Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

Quai Pelletier, where it was proposed to throw | his face was ghastly pale. He shut his eyes, them into the river; but it being discovered, but could not close his ears against the imwhen day returned, that they still breathed, precations of the multitude. A woman, they were stretched on a board and carried breaking from the crowd, exclaimed, "Murto the Assembly. The members having re- derers of all my kindred, your agony fills me fused to admit them, they were conveyed to with joy. Descend to hell covered with the the Committee of General Safety, where curses of every mother in France!" Twenty Robespierre lay for nine hours stretched on of his comrades were executed before him. a table-the same with that where he had When he ascended the scaffold, the execusigned the death-warrant of so many noble tioner tore the bandage from his face; the citizens—with citizens with his broken jaw still bleeding lower jaw fell upon his breast, and he utand suffering alike under bodily pain and tered a yell which filled every heart with the execrations and insults of those around horror. For some minutes the frightful fighim. During the whole time that this cruel ure was held up to the multitude; he was torture lasted he evinced a stoical apathy; then placed under the axe, and the last foam merely issued from his mouth, which sounds which reached his ears were the exthe humanity of some around him led them ulting shouts, which were prolonged for some to wipe off; but his finger, still with con- minutes after his death. vulsive energy, was fixed on the holster of the pistol which he had not had the courage to discharge. From thence he was sent to the Conciergerie, where he was confined in the same cell which had been occupied by Danton, Hebert and Chaumette. At length At length he was brought, with all his associates, to the Revolutionary Tribunal, and as soon as the identity of their persons was established they were condemned.

[ocr errors]

At four in the morning on the 29th of July all Paris was in motion to witness the death of the tyrant. He was placed on the chariot between Henriot and Couthon, whose remains were as mutilated as his own; the crowd, which for long had ceased to attend the executions, manifested the utmost joy at their fate. He was conducted to the Place de la Révolution; the scaffold was placed on the spot where Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette had suffered. The blood from his jaw burst through the bandage and overflowed his dress;

Along with Robespierre were executed Henriot, Couthon, St. Just, Dumas, Coffinhal, Simon and all the leaders of the revolt. St. Just alone displayed the firmness which had so often been witnessed among the victims whom they had sent to the scaffold. Couthon wept with terror; the others died uttering blasphemies, which were drowned in the cheers of the people. They shed tears for joy; they embraced each other in transport; they crowded round the scaffold to behold the bloody remains of the tyrants. Yes, Robespierre, there is a God!" said a poor man as he approached the lifeless body of one so lately the object of dread. His fall was felt by all present as an immediate manifestation of the Divinity.

66

Thus terminated the Reign of Terror—a period fraught with greater political instruction than any of equal duration which has existed since the beginning of the world.

ARCHIBALD ALISON.

[graphic]

I SEE THEM ON THEIR WINDING WAY.

SEE them on their winding | The rogue is growing a little old;

way;

Above their ranks the moon

beams play,

And nearer yet, and yet

more near,

The martial chorus strikes

the ear.

They're lost and

gone: the moon is past;

The wood's dark shade is

o'er them cast,

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
[graphic][ocr errors][subsumed]

But he sticks by through thick and thin, And this old coat, with its empty pockets And rags that smell of tobacco and gin,

He'll follow while he has his eyes in his sockets.

There isn't another creature living

[blocks in formation]

Sometimes forgetting the taste of bread
And scarce remembering what meat meant,
That my poor stomach's past reform,

And there are times when, mad with thinking,

Would do it and prove, through every I'd sell out heaven for something warm

disaster,

So fond, so faithful and so forgiving

To such a miserable, thankless master. No, sir! See him wag his tail and grin. By George! it makes my old eyes waterThat is, there's something in this gin

That chokes a fellow. But no matter!

We'll have some music, if you're willing, And Roger (hem! what a plague a cough is, sir!)

Shall march a little.-Start, you villain!
Stand straight! 'Bout face! Salute

officer!

Put up

your

To prop a horrible inward sinking.

Is there a way to forget to think?
At
your age, sir, home, fortune, friends,
A dear girl's love- But I took to drink;
The same old story: you know how it

ends.

If you could have seen these classic features! You needn't laugh, sir; they were not then

Such a burning libel on God's creatures:
I was one of your handsome men.

that paw! Dress! Take your rifle! If you had seen her, so fair and young,

Some dogs have arms, you see.-Now

hold your

Cap while the gentlemen give a trifle

To aid a poor old patriot soldier.

March! Halt! Now show how the rebel

shakes

When he stands up to hear his sentence; Now tell us how many drams it takes

To honor a jolly new acquaintance.— Five yelps-that's five. He's mighty knowing.

The night's before us: fill the glasses. Quick, sir! I'm ill; my brain is going! Some brandy! Thank you. There! it

passes.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

I'm better now: that glass was warming.

You rascal limber your lazy feet!

We must be fiddling and performing

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

For supper and bed, or starve in the The dawn of the morning saw Dermot re

[blocks in formation]
« ForrigeFortsæt »