ge the Republic.
The offer was made in vain. Dumouriez came to Paris in January, and
found that there was nothing to be done. He said afterwards, "It is
true he was a perfidious scoundrel, but it was folly to cut his head
off." The Spanish Bourbons made every effort to save the head of the
house. They offered neutrality and mediation, and they empowered their
agent to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds in opportune bribery.
They promised, if Lewis was delivered up to them, that they would
prevent him from ever interfering in French affairs, and would give
hostages for his good behaviour. They entreated George III. to act
with them in a cause which was that of monarchy and of humanity.
Lansdowne, Sheridan, and Fox urged the government to interpose.
Grenville made known that peace would be preserved if France gave up
her conquests, but he said not a word for the king. Information was
brought to Pitt, from a source that could be trusted, that Danton
would save him for L40,000. When he made up his mind to give the
money, Danton replied that it was too late. Pitt explained to the
French diplomatist Maret, afterwards Prime Minister, his motive for
hesitation. The execution of the king of France would raise such a
storm in England that the Whigs would be submerged.

Lewis was resigned to his fate, but he expected that he would be
spared, and he spoke of retiring to the Sierra Morena, or of seeking a
retreat for his old age among the faithful republicans of Switzerland.
When his advocates came to tell him that there was no hope, he refused
to believe them. "You are mistaken," he said; "they would never dare."
He quickly recovered his composure, and declined to ask permission to
see his family. "I can wait," he said; "in a few days they will not
refuse me." A priest who applied for leave to attend him was sent to
prison. As a foreigner was less likely to be molested, the king asked
for the _abbe_ Edgeworth, of Firmount, who had passed his life in
France, but might be considered an Irishman. Garat, the Minister of
the Interior, went to fetch him. On their way he said, "He was weak
when in power; but you will see how great he is, now that he is in
chains."

On the following day Lewis was taken through a vast parade of military
and cannon to the scaffold in the Place de la Concorde, a little
nearer to the Champs Elysees than the place where the obelisk of Luxor
stands. He was nearly an hour on the way. The Spanish envoy had no