El Dorado | Page 4

principal parts on this
arena flooded with blood and carpeted with hate. They come and go,
these actors, my good St. Just--they come and go. Marat is already the
man of yesterday, Robespierre is the man of to-morrow. To-day we still
have Danton and Foucquier-Tinville; we still have Pere Duchesne, and
your own good cousin Antoine St. Just, but Heron and his like are with
us always."
"Spies, of course?"
"Spies," assented the other. "And what spies! Were you present at the

sitting of the Assembly to-day?"
"I was. I heard the new decree which already has passed into law. Ah! I
tell you, friend, that we do not let the grass grow under our feet these
days. Robespierre wakes up one morning with a whim; by the
afternoon that whim has become law, passed by a servile body of men
too terrified to run counter to his will, fearful lest they be accused of
moderation or of humanity--the greatest crimes that can be committed
nowadays."
"But Danton?"
"Ah! Danton? He would wish to stem the tide that his own passions
have let loose; to muzzle the raging beasts whose fangs he himself has
sharpened. I told you that Danton is still the man of to-day; to-morrow
he will be accused of moderation. Danton and moderation! --ye gods!
Eh? Danton, who thought the guillotine too slow in its work, and armed
thirty soldiers with swords, so that thirty heads might fall at one and the
same time. Danton, friend, will perish to-morrow accused of treachery
against the Revolution, of moderation towards her enemies; and curs
like Heron will feast on the blood of lions like Danton and his crowd."
He paused a moment, for he dared not raise his voice, and his whispers
were being drowned by the noise in the auditorium. The curtain, timed
to be raised at eight o'clock, was still down, though it was close on
half-past, and the public was growing impatient. There was loud
stamping of feet, and a few shrill whistles of disapproval proceeded
from the gallery.
"If Heron gets impatient," said de Batz lightly, when the noise had
momentarily subsided, the manager of this theatre and mayhap his
leading actor and actress will spend an unpleasant day to-morrow."
"Always Heron!" said St. Just, with a contemptuous smile.
"Yes, my friend," rejoined the other imperturbably, "always Heron.
And he has even obtained a longer lease of existence this afternoon."

"By the new decree?"
"Yes. The new decree. The agents of the Committee of General
Security, of whom Heron is the chief, have from to-day powers of
domiciliary search; they have full powers to proceed against all
enemies of public welfare. Isn't that beautifully vague? And they have
absolute discretion; every one may become an enemy of public welfare,
either by spending too much money or by spending too little, by
laughing to-day or crying to-morrow, by mourning for one dead
relative or rejoicing over the execution of another. He may be a bad
example to the public by the cleanliness of his person or by the filth
upon his clothes, he may offend by walking to-day and by riding in a
carriage next week; the agents of the Committee of General Security
shall alone decide what constitutes enmity against public welfare. All
prisons are to be opened at their bidding to receive those whom they
choose to denounce; they have henceforth the right to examine
prisoners privately and without witnesses, and to send them to trial
without further warrants; their duty is clear--they must 'beat up game
for the guillotine.' Thus is the decree worded; they must furnish the
Public Prosecutor with work to do, the tribunals with victims to
condemn, the Place de la Revolution with death-scenes to amuse the
people, and for their work they will be rewarded thirty-five livres for
every head that falls under the guillotine Ah! if Heron and his like and
his myrmidons work hard and well they can make a comfortable
income of four or five thousand livres a week. We are getting on, friend
St. Just--we are getting on."
He had not raised his voice while he spoke, nor in the recounting of
such inhuman monstrosity, such vile and bloodthirsty conspiracy
against the liberty, the dignity, the very life of an entire nation, did he
appear to feel the slightest indignation; rather did a tone of amusement
and even of triumph strike through his speech; and now he laughed
good-humouredly like an indulgent parent who is watching the
naturally cruel antics of a spoilt boy.
"Then from this hell let loose upon earth," exclaimed St. Just hotly,
"must we rescue those who refuse to ride upon this tide of blood."

His cheeks were glowing, his eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. He
looked very young and very eager. Armand St. Just,