A dangerous charge, a fearful responsibility, which made Lafayette once more turn pale, and poor Bailly’s heart swell almost to breaking.
The mob, after having hacked away for a while at the cabriolet, which had been left at the foot of the front steps, again placed itself in the most advantageous positions, kept guard on all the issues from the building, made all its preparations, and placed new ropes in the pulleys of the lamp-posts.
Billot, at the sight of Berthier, who was tranquilly ascending the great staircase of the Hôtel de Ville, tore his hair, and could not restrain himself from weeping bitterly.
Pitou, who had left the river’s bank, and had come on the quay again when he thought that Foulon’s execution had been accomplished; Pitou, terrified, notwithstanding his hatred for Monsieur Berthier, guilty in his eyes not only of all the mob reproached him with, but also of having given gold buckles to Mademoiselle Catherine,—Pitou crouched down sobbing behind a bench.
During this time Berthier had entered the grand Hall of Council as coolly as if all the tumult had reference to some other person, and quietly conversed with the electors.
He knew the greater portion of them, and was even intimate with some of them.
The latter avoided him with the instinctive terror with which timid minds are inspired by the contact of an unpopular man.
Therefore Berthier soon found himself almost alone with Bailly and Lafayette.
He made them relate to him all the particulars of Foulon’s death. Then, shrugging his shoulders:—
“Yes,” said he, “I can understand it. They hate us, because we are the instruments with which royalty has tortured the people.”
“Great crimes are laid at your door, sir,” said Bailly, austerely.
“Sir,” replied Berthier, “if I had committed all the crimes with which I am reproached, I should be less or more than man,—a wild beast or a demon. But I shall be tried, I presume, and then the truth will be ascertained.”
“Undoubtedly,” said Bailly.
“Well, then,” rejoined Berthier, “that is all I desire. They have my correspondence, and it will be seen whose orders I have obeyed; and the responsibility will fall on those to whom it rightly appertains.”
The electors cast their eyes upon the square, from which arose the most frightful clamor.
Berthier understood this mute reply.
Then Billot, pushing through the throng which surrounded Bailly, went up to the intendant, and offering him his huge honest hand:—
“Good-day, Monsieur de Sauvigny,” said he to him.
“How! is that you, Billot?” cried Berthier, laughing, and grasping firmly the hand which was held out to him. “What! you have come to Paris to join in these disturbances,—you, my worthy farmer, who used to sell your wheat so well in the market at Villers-Cotterets, Crépy, and Soissons?”
Billot, notwithstanding his democratic tendencies, could not but admire the tranquillity of this man, who could thus smile at a moment when his life was hanging by a thread.
“Install yourselves, gentlemen,” said Bailly to the electors; “we must now proceed to the examination of the charges against the accused.”
“Be it so,” said Berthier; “but I must warn you of one thing, gentlemen, and that is, that I am perfectly exhausted. For the last two days I have not slept. Today, from Compiègne to Paris, I have been pushed about, beaten, dragged along. When I asked for something to eat, they offered me hay, which is not excessively refreshing. Therefore, give me some place where I can sleep, if it. be only for an hour.”
At that moment Lafayette left the room for a short time, to ascertain the state of matters outside. He returned more dispirited than ever.
“My dear Bailly,” said he to the mayor, “exasperation is at its height; to keep Monsieur Berthier here would be exposing ourselves to a siege. To defend the Hôtel de Ville would be giving these furious madmen the pretext which they wish. Not to defend the Hôtel de Ville would be acquiring the habit of yielding every time we are attacked.”
During this time, Berthier had sat down, and then stretched himself at full length upon a bench.
He was preparing himself to sleep.