om their ambition.

This feeling of backing the king, whose ministers they were, was the
basis of a conspiracy of which Madame Roland was the origin. At Roland's
there was nothing but ill humour; amongst his colleagues it was a
rivalry of patriotism with Robespierre. At Madame Roland's it was that
passion for a republic which was impatient of any remnant of a throne,
and which smiled complacently at the factions ready to overturn the
monarchy. When factions had arms no longer, Madame Roland and her
friends hastened to lead them.

II.

We see a fatal example in the step of the minister of war, Servan. He,
entirely controlled by Madame Roland, proposed to the National Assembly,
without authority from the king, or the consent of the council, to
assemble round Paris a camp of 20,000 troops. This army, composed of
_federes_ chosen from amongst the most enthusiastic persons of the
provinces, would be, as the Girondists believed, a kind of central army
of opinions devoted to the Assembly, counter-balancing the king's guard,
repressing the national guard, and recalling to mind that army of the
parliament which, under the orders of Cromwell, had conducted Charles I.
to the scaffold.

The Assembly, with the exception of the constitutional party, seized on
this idea as hatred seizes the arm which is offered to it. The king felt
the blow; Dumouriez saw through the perfidy, and could not repress his
choler against Servan in the council-chamber. His reproaches were those
of a loyal defender of his king. The replies of Servan were evasive, but
full of provocation. The two ministers laid their hands upon their
swords, and but for the presence of the king, and the intervention of
their colleagues, blood would have flowed in the council-chamber.

The king was desirous of refusing his sanction to the decree for the
20,000 men. "It is too late," said Dumouriez: "your refusal would
display fears too well founded, but which we must take care not to
betray to our enemies. Sanction the decree, I will undertake to
neutralise the danger of the concentration." The king requested time for
consideration.

Next day the Girondists called upon the king to sanction the decree
against the nonjuring priests. They came into direct contact with the
religious conscience of Louis XVI. Supported by that, this prince
declared that he would rather die than sign the persecution of the
church. Dumouriez insisted as much as the Girondists in obtaining thi