [Tocsin rings. 25
Tallien. These tyrants are in arms against the law:
Outlaw the rebels.
Enter MERLIN OF DOUAY.
Merlin. Health to the representatives of France!
I past this moment through the arméd force —
They ask’d my name — and when they heard a delegate, 30
