The Death of Robespierre [pp. 304-309]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
And worthy to be mine.'Twould sting his heart
To lose his mistress ere I take his head;
If I would bribe her passions or her fears,
As well I trust I call, I must be speedy.
Those drunken guards-should any see her here,
Then what a tale to spread on Robespierre,
The chaste, the incorruptible, forsooth
(coldly approaching her.)
Lady, I may not save your fathtier's lifeDuty forbids-he holds back evidence
Which would convict Tallien; nay, do not kneel,
I cannot interfere.
Daughter.-Oh, say not so.
He is too peaceful for intrigues or plottersToo old, too helpless for their trust or aid.
Oh, for the filial love thou bearest thy sire,
Thy reverence for his years
Robes.-If he were living
And spoke in thy behalf, it were in vain.
Datughter.-For the dear mother's sake who gave thee
birth
And suffer'd agony that thou mighlt'st live
Robes.-Not if her voice could hail me from the tomb,
And plead in thy own words to save his life.
Datughter.-If thou hast hope or mercy
Robes.-I have neither.
Rise and depart while you are safe-yet stay,
One path to his redemption still is openIt leads to yonder chamber-Ha! I see
Thou understandest me.
Daughter.-I trust I do not.
I hope that Heaven beholds not-Earth contains not
A being capable of such an offer.
Robes.-And dare you scorn me, knowing who I am?
Bethink you where you stand-your sire-and loverAnd hear my offer. Life and wealth for them,
Jewels and splendor and supremacy
Shall wait on thee-no dame shall breathe in France
But bends the knee before thee.
Dauighter.-Let him die.
Better hlie perish now than live to curse
His daughter for dishonor. Fare you well.
There is a time for all things, and the hour
May come when thou wilt think of this again.
Robes. (laughing.) Ha! ha! Wouldst thou depart to
spread this tale?
Never, save to such ears as will not trust thee!
Choose on the spot between thy father's death,
Thy lover's and thine otvn, or my proposal.
Daughter.-My choice is made, let me rejoin my sire.
Robes.-I'll furnish thee a passport-guards awake!
(seizing her aran.)
Without there! murder! treason! guards come hither!
(Jacobins rush in and seize her.)
A watchful crew ye are, to leave me thus
To perish like Mar.t by the assassins;
See that you guard her well, and keep this weapon
Which, but I wrench'd it from her, would have slain me.
Daughter.-AAnd thus my father dies and one as dear.
'Tis joy to suffer with them, though I perish.
I feel assured thou canst not triumph longAnd I adjure thee by the Heaven thou hast scorn'd,
Whose lingering fires are not yet launch'd against thee,
And by the Earth thou cumberest, which hath not
Yet opened to entomb thee living, come,
Meet me, and mine, and thy ten thousand victims,
Before God's judgment seat, ere two days pass.
(the guards take her out.)
Robes.-She must have thought in sooth I was a
Christian.
SCENE II.
TALLIEN'S HOUSE.
Tallien with a letter in his hand.
In prison!-In his power!-to die to-morrow!
My body trembles and my senses reel.
This is a just and fearful retributionWould it were on my head alone! Oh Heaven,
Spare but this angel woman and her father,
And let me die-or might my life be pardon'd,
The criminal excess to which these times
Hlave hurried my rash hand and wilful heart,
I will atone to outrag'd human nature,
To her and to my country. Wretched France!
Once the fair home of music and of mirth,
So torn, so harrassed by these factions now,
That even the wise and good of ollther lands
Cannot believe a patriot breathes in this!
And she complains that I am grown a craven!
My acts of late may justify the thought,
But let to-morrow slhow how much I fear him.
(,, Servant enters.)
Servant —The Minister ofPolice
Tallien.-Attend him hitherFouche-perhaps to sound me; let him tryI yet may baffle him, and one more fatal
(Fouche enters.)
Fouchi.-So you are in the scales with Robespierre,
And which do you expect will kick the beam?
Tallien.-Why should you think that 1 will stake my
power,
Friends, interest, and life, in useless efforts
To thwart the destined ruler of the land?
Fouchg.-Yourself have told me so. I did but mean
That he had risk'd his power and party strength
Against your life. You mean to strike at his.
Your faltering voice and startled looks betray
The secret of your heart, though sooth to say,
I knew it all before.
Tallien.-You see too far,
And are for once wise over much, Monsieur;
I never sought to oppose your great colleague,
But would conciliate himn if I might.
Fouche. (sternly.) And do you hope to throw dust in
my eyes?
What means this note from Madame de Cabarus
Now in your bosom-sent to you this morningAnd this your answer? (producing a billet.) Have I
fathom'd you?
The mystic writing on the palace wall
Scar'd not Belshazzar more than this does you.
(Tallien. goes to the door.)
Nay, never call your men or makle those signals,
I have foreseen the Worst that you can do.
Tallien.-Chief of Police, while you are in this house
Your life is in my hands-uihen you are gone,
Mine is in yours. Now tell me why you came?
Foiechi.-To show you that I know of your designs.
Tallien.-And is that all?
Fouchd.-Not quite. To offer service
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