And shake big gall-drops from their Hangs o'er the troubled fountain of her

Down with the Tyrant!

To call for vengeance.

grave

ΙΟ

I too dug the

Where sleep the Girondists, detested band!

Long with the shew of freedom they abused

Her ardent sons. Long time the wellturn'd phrase,

The high-fraught sentence and the lofty

tone

Of declamation, thunder'd in this hall,
Till reason midst a labyrinth of words
Perplex'd, in silence seem'd to yield as-

sent.
I durst oppose.
friend,

Soul of my honoured

20

Spirit of Marat, upon thee I call—
Thou know'st me faithful, know'st with
what warm zeal

Tallien. Hear ye that outcry? If I urg'd the cause of justice, stripp'd the

the trembling members

Even for a moment hold his fate sus

pended,

mask

From faction's deadly visage, and destroy'd

I swear by the holy poniard, that stabbed Her traitor brood. Whose patriot arm

hurl'd down

Cæsar,

This dagger probes his heart!

[Exeunt omnes.

Hébert and Rousin, and the villain friends
Of Danton, foul apostate! those, who long

Look pale with fear, and call on saints Regnault the instrument belike of those to help them! Who now themselves would fain assassinate,

Who dares accuse me? who shall dare belie

My spotless name? Speak, ye accomplice band,

60

And legalize their murders. I stand here
An isolated patriot-hemmed around
By faction's noisy pack; beset and bay'd

Of what am I accus'd? of what strange By the foul hell-hounds who know no

Unheard before their equals, to the bar Where cruelty sat throned, and murder reign'd

More soothing to her ear?
Bourdon l'Oise.

Rattle her chains With her Dumas coequal? Say-thou More musically now than when the hand Of Brissot forged her fetters; or the

man

Of mighty eloquence, whose law was that?

Couthon. That law was mine. I urged it-I propos'd—

The voice of France assembled in her

crew

Of Hébert thundered out their blasphemies,

And Danton talk'd of virtue? Robespierre. Oh, that Brissot Were here again to thunder in this hall, Assented, though the tame and timid That Hébert lived, and Danton's giant

sons

voice

50

Of traitors murmur'd. I advis'd that law

I justify it. It was wise and good. Barrere. Oh, wonderous wise and most convenient too!

Or barter'd I for victory, when death Oh, I have mark'd thee long, and Strode o'er the reeking streets with giant

Yes, ambitious
Yes, ambitious And shook his ebon plumes, and sternly

Of safety, fought I like a merchant then?

Look how thy Oh, patience! patience!

Me from my brother. I partake his Till once again the plains of France

The minister of wrath, whilst slaughter by That I kill'd Cæsar and spar'd Antony.
Had bathed in human blood.
But I have been too lenient. I have

Dubois Crancé

No wonder, friend,

That we are traitors-that our heads

must fall

140

Beneath the axe of death! when Cæsar

like

spared

The stream of blood, and now my own
must flow

To fill the current. [Loud applauses.
Triumph not too soon,

Reigns Robespierre, 'tis wisely done to Justice may yet be victor.

doom

Enter ST. JUST, and mounts the
Tribune.

171

St. Just. I come from the Committee -charged to speak

Of matters of high import. I omit

Between your curst triumvirate? You, Their orders. Representatives of France,

Couthon,

Go with my brother to the southern

plains;

Boldly in his own person speaks St. Just
What his own heart shall dictate.
Tallien.

Here ye this,

St. Just, be yours the army of the north; Insulted delegates of France? St. Just
Mean time I rule at Paris.
From your Committee comes — comes

Not one poor blush of truth! most likely That bold man I denounce, who disobeys The nation's orders. I denounce St.

Of this deep treason. Tell me in whose Robespierre prevented liberty of speechAnd Robespierre is a tyrant! Tallien